Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-12


Jan. his eyes lighting up. "M'seur
Dixon. We are very near to the post II
you camped so soon. Tell me which Is
north"
That Is north"
Then we go south-south and east.
II you travelled ten hours. first west
and then north. we are northwest Of
Lac Balm"
Jan spoke no more, but got his rife
from the shelter and put only the tea
and two pals In his pack, leaving the
remaining blanket upon the snow. The
Englishman followed close behind him.
bending weakly under the weight Of
his gun.
Of the ridge. and as Jan stopped to
look through the gray day about him
Dixon sank down into the snow. When
the other turned toward him he grinned
up feebly into his face.
"Bushed." he gasped. Don't be
lieve | can make 1t through this snow,
ThOreau."
There was no fear In his eyes. there
was even cheerful ring in his voice.
sudden glow Ieaped into JAMS face.
II know this ridge" he exclaimed.
1T runs within a mile Of Lac Balm.
You'd better leave your rife behind.
Dixon made an effort to rise. and
Jan helped him. They went on slow.
~. resting every few hundred yards.
and each time that he rose from these
periods of rest Dixon's face was twist
ed with pain. ~ q . -
Its the fiour and water anchored
amidships." he smiled grimiy. Cramps
ugh. I wish you'd go on alone" he
urged. You could send help r
81 promised Melissa that would
bring you back II I found you." re-
piled Jan. his face turned away. III
the storm broke again you would be
lost" -...
Tell me-tell me- he heard Dixon
pant eagerly. did she send you to
hunt for me. Thoreau?"
Something in the Englishman's voice
drew his eyes to him. There was an
excited flush in his starved cheeks;
his eyes shone. f.. 49,. ~-.~'....~~ =.
Did she send your"
Jan struggled hard to speak calmly.
Not in words. M'seur Dixon. But
know that If get You safely back
to Lac Balm she will be very happy
Something came in Dixon's sobbing
breath which Ian did not hear. \
little later he stopped and built fire
over which he melted more snow mud
boiled tea. The drink stimulated them
and they went on. 4 little later still
and Jan hung his rife In the crotch
Of sapling
We will return for the guns In q
day or So" he said
Dixon leaned upon him more heavily
now. and the distances they travelled
between resting periods became short
er anil shorter, Three times they
stopped to build fires and cook tea. u
was night when they descended from
the ridge to the snow covered Ice OF
Lac Rain. II was past midnight when
Ian dragged Dixon from the spruce
forest into the opening MT the post
There were no lights burning. and he
went with his half conscious burden
TO the companF's store. He awakened
Croisset. who let them In. ~
Take ere OF Dixon" said Jan. "and
don't arouse any of the people tonight
It will he time enough to tell what
has happened in the morning"
Over the stove I'm bis Own room ne
cooked meat and coffee. and for . long
time sat silent before the fire, He had
brought back Dixon. In the morning
Melissa would know. First she would
70 to the Engtishman. then-then-
she would come to him.
He rose and went to the rude hoard
table In the corner of his room. !
NO. Melissa must not come to me In
the morning" he whispered to himself.
"She must never again look upon Jan
Thoreau." r ~
He took pencil and paper and wrote
Page after page he crumpled In bis
hand and flung into the fire. At last,
swiftly and despairingly, be ended with
half a dozen lines. What he said came
from his heart in French:
have brought him back to you, my
Melissa, and pray that the good God may
give you happiness. l leave you the old
violin, and always when you play 1t will
tell you Of the love Of Jan Thoreau.
He folded the page and sealed it in
one of the company's envelopes. Very
quietly he went from his room down
into the deserted store. Without strik-
ing a light. he found q new pack. a few
articles Of food and ammunition. The
envelope addressed to Melissa he left
where Croisset or the factor would
find it in the morning His dogs were
housed in a shack behind the store. and
he called out their names softly and
! warningly as he went among them. As
stealthiIy as their master they trailed
behind him to the edge Of the forest,
and close under the old spruce that
guarded the grave Jan stopped and
| silently he stretched out his arms to