Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-12-03

was two months before he appeared at
the post again, and then he remained
only long enough to patch himself up
and secure fresh supplies.
Melissa had suffered quietly during
these two months, grief and loneli-
ness filling her heart which none knew
but herself. Even from IOwaka she
kept her unhappiness a secret, and
yet when the gloom had settled heavi-
est upon her she was still buoyed up
by a persistent hope. Until JAMS last
visit to Lac Balm this hope never quite
went out
The first evening after his arrival
from the swamps to the west he came
to the cabin. His beard had grown
again. His hair was long and shaggy
and fell in shining DISAGREEMENT upon
his shoulders. The sensitive beauty of
his great eyes, once responsive to ev-
cry passing humor in Melissa, flashing
fun at her laughter, glowing softly in
their devotion, was gone.
This time Melissa knew that there
was left not even the LIST comforting
spark of hope within her bosom. Jan
had gone out Of her life forever, leav-
ing to her as a haunting ghost of what
they two had once been to each other
the old violin on the cabin wall.
After he went away again the violin
became more and more to her what it
had once been to him. She played it
as he had played it, sobbing her loneli-
ness and her heart break through its
strings, in lone hours clasping it to her
breast and speaking to it as Jan had
talked to it in years gone by.
Once during the autumn Jan came in
for supplies and traps and his dogs and
sledge He was planning to spend the
winter 200 miles to the west, in the
country Of the Athabasca. He was at
Lac Balm for a week. and during this
time a mail runner came in from Fort
Churchill
The runner brought new experience
into the life of NIelisse-her first letter.
1t was from young DiXon-twenty or
more closely written pages of it, in
which he informed her that he was
going to spend part of the approach
ing winter at Lac Balm.
She was reading the last page when
Jan came into the cabin. Her cheeks
were slightly flushed by this new ex-
element, which was reflected in her
eyes as she looked at Jan.
ga letter. she cried, holding out her
two hands filed with the pages. "a
letter to me, Jan, all the way from
Fort Churchill"
"Who in the world he began,
smiling at her, and stopped.
''Its from Mr. Dixon" she said, the
flush deepening in her cheeks. Hes
going to spend part of the winter
with u.s.
"I'm glad of that. Melisse," said Jan
quietly. II like him and would like to
know him better
He did not see her again until six
months later, when he came in to the
caribou roast with his furs. Then he
learned that another letter had come
to Melissa and that Dixon had gone to
London instead Of coming to Lac Balm.
The day after the carnival he went
ca. Spring did not see him at Lac
Balm Early summer brought no news
of him. In the floods Jean went by
the waterway to the Athabasca and
found Thoreau's cabin abandoned.
There had not been life in it for a
long time. The Indians said that
since the melting SHOWS they had not
seen Jan. A halfbreed whom Jean
met at Fond du Lac said that he had
found the bones of a white man on
the Beaver with a Hudson's bay gun
and a horn handled knife beside them
Jean came back to Lac Balm heavy
at heart
'"There is no doubt that he is dead"
he told Iowaka. II do not believe that
it will hurt very much if you tell Me
lisse.'
One day early in September a lone
figure came into the post at noon
when the company people were at din
ner. He carried pack. and six dogs
trailed at his heels. 1t was Jan Tho
reau.
81 have been down to civilization. !"
was his explanation. Il have return
ed to spend this winter at Lac Balm"
On the first snow came young Dixon
from Fort Churchill. Jean de Gravois
met him on the trail near Ledoq's.
"Bless me, if it isn't my old friend
jean" he cried. Il was just thinking
of you, Gravois, and how you trim
med me to a finish two winters ago
I've learned lot about you people up
here in the SHOWS since then, and I'll
never do anything like that again
How is Mrs. Gravois and the little
Gravois-and Melisse?" he added be-
fore Jean had spoken.
Cali well, M'seur Dixon" replied
Jean. "Only the little Gravois have
almost grown into a man and woman
An hour or so later he said to 10
waka:
II can't help liking this man Dixon
and yet / don't want to. Why is it, dc