The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-28
CHAPTER vIII.-Continued.

CHAPTER vIII-Continued
They saw the danger, all of them The men
and boy accepted it as Indians should, with
fatalism, uncomplaining. And to the English
girl came the courage Of her people. The
cloud lifted from Alices brain. She Cell to
work with the rest. 's4@
From bushes they cut poles, and built a
lodge around Aneeb where he lay. The old
man dragged the bundles to the door; the
woman and children went for tirewood.
Around the fire they sat; the old woman got
out the store of food Indians are never
provident; by the smallest of rations there
was not food to last them for a day When
darkness came they ate, and laid themselves
to Sleep ..- -.-
The fire went out the cold of winter came
that night in terrible wave. In the morn
ing ALICE first of all went to gather wood,
dragging it with numb fingers from under the
thin snow. Then the old woman warmed a.
little grease, and began to rub the joints Of
her husband. To-day, Mukknah,' she said,
thou must prove myself a hunter" When
the sun was high the boy tottered out with
his gun. - ..'-.J
He went away from the LODGE painfully,
half-mile. The cold was so great that his
slow motions could not keep him warm
Sitter he grew more and more helpless until
at last he leaned against a tree and waited.
There, hours later the woman found him
He smiled patiently and shock his head. On
her back she carried his wasted body to the
lodge and sent her grandson for the gun,
telling him to hunt. Through the afternoon
the boy wandered vainly, finding in the snow
tracks in plenty, but no game.
On the morrow the, boy went out again.
An hour, and they heard his gun. But he did
not return. Another hour, and he fired again.
He missed the first time said Netnokwa
"Perhaps this time he has hit" Still he did
not return. The day dragged on, until at
a 1a6 hook Zoo arip
the door, foredone with fatigue He brought
nothing
Alice had helped Netnokwa with the fire
and the gathering of wood. That night she
slept ftfully, her hunger. waking her. She
dreamed of food, woke and wept in silence
The morning came, and the woman gave the
gun into the boys hand with a charge: This
day, remember thou art the son Of Aneeb -
He went forth proudly, but soon his steps
dragged.
At the lodge Alice and Netnokwa gath
cred wood, fed the fire, and listened con-
stantly They stood minutes at a time, but
they heard no sound from the boys gun
Noon passed, the afternoon crawled along.
Toward night the woman became alarmed
and went out on the trail Of her grandson.
Alice, left alone with the two helpless men,
fed with small sticks the little fire, and
waited anxiously At last the woman came
back, an hour after dark. In her arms she
81 made greater fire; the woman took moe
easins and boiled them. AS they could they
ate the tough mass. For a while Alice felt
restored, but again she passed the night in
distress.
The woman was the strongest of all In
the morning she brought wood, and again
cooked deer skin. Alice, though she helped,
could not touch the food; the boy continual
ly fainting, was unable to eat. The men lay
In silence throughout the day. Only Alice
and Netnokwa stirred in the lodge, but there
nothing to do The day was dull and
bitter; toward night Netnokwa went out for
another arrnful of wood. She forbade Alice
to accompany her. THY will is strong,
daughter, but thy body is weak When she
returned there were snowfakes on her dress.
at will be long storm. Now there is no
help The end has come" 10y 90 -,
Alice, lying on her blanket, put her face
in her hands. God help father and George"
she said in the prayer of her childhood. She
thought of her mother, long since dead.
''And take me quickly" she whispered, Into
heaven" go .-.
The others were silent for long time,
while the daylight died away and the little
fire made its 'ftful CLEAN visible in
the hut. The sitting snow prepared their
grave the creeping cold began already to
finish the work which starvation had begun
Alice felt drowsiness coming upon her. She
did not fear, she did not care Soon she
would lie down and sleep.
But at length the old man spoke. There
is yet hope Many times have been near
death, death like this from starvation. Once
in the north l tasted six days. Then q
Frenchman came. Once on the prairie was
senseless from hunger, but the Manitto sent
one to relieve me. Aneeb; call on the
Mantle to help u.s.
For awhile Aneeb said nothing. Then be
dragged himself into a sitting posture. "Give
me-" he said to his mother, my little drum
of the Metal
medicine bag at his breast, and cast a red
powder on the fire: Then he began to beat
the drum, and presently they heard his voice
hoarse and dry: 49,
II call upon the Metal, upon the spirits
who are above me-
Hissvoiee rose and fell. He beat the little
drum. The old woman crouched and lis.
tened; the boy raised his head, then let il
fall. Alice opened her eyes and looked
Would the Metal help them? She saw only
the fire and its light glistening upon the thick
frost that coated the mats of the lodge. Fol
some minutes she watched.
Then the curtain of the lodge door lifted
Alice looked DULY; 1t could not be true. The
others did not notice; Aneeb was rapt in lis
prayer. No, it could not be true A bright
flame sprang up from the logs; but thai
white blur against the black night was not 8
human face. Alice, hopeless, was about te
close her eyes,
The door lifted higher. A STOPPING figure
entered. The Drum fell from the hands OF the