The Holly chieftain., 1909-03-05
CHAPTER IL.

needs me now. Goodby."
CHAPTER II.
PoLEoN DORET's HAND is QUICKER THAN
HIS TONGUE.
"HE traders house sat back OF
the post farther up on the
hill. It was n large. sleepy
house. sprawllng against the
sunny side of the slope. 1t was ut
great. square hewn timbers, built in
the Russian style. the underside OF
each log followed to tit snugly over
its fellow underneath. upon which
dried moss had previously been spread.
Many architects had worked on 1t as
1t grew room by room through the
years 1t had stretched bit year by
year. for the traders family had been
big in the early days when hunters
and miners of both breeds came in to
trade. to loaf and to swap stories with
him Through the winter days. when
the caribou were in the north and the
moose were scarce. whole families Of
natives came and camped there, for
Alluna. his squaw. drew to her own
blood. and they felt 1t their due to eat
Of the bounty of him who ruled them
like an overlord.
There are men whose wits are quick
as light ard whose muscles have been
SO tempered and hardened by years Of
exercise that they are like those Of
wild animal. OF such was John Gale.
but with all his Intelligence he was
very slow ut reading: hence he chose
to spend his evenings with his pipe
and his thoughts rather than with a
book. as lonesome Men are supposed
to do. TIe did with little Sleep and
many nights he sat alone till Alluna
and Necia would he awakened by his
heavy step as he went to his bed.
That he was man who could really
think and that his thoughts were en-
crossing no one doubted who saw him
sitting enthralled ut such time. for
he neither rocked nor talked nor moved
muscle hour after hour. and only his
eyes were alive Tonight the spell
was on him again
Gales squaw came In. her arrival
nnannounced except by the scnfY of
her mWcasins and seated herself
against the wall She did not use a
ch'ir. of which there were several. but
crouclled upon n bearskin. her knees
beneath her chin She sat thus for
long time. while Necla put the little
ones TO bed Soon the girl came to
say good night.
When she had gone he spoke with
ont moving:
Shell never marry PoIeon Doret"
"Why?" inquired Allnna.
He amt her kind"
"Poleon is good man"
"None better. But she'll marry some
some white man."
"Poleon is white" the squaw de.
clared.
He is and he amt. mean srall
marry an outside man. He amt good
enough. and-well, he amt her kind"
Alluna's gruDt Of Indignation was a
sufficient answer to this. but he re-.
sumed. jerking his head in the d'rec-
tion of the barracks. 'She's been talk.
ing lot with this-thls soldier"
Him good man. too. guess" said
the wife.
'The HI he isr' cried the trader
aercely. HE don't mean any good
to her."
Him got woman. eh?" said the
other.
mo. no! I reckon he's single all
right, but you don't understand. Hes
different from us people He's-he's"-
Gale paused, at a loss for words to con-
vey his meaning. Well, he ain4 tbe
kind that would marry a half breed"
Evidently Alluna read some hidden
meaning back Of these words. for she
spoke quickly. but in her own tongue
now, as she was accustomed to do
when excited or alarmed.
"Then this thing must cease at once.
The risk is too great Better that Won
kill him before 1t is too late"
Gale rose and laid his big hand firmly
on her shoulder
Don't talk like that. There has been
too much blood let already There's
time enough TO worry"
He rose; but, instead Of going TO hi.
'oom, he strobe out of the house and
walked northward up the trail A,,un,
sat huddled up in the doorway her