Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-08-08

Of honor and manhood. He would
answer it as bravely as he could
with all the energy that must return
to him in the coming days.
He was tranquil now. The path to
be followed was hewn straight before
him. He would only have to carry
all over the world.
Gradually his thought ceased to
harrow him. He leaned forward look
ing toward the camp where his won
derful inheritance of flesh and blood
was lying asleep, and yet calling to,
him to meet his obligations. -
A moment later he heard sd ne
thing behind him, but paid little
heed. 1t might have been a weasel
on the trail of hare or some imper-
tinent red squirrel who, as soon as he
discovered that the still form was a
human being, would chatter in fool
ish anger.
A hand touched him; but he react
ed duly to the surprise and turned
his head slowly, thinking that Atuk
might have come up behind him.
His only feeling when he recog-
nized Mashkaugan was one of pleas
ant establishment, but as he helA
forth his hand the hunchbacF
yelled in fear and fled through the
underbrush like a wounded moose.
Lorimer's amazement was sue
ceeded by laughter-actual hysteri-
cal laughter-a sort that came
against his will, shaking him and
hurting the bruised muscles of his
oh4c h. fao
Finally he controlled himself, feeling
ashamed at his weakness.
Picking up his stick, he returned
to the tent. He was soon Joined by
Atuk AMI his wife, who carried laNe
bundles of dry fish and placed them
in a little lean-to well covered with
large slabs of bark.
They looked at him in astonish-
ment, fol there were still traces of
the mirth that had just shaken him
and which they could not under
stand.
81 was sitting yonder," he told
them, land that fellow Mashkaugan
came up behind me and touched me.
When | turned to look he howled
and ran like a caribou"
The nervous tendency to laugh
had left him. He looked at the
Nascaupees as if seeking some ex-
PLANTATION.
"He had not thought to see thee,
believing thee dead" said Atuk's
wife. "He surely took thee for a
ghost and turned away from thee in
fear"
eyes, to him thou hadst become
windego-a devil of the forests or
the waters that was seeking his life"
assented Atuk. "He will be much
ashamed when he knows thou art
really living, and will beg us not to
tell the tale against him. Come nova
it is time to eat again and gather
more strength. Thou art very diff
ferent man already from the one
who came here this morning"
TIL, men sat on the ground while
the woman waited on them. In spite
of the food he had already taken,
Lorimer felt hungry again and his
hosts were pleased to see his appe-
tite.
They deemed that there was no.
more reason for care. Atuk's wife
piled a clean sheet of bark with some
fish and rabbit meat and a great
pancake hot from the frying pan.
After this meal Lorimer felt much
better. He was coughing good
deal, and there was some pain in his
chest; but he was young and of pow
erful build, With an ability to recu-
perate fast
He told of his decision not to re-
turn that afternoon. Atuk agreed
that it was wise, for the weather
was spelling and good nights rest
would help him.
The baby began to cry. Lorime -
went into the tent and with infinit6S
precaution took the little thing in his
arms. A strange thrill of pleasure
penetrated his being, and he rocked
the child clumsily, yet in a manner
that brought it peace.
Atuk's wife, when she raised the
flap Of the tent, smiled broadly when
she beheld this sight. Never would
an Indian man have handled a baby;
but white men were strange beings,
of course, and the sight of the ia
Their with his little one pleased her.
at is time the Hash should be fed
its eyes. "See how he moves his
arms and feet. A hungry, lusty feed
er is he and must surely grow into
a big man who will travel strongly
with paddle and tump-line. Thou
wilt lean upon his shoulder when the
years become many TO. thee.
Now the black clouds come fast and
the torn is very near, and it will
be best for thee to move about, shak-.
ing the stiffness from thy limbs be-
fore the gale arrives"