The Marshall republican., 1906-10-12
March of the
White Guard
BY Sir Gilbert Parker
lin Ten Cha pters)
CHAPTER 4.

frosty window OF his once at Fort
Provid ence, one Of the Hudson Bay
company's posts. The servant, or
more properly. Orderly Sergeant
Gosse, late OF the Scots Guards, de-
parted on his errand, slapcing curl.
ously at his masters face as he did
10. The chief factor, as he turned
round. ~unclasped his hands from be
hind him. took a few steps forward.
then standing still IN the center Of
the room, read carefully through a
letter which he had held in the
fingers Of his right hand for the last
ten minutes ss he scanned the wastes
Of sno that stretched away beyond
Great Slave lake 10 the Arctic circle
and the Barren Grounds. He medi.
tated a moment. went back TO the
window. looked out again. shook his
head negatively. and with a sigh
walked over TO the huge fireplace
lie stood th%oughtfully considering the
floor until the door opened and Sub
factor Jaspsr Hume en'ered. The fac
tor looked up and said:
Hume. I've something here that's
been worrying me a bit. This letter
came in the monthly batch this
morning. II 10 from a woman. The
company sends another commenting
the cause OF the woman and urging us
60 do all that Ia possible TO meet her
wishes. II seems that her husband ls
q civil engineer 81 considerable fame.
lie had n commission 10 explore the
Copper Mine region and a portion Of
the Barren Grounds. lie was 20 be
rome elk months. lie has been gone
q year. lie left Fort Good Hope.
rXirted Great Bear Lake. and reached
the Copper Mine river. Then he sent
back all OF the Indians who accom-
PANIED him but two. they bearing the
message that he would make the
Great Fish river and come down py
Great Slave lake 20 Fort Providence.
That was nine months ago. He has
not come here. nor TO any other OF
the forts. nor has any word been re-
ceived from him. His wife. backed
BY the II. b. C.. urges that a relief
party be sent 20 look for him. They
and she forget that this 10 the Arctic
region. and that the task Ia a we'll
nigh hopeless one. He ought to have
been here six months ago. Now. how
can we DO anything? Our fort IL
small. and there 10 always Danger Of
trouble with the Indians. We cant
force men TO join n relief party like
this. and who will volunteer? Who
would lead such a party and who will
make up the party TO be led"
The brown face OF Jaspar Hume
was not mobile. II changed In ex.
preston but seldom: Il preserved a
steady and satisfying character Of in
t~elligence and force. The eyes. how.
ever. were OF an inquiring. debating
kind. that moved from one thing To
another MS II TO get a sense Of balance
before opinion or judgment was ex'
pressed. The face had remained I'm.
passive. but the eyes had klndled a
little as the factor talked. To the
factors despairing question there was
not an immediate reply. The eyes
were debating. But they suddenly
stesdied and Jaspar Hume said sen.
tentiously. a relief party should
go"
Yes, yes; but who is to lead
them"
Again the eyes debated.
Read her letter" said the factor,
handing him a.
Jaspar Hume took II and mechan.
ically scanned II.
The factor had moved toward the
table for his pipe. or he would have
seen the other start, and his nostrils
slightly culver as his eyes grew con.
scions Of whai they were looking at.
Turning quickly. laspar Hume walked
toward the window as II for more
light. and with his back 10 his gu.
perior he read the letter. Then he
turned and said. Il think this thing
should be done"
The factor shrugged his shoulders
slightly: We'll. as TO that. ] think 80,
too, but thinking and doing are two
different things, Hume"
'Wm you leave the matter in my
hands until the morning."
Yes. OF course, and glad to do 30.
You are the only man who can ar
range the affair. II II Is TO be tone al
all. But I tell you. as you know,
that everything viii depend upon q
leader. even II you secure the men
. So you had better keep the let
ter for tonight. II may help you &c
get the men together. A woman'i
handwriting will do more than .
mans word any time"
Jasper Hume's' eyes had been look
ing AZ the Factor, but they were
studying something else. His face
seemed not quite 30 fresh as II was
few minutes before.
Il will see you 1t ten o'clock to
morrow morning, Mr.. Field" he sale
quietly. "WM you let Gosss com,
90 me In an houry"
Certainly. Goodnight"
Jasper Hume let himself out. III,
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