Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-03-02

She was watching the miniature ed
dies curling around the boulders at
the waters edge. He spoke, and she
started as from dream Stepping
into the canoe with the agility Of an
Indian woman. the shore was left and
the canoe shot away. not cleaving. but
sktmming over the waters. Paul had
little need of effort because the cur
rent was strong, yielding to the sue
ton from the Calumette falls below.
where the water fretted itself into
Niagara. For a moment Louise's
voice hoated out
"Cest les avirons qui nous mont en-
haut,'
but, recollecting herself she said:
Tell me the story of the grave on
Calumette Island we have just left.
You promised me to do so on our re-
turn"
Il would rather talk to you or watch
you or hear you Or"
''Oh, PAUL." she raised her hand dep
recatingly-
well, ma femmelette, here it is:
Long years ago when the voyageurs
were first exploring Canada the In
dams had been aroused and were hos
tile and the explorers made practice
of camping on islands to escape the
saveges just as the geese and ducks
do to escape the wolves and foxes.
Near where the grave stands a canoe
load of men were camped. They had
spent the night, breakfasted, and were
preparing to leave. when half mile
away was seen a dozen canoe loads
of painted Indians making for them
To remain was certain death. so they
abandoned everything and made
rush for their canoe, leaving one OF
their number, who had strayed short
distance from the camp, behind them
Each man grasped his paddle, and,
aided by the swift current, the canoe
few; but the Indians followed in close
pursuit and were gaining on the fugi-
tfves. To stop meant death. To land
was impossible because they would be
caught and massacred. Presently the
roar of the falls was heard sounding
like score Of angry lions. and pillar
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, so they all lay
down in the bottom of the canoe.
commended their souls to God, and,
invoking the intercession of the Virgin
Sainte Marie, plein de grace.
they awaited the end. The current
hurled them along and when the roar
Of the cataract had become deafening,
the terror-stricken occupants of the
canoe saw a woman in white seat her
self in the stern of the craft and take
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 and
were now in the whirlpools and rap
ids below. Still the woman in white
sat in her chosen position and in less
time than it takes to tell it the canoe
was moored in a quiet eddy below.
The woman in white cast look Of
ineffable tenderness upon the recum-
bent voyageurs and vanished. They
arose and discovered that they were
safe. Not drop OF water was in the
canoe. Not a thing distu rbed. The
miracle dumfounded them because
they knew a saw log or a stick" of
timber could not pass the falls with
out being riven and splintered. Re-
gaining speech, they devoutly knelt
upon the rocks and returned thanks
proceeded over the weary portage de-
termined to see what had become of
their comrade.
THE ranSomed reached their camp
ing place on the island. but their COM
panion, thinking them Indians, had
concealed himself. AS soon as he rec
ognized the voices he came forth and
in an ecstasy OF joy his emotions over
came him and he dropped dead. We
would call it heart disease nowadays
lie de en- est jete.' said the foreman.
and they buried the dead man, plac-
ing rude slab to mark the spot, and
the grave has been the Mecca of voy-
ageurs ever since. And" said Paul.
looking into the dark and wondering
eyes of the maiden before him, "C'est
un vrais conte."
Louise said nothing. A pallor spread
over her face and she visibly trembled
Paul, needless of the fast increasing
current, laid his paddle across the
gunwales of his canoe and, taking her
hand, said earnestly:
Louise, 1 am like the voyageurs in
the story. Since meeting you, since
first hearing your voice, since first in
have loved you, and unless you can be
mine I must perish in the turbulent
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 instinctively grasped the paddle.
"Donnez-le-moii" Paul grasped the
paddle almost rudely from her hand.