Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-15
ror sure wat you speak?"

| ODSerVc II, Huuc0 MS entreaty 70 nerH.
"Tm beaten. Doret. You broke me
to pieces. l need he'p-I-I'm hurt"
"W'nt you spec do wit Imp" the
Canadian asked. and she answered.
81 suppose we'll have to take him
where he can get assistance"
Dat skiff ain carry all tree Of u.s."
an stay hefe," groaned the fright
pick me up, but for Gods sake don't
touch me again"
Poleon looked him over carefully and
made up his mind that the man was
more injured in spirit than In body.
for outside OF his battered muscles he
showed no fatal symptoms. Although
the voyageur was slower to anger than
child, grudgc never died IN him.
and his simple. self taught creed knew
no forgiveness for such men as Run.
MON. cherished no mercy for preying
men or beasts. He glanced toward the
wooded shores stones throw above,
then back at the coward ne had beaten
and whose life was forfeit under the
code There was queer light in hs
eyes.
Leave him here Poleon. Well so
away, you and |, In the canoe, and tho
first boat will pick him up. Come"
Neca tuggcd at his wrist for fear she
might not prevail, but he was bent on
brushing away handful of hungry
mosquitoes which, warmed by the
growing day, had ventured out on the
| II u
set.
"Rien!" he rrunted. I'VE lef' i'm
here because deere amt 'nough room
in de battceu, eh? All right. OATS
good ting. But he's seeck man, SO
n,ebbe feex IL him nice place for stop
TIL dem boats come"
"Ycs. yes Leave me here. I'll make
it through all right" begged Runnion.
Better you camp yonder on de point,
were YOU can see dose steamboat wen
vhe comes roun' de ben. Dis Is bad
place" lie indicated the thicket, n
quarter of mile above which ran out
almost to the cut bank. Come. help
you get feex."
Runnion shrank from his proffered
assistance half fearfully, but, reassur-
ed, allowed the Frenchman to help him
toward the shore.
I'VE tell It de first boat bout you
en- dey pick you up. You wait here,
Necia."
The girl watched her rcscuer guide
RunniOn up TO the Level CT the woods,
then disappear with him In the frs.
and was relieved to see the two
emerge upon the river bank again far
Their on. for she had feared for an III
, slant that poleOn might forget. There
seemed 10 be no danger, however. for
, ne was crashing through the brush in
. advance of the other who followed
lahoriously. Once Eunnion gained the
/ hih point he would be able to com
mand view OF both reaches of the
| river and could make signals to at
tract the first steamboat that CHANGED
to come along. Without doubt a craft
, Of some sort would pass from one d.
rection or the other by tomorrow ut
latest. or IL not. she and Poleon could
send back succor to him from the first
habitation they encountered. The two
men disappeared again. and her fears
had begun to prey on her n second
time when she beheld the big Cana
dian returning. He was hurrying q
, bit, apparently to be rid of the mos
qutoes that swarmed about him. and
she marked that, in addition 10 whip
ping himself with handful Of black.
berry bushes. he wore luminous coat
to protect his shoulders.
Wool, Dose skeeter bug is hon
| cry" he cried.
''Dis nice batteau." Poleon remarked
, critically; II max it go fas'." and be
gan to row swiftly, seeking the breeze
of the open river in which to shake
] off the horde Of singing pests that
b had risen with the sun. II come way
queeck wit'out tiniin' bout gun Of
! skeetcr net or not'in. Runnion she's
! len me dis coat So mebbe don looh
&. SO worse lax l do jus now, eh?"
How did you leave him? Is hs
! badly injurcd?"
t mo; | bus II up on de face an d.
t rib, but she's feelin' good now. Yes
: I'm leave i'm nice place for stop an
T. wait on de teamboat-plaintee spruce
= bough for set on
$ She began to shudder again, and
e sensitive to her every motion. he askei
sClicitously if she were sick, but she
r shook her head.
l.; "I-I-was thinking what-supposin}
g you hadn't come. Oh, Poleon. yOl
8 don't know what you saved me from
She leaned forward and laid tiny
!, grateful hand on the huge brown paw
b that rested on his oar. Il wonder If
(, can ever forget"
It She noted that they were running
with the current and inquired:
l. "Whcre are we gOingG"
y "Waal, can't pull dis boat gains
d dat current, so ! guess we pass on til
= fin my shirt. den bimeby we pick i
d up some steamboat an 20 home"
d Five miles below his quick eye de
tected his half submerged bark
Is lodged beneath some Ovcrhanging Fir
1, which from the waters action hat
fallen forward into the stream. and b,
:" rare good fortune it was still upright
Ia although awash. He towcd it to tn
d next sand bar, where he wrung on
lc and donned his shirt. then tipped TIT
water from the smaller craft and
he making 1t fast astern Of the Petcrbor
h. Ough, SGT out once more. Towar,
n itvh TP .