Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-11-05
SYNOPSIS
Copyright. Oil,
bu the BobbS Merrill Co.

Young Jan Thoreau comes from the Bar
rem Lands with his violin. Mukee. the
Cree had once spied on an Englishman
peeping through the Cummins window.
Mukee had slain the Englishnan. Jan
makes his home with Cummins, and the
TWO resolve to bring up the baby in civ
Alzed manner. The mention of a mission
ary angers Jan.
Jean de Gravois, hunter, is coming to
Lac Balm with his Indian bride. A mis-
sonary is coming also to the big caribou
roast. For some unnamed wrong of the
past Jan resolves to kill the missionary.
In fight in the woods the missionary
pests and nearly kills Jan The latter fs
found by Jean and his bride, Iowaka, and
the FTench-Canadian pursues the mission
airy.
Jean kills the missionary. He and Tho.
Feau become fast friends. Jan has some
mysterious papers, which he hides in his
violin. Melissa rs growing, and Jan de-
ternines to study at Churchill so he can
teach her.
In Melisse's ninth year smallpox invades
the northwest country, and Jan goes in
Cumm1ns' place to warn the trappers. He
meets Croisset, trapper, shut out of his
own house by his wife.
Over it, hanging Imply to a sapling
pole, was the red signal of horror.
With terrified cry to the dogs, Jan
tan back, and the team turned about
and followed him in a tangled mass
Then he stopped. There was no
smoke rising from the clay chimney
on the little cabin. It's one window
was white with frost. Again and
n Croi N hn ch I'D
responded to his cries. He fred his
rife twice and waited with his NIT
tened hand over his mouth and nos
trils. There was no reply. Then,
abandoning hope. he turned back into
the north and gave his dogs no rest
until he had reached Lac Balm.
His team came in half dead Both
Nunlmins aud Williams rushed out 10
meet bins as be drove up before the
company store.
The red flag is over Langlois'
cabin" be cried.
II fred my rifle and shouted There
is 20 life. Langlois is deadr
Great God"' groaned Williams.
His red face changed to a sickly
pallor, and be stood with his thick
hands ciinched while Cummins took
charge of the dogs and Jan went into
the store for something to eat
Mukee and Perez returned to the
post the next day Young Williams
followed close after them, filed with
terror He had found the plague
among the Crees of the Waterfound
Each day added to the gloom at Lac
Balm. Death leaped from cabin to
cabin in the wilderness to the west.
By the middle of the mouth Lac
Balm was hemmed in by the plague
CD all sides but the north
The posts trap lines had been short
enpd; now they were abandoned en-
tirely. and the great fight began. VIII
llams assembled his men and told them
how that same battle had been fought
nearly two decades before. For sixty
miles about the post every cabin and
wigwam that flOated a red flag must be
visited and burned if the occupants
were dead. In learning whether life
or death existed in these places lay the
peril for those who undertook the task
IT was a dangerous mission. 1t meant
facing a death from which those who
listened to the old factor shrank with
dread. yet when the call came they re-
EpOnded to a man.
Cummins and Jan ate their last sup
per together. with Melissa sitting be-
tween them and wondering at their ST.
lence. When it was over the two went
outside
"Mukee wasn't at the store" said
Cummins in a thick, strained voice,
hating Jan in the gloom behind the
CO bin. Williams thought he was off
e the south with his dogs But he
isn't. l saw him drag himself into his
shack like a sick dog an hour before
dusk. There'n be a red flag over Lac
Balm in the morning."
Jan stifled the sharp cry on his lips.
"Ah, there's a iightF' cried Cum
Minis. Its pitch torch burning in
front Of his dOorp'
He griDped JAMS arm In q sudden
spasm of horror 1.-THE flag is up
Dowp he whispered huskily. go
UdCk 10 MeIlSS0. 4u9CS Is IOOu LII Tue
house for a month and you can bring
the wood in tonight Bar the door.
Open only the back window for air.
Stay inside-with her--until it is all
over. Cor
ITO the red flags. that is where l
will goT' cried Jan fercely. wrenching
his arm free. at is your place to
stay with MelisseY'
'My place is with the men,"
sand miner" Jan drew himself up
rigid.
''One of US must shut himself up
with her," pleaded Cummins. at must
be you" His face cleaned white in
the darkness. "You came-that night
because Melissa was here. Some
thing sent you-something-don't you
understand? And since then she has
never been near to death until now.
You must stay with Melisse-with
your ViOlinp
''Melisse herself shall choose" re
piled Jan 1--WE will go into the cabin,