The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-01-29


handed a tallsman TO the chief he
strobe TO him and snatched IT,
"oho! It's Father Orion. is Il? D.
him!" He gazed at the token. white
spruce chip with strange marks and
carvings.
What does II mean. George?" said
the blind man.
IT'S a long story. Captain, and
black. You should have known
II before we started. I'm a
marked man in this coast coun.
try. It's 0rloff's work. the rem
egade. Father. he calls himself
Father to these devils he rules and
robs for himself in the name OF the
church. God help him when we meet"
He shook his hairy claws at the hos
tile circle.
The Indians clustered before the
portal OF the mission house. with Its
rude cross above. and stared malig'
nantly, while the chief spoke.
Captain dragged the team within.
and George following. blocked the
shattered door.
Were safe as long as We stay In the
church." said he.
Right OF sanctuary. Ell? Does Il
occur TO you how we're going to get
out?'
Never mind. we'll get out some
how" said he. And that night. as
Charlie Captain. late university man
and engineer. lay with eyes swathed
In steamlng cloths. the whaler spoke.
and with the bitterness OF great
wrong
1T happened when we rocked the
bars Of Forty Mile. Into the big valley
went and got lost In the fats. run
out Of grub. We always did them days.
and built a raft 10 float down to the
Yukon. A race with starvation. and a
dead heat Il near proved. too. though
I had a shade the best OF II. ! drifted
out into the main river. rayin' mad,
my 'Mukluks' eat on and my moose.
hide gun cover inside Of me
"A girl spicd me from the village,
and twas her that brought me ashore
In her blrch.bark and tended me TIL
reason came and the blood ran
through me again.
Il mind seoln' a white man standin'
around at times and hearin' him beg
her 10 leave me To the old squaws She
didn't. though She gave me bits OF
moose meat and berries and dried
salmon. Her eyes was big and sad,
Cap. and dlmplcs poked into her
cheeks when she laughed
Twas then that orion takes a
hand-thc white man. 4 priest he
called himself. breed. Russian. Maybe
he was. but a biackerhcartcd thief
never wronEcd n child lie wanted the
girl. Meta. and 80 did l. when asked
her old man for her he said she was
promised TO the Russian. You know
what sway the church has over these
Indians. Well. Orion IL a strong man
lie held en- like n rock lie worked
on EN- till one day the tribcmcn came
to me in n body and said. Coz
"'Giye me the girl. and will says
T.
"orlon sneercd. She was mine for
a month before ye came. says he with
the fiend shown back Of his eyes. DO
ye want her nowT
For a minute I believed him.
struck once TO kill. and he went down
They closed on me as fast M I shook
en- on was beat back 10 the blum
and | battlcd with my heels over the
edge. Then heard Meta caliing
softly from below.
InmpV she said. 'nig one. Jump
she had looacd a canoe nj the land
Ing and now held II In the boiling cur
rent underneath. padding desperately
As they ran out Of the tents with
their rincs I lcapcd.
"A long drop and cold water. but
hit feet FIRST When ! rose the little
girl vas alongside. got In and W,
padded away
THE next winter we were NJ Holy
Cross That was the winter OF the
famine. though every winter was ths
same then. and went 90 Anyik foi
grub-took all the strong men ane
DOGS In the village. was afraid whcr
I left too. for twas the time should
have been with her. but there was nc
one else TO 40.
when you come back she said
there will be anothor-a little boy
and he will grow mighty aud strong
like his father She hung her arm
around me. Cap. and left with hel
kisses warm on my lips.
IT vas n terrible trip. the river We
with oycrnows aud the cutoifs drifto,
deep. 10 drove back into Holy Cross
week late with blcodIn' dogs an,
frozen Indians strainin at the sic,
ropes.
Il heard the wall OF the old women
before come 10 the cabin. and then
Meta sobbcd the story ont In hei
weakness.
1T was as lusty babe m ever
crowod. but Orion had come 10 the
sick bed and sent her squaws away
Baptism and such things he said he'd
do The little fellow died that night
AZ daylight. when went 10 seek him
orlon had fed down the river with the
fastest dogs. and TO this day I've never
seen his face. though 'tis often I've
| felt his hate.
A.