Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-10
Copyright. 1911. bg the Bobbs-
Merrill Co.
ed hoarseIy. you are sickr'

co uOarSely. GU are SICK!
He fell upon his knees beside her
and lifted her face IN his hands The
touch OF II sent a chill 10 his heart
such as be had not felt since years
ago. In that other room a few steps
away.
Il want jan" she pleaded. 81 want
Jan to come back 10 me-
II 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 out OF the store to
meet him. A hundred yards away
Cummins stopped.
"CroisSet. for rhe love OF God, take
team and 20 after Jan Thoreau." he
called. Tell him that Melissa is dying
of the plague Hurry. hurry"
Might and dayy shouted Croisset
Twenty minutes later from the cab
IN window Cummins saw him start.
Jan will be here very soon. Me
lsSe" he 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 Cummius sat near
the door, but In the gray dawn. over
come by his long vigil. his head drop
ped upon mis- breast and he Stun
Oered.
When be awOke the cabin was oiled
with light He heard a SOUND and.
startled. sprang TO his feet. Melissa
was at the stove building a fire!
I'm better this morning. father
Why didn't you sleep until breakfast
was ready
Cummins stared Then be gave a
shout made rush for her and, catch
ting her up 10 his arms. danced about
the cabin like a great bear. overturn
ing the chairs and allowing the room
TO fill with smoke in Dis wild Joy.
It's what you saw through the win
dow that made you sick. Melsse!" he
cried. putting her down at last Il
thought lie 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 Cummtns' 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 q
! Cree w!gwam on the lower POrcupine.
| II was the last they ever heard OF the
! factor. except that be died some time
( in March and was burned by the
| Crees.
! Croisset went back over the Church
! ill trail and found his wife ready "a
| greet him with open arms. After that
I he Joined Perez, who came In from
/ the north. IN another search for Jan
/ They found neither trace nor word OF
I him after passing the Gray Otter, and
/ Cummins gave up hope.
! IL was not for long that their fears
could be kept from Melissa. This first
life fell upon her with q force which
alarmed Cummins and cast him into
deep gloom. With growing despair
, Cunmns saw his own efforts fail.
AS the DAYS passed Melissa mingled
more and more with the Indian anC
half breed children and spent much OIL
her time at the company's store, listen
ing 10 the talk OF the men. silent, st
teuuve unrespOnsive TO any effort!
they might make to engage her smiles
From her own heart she looked on
upon 8 world that had become a voiC
for her Jan had been mother. brothe
and everything that was tender anC
sweet 20 her. and be was gone Mukee
whom she mad loved, was gone VII
Iinms WAS gone. The world wa
changed. terribly and suddenly, and /
added years to her perspective o
things.
Each day, as the weeks went on anC
the spring sun began % soften tn
snow. she became q little more hk,
the wild children at Lac Balm and il
the forest They were eating dime
one day IN the early spring. with tn
sunshine flooding in upon them. whel
q quick. low football caused Meliss
TO lift her eyes IN the direction OF th
open door. A strange figure stoo'
there. With bloOdleSs face. staring eye
and garments hanging in tatters, bu
its arms were stretched out. as thos
same arms had been held out TO her
thousand times before. and. with IN
old glad cry MeiisSe dzrted with u