Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-10-01
;. That was too easy to worry

about.
After all, it was most unlikely
Ihat Ameou and Mashkaugan would
md the brat. They would probably
continue on the Tshemuak River in
stead OF turning to the right into the
Nukumeshu.
Even # they chose the latter, there
was no Likelihood that, once in Many
place where the infant was con-
cealed.
Curran got his canoe ready in leis-
urely fashion after he had sent some
parties on wild-Goose chases of his
contriving, SO that all should know
how diligently he had conducted the
search.
He would have his breakfast first.
after which he would quietly travel
down-river. When he had made GER
tain that he was not observed he
would go straight to the place of
concealment and bring the child
back, and like conquering hero,
claim the fulfilment of the girls
promise.
She had proffered all she had in
the. world. He would claim herself,
and incidentally, all that money in
England.
The mans eyes narrowed down
and his teeth showed between his
thin lips. He was thinking of that
drug. The baby would not awaken
and-and then back to civilization as
quickly as he could travel, where that
short will of Lorimer's would permit
him to have very fine time. Ameou,
after she had signed few papers,
would not be very much in his way.
In the mean time the lightly laden
canoe was making great speed dowp
the river.
The long, knotted arms of the
hunchback rose like the pistons of
al engine and swept backward with
a force to which the frail ship re-
sponded like horse under the lash.
Ameou toiled with an energy that
soon would exhaust her; probably
better for her to expend some of the
flerce emery of her despair in this
way than in harassing anguish of
mind.
Had any one asked Mashkaupan
what his purpose was in accompany
ing the girl he might have found it
hard to give an answer.
1t had been an impulse to which
he had yielded blindly. At bottom
there probably lay an unexpressed
desire to make some small atonement
for the foul deed which was tortur-
ing his conscience.
At this time, however, he only
thought of the quest. While never
interrupting his padding, his head
constantly turned from side to side,
noting every stick and stone, every
shrub and branch, every track of
muskrat on the banks of the river.
After an hour of such going, dur
ing which not word had passed be-
tween them, they reached the wide,
shallow place where the currents of
the two rivers mingle on their way
to the great bay.
Ameou turned and looked inquir-
ingly at Mashkaugan with a hag-
gard face and eyes that were begin
ming to dull under the intensity of
her suffering.
"Scarface belongs up the Utusk
country" said the hunchback. "He
would not go down the main river
because he would have to return.
Then he might meet men coming
after him. We go toward Many
Beaver"
The paddles struck the water
again and the canoe veered to the
right and entered the narrower
stream.
An awful weariness overlook
Ameou. For a time she was forced
to stop plying her paddle, but Mash
kaugan kept on as if there were
cords of steel within his great, twist
ed body instead of the sinews of a
man. After Ameou resumed her
paddle the canoe Travelled swiftly
again, though no longer like mad
dening thing.
Finally they reached the outlet Of
Many Beaver Lake.
"Petshikatshish! Go slowly" said
the man.
Ameou again stopped padding.
She knew this meant that they must
carefully investigate the shores of
the lake.
There is a man called Atuk camps
on this lake." said Mashkaugan,
during the run of the whitefish.
After we look over the east shore we
will continue on to his camp. Per-
haps he knows something. 1t is
over yonder where big rocks drop
sheer into deep water"
But Ameou was not listening.
Nothing mattered to her but to keep
moving and hunting for her child.
Twice the man drove the canoe
ashore and looked at faint marks on
the edge.
"Misheshu! A fox" he said the
first time, pushing off again. But at
the next stop he remained little
longer.
Zone man been here" he said.
"Not Scarface"
They kept on until they reached a
place where the water was shoal and
the many reeds made fine lurking
places for great pike to lie in wait
for passing whitefish.
"Enkum! Here it is" exclaimed
the hunchback, suddenly digging his
paddle deep in the water and stop
ping the headway.
A great, uprooted birch had fallen
in the water a short distance away.
Nashkaugan's keen eyes had noted
that the reeds were somewhat bent
nvar thn1ph loss than If deer or