The Minneapolis journal., 1901-11-02

self across my path in menacing attitude.
Stand and pay me like a mani
81 am standing" I laughed. ''Now. how
shall 1 pay your"
"Strike!" ordered Louis, launching out a
blow which I barely missed ''Str1ke, I say.
for kicking me, the son of a seigneur, like a
pig''
At that, half dozen more drunken vaga-
bonds of the Hudson's Bay service reeled I'D
from the cellar pit; and 1 began to under
stand l was in for as much mischief as a
young man could desire. The fellows were
| about US in circle and now that it was too
late was quite prepared like the fly and the
fish to seek safety in flight.
Sink his canoe" suggested one; and l saw
that borrowed craft swamped.
Strike Sacredte! l pay you back gener-
| Gus, roared Louis. How can I, Louis La
plante, son Of a. seigneur, strike man who
won't hit back?"
And how can l strike a man who saved my
life?' l urged, trying to mollify him. ''See
here, Louis, I'm on a message for my COM
pany tonight. / can't wait. Some other day
you can pay me all you like-not tonight,
some-other time"
Some -oder-time! No-never! Some-oder
time-'tis the way 1 pay my own debts, al
ways some-oder-time, and never not pay at
all. You no some-oder- time me, comrade! 4!
Louis knows some oder-time too we'll He
quit his cups some-oder-time and he never
quit not at ALL He quit wild Indian some
oder-time, and he never quit, not at ALL And
he go home and say his confess to the cure
me-oder-time and he never go, not at ALL
And he settle down with wife and become a
grand seigneur some -oder-time and he never
settle down at alll'
Good night Laplante! I have business
for the company. l must CO." interrupted,
trying to brush through the group that sur
rounded us.
$50 have we business for the company, the
Hudson's Bay company, and you can't co.
chimed in one Of the least intoxicated of the
rival trappers; and they closed about me so
that I had not striking room.
'Are you men looking for trouble?" 1
asked, involuntarily lingering my pistol belt.
."No-were looking for the Nor west bri-
gade billed to pass from Fort william to
Athabasca," jeered the boldest of the crowd,
q red-faced middle-aged man with blear eyes.
Were looking for the Nor 'westers' express -
and he laughed insolently.
"You don't expect to find our brigades in
Fort Gibraltar's cellar" said l, backing away
from them and pecing this latest information
to what had already heard Of plots and con-
spiracies.
Forthwith I felt strong hands gripping both
my arms like wise and the coils Of a rope
were about me with the swiftness of a lasso
My first impulse was to struggle against the
outrage; but was beginning to learn the ser
vice of open ears and a closed mouth was
often more valuable than fighters blows
Already l had ascertained from their own
lips that the Hudson's Bay intended to molest
our north-bound brigade.
We'll" said I, with laugh, which sur
prised the rascals nightly. now you've
captured your elephant, what do you propose
to do with him?"
Without answering, the men shambled down
to the landing place Of the fort, jostling me
along between the red-faced man and Louis
Laplante
81 consider this a scurvy trick, Louis, -
said l. You've let me into pretty scrape
with your idiotic heroics about paying back
a fanced grudge. To save mouse from the
tigers, Louis, and then feed him to your cats !!
Fie, man! l like your son-of-a -seigneur ideas
of honor!"
'Ingrate! Low-born ingrate!' snapped the
Frenchman, preparing to strike one of his
dramatic attitudes 'if l were not the son OF
a seigneur and you a man with bound arms
you should swallow those words,' and he
squared up to me for a second time. "If you
won't fight, you shan't run away" VI
Ion with your French brag" ordered the
soberest Of the Hudsons Bay men, catching
Louis by the scruff of his coat and spinning
him out Of the way. ''There'll be neither
fighting nor running away. 1t is to Fort
Douglas We'll take our fine spy
| The words stung, but muf1ed my indigna-
ton. M
| FIJI 90 with pleasure returned, think