Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-11-21
The Honor
Of the
Big Shows
By JAMES
OLIVER CURWOOD.
Author N Tho DANCE,
rYa1-
copyright. on.
NJ the Aobbs rissvin Co
Copyright. on.
NJ me Aobbs mssvin Co
CHATTER XVI.
TIE Musp, Again.

Gls wat on ~ lawn. WIN Nnb"u
wrapLed III hs blanket on the
nessr lie planned 20 rench Mia
u csD,S rnat ntSnt, and the next
Gas he wouIo bury MIS- old comraoe'
IL was dark xhen no came 20 the mar
,vw plain that lay between him ana
the river The sky was brilliant with
ytan when he slowly climbed the Dig
barren ridge ~ the foot OF when was
MI; home. At the sunnjt ne stopped
Snd seated 3inise!f on the edge OF
rock, with nothing but thousand
miles OF space between him ana the
pals glow OF she northern lights AT
his feet lay the forest. o!ack ana 81
lent and he looked down to where he
knew his cabin was waiting for him,
black and silent too.
For the first fine 1t came upon him
that this was home-that the forest
and the silence and the little cabin
hidden under the spruce tops below
held deeper meaning for him than
few hours before. when Kazan was
leaping, living comrade at his side.
Kazan was dead Down there he
Kazan. He knew now as he ciutched
bis hands to his aching breast. that
he would have fought for Kazan- CIV
en- I'D his life for him-as he would
have done for brother. Hot tears
blinded Jams eyes. and he covered his
face with his hands. and sobhed as
he had sobbed years before, when
A.
to him that Melissa was dying
"Melisse- elisse"- He moaned her
name aloud, and stared through the hot
dim in his eyes away into the north.
sobbing to her. calling to her In his
grief. and looking through that thou
sand miles Of stariit space as though
from out Of 1t her sweet face would
come to him once more. And as ne
called there seemed to come TO him
from out Of that space sound, 40
sweet and low and tender that his
heart stood still. and he stood up
straight and stretched his arms up 10
he0 ven, for Jan Thoreau knew that IL
was the sound o! violin that came
to him from out Of The north that Me-
lisss, an iu6nity away. had heard his
call. his prayer. and WAS playing FOR
him and Kazan!
And suddenly as he listened his arnR
FELL to his stdeA. and there shot into his
Hyes all Of the conc entrated Night Of
The starr, sor the music came nearer
and nearer and still nearer to him. uD.
II he caught KaEan In his arms and
ran win him down the side OF the
nOnnLain. 1t died now IN the forest,
then rose again. softer and more dis
iant \. seemed 10 MIN, turing MIN on
into the forest gloom. For few no.
ments consciousness Of all else bat thPt
sound rempined with him only in =
aazed, aalf real way, and as John Cum
Ilins had callA1 upon the angels ut
Lac Balm many years ago when he.
TOO. had CONS ont into the night to
meet this wonurgiL. dtSlc, so JAG
Inr eAu's soul c!lcu 10 them now az
he csutched bis dead doS. Knzan, 70
him and STUN bIed on. Then suddenly
b. came upon the cabin. and In the
cabin there ~as tight
Certify 10 laid Kazan down uron the
mow. and for 4 fol- minute ne stood
ans listened and heard. lower and
swesass sdll the gentle music of the
tsohn Some one vas In his cabin-liv.
ing hands were playing! After all. It
Wa not the spirit Of Melissa that had
come 70 bam II The sour Of his deepest
srjek aud NIB rose in his t:sroat He
wen. on. step oy stsp, and at the door
b stopped again. wondering u he was
mad v he spirits Of the forest wers
taun'inG him srill, if.-if--
Ono step msre-
The great God. he heard It now-the
low. Swsst music Of the old Cree love
song. played In thu old. old way. with
~ II IN old sadness, tts whispering
Nv, - weeping song Of life, of death
sf lovs! With q great cry ne dung
ppsn the door and Ieaped In. with his
arms reaching out, his eyes blinded
Dor . moment BY the sudden highland
With cry as piercing as his own some
Thing ran through that light to meel
eim--Meiisse. the old. glorious Melissa
cTuAhing her arms about his neck, Sob
ping bis name. pleading with him In
hsr old sweet voice 70 kiss her, kiss
Ass. Kiss her-while Jan Thoreau fol
he dist time In hts life felt sweeping
ever him Q resistless vea kness, and In
this vision he knew that Jean de Ora.
VOis came 70 him, too. and held him In
Ais arms and that as the light faded
away from about him be still hea I'd
Aeiisse calling TO him. felt her arms
about him, her fnce crushed to his own
And - the deep gloom enveloped him
moro denseiy and he felt himself slip
DING down through It be whispered tC
The faces which he could no longer see
Naturalization
eor . long time Jan fought 10 throw
90 the darkness. and when he sue
scsded and opened his eyes again, he
knew that II was Melisse who was sit
uns beside him. and that II was Ne
nsse who dung nsr arms about him
when 10 svoks from bis stra nge sleep
ana held his wild head pressed against
her bosom --Aielisse with her glorious
hair lowing about her as he Ind loved
Il In their old days. and with the old
love shining In her eyes, only more
yiorious now. as he heard her voice.
SJan--Jan-we have been hunting for
You-so long" she cried softly 1--WE
have been 500 rching-ever since you
bsft Lao Balm. Jan. dear Jan, l loved
yso "a. and you almost broke my heart
Dear. dear Jam" che sobbed, strokinG
hiS face now, II know why you ran