Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-26

straight and stretched his arms up to
heaven, for Jan Thoreau knew that it was
the sound of a violin that came to MIN
from out of the north-that Melissa. an
infinity away, had heard his CALL ms
prayer. and was playing for him and
kaZan,
And suddenly, as he listened, his arms
fell to his sides, and there shot into his
eyes all Of the concentrated light OF the
stars. for the music came nearer ana
nearer, and still nearer to him, until he
caught Kazan in his arms and ran with
him down the side of the mountain. IL
died now in the foreSt-then rose again.
softer and more distant 1t seemed TO MN,
Turing him on into the forest gloom; for
few moments consciousness OF all else
but that sound remained with him only IN
a daZed. half-real way, and as John Gum
minis had called upon the angels at Lac
Balm many years ago, when he, TOO, hao
gone out into the night to meet this Won
derful music so Jan Thoreau's soul cried
to them now as he clutched kaZan to
him and stumbled on. Then. suddenly,
he came upon the cabin and in the cabin
there was light!
Gently he laid Kazan down upon the
snow, and for a full minute he stood and
listened. and heard. lower and sweeter
still, the gentle music of the violin. SOME
one was in his cabin-living hands were
playing! After all it was not the spirit of
Melissa that had come to him in the hour
of his deepest grief, and a sob rose in his
throat. He went on, step by step, and
at the door he stopped again, wondering
if he was mad, If the spirits OF the forest
were haunting him still, if-if-
One step more
The Great God. he heard it nOw-the
low sweet music of the old Cree love
song, played in the old, old way, with all
of its old sadness, its whispering JOY, us
weeping song Of life. of death. of love.
With great cry he flung open the door
x.-it Ia hi arms q r. m
his eyes blinded for moment by the
sudden highland with cry as piercing
as his own, something ran through that
light to meet him-Melisse. the old, giori-
Gus Melissa crushing her arms about ms
neck sobbing his name, pleading with
him in her old. sweet voice to kiss her.
kiss her, kiss her-while Jan Thoreau Tor
the first time in his life felt sweeping over
him a resistleSs weakness, and IN inns
vision he knew that Jean de Gravois came
to him. too. and held him in his arms. and
that as the light faded away from about
him he still heard Melissa calling to him.
felt her arms about him. her face crushed
to his own. And as the deep gloom en-
veloped him more densely, and he 1elt
himself slipping down through it. he whis-
pered to the faces which he could no
longer see:
"Kazan-died-tonight-
For long time Jan fought to throw of
the darkness. and when he succeeded ana
was Melissa who was sitting beside him.
and that it was Melissa who flung her
arms about him when he awoke from me-
strange sleep, and held his wild heaa
pressed against her bosom-Mellsse, with
her glorious hair flowing about her as ne
had loved it in their old days, and with
the old love shining in her eyes, only more
glorious now, as he heard her voice.
"Jan-Jan--we have been hunting 1oi
you-so long" she cried. softly. we
have been searching-ever since you lei
Lac Balm. Jan, dear Jan. I loved you So
and you almost broke my heart Dear
dear JAM" she sobbed, stroking his race
now, Il know why you ran away know
and l love you so that-that l Will die II
you go away again..
"You know!" breathed Jan. He was III
his cot and raised himself. clasping hei
beautiful face between his two hands
staring at her with the old horror In nus
eyes. ''You know-and you come-to me.
81 love you," said Melissa. She shipped
up to him and laid her face upon MS
breast. and with her fingers clutched IN
his long hair she leaned over to him aho
kissed him. II love you!
JAMS arms closed about her, ana hs
bowed his face SO that it was smothered
| in her hair, and he felt against II the JOY
Gus trembie of her bosom.
IT love YOU" she whispered again. ano
under her cloud of hair their lips met. anc
she whispered again, with her SWEEP
breath still upon his lips, II love you
| Outside Jean de Gravois was dancing iiI
/ and down in the starlit edge OF the fores
and Iowaka was looking at him
| And now what do you. think OF you
! jean de Gravoist' cried Jean, for TIT