Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-26
CHAPTER XVI.
The Music Again.

II AN went on al Dawn, Win ndIdn
wrapped in his blanket on the
sledge. He planned to reach his
~ cabin that night, and the next
day he would bury his old comrade.
1t was dark when he came to the mar
row plain that lay between him and
the river. The sky was brilliant with
stars when he slowly climbed the big
barren ridge at the foot OF which was
his home At the summit he stopped
and seated himself on the edge Of a
rock. with nothing but a thousand
miles Of space between him and the
pale glow OF the northern lights. At
his feet lay the forest. black and ST.
lent. and he looked down to where he
knew his cabin was waiting for him.
black and silent too. &c.. ,.-. :.>-
For the first time 1t came upon him
that this was hofne-that the forest
and the silence and the little cabin
hidden under the spruce tops below
held deeper meaning for him than a
few hours before. when Kazan was a
leaping. living comrade at his side.
Kazan was dead. Down there he
would bury him. And he had loved
Kazan. He knew now as he clutched
his hands to his aching breast. that
he would have fought for Kazan-giV-
en- up his life for him-as he would
have done for brother Hot tears
blinded JAMS eyes. and he covered his
face with his hands. and sobbed as
he had sobbed years before. when
In the southern wilderness word came
to him that Melissa was dying. Il
.Aielisse-M elisse''- He moaned her
name aloud. and stared through the hot
film In his eyes away into the north.
sobbing to her, calling to her in his
grief. and looking through that thou
sand miles OF starlit space as though
from out OF It her sweet face would
come to him once more. And as be
called there seemed to come to him
from ont OF that space sound. 50
sweet and low and tender that his
heart stood still. and he stood up
straight and stretched his arms up to
heaven. for ian Yhoreau knew that 1t
was the sound OF ID violin that came
TO him from out Of the north--that Me- 1
lisse. an infnity away. had heard his
call. his prayer. and was playing for
him and Kazant 80 Z. !.
And suddenly as te listened his arms
fell to his sides. and there shot into his
eyes all OF the concentrated light of
the stars. for tiie4 music came nearer
and nearer and SIN nearer To him. I'M
til be caught Kaaap ia, his arms and
ran with him do2n ethe side OF the
mountain. 1t died now in the forest,
then rose again. softer and more dis
tant It seemed to''him. turing him ON
into the forest glosm. For n few mo-
menfs consciousness OF all else but that
sound remained With him only In a
dazed. half reai way. and as John Cum
minis had called npon the angels at
Lac Balm many years ago when he.
too. had gone ont into the night to
meet this wonderful music. so Jan
Thoreau's soul cried to them now as
he clutched his dead dog. KazaD. 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
g0ow, and for full minute he stood |
and listened and heard. lower and
sweeter still. the gentle music of the
violin. Some one was In his cabiD-Iiv. |
ing hands were playing! After all. It
was not the spirit Of Melissa that had
come 10 him in the hour of his deepest
grief. and sob rose In his throat. He
went on, step by step. and at the door
he stopped again. wondering If he was
mad, II the spirits Of the forest were |
haunting him still, if-if-
One step more,
The great God, he heard II 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. its weeping song of life, of death.
of love! With q great cry he flung |
open the door and Ieaped in. with his |
arms reaching out. his eyes blinded |
for moment by the sudden Highland |
with cry as piercing as his own some
thing ran through that light to meet |
the old, glorious Melissa, |
crushing her arms about his neck. Sob |
bling his name. pleading with him in
her old, sweet voice to kiss her. kiss
her, kiss her-while Jan Thoreau for |
the first time in his life felt sweeping |
over him a resistless weakness, and in
this vision he knew that Jean de Ora
vols 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
1 bout him, her face crushed to his own.
And as the deep gloom enveloped him
more densely and he felt himself slip
ping down through it he whispered to
he faces which he could no longer see:
"Kazan-died-toni
For a long time Jan fought to throw
of the darkness, and when be sue
,eeded and opened his eyes again. he
knew that it was Melissa who was sit
ing beside him, and that 1t was Me-
isse who flung her arms about him
when be awoke from his strange sleep