The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-08-20

you are sick. Melisse." he whisper.
ed hoarsely. You are sick.'
He fell upon his knees beside her
and lifted her face In his hands. The
touch Of II sent chill to his heart.
such ms he had not felt since years
ago. in that other room n few steps
away.
II want jan" she pleaded 81 want
Jan TO come back to me!'
~ will send for him. dear. He will
come back soon. will go out and
send. Croisset''
He hid his face from her as he drag.
ged himself away. Croisset saw him
coming and came OFT OF the store to
meet him. A hundred yards away
Cummins stopped.
"Crolsset. for the love Of God. take
team and go after Jan Thoreau." he
called. TELL him that Melissa is dying
Of the plague. Hurry. hurry
might and dayw shouted Croisset
Twenty minutes later from the cab
In window Cummlns saw him start.
Jan will be here very soon. Me-
lisse." ne said. running his fingers
gently through her hair. Toward
evening there came a change. The
fever left the child's cheeks Her
eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Through the night Cummins sat near
the door. bnt In the gray dawn. over
come by his long vigil. his head drop.
ped upon his breast and he slum.
bered.
When he awoke the cabin was filled
with light. He heard sound and.
startled. sprang to his feet Melissa
was at the stove building a Gre.
I'm better this morning. father.
Why didn't you sleep until breakfast
was ready?"
Cummns stared. Then he gave q
shout. made rush for her and. catch
Ing her up In his arms. danced about
the cabin like great bear. overturn.
ing the chairs and allowing the room
to oil with smoke In his wild Joy
ITS what You saw through the win
dow that made you sick Melissa" he
cried. putting her down at last. II
thought He paused and added. his
voice trembling, Il thought you were
going to be sick for more than one
day, my sweet little woman
He opened one of the windows to let
In the fresh air of the morning.
When Croisset returned he did not
find a red flag over Cummns' 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. Will
liams was sick with the plague In a
Cree 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.
III trail and found his 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 force which
alarmed Cummins and cast him into
deep gloom. With growing despair
Cummlns 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 at the company's store, listen
ing to the talk of the men, silent, at
tentive. unresponsive to any efforts
they might make to engage her smiles
From her own heart she looked out
upon world that had become a 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. VIII
liams was gone. The world was
changed. terribly and suddenly. and II
added years to her perspective Of
things.
Each day, as the weeks went on and
the spring sun began to soften the
snow, she became a little more like
the wild children Mt Lac Balm and in
the forest. They were 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 eyes
and garments hanging In tatters. hut
its arms were stretched out, as those