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

crisscrossed with trap lines of the
halfbreeds and the French. First he
struck the cabin of Croisset and his
wife and left part Of his cloth. Then
he turned westward, while Croisset
hnrnessed his dogs and hurried with a
quarter of the roll to the south. Be-
tween the Hasabala and Klokol lake
Jan found three other cabins, and at
each he left bit Of the red cotton.
Forty miles to the south, somewhere
on the Porcupine, he found the cabin
Of Henry Langlois, the posts greatest
fox hunter.
Over 1t. hanging Imply to snpling
pole, was the red signal Of horror.
With a terrified cry to the dogs, Jan
ran back. and the team turned about
and followed him in a tangled mass.
Then he stopped. There was no
smoke rising from the clay chimney
on the little cabin. Its one window
was white with frost. Again and
again he shouted. but no sign Of life
responded to his cries. He fred his
rifle twice and waited with his nit
tened hand over his mouth and nos
trils. There was no reply. Then.
abandoning hope. he turned back into
the north and gave his dogs no rest
until he had reached Lac Balm.
His team came in half dead. Both
Cnmmina and williams rushed out to
meet him as he drove up before the
company's store.
1.-The red nag is over l.anglois'
cabinr' he cried
II nred my rifle and shouted There
IL no life! Langlois Is dead
Great Godv' groaned Williams.
His red face changed to sickly
pallor. and he stood with his thick
hands clinched while Cummlns took
charge of the dogs and Jan went Into
the store for something to eat
Mukee and Perez returned to the
post the next day. Young williams
followed close after them. oiled with
terror. He had found the plague
among the Crees Of the Waterfound
Each day added to the gloom at Lac
Balm. Death leaped from cabin ia
cabin in the wilderness to the west
ny the middle OF the month Lac
Balm was hemmed in by the plague
on all sides but the north.
The posts trap lines had been short
ened; now they were abandoned en-
tirely. and the great fight began. viii.
liams assembled his men and told them
how that same buttle had been fought
| ri txr,s, Aonodnc no 81 ~ u
! miles about the post every cabin and
wigwam that noated a red dag must be
visited and burned II the occupants
were dead. In learning whether life
or death existed In these places lay the
peril for those who undertook the task
facing a death from which those who
listened to the old factor shrank with
dread. vet when the call came they re
sponded to a man.
Cummins and Jan ate their last sup
per together. With Melissa sitting be-
tween them and wondering at their 81
lence. When It was over the two went
outside.
"Mukee wasn't at the store" said
Cummins in a thick, strained voice
battling Jan In the gloom behind the
cabin. WILLIAMS thought he was on
to the south with his dogs But he
isn't. ! saw him drag himself into hi:
shack like sick dog an hour before
dusk. There'll be red dag over Lac
Balm In the morning"
Jan sti1ed the sharp cry on his lips.
"Ah. there's a light!' cried Cum
MINIS ITS Il pitch torch burning IN
front OF his door,
He gripped JAMS arm in a sudder
spasm OF horror. 1.-THE nag is uE
n0wr' be whispered huskily. "Go
back to Melissa There Ia food In the
house for a month and you can bring
the wood In tonight Bar the door
Open only the back window for air
Stay inside-with ber-unt1l It 10 al
over. Cor
ITO the red Gags. that Ia where
Will go!' cried Jan tiercely. wrenchini
his arm free. 1T Is yonr place t
stay with Melissev'
MY place ts with the men"
| AD0 Odu 0tCW w
rigid.
'Oue OF US must shut himself NJ
With her." pleaded Cummins ut mus
be you" His face cleaned white II
the darkness. you came-that nigh
because Melissa was here. Some
thing sent you-something-do 20,
underestimate And since then she ha
never been near to death until now
You must stay With Melisse-with
your violinr'
"Melisse herself shall choose" re-
oiled Jan. I'VE will 20 into the cabin
and the one to whom she comes frs
goes among the red hags. The othe
shuts himself In the cabin until tn,
plague Is gone"
He turned swiftly back to the door
As be opened 1t he stepped aside II
let Cummins enter first, and behint
the others broad back be leaped quick
~ to one side. his eyes glowing. bi
white teeth cleaning in smile. On
seen BY Cummins. he stretched out hi
arms to Melissa. who was playing witt
the strings Of bis violin on the table
He had done this q thousand times
and Melissa knew what 1t meant-a kis
and joyous toss halfway to the cell
Ing. She jumped from her stool an,
ran to MIN.
II am going down among the sicI
Crees In Cummins' place." said Jan u
Williams half an hour later. "Nov
that the plague has come to Lac Balm
he must stay with Melissa"