Evening star., 1911-01-22
BY S. TEN EYCK BOURKE

But he tamped down the tobacco in his pipe with
moody sigh as he watched the limping figure out of
sight Dalton did not like to think of that implied
sibity of ms He knew the vndictive qualities latent
in Darch, his dangerous fighting ability in the grip Of
liquor, and the Indian, wary though he was, would
not finch in his guarding care over Margaret Darchs
OF all the post Corporal Dalton alone held certain
- insight into the tangle of those strangely inter-
woven ines,-the and the woman, the little maid,
and Lame Jim the Loucheux Indian. How much
the others knew how much they merely OWNED
of this tragedy of the white mantle red mans epic
which had its inception with the coming of the
Darches to Doane, it would be difficult to tel for
only in the long months had Margaret Darchs lips
opened in call for help and then to summon aid for
another.
Dalton returning from night quest, heard the
cry shrlling into the darkness Guided by the sound
and the flicker of the lantern he found her bending
the helpless Indian in the trail beside the river
that flowed out from the forest the plateau and
past Doane.
The forest has written the closing chapters for many
such as Lame Jim where none read it: portage
missed, false stroke of the steering paddle disaster,
and the victim flung from between the white fangs of
the fall few yards distant, companioness destitute,
with Death stalking him!
What prescience of danger brought her out into the
night Dalton did not step to ask after glance at that
and properly cared for at once he rasped thinking of
the unwelcome within.
Without word Margaret picked up the lantern care
sous Indian, and led the way to her cabin, the light
shooting ftful yellow CLEANS across the path it
swung in her hand.
At the threshold he saw her finch and hesitate then
she lifted her head proudly and flung the door open.
With gesture of command she beckoned him into the
irelit interior and pointed to the bed.
A mans stertorous breathing filled the otherwise
silent Instinctively Daltons glance avoided the
crouched figure buckled over the table beside the fire.
during the night watch while Dalton skfully set the
broken leg and, with Margaret Darchs help fought the
stalking shadows for the Indians life.
Thus Fate, who has her own fashion of flying in the
face Of human desire having already drastcaly inter-
fered in Magarets affairs repeated the experiment and
brought Lame Jim into her life.
Under her instrationS, the Loucheux crept back to
strength-a manned and crippled strength; but with it
something to his soul he had not before possessed
Faithful as dog he chung to her. sharing stress and an
xety mitigating best he could the privations into
which Darch reckessly plunged the avertng such of
the brunt of his indulgence from her she permitted.
Forest born a and bred without len OF to
edge In Margaret Darch he revered the stole dignity
Of her SILENT unyieldng fight against the vice sappng
undermining Darch,- man, the father OF her little
maid.
Frail and gently nurtured she seemed imbued with
the spirit of endurance of these of many deeds and
few words among whom she had cast her lot; and the
post garrison covetous at first of Darchs splendid hulk
transferred its allegiance to her. But it Lame
Jms unvoiced sympathy alone that she accepted with
the same tacit knship of widaught things that the
baby and the Newfoundland accorded him. Otherwise
she carried her courage daunessy erect the pretty
head she held like caryatid Whatever bitterness she
suffered when Darch shattered her Illusions she alone
knew. She strongfor her to buffet in silence the
fathers weakness for the little maids sake. Stoicaly
the Loucheux stood shoulder to shoulder.
Only on the brink of eternity had Margaret Darchs
big soul faltered: Duty lay with the child, and the
chds father could not be trusted Only in the heart of
the taciturn Indian could she place reliance.
So, in the last night watch she had not dared shrk
the speech that meant inevitable confession of failure
and barred her soul Lame Jm to place in his keeping
her all 1.-The little child with Darchs clear cut face and
curly yellow thatch.
Whatever Of this the post OWNED Corporal Dalton