Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-03
I he Honor
BY James
Oliver CUrrW00@
CHAPTER ".
For Her.

went no faster. and then be caught a
glitter OF something that flashed for a
moment IN the sun.
"Ahr' said Jean softly as a bullet
sang over his head. He fires at Jean
de Gravols.'' He dropped his whip.
and there was a warm glow OF happi.
ness in bis little dark face as be level
ed his rife over the backs Of his male
mutes. HE fires at Jean de Gravois.
and IL Is Jean who can hamstring 8
caribou at 300 yards on the rum
For an instant. at the crack OF his
rife there was no movement ahead.
then something rolled from the sledge
and lay doubled up in the snow. A
hundred yards beyond It the huskies
stopped in a rabble and turned to look
~ the approaching strangers
Reside IL Jean stopped. and when he
saw the face that stared up at him.
he clutched his thin hands in his long
black hair and cried out in shrill amaze
ment and horror:
The saints in heaven. 1t is the mis-
sioner from Churchillr'
lie turned the man over and found
where his bullet had entered under
one arm and come out from under the
other There was no spark Of life left
The missioner was already dead
The missioner from Churchillr' be
gasped again.
lie looked up AZ the warm sun and
kicked the melting snow under bis
moccaslncd feet
1T will thaw very SOON" he said to
himself. looking again ar the dead man.
"and then he will 90 into the lake"
He headed his malemutes back to the
forest Then he ran out and cut the
traces Of the exhausted huskies. and
with his whip scattered them in free
dom over the ice.
Go to the wolvesr' he shouted in
Cree Hide yourselves from the post
OF Jean de Gravois will cut out your
tongues and take your skins Off aliver'
When he came back to the top of the
mountain Jean found Iowaka making
NOT coffee. while Jan was bundled up
In furs near the fire.
LIT is as / said she called HE is
alive
Thus Il happened that the return OF
Jean de Gravois to the post was even
more dramatic than he had schemed ii
10 be. Tor be brought back with him
not only beautiful wife from Church
ILL., but also the half dead Jan Thoreau
from the scene of battle on the noun.
tain And in the mystery OF it all he
revelod for two days. for Jean de Ora
vols said not a word about the dead
man on the lake beyond the forest. nor
did the huSkies come back into their
bondage 10 give a hint of the missing
missionary.
From the day after the caribou roast
the fur Catherers began scattering
The Eskimos left the next morning
On the second day Mukee's people
from the west set OF along the edge
az the Barreus. Most OF the others lefr
by ones and twOs into the wilderness
10 the south and east
Less than a dozen stlll put OF their
return to the late spring trapping. anC
among these were Jean de Gravoi'
and his wife. Jean waited until the
third day. Then ne went TO see Jan
The boy was bolstered up In his cot
with Cummins balancing the littl'
Melissa on the edge of the bed wheI
he came in
For time Jean sat and watched
them in silence Then he made a sigr
to Cummins, who Joined him at tbs
door.
Il am going the Athabasca way to
day" be said. II wish to talk Will
the boy before 30. nave a wore
10 say 10 him which 10 ears should
hear but his own win u he riGhtT"
Talk 20 him as long as you like.
said Cummins. but don't worry hin
about the missionary. You'll not ge
a word from him"
JAMS eyes spoke with a devotion
greater than words as Jean de Ora
vols came and sat close beside him
He knew that Il was Jean who nau
brought him alive into the post
All. II was wan be-e-a-u-tiful eight.
he said softly. You are a brave boy
Jan ThoreauT'
You did not see itT- asked Jan.
Unconsclousiy the words came fror
him In French. Jean caught one o
his thin hands and laughed joyfulIy
for the spirit OF him was French {
the bottom OF his soul.
II sPe IL? No. neither nor Iowaks
but there n was IN the snow. as plat
as the eyes in your face Aud did
not follow the trail that staggere
down the mountain. while lowak
brought you back 10 life? And whe
came to the lake did not see some
thing black out upon IL. Ike a charre,
logl And when l came to II was
not the dead body OF the missione
from Churchill? En-. Jan ThoreauY'
Jan sat up In his led with q shsr,
cry.
The thaw will open up the lake 1
few days Then he will go down {
the nrst slush." And Jean looked aboT
him cautiously again and whispere
low--'n you see anything about IL
dead missioner that you do not unde
stand think Of Jean de Gravois"
He rose to his feet and bent ov,
JAMS white face.
= an going the Athaoasca way {
day" he finished perhaps, Jan Tho
eau. you will bear after a time that
would be best for Jean de Grave
- 80, rSsr,,-,, .