Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-10

gan, first of all, with MaDalla.
She stared dumbly and with shattered
faith at these two creatures who told
her OF wonderful things In the up
bring OF a child-things of which she
had never SO much as heard rumor be-
fore. Her mother instincts were arous-
ed, but with Cree stocism she made
no betrayal OF them.
The leather tanned immobility OF
her face underwent no whit OF change
when Cummins solemnly declared that
the little Melissa was about to begin
teethng She sat grimly and watched
them in silence when between them
upon bearskin stretched on the floor
they tried vainly to persuade Melissa
to use her feet.
Weeks passed and Williams came in
from the southern forests. Mukee fol-
lowed him from the edge Of the Bar
rens. Old Perez. partly Eskimo, re-
turned from the Eskimo people. three
quarters starved and with half Of his
dogs stolen. From the north. east,
west and south the posts fur rangers
trailed back. Life was resumed.
There was softness In the air, a
growing warmth in the midday sun
The days of the big change were near
And when they came, John Cummins
and Jan Thoreau, Of all the factors
people, wore patches at their knees.
One afternoon in the beginning Of
the mush snow a long team Of rakish
malemutes, driven by an Athabasca
French-Canadian, raced wildly into the
clearing about the post. The entire
post rushed out to meet the newcomer.
He was Jean de Gravois, the most i'm
portant man in the Fond du Lac coun-
try. for whose goodwill the company
paid q 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
the wilderness fur gatherers. He was
a big man in reputation as he was
small in stature. He was one of the
few Of his kind who had developed
personal vanity along with unerring
cunning In the ways of the wild. Ev.
erybody liked Gravois. for he had a
big soul In him and was as fearless as
a lynx. and he liked everybody. includ-
ing himself.
lie explained his early arrival by an
nouncing in nonchalant manner that
after he had given his maemutes a
days rest he was going on to Fort
Churchill to bring back a wife. he
limited with punctuating crack of bis
whip that he would make IA second
visit and a more interesting one al
just about the time when the trappers
were there in force.
Jan Thoreau listened to him, bunch
ing his shoulders a little at the others
manifest air Of Importance. In turn
the French Canadian scrutinlzed Jan
good naturally.
Every hour after the half breeds ar
rival quickened the pulse Of expectan-
cy at the post. For six months 1t had
been a small and solitary unit of life
In the heart of big desolatlon. The
first snow had smothered 1t In a lone
illness tina: was almost the loneliness
Of desertion. With that first snow be-
gan the harvest days o. the trappers
Now the change was at hand It
was like the breath Of spr''.r to the
awakening wilderness The forest
people were moving Trap lines were
being broken. shacks abandoned.
sledge dogs put to harness. On the
day that Jean de Gravoia left for
Hudson bay the company's supplies
came in from Fort Churchill--seven
toboggan, drawn by Eskimo dogs,
laden With -four and cloth. ffty pounds
" beads. ammunition and hundred
other things. to be exchanged for the
furs that would soon be In London
and Paris.
Fearfully Jan Thoreau ran out to
meet the sledges. There were seven
Indians and one white man. Jan
thrust himself close to look at the
white man. He wore two revolver
holsters and carried an automatic.
Unquestionably he was not mission
avy. but an agent of the company. we'll
prepared to care for the companyT
treasure.
Jan hurried back to the cabin, bis
heart bubbling with a strange Joy.
There ees no missioner, Melisse!'
he cried triumphantly. dropping be-
side her, his face glowing with the
gladness of his tidings. You shall be
good and beautiful, LAX her. but you
shall not be baptize by missioner! lie
has not comet"
A few minutes later Cummins came
in. One Of his hands was torn and
bleeding.
THOSE Eskimo dogs are demons!
he growled. III they knew how to
stand on their legs they'd eat our hus
kies alive. VIII you help me with
this"
Jan was at work In an instant ban
daging the wounded hand.
1T ees not Deep" he said, and then
without looking up. he added. 1.-The
missioner did not come"
mo-" said Cummins shortly. mel
Their has the mail. He Is with that"
He did not notice the sudden trem
BILE Of JAMS fingers, nor did he SCI
the startled look that shot into thu
boys down turned eyes. Jan finished
his bandaging without betraying hi
emotion and went back with Cummin
TO the company's store.
The next morning two Chlppewayan
trailed IN with team of mongrel cur
from the south. Thereafter Cummin
found but little time to devote TO Me