Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-05
CHAPTER vi.
DAYS of Triumph.

One afternoon In the beginning Of the
mush snow long team of rakish male
mutes. driven by an Athabasca French
Canadian, raced wildly into the clearing
about the post. A series Of yells and the
wild cracking of q thirty-foot caribou
gut whip announced that the big change
was at hand-that the wilderness was
awakening and life was drawing near.
The entire post rushed ont to meet the
newcomer-men and dogs. the little black
and-tan children and even Williams fat
ard lethargic wife. For a few moments
there was scene of wild disorder, OF
fighting malemutes buried under a rush
of angry huskies, while men shouted, and
the yelling Frenchman leaped about and
cut his caribou gut in vicious slashes over
the wolfish horde around his heavily laden
sledse.
Partial order being restored. Mukee
and Perez took charge Of the snariing
malemutes. and. surrounded by Williams
men. the trapper stalked to the COM
pany's Office. He was Jean de Gravois,
the most important man In the Fond du
pany paid a small bonus. That he had
made a record catch even the children
knew by the size OF the packs on his
sledge and by the swagger in his walk.
Gravois was usually one of the last to
appear at the annual gathering of the
wilderness fur gatherers. He was a big
man in reputation, as he was small In
stature. He was known as far west as
the Peace river and eastward to Fort
Churchill He loved to make his appear.
ance at the post in a wild and picturesque
rush, when the rest of the forest rovers
We're there to look on and to envy or ad-
mire. He was one of the few OF his kind
who had developed personal vanity along
with unerring cunning in the ways Of the
wild. Everybody liked Gravois. for he
had big soul in him and was as fearless
as a lynx: and he liked everybody. in
Guiding himself.
nOuncing in a nonchalant manner that
after he had given his mafemutes days
rest he was going on to Fort Churchill
to bring back wife He limited. with a
punctuating crack of his whip. that he
would make second visit. and q more
interesting one. at just about the time
when the trappers were there in force.
Jan Thoreau listened to him. launching
his shoulders little at the others mani
Fest air Of importance. In turn. the
naturedly.i Neither Of them knew the
part which Jean de Gravois was to play
In JAMS life.
Every hour after the half-breed's ar
rival quickened the pulse of expectancy
at the post. For six months 1t had been
a small and solitary unit of life in the
heart Of a big desolation. The first snow
had smothered it In q loneliness that was
difuOSt the iOueiINeSS OF UeSeTIlOu w Ill
that first snow began the harvest days
OF the people Of the wilderness. Far and
wide they were busy along their trap
lines. their lonely shacks hidden in the
shelter Of thick swamps. in deep chasms
and dense forests. For six months the
short days and the long nights had been
days and nights Of fur-gathering.
During those months the post was 81
| lent. 1t lived ana breathed. but that was
all. Its life. for Williams and the few
people whom the company kept with him.
was q life Of waiting. Now the change
was at hand. 1t was like the breath Of
spring to the awakening wilderness. The
| forest people Vwere moving. Trap lines