Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-17

'lt's what you saw through the win.
dow that made You sick. Melisssi" he
cried. putting her down at last. II
thought He paused and added, his
voice trembling. II thought you were
going to be sick for more than one
day. my sweet little womanr'
He opened one Of the windows to let
In the fresh air of the morning.
When Croisset returned he did not
6nd a red dag over Cumming cabin,
nor did he bring word of Jan. For
three days he had followed the trails
to the south without finding the boy.
But he brought back other news. vii.
liams was sick with the plague In a
Gree wigwam on the lower Porcupine.
1t was the last they ever heard Of the
factor, except that he died some time
In March and was burned by the
Crees.
Croisset went back over the Church.
III trail and found bis wife ready to
greet him with open arms After that
he Joined Perez, who came In from
the north, In another search for Jan.
They found neither trace nor word of
him after passing the Gray Otter. and
Cummins gave up hope.
( 1t was not for long that their fears
could be kept from Melissa. This first
bitter grief that had come into her
life fell upon her with a force which
alarmed Cummins and cast him into
deep gloom. With growing despair
Cummins saw his own efforts fail.
As the days passed Melissa mingled
more and more with the Indian and
half breed children and spent much OF
her time ut the company's store, listen.
ing to the talk of the men. silent, at
tentive. unrespopsive to any efforts
they might make to engage her smiles
From her own henrt she looked out
upon world that had become void
for her. Jan had been mother. brother
and everything that was tender and
sweet to her. and he was gone. Mukee
whom she had loved. was gone. vii.
liams was gone The world was
changed. terribly and suddenly. and II
added years to her perspective OF
things.
|
the spring sun began to soften the
snow, she became little more like
the wild children at Lac Balm and In
the forest. They we're eating dinner
one day In the early spring. with the
sunshine flooding In upon them. when
a quick. low football caused Melissa
to lift her eyes in the direction Of the
open door strange figure stood
there. with bloodless face. staring eyei
and garments banging In tatters, but
its arms were stretched out, as those
same arms had been held out to her q
thousand times before. and. with the
old glad cry. Melissa darted with the
swiftness Of a sun shadow beyond
Cummins, crying:
Jan. Jan; my Jan!''
Words choked in Cummins' throat
when be saw the white faced 6gurt
clutching Melissa to its breast.
At last he gasped "Janr' and threw
out his arms, so that both we're caught
in their embrace
For an instant Jan turned his fac,
mp to the light The other stared anC
understood.
You have been SICK" he said. "bu
1t has left no marks"
THANK God" breathed Jan.
Peace followed In the blighted trail
Of the Red Terror. Again the fores
world breathed without fear. but from
Hudson's bay to Athabasca and as IA
south as the thousand waters Of thu
Reindeer country the winds whispered
of a terrible grief that would remain
until ba bes we're men and men went t,
their graves.
The plague had taken a thousant
souls. and yet the laughing. dancing