Charlevoix county herald., 1914-07-11

people Injured to great hardships and
was seeking to meet it bravely.
at does not seem to me that any
thing in the world could ever come
between thee and me-" he answered.
"The great happiness we have en-
joyed together can surely have no
brief ending. Thou fearest only be-
cause of thy great love for me-"
81 hope so! Indeed, | hope so
with all my hearth she answered
somewhat brokenly.
They remained for some time in
the stiffness of the night, broken
only at intervals by some night
birds cry or splashing fish or musk
rat, or by the rising and falling of
a gentle wind among the shivering
poplars.
At length they returned, down
cast, to the post. Once in their
room, Lorimer gulped at the sight of
tiny garment that Ameou had been
making with loving care.
The next day was very busy one.
An account had to be made of all the
goods remaining at the post and an
inventory of all that had just ar
rived.
Calculation had to be made on the
provisions that would be needed by
the returning brigade, which would
be commanded by Jack Clairway, a
reliable man from the Lake st. John
| country. An Indian DESTROYS of trav-
cling and seeing the world had been
found to take Mashkaugan's place in
| the canoe during the return trip.
Ameou spent some hours over her
! husbands sixteenfoOt canoe, which
she had made herself of bark of
splendid texture and very free from
knots. She heated the seams with
bark torch and covered them with a
smooth layer of spruce gum melted
in seal-oil, to prevent cracking. To
doubtful little places she applied her
lips, sucking hard to discover the
tiniest hole, but there were no
"leaks."
Curran and Lorimer wrote a num-
Der of letters, which the brigade
were to mail many weeks later at
Big Rat River.
1t was late at night before all
stopped working. The fur which
Lorimer had already bought that
spring was carefully. counted and es-
timated, after which it was baled
again and made ready for shipment.
Curran had been informed of the
prices that had been paid, SO as to
guide his dealings with other return
ing trappers. There were still a
couple Of weeks of trading ahead
for distant parties were still expect
ed to turn up. Except for them the
brigade would have been compelled
to leave with only scanty rest.
Lorimer slept lightly that night,
and whenever he awoke he was con-
scious that his wife was watching
silently, sobbing softly now and
then, like a child who is weary after
much weeping.
Yet in the morning her eyes were
dry, and she moved about bravely,
packing his waterproof canvas war
bag and showing him where she put
the things that would be needed
most frequently on the journey.
The breakfast was served early.
! 1t was hearty one and better
cooked than those old Anne used to
turn out, for Ameou had supervised
it personally. Mashkaugan de-
YOU. ed great quantities of food in
utter silence; but Lorimer, notwith-
standing his wife's encouragements,
found it hard to swallow.
Don't you worry about any
thing" Curran told him. you
might be gone over couple of
months, long before real cold wealth
er comes. III take care of every
thing. If you find the going too bad
come right back. No use considering
anythn that can't be worked by a
brigade
Up to Mukumeshu Lake it's all
right, since We have quite lot Of
Injuns coming Gown from there
every year. they're only acqlaint-
ed with one of the three rivers that
run into it. The other two we odgn.
to know more shout. You'll have 10
LOOK EN- over. You've got ali July
and August before you. Wont be
bothered by anything, but flies"
They had discussed this already
over and over; but, like all men who
live in the wilderness and have few,
matters to talk about, they IT, ashed
over details to the utmost.
Curran had risen from the table,
and was pretending to look at Lori
mer's gun, his open manner giving
no inkling that he was not an honest
man, giving the best advice to Il
friend
The time to leave was now at
hand. Lorimer threw the strap of
his pack over his shoulder, as it was
not worth while to adjust the lump
line to his forehead for the few
yards down the river. Ameou fol-
I lowed, carrying the repeating rifle.
The provisions had been expertly
slowed in the canoe by Mashkaugan.
who was waiting quietly, pipe
in mouth, ready for the start. Final
! ly husband and wife drew apart.
Remember to tarry no longer
than the end of August" she said,
"for early in the month of falling
leaves-thou knowest"
He smiled at her tenderly md
babe her good-by again.
He was about to step into the ca
J noe when Curran came up to him.
Don't like to pu. my oar in" said
the chief agent, land I'll shut up if
you tell me to; but | had a notion
maybe, as you were going for long
trip, you'd like to fl up something
for your woman. A chap can never