Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-11-19

of his old cheeriness of manner, whis-
Ting a gay forest tune as he hurried
toward the store.
When be returned with the team Me-
lisse was waiting for him, a gray thing
of silvery lynx fur, with her cheeks,
lips and eyes aglow, her trim little feet
clad in soft caribou boots that came
to her knees, and with a bunch of the
brilliant bakneesh fastened ~jauntily in
her cap.
give made room for you," he said
in greeting, pointing to the sledge.
(Which I'm not going to fill for five
miles at least" declared Melissa.
isn't it a glorious morning, Jan? 1
feel as if 1 can run from here to
Ledoq's!!'
With a crack Of his whip and a
shout, Jan swung the dogs across the
open, with Melissa running lightly at
his side. From their cabin Jean and
IOWaka called out Shrill adieus.
'The day is not far off when they
two will be as you and l, my Iowaka,"
said Jean in his poetic Cree. 81 wager
you that it will be before her next
birthday"
And Melissa was saying:
II wonder if there are many people
as happy as Jean and Iowaka!'
She caught her breath, and Jan crack
ed on the dogs in a squirt that left her
painting, a full dozen rods behind him.
With a wild halloo he stopped the
team and waited.
'That's unfair, Jan! You'll have to
put me on the sledge."
He tucked her in among. the furs,
and the dogs strained at their traces,
with Jams whip curling and swapping
over their backs, until they were leap
ing swiftly and with unbrOken rhythm
Of motion over the smooth trail. Then
Jan gathered in his whip and ran close
to the leader, his mOccasined feet TAX
ing the short, quick, light steps of the
trained forest runner, his chest thrown
a little out, his eyes upon the twist
ing trail ahead.
Mile after mile slipped behind, and
not until they reached the mountain
on which he had fought the mission
airy did Jan bring his dogs to a walk.
Melissa jumped from the sledge and
ran quickly to his side.
81 can peat you to the top now!"
she cried. eff you catch me- There
was the old witching challenge in her
eyes.
She sped up the side Of the ridge.
Painting and ~breathless, Jan pursued
with the dogs. Her advantage was
too great for him to overcome this
time, and she stood laughing down at
him when he came to the top of the
ridge.
you're as pretty as a fairy, Me-
lisser' he exclaimed, his eyes shining
with admiration. "Prettier than the
fairy IN the bookr'
''Thank you. brother mine! l be-
lieve you do still love me a little"
"More than ever in my life,' replied
Jan quickly, though he tried to hold
his tongue.
AS they went on to Ledoq's he found
that the joyousness of the morning
was giving way again to the old gloom
and heartache. Brother Jan, Brother
Jan, Brother JAM" The words pound
ed themselves necessarily in his brain
until they seemed to keep time with
his steps beside the sledge.
Ledoq was stripping the hair fat
from a fox skin when the team pulled
up ia front of his cabin. When he
saw the daughter Of the factor at a
Balm with jar he jumped briskly to
his feet, flung his cap through the door
of the shack and began bowling and
scraping to her with all his might.
Melissa laughed merrily as LedOq
continued to bow before her. rafting
away in a delighted torrent Of French.
"Ah, thes ees wan gr-r-reat complee-
man, M'selle Melisse," he said. Then
he turned to Jan. did you meet the
strange teamY"
"We met no team"
Ledoq looked puzzled. Half a mile
away the top of a snow covered ridge
was visible from the cabin. He point
ed to it.
can hour ago I saw it going west
ward along the mo~untain-three men
and six dogs. Whom have you out
from Lac Bain?"
"NO one," replied Jan. cit must have
been the new agent from Churchill.
We expect him early this winter. Shall
we hurry back, Melissa, and see if he
has brought our books and violin
strings?"
"You must have dinner with me-"
objected Ledoq.
Jan caught a quick signal from Me-
lisse.
mot today, Ledoq. It's early and
we have a lunch for the trail. What
do you say, Melisse?"
eff you're not tired, JAN"
"Tiredr'
He tossed the last package from the
sledge and cracked his long whip Over
the dogs backs as they both cried out
their farewell to the little Frenchman.
"T1redr he repeated, running close
beside hpr az the team SWING Rightly