Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-04
CHAPTER IV.-Continued.

"Ah- "a sweet leetle white angel! ne
would cry. as she tugged and kicked i
luf YOU SOL luf you, an will stay al
vays an play ze violon! All, mon Dieu'
YOU Will be ze gr-r-r-eat, beautiful White
angel lak-her.'
He would laugh and coo like mother,
ana talk. for at these times Jan Thoreau's
tongue was as voluble as his violin.
sometimes Melissa listened as II she IN
aerstood the wonderful things he was tell
ing her. She would lie upon her back
with her eyes fixed upon him. her little
red fists doubled over his bow, or thumb
thrust into her mouth. And the longer
she lay like this, gazing at him blankly,
the more convinced Jan became that sne
WAS understanding him; and his voice
grew soft and low, and his eyes snohe
with a soft mist as he told her those
things which John Cumnnins would have
given much to know.
Some day you shall understand why II
happened sweet Melisse, he Whispered.
bringing his eyes so near that she reached
I'D an inouiring finger to them. lheh
you will luf Jan Thoreau.
There were other times when Jan olo
not talk, but when the baby dellSse
talked to him; and these were moments
Of even greater joy. With the baby WIZ
Cling and kicking, and making queer
noises in her tiny cot, he would sit ST.
lently upon his heels, watching her with
the pride and happiness of a mother lynx
in the first tumbling frolics Of her Kit
tens.
self for an instant and half reached up
her tiny arms TO him, laughing and COO
Ing into his face, he gave glad cry.
crushed his face down to hers, and did
what he had not dared TO 90 pelore
ut
IL that frightened the little Melissa, ana
she set up a wailing that sent Jan, In a
panic of dismay, for Maballa- 1t was
long time before he yentured to KISS her
again.
II was during this fortnight of desola-
ton at the post that Jan discovered the
big problem for himself and John CUM
MINIS In the last days of the second
week. he spent much of his time sklrtins
the edge of the barrens in search or carl
bou. that there might be meat in plenty
when the dogs and men returned little
later. One afternoon he returned early
while the pale sun was Still In the SKY
laden with the meat of musk-ox- AS
he came from the edge of the forest, his
slender body doubled over under the
weight of his pack. terrifying sight
greeted him in the little clearing at the
post.
Upon her knees In front OF their cabin
was Mabaila, industrously rolling the
haIf-naked little Melfsse about in a soft
pile of snow. and doing her work, as she
firmly believed. In most raltnIul ana
thorough manner. With Shrek Jan
threw off his pack and darted toward her
Hike wild thing.
"Sacre bleu-you keel-keel ze leetle Me
lisse," he cried shrilly. snatchins.u up the
not papoose, She ees ceevilize-ceevilize"'
and he ran swiftly with her into the cabin.
finging back torrent of Cree anathema
at the dumbly be-ildered Maballa.
Jan left the rest Of his musk-ox to the
wolves and foxes. He went out into the
snow and found half a dozen other snow
wauows in which the helpless Melissa
had taken her chilling baths. He watched
Maballa with new. growing terror. ana
fifty times day he said TO her:
"Melisse ees not papoose, She ees ceev-
flize-lak herr And he would point to
the lonely grave under the guardian
spruce
At last Maballa went into an ecstasy
Of understanding. .delisse was not to be
taken out and rolled in the snow; so she
brought In the snow and rolled 1t over
Melissa!
when Jan discovered this his tongue
twisted itself into sounds so terrible, and
his face writhed so fiercely. that Ma
balla began to comprehend that there
after no snow at all. either out doors or
in, was to be used in the physical de-
velopment of the little Melissa.
This was the beginning of the problem.
and It grew and burst forth In all its sig
rifcance on the day before Cummins
came in from the wilderness.
For a week Maballa had been dropping
sly hints of wonderful thing which she
and the factors half breed wife were
making for the baby. Jan had visions
of a gorgeous garment covered with
beads and gaudy braid, which would give
tho little Melissa amending delight. On
the day before CumminS' arrival, Jan
came In from chopping wood and went
70 the cot It was empty. Maballa was
gone A sudden fear thrilled him to the
marrow. ard he sprang back to the cabin
door, ready to shrek out the Indian won-
ans name.
\ sound stopped hm-the softest. sweet
est sound in all the world to Jan Thoreau
and he whirled around like cat Me-
Esse was smiling and making queer.
friendly little signals to him from the
table. She was standing upright. wedged
IN a coffin-shaped thing. from which only
her tiny white face peered out at him:
and Jan knew that this was Maballas
surprise Melissa was In a papoose-sling,
Melissa. / say you shall be no pa
posse he cried, running to the table.
You ees ceeviliZe, You shall be no pa
poose-not II TWEEN tous'nd devil come
TAX Jan Thoreau,'
And he snatched her from her prison,
flung NIaballas handiwork out into the
snow and waited irnpatiently for the re-
turn OF John Cummins.