Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-26

90. lIsI. Eu ! b., iIcIid br'r rr:rS and "a
d. Va lie Srrus'k down by Oh" missioner
. haPrcBrd Ihcn. AMI even the I've,
new and fnIIow' j hP man. shriekin;
haI h. hid kI!l..'t his mother" Their
rHS y terrific caimnerS now In JAM
.',!s,P. ''M'SieuT. II was true. She
wnSted away ike a flower after that
night She died and left the boy alone
with the cur<P. Aud thai boy. m'sieur,
was Ian Thorrau. The woman war
his moi her
There was silence now. dead. pulse
less quiet. broken after a moment by
movement. n was Thornton. crop
ing across the table. Jan felt his hands
touch his arm. They CROPPED farther In
the darkness. until Jan Thoreau's hands
were rIasped tightly in Thornton's.
And that's ally he questioned
hoarSeIy.
NO. IL Is but the beginning" said
Jan softly "Tbe curse has followed
me. m'sieur. until am the unhappiest
man In the world. Today have done
all that n TO be done. When my ia
Their died he left papers which my
mother was to give TO me when I had
attained manhood. When she died
they came to me. She knew nothing
Of that which was In them. and am
glad. for they told the story that I
have told to you. m'sieur, and from
his grave my father prayed to me to
make what restitution could. When
he came into the north for good he
brought with him most Of his fortune,
which was large, m'sieur. and placed
II where. no one would ever find it-in
the stock OF the great company. A
half of II. he said, should be mine.
The other half he asked me to return
to. his children and to bis real wife II
She were living. I have done more
than that. m'sieur. / have given up
all, for none Of II Is mine. Al half will
60 to the two children whom he de-
serted. The other half will 60 to the
child that was unborn. The mother
is--dead. ".
After a time Thornton said: -
There Is more, JanT ..-
Yes, there Is more. m'sieur." said
Jan. $50 much more that II were
to tell II to you It would not be hard
for you to understand why Jan Tho
reau Is the unhappiest man In the
world. I have told you that this Is but
the beginning. I have not told you Of
how the curse has followed me and
robbed me OF all that Is greatest In
life-how II has haunted me day and
night m'sieur. like black spirit. de-
stroying my hopes, turning me at last
into an outcast. without people. with
out friends. without-that-whlch you.
tho. will give up in this girl at Oxford
House. M'sieiir. am fright? You Will
not go back to her. You will go south
and some day the great God will re-
ward you.s
He heard Thornton rising in the
dark
..ShaIl I strike light. Missouri"
40 said Thornton close 10 him. In
the gloom their hands met. There was
a change Ia the others yoice now.
something OF a pride. Of triumph. OF
a glory Just achieved Jan" he said
softly. Il thank you for bringing me
face to face with God like yours.
You hare tnIlght me more than has
ever been preached into me. and this
great. glorious world OF yours II send ]
,ng me back better man for having
come into It. am going -south. Some
day ] will return. and win be one Of
this world and one of your people. I
will come. and | will bring no curse
IL could send this word to her, ask
her forgiveness, tell her what have
almost been and that still have hope
-faitl-l could go easier down into
that other world"
.'You can" said Jan. Il will take
this word for you. m'sieur. and I win
take more, for will tell her what 1t
has been the kind fate for Jan Tho
reau to find In the heart Of M'sieur
Thornton. She Is one OF my people.
and she viii forgive, and love you more
fors what you have, done. For this.
u'sieur. is what the Cree god has CIV
en- 10 his people as the honor of the
great SHOWS. She will still love you.
and IL there is to be hope It will burn
In her breast too. M'sieur'
Something ike sob broke through
Thornton's lips as he moved back
through the darkness. -
aAnd you'll will find you again.
They will know where 60 from
Oxford House. I will leave word
with her, said Jan. e
.Goodby." said Thornton huskily.
Jan listened until his footsteps had
died away, and for a long time after
that he sat with his head buried in his
arms upon the little table. And Ia.
ran. whining softly. seemed to know
hat in the darkened room had come
10 pass the thing which broke at last |
MS masters oyerburdened heart. |
That night Jan Thoreau passed for |
The last time back into the shelter of |
ais forests. and all that night he trav
lied, and with each mile that he left |
behind him something larger and bold
r grew In his breast until he cracked |