The Red Cloud chief., 1901-02-22
bottom. paddle in hand. to steady the

started as from q dream. Stepping
into the canoe with the agility OF an
Indian woman. the shore was lett and
the canoe shot away. not cleaving, but
swimming over the waters. Paul had
little need of effort because the cur-
rent was strong. yielding tn the sue
ton from the Calumette falls below.
where the water fretted Itself Into a
Niagara. For a moment Ioulse's
voice foatcd out
''Cest les avirons qui nous mont en-
haut."
but. recollectlng herself. h said;
Tell me the story of the grave on
Calumctte Island we have just left.
You promised me to do 30 on our re-
turn"
II would rather talk to you or watch
you or hear you Or"
"Oh. Paui!' she raised her hand dep
r%ecatingl2.
We'll ms femmelette. here II Is:
Long years ago when the voyageurs
were first exploring Canada the IN
dams had been aroused and were .
tile and the explorers made a practice
OF camping on islands 10 escape the
savagcs Just as the geese m dncks
do to escape the wolves and foxes'
Near where the grave stands a
load OF men were camped. They a
spent tho night. breaktasted. n were
preparing to leave. when half a mne
away was seen a dozen canoe londs
OF painted Indians making for them.
To remain was certain death. 10 they
abandoned everything and q
rush for their ano leaving one OF
their number, who had strayed snort
distance from the camp. behind them'
Each man grasped his paddle, anu
aided by the swift current. the canoe
lew: but the Indians followed In close
pursuit and were gaining on the III
tives. To stop meant death. To lana
was impossible because they would Do
caught and massacred. Presently the
roar OF the falls was heard sounding
like n score OF angry lions. n a pi''ar
OF spray was seen to rise. Death was
certain, but death by being dashed
over the falls was preferable to death
by torture at the stake, 30 they all lay
down In the bottom Of the canoe
commended their souls to God, ana
invoking The intercession Of tho Nlrgin
Mother. by n fervent--
"'Sainte Marie, plein de grace.
they awaited the end. The current
hurled them along and when the o a
of the cataract had become deafening'
the rror-stricken occupants OF the
canoe saw IA woman In white seat her
self In the stern Of the craft and take
a paddle In her hand. Almost In
stantly the canoe shot over the preci-
pice. Down, down, down! A splash
and the heaving OF the canoe told them
that they had passed the falls ant
were now In the whirlpools and rap
ids below. Still the woman In Whit
sat In her chosen position and in les'
time than II takes to tell II the csno
was moored In a quiet eddy below
The woman In white east a look o
ineffable tenderness upon the recum
bent %voyageurs and vanished. The,
arose and discovered that they wer'
safe. Not a drop Of water was In thu
n Not a thing disturbed. Tit
miracle ~dumfounded them because
they knew a saw log or a stick o
timber could not pass the falls with
out being rlven and splintered. Re
gaining speech, they de'outIy knel
upon the rocks and returned thanks
to God: then, lifting their canoe, they
proceeded over the weary portage de
termined to see what had become o.
their comrade.
THE ransomed reached their camp
ing place on the island, but their com
panion, thinking them Indians. hat
concealed himself. AS oon as he rec
ognized the voices he came forth ant
in an ecstasy of JOY his emotions over
came him and he dropped dead. w,
would call II heart disease nowadays
lie de en- est iete.' said the foreman
and they buried the dead man. plac
ing a rude slab to mark the spot, ant
the grave has been the Mecca ~ voy
ageurs ever since. And" said Paul
looking into the dark and wonderin,
eyes Of the maiden before him, "C'es
un yrals cOnte.
Louise said nothing. A pallor spreat
over her face and she visibly trembled
Paul, needless OF the fast increasinj
current, laid his paddle across tn,
%gunwales of his canoe and, taking he
hand, said earnestly:
Louise, / am like the yoyageurs n
the story. Since meeting you. sine,
first hearing your voice, since first in.
haling the odOr OF your presence.
have loved yon. and unless you can be-
mine l must perish In the turbulen,
stream OF life. BE my woman In
white and save me-
The unheeded growlings of the cat
aract broke into a roar and the young
girl instinctiyely ~grasped the paddle.
"Donnez-le-moi!" Paul grasped the
paddle almost rudely from her hand.
Danger was all around him. but he
was strong and fearless. He knew he
could raaph "a nlana nf aafaty NJ tho