Charlevoix county herald., 1914-08-22
CHAPTER XIV.
Light from Darkness.

Light from Darkness.
Early in the morning Curran arose
after a night filled with restless
dreams. His first care was to in
quire whether Mashkaugan had re-
turned. When he learned that the
man had been gone during the
whole night he was greatly disturb
ed.
AS happens with most individuals
who are engaged in Ubiquitous
schemes, the chief agent felt that all
mems hands might suddenly he
raised against him. What business
had the hunchback to be away from
the post without permission? He
was in the company's pay and under
the agents orders.
1t really looked as if the fellow
were connecting some queer scheme
of his own. Most likely, however,
he was still hunting for the child.
Curran was greatly disappointed
at his failure to find the baby, but
he took it with certain degree of
equanimity. After all, he had
meant to get rid of it at some time
or other. If it was gone for good
so much the better. Yet he saw
trouble with prying lawyers who
might insist on valid proofs of the
child's death, or, at any rate, on re-
liable circumstantial evidence.
after ALL" he cogitated, 81
should have little trouble in satisfy
ing them. I'm smart enough to find
some way out of it. That fool,
Scarface, was angrier than l
thought. | suppose he drank more
of that stuff when he went ashore
with the baby, and at the last mo-
ment he decided to take it farther
and let it die. Or else he took it to
some Indians, hoping to get a re-
ward for it later on"
With this idea, Curran began
again to worry a good deal. He was
calm one moment and excited the
next.
eff that kid is still alive, it may
turn up some day and cause a peck
of trouble. All the Indians will
know who he is. What I've got to
do is to marry that girl just as soon
as can and take her south with the
spring brigade-or even on a special
trip.
an find some way TO keep silence
about the child. | can persuade
Ameou to keep her mouth shut about
it after Pm her husband. Then I'll
get to work about that money, and
as soon as | lay my hands on it I'll
get out of the country.
"The worlds full of good places
where a man can have a good time
with lots of cash and no one to know
him; but I'd give ten skins to find
out what that fellow Mashkaugan is
up to-"
He busted himself that morning
with odd matters requiring his at
tention around the post, though he
constantly interrupted his work to
look over the river lest the hunch-
back might be returning.
He had made up his mind to teach
that fellow something, for he was
getting too cheeky altogether. A
good beating would do a lot of good,
vet wher Curran thought about adj
m:nistering the punishment an UNI
easy feeling came to him that it
might be easier to think of than to
accomplish.
"Of course, he's the very deuce Of
a HRnIeT. DtJ IlOSt DlS 1UOHkeN
arms of his would come near bust
ing a bears ribs, and even if he
was whipped he'd always be looking
for a chance to get square. But
something's got to happen to him,
for he knows too much. Some day
I'll plug him full of lead in a corner
where no one will ever look for him.
Who would have thought he'd turn
so rusty after that-that White Rap
ids business? Wonder if he's got an
idea I'm not going to deal square
with him ?"
The forenoon passed slowly. The
more Curran thought the shorter his
temper grew. He stormed at old
Cyprien and his wife, and roared at
some Indians who had dropped some
fish offal near the landing-place on
the river.
"Here! You fellows clean this
up! Do you think I'm going to have
all this mess around here? Set your
kids at it, and don't let me catch you
doing such things again, or you'll see
what debt I'll allow you next week
when you start off trappingw
He went among the tents and
scolded about real or fancied griev-
ances until the Indians were mutter-
ing and casting evil glances in his
direction.
Finally one, more decided than the
rest, went up to him. The man was
a six-footer, who could juggle with
UNDERGROUND bags of flour.
1--WE know what is right" he said;
Eve were not through with cleaning
our fish. Yellow Hair taught us the
proper way, and we did what he said,
because he was a man talking to
men. Now we shall do as we please,