Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-07


ing across the table. Jan felt his hands
touch his arm. They CROPPED farther in
the darkness, until Jan Thore8u's hands
were clssped tightly IN Thornton's.
And that's alp be questioned
hoRrsely.
mo. It is but the beginning" said
Jan softly. THE curse has followed
me. msieur. until am the unhappiest
man IN the world. Today l have done
all that is to be done. When my IA.
Their died he left papers which my
mother was TO give to me when / had
attained manhood. When she died
they came to me. She knew nothing
Of that which was IN them, and am
glad, for they told the story that |
have told 10 you, m'sieur, and from
his grave my father prayed to me to
make what restitution l could. When
he came into the north for good he
brought with him most of his fortune,
which was large, m'sieur. and placed
! II where no one would ever find tin
| the stock OF the great company. A
| half Of II. he said, should be mine
| The other half he asked me to return
to his children and to his real wife If
| she were living. l have done more
than that. m'sieur. l have given up
all, for none OF II is mine. A half will
go to the two children whom he de-
serted. The other half will 20 TO the
child that was unborn. The mother
Is-dead"
After a time Thornton said:
There IS more. JAM"
| yes. there is more, m'sieur." said
Jan. 80 much more that IL I were
to tell II to you il would not be hard
for you 10 understand why Jan Tho
reau is the unhappiest man in the
world. ! have told you that this Is but
the beginning. ! have not told you of
how the curse has followed me and
robbed me of all that is greatest in
life-how II has haunted me day and
night, m'sieur, Ike a black spirit, de-
stroying my hopes. turning me at last
into an outcast. without people. with
out friends. without-that-whic you.
too, will give up in this girl at oxford
House. M'sieur, am i right? You will
not go back to her. You will go south
and some day the great God will re-
ward you"
He heard Thornton rising in the
dark.
shall strike a light, m'sieurT'
No" said Thornton close 10 him. In
the gloom their hands met There was
change in the others voice now,
something OF pride, OF triumph. Of
a glory Just achieved. jan" he said
softly, y thank you for bringing me
face TO face with a God like yours
You have taught me more than has
ever been preached into me. and thi,.
great. glorious world OF yours is send
ing me back q better man for having
. come into It. am golng-south Some
, day j will return, aud | will be one of
. this world and one OF your people. |
! will come, and / will bring no curse.
II could send this word to her, ask
; her forgiveness, tell her what | have
; almost been and that sits have hope
-faith-l could go easier down inta
, that other world"
: You can" said Jan. Il will take
} this word for you, m'sieur, and / will
take more, for l Will tell her what II
r has been the kind fate for Jan Tho
; reau to find in the heart OF M'sieuE
, Thornton. She is one OF my people
and she win forgive, and love you more
: for what you have done. For this
= m'sieur. is what the Cree god has civ
! en- 10 his people as the honor Of the
5 great SHOWS. She will still love you
and II there is TO be hope it will burn
] in her breast too. A'sieur"-
] Something ike a sob broke through
Thorntons lips as he moved back
! through the darkness.
t And you'll will find you again7'
= They will know where ! so from
? oxford House. l will leave word
= with her" said Jan.
j "Goodby," said Thornton huskily.
5 Jan listened until his footsteps had
d died away, and for q long time after
. that be sat with his head buried in hi.
: arms upon the little table. And Ka
2 zan, whining softly. seemed to know
e that in the darkened room had come
$ TO pass the thing which broke at last
e his masters overburdened heart
{ That night Jan ThOreau passed fo
e the last time back into the shelter o,
r, his forests. and all that night he trav
IS eled, and with each mile that be lef
behind him something larger and bold
> er grew in his breast until he cracket
y his whip in the old way and shouted q
D. the dogs In the old way. and the bIoo'