The Minneapolis journal., 1901-11-02
CHAPTER XXX.
PLOTS ANp CoUNTRR-PLors.


mother Quiets fretful child, so the illim-
liable calm lulls tumultuous thoughts The
wind moving through empty solitudes comes
with sigh Of unutterable loneliness. I'm
consciously, men listen for some faint rus
tllng from the gauzy, wavering streamers
that fire northern skies. The dullest ear can
almost fancy sounds from the noiseless
wheeling of planets through the overspan-
SsEg vaulted blue; and human speech seems
sacrilege.
Though the language OF the prairie be not
IN words some message Is surely uttered; for
the people OF the plains wear the far-away
look OF communion with the unseen and the
unheard The fine sensibiliy OF the white
woman, perhaps, shows the impress OF the
vast solitudes most readily, and the gravely
repressed nature OF the Indian least; but all
plain-dwellers have learned to catch the
voice OF the prairie. I, myself, know the
message well, though may no more put it
into words than the song love sings in ones
heart. Love, says the poet, is infinite. So
is the space OF the prairie. That. l suppose,
is why both are too boundless for the limita-
ton OF speech.
Night after night, with only a grassy swish
and deadened tread over the turf breaking
stiffness, We journeyed northward. occa-
sionally, like the chirp OF cricket in dry
well, life sounded through emptiness. Skulk-
ing coyotes, seeking prey among earth
mounds, or night hawks, lifting solitarily in
vaulted mid-heaYen, uttered cries that pierced
the vast blue. Owls tapped stupidity up
from our horses feet. Hungry kites wheeled
above lonely Indian graves or perched on the
scafolding, where the dead lay swathed il
skins.
Rejecting on my experience with the Man
danes and the Sioux, was disposed to up
braid fate as a senseless thing with no thread
OF purpose through life's hopeless tumble
Now, something IN the calm of the plains
or the certainty Of our unerring star-guides,
Quieted my unrest Besides, was I not re-
turning to one who was peerless? That
hope speedily eclipsed all interests. That
was purpose enough for my life. Forthwith
l began comparing lustrous gray eyes TO the
stars, and tracing a woman's figure in
the diaphanous northern lights. One face
ever cleaned through the dusk at my
horses head and beckoned northward. 1
do not think her presence left me for an
instant on that homeward journey. But
indeed. I should not set down these
extravagances, which each may recall
in his own case, only I would have others
judge whether she influenced me, or I, her.
Thus we Travelled northward, journeying by
night as long as we were in the Sioux ter
ritory. Once In the land of the Assinlboines
we rode day and night to the limit Of our
horses endurance. Remembering the Hud-
sons Bay outrage at the Souris, and having
also heard from Mandane runners OF a raid
planned by our rivals against the Northwest
fort at Pembina, I steered wide of both
places. following the old Missouri trail mid
way between the Red and Souris rivers 1t
may have been because we Travelled at night
but did not encounter single person, native
or white, till We came close to the Red and
were less than a days journey from Fort
Gibraltar. On tie river trail, we overlook
some Hudson Bay trappers. The fellows
would not answer single question abous
events during the year and scampered away
from us as II we carried smallpox, which
had thinned the population a few years be-
fore.
That's badl" said I aloud as the men
fed down the river bank, where we could
not follow. Little Fellow looked as solemn
as a gravestone. He shook his head with
ominous wisdom that foresees all evil but
refuses to prophesy.
Bother to you. Little Fellow" I ex-
claimed. What do you meanG What's up?''
Again the Indian shook his head with dark
mutterings, looking mighty solemn, but he
would not share his foreknowledge. We met
more Hudson Bay men, and their conduct
was pnmtstakably suspicious. On a sudden
seeing us, they refined up their horses
wheeled and galloped off without a word
I don't like thatl emphatically don't!"
piloted my broncho to a slight roll of the
prairie, where We could reconnoitre. Dis
tlncuy there was the spot where the two
rivers met. Intervening shrubbery confused
my bearings. l rose in my sHrrups while
Little Fellow stood erect on his horses back.
Little Fellow!'' I cried. exasperated with
myself Where's Fort Gibraltar? I see where
II ought TO be, where the towers ought to
De hlgher than that brush, but where's the
The Indian screened his eyes and gazed for
ward. Then he came down with a thud abb
ruptly restraddling his horse, and uttered one
explosive word-"Smoke."
fort?" " 1e4 { > me
NO fort" said he.
You're daft!' I informed him. with th,
engaging frankness Of a master for servant
Ihere-is-a fort, and you know it-we're
Doth lost-that's more! A fine Indian YOU
are, to get lost!'
Little Fellow scrambled with alacrity to
the ground. Picking up two small switches
he propped them against each other
"Fort!' he said, laconically. pointing to
the switches. ~
Langlais! he cried, thrusting out his
4oot, which signifled Hudson's Bay.
NO 1ort!" he shouted, kicking the switches
into the air. 'No fort!" and he looked with
sPeechless disgust at the vacancy.
now knew what he meant. Fort Gibraltar
nau Deen destroyed by Hudson's Bay men.
We had no alternative but TO strike west
along the Assiniboine, on the chance Of r,eetI
lns some Nor-Westers before reaching the
companys quarters at the Portage. That
post 100, might be destroyed; but where
We're Hamilton and Father HolIandP Dan
ger or no danger, must learn more of the
oolngs IN Red River. Also, there were rea-
sons why I wished to visit the settlers of
Fort Douglas. We camped on the south side
OF the Assintboine, few miles from the
hea' ana Little Fellow went to some neigh
boring halfbreeds for a canoe.
And strange story he brought backl A
great man, second only to the king. sobthe
haIf6reeds said-had come from England 10
lule over Assiniboia. He boasted the shock
OF MS power would be felt from Montreal to
Athabasca- He would drive out all Nor
Westers. This parsonage, I afterwards
learned was the amiable Governor Semple.
VINO succeeded Captain Miles Mcdonnell. Al
ready as hunter chases a deer, had the
great governor chased Nor Westers from
Red River Did Little Fellow doubt their
word1 Where was Fort Gibraltar? Let I.it
lie FelloW look and see for himself If aught
but masonry and charred walls stood where
tort Gibraltar had beenl Let him seek the
rafters OF the Nor'-Westers' fort in the new
walls OF Fort Douglas! Pembina, too. had
fallen before the Hudson's Bay men. Since
the coming Of the great governor nothing
could stand before the English.
But waiti 1t was not all overI The war
drum was beating in the tents of all the
Bois-Brulesl The great governor should be
taught that even the kings arms could not
prevail against the Bois-Brules! Was there
smoke of battler The Bois-Brules would be
there! The Bois-Brules had wrongs to
avenge. They would not be turned out of
their forts for nothingl Knives would be un-