Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1913-02-14
CHAPTER ~.
The Caribou Carnival.

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THE education OF the little Me-
liSse began at once, while the
post was still deserted. II be-
q gan, nrst OF all. with Maballa.
She stared dumbly and with shattered
faith at these two creatures who told
her OF wonderful things 10 the up
bring OF q chilc-things of which she
had never 80 much as heard rumor be-
fore. Her mother instincts were arous-
cd, but with Cree stoIcism she made
no betrayal OF them.
The leather tanned immobillty OF
her face underwent no whit OF change
when Cummins solemnly declared that
the little MeiIsse was about TO begia
teethlDg. She sat grimly and watched
them In silence when between them
upon bearskin stretched on the door
they tried vainly to persuade MelIsse
to use her feet
Weeks passed and williams came In
from the southern forests. Mukee fol.
lowed him from the edge Of the Bar
rens. Old Perez, partly Eskimo, re-
turned from the Eskimo people. three
quarters starved and with half OF his
dogs stolen. From the north. east
west and south the posts fur rangers
trailed back. Life was resumed.
There was a softness In the air.
growing warmth In the midday sun.
The days OF the big change were near.
And when they came. John Cummins
aud Jan Thoreau. OF all the factors
people. wore patches at their knees.
One afternoon In the begi ning OF
the mush snow long team vf rakish
malemutes, driven by an Athabasca
French.Canadian. raced wildly into the
clearing about the post. The entire
post rushed out TO meet the newcomer.
lie was Jean dc Gravois. the most i'm
portant man In the Fond du Lac coun-
try. for whose goodwill the company
paid n small bonus That he had made
record catch even the children knew
by the size OF the packs on his sledge
and by the swagger In his walk.
Gravois was usually one of the last
to appear at the annual gathering Of
the wilderness fur gatherers. He was
big man In reputation a. he was
small In stature. He was one OF the
few OF bis kind who had developed
personal vanity along with unerring
cunning in the ways of the wild. Ev-
erybody liked Gravo.s. for he had q
big soul in him and was as fearless as
a lynx, and he liked every body, includ-
Ing himself.
lie explained his early arrival by an-
nouncing In nonchalant manner that
after he had given his malemutes a
days rest he was going on to Fort
Churchill to bring back wife. He
hinted with puncmatlng crack OF his
whip that he would make a second
visit and more interesting one at
Just about the time when the trappers
were there In force.
Jan Thoreau listened to him, bunch
ing bis shoulders a little at the others
manifest air Of Importance. In turn
the French Canadian scrutinlzed Jan
good uaturedly.
Every hour after the half breeds ar
rival quickened the pulse of expectan-
cy at the post. For six months 1t had
been small and solitary unit Of life
in the heart of a big desolatlon. The
first snow had smothered 1t IN a lone
illness that was almost the loneliness
of desertion. With that first snow be-
gan the harvest days of the trappers.
Now the change was at hand. 1t
was like the breath of spring to the
awakening wilderness. The forest
people were moving. Trap lines were
being broken. shacks abandoned,
sledge dogs put to harness On the
day that Jean de Gravols left for
Hudson bay the company's supplies
came In from Fort ChurchIll-seven
toboggans drawn by Eskimo dogs
linden with -four and cloth, tifty pounds
OF beads. ammunition ana hundred
other things, to be exchanged for the
furs that would soon be In London
and Paris.
| Sub tuh Vuk "
meet the sledges. There were seven
Indians aud one white man. Jan
thrust himself close to look at the
white man. He wore two revolver
holsters and carried an automatic
Unquestlonably he was not a mission
ary. bat an agent of the company, well
prepared to care for the company &
treasure.
Jan hurried back to the cabin, his
heart bubbling with strange joy.
There ees no missioner, Melissed"
he cried triumphantly. dropping be-
side her, his face glowing with the
gladness Of his tidlngs. "You shall be
good and beautiful, lax her, but you
shall not be baptize by missioner He
has not comel" n
A few minutes later Cummlns came
In. One of his hands was torn and
tseedin<.