The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-08-08
With head erect and tightly curling

will and followed noiSelesSly.
Presently the animal stopped and
nosed the hard frozen surface of the
snow-covered ice. Sikeepa, kneeling,
saw a few faint scratches there and
rose with glowing cheeks and flashing
eyes.
ut is Nanulk!" he whispered, breath
lessly. Good dog, good Khimik, keep
on" And cautiously they followed up
the trail.
Upon a cluster of rugged hummocks
they found the bear lazily doing in
the noontide sun, and, keeping well to
leeward, stole upon him with such 81
lent tread that Nanuk took no note of
their approach, nor dreamed an enemy
shared the field with him, until a we'll
aimed bullet pierced his side and the
red blood spurted forth. Then with
roar of mingled rage and pain the
great beast rose and faced the daring
boy-who now was hastily reloading
his clumsy weapon-paused moment
and flung himself at his foe; but ere
he reached his aim the gun was poised
and two shots rang out simultaneously.
The monster staggered blindly,
| turned and beat the air with his huge
| forepaws, then fell on his side, and
drawing his knife, Sikeepa leaped upon
! him.
BE not so fast" a harsh voice called
out, augrily. "Nanuk is dead, but it's
because of me. And were | not still
young enough to hunt, thy carcass
would need skinning, not the bears"
Ana Mauterjek, the shaman, stood be-
side him.
Look! Here thy bullet sped-and
here again. This is the killing blow
here in the neck. 1t is the place to
strike. None but foolish boy would
aim SO low. What! do you still dis
pute me? BE off at once and send the
team and sledge; if nothing else, thy
limbs know how to run. And tell no
! lying tales how thou didst kill"
| Sikeepa, knife in hand, remained
erect. His color came and went
throughout this speech, but otherwise
he seemed unmoved by it. Then, stoop-
iag quickly, he severed one big fore
| paw, slung it in a moose of sealsllin
| thong, and with it on his shoulder
strobe away, nor answered Mauteriek
| ny Il single word.
Khimik hungrily Tapped the warm,
red blood; but the shaman drove him
off with vigorous blows and, whining,
he limped away on the road his master
was pursuing with nervous steps.
That night, when all had Toasted
and hunger was a memory fading fast,
Sikeepa called the people to assemble
! and in fatu fol1 Al.
hunt.
"Mauterjek claims the killing blow
as his; yet you all saw the wound in
4 NanuS's neck. The bear was facing
me, its side to him; say, then, whose
bullet was it did the work? He has
reviled me in terms unjust, unfit. Had
he been younger he would have heard
from me. do not war with age, nor
handy words. Is he to be your chief
tain or am I?''
The people looked anxiously at one
another.
The shaman rose with brows dark
knit as night; his teeth were ground
together and his bronzed features
twitched. "A moment passed before he
could control his rage sufficiently to
speak in measured tones, ard then he
said:
Children, this upstart boy, this ly-
ing cub, would have you say that he
had slain the bear; that he alone had
found the camp this food; that he
alone was fit to rule the tribe!"
Then swaying his body slowly to
and fro, beginning in a low voice, but
gradually gaining force with elo-
| quence:
Who is 1t drives away your aches and
| pains; restores your health and heals
your wounds; charms the wild things
which furnish us with food, brings
buiyea (the seaD to your spears, draws
| 1eet-foot tooktoo from the inland
wastes?
who weaves the spell to keep our
ancient foes, the mountain folk, from
spreading out upon our hunting ground
to kill our deer and seals, to steal our
wives, to trap our men like foxes in
their holes?
IF this young crow should set him
over us, look not to Mauterjek again
when food is gone; look not to Mauter-
jell when illness comes.
War with the tribes, and worse;
disease, and worse; famine, and worse
ay, death, and worse shall come; for
none shall be left to build you burial
cairns; the wolves shall end it! This
prophesy, l, Mauterjell! Oh, people,
hear and heed your Mauterjek!"
And the harsh voice of the shaman
rose to shrieking pitch, the people
swayed to the rude rhythm of his
speech; and Kupa threw himself, face
downward, moaning: "Aillah! It's
thou hast said it. Ahaillah! thou art
our shaman and our chief; Aillah"
The morning star shone brightly
overhead when solitary figure APP
peared before the group of icy huts,
and a low voice called: "Khimilk, come.
Haul1! haukv'
A whine responded as the dog thrust
his sharp muzzle against Silseepa's
hand; and slowly, but without hesita-
ton and with not one backward look,
the youth and his mute comrade faced
the south and left the camp behind.
'KhimiS, have heard them tell, he
said, ''of strange, good men, with faces
like the snow, who come to teach the