Charlevoix county herald., 1914-08-29
CHAPTER XIV.
Reaping the Whirlwind..

was turning over the pages Of an
old magazine. He was very restless.
Finally ne hurled the book reckless
lv across the room. This was unus-
ual. for the slightest printed word is
of the greatest value in the far will
derness, being commonly treated
with the greatest respect.
81 wonder what that old sky-pilot
is doing with himself?" he said. He
should have come in and gone to bed
long ago. Likely he's found some
Indian kid with a stomachache and
is sitting up With him."
He Consulted his watch-the only
one within a radius of some hun
dreds of miles.
Eleven o'clock! Hanged if I'm
going To wait up any longer for
him."
He hcd gone to his room and was
beginning to undress when he de-
cided that he had better take a turn
outside and see for himself whether
he could find any explanation for the
priests absence.
He lit his pipe nd opened the
door. Absolute silence reigned. For
some minutes he listened for human
utterances that would carry far in
the still night, but heard nothing.
Then he went toward the tent of
Nimissuts, his soft moccasins max
inc no sound; but somewhere a dog
began to growl. The ample snore
of the old man assured him that the
inmates were sleeping. The agent
scratched his head.
Seems pretty queer" he NUT
tereo, and moved off toward the
landing place, where many canoes
were pulled upon the shore and could
b.. clearly seen in the moonlight.
For a moment he searched among
them, but could find no sign of the
missionary's long, travelling canoe.
Curran then uttered curse.
Hes gone! That was a great
trick to play on me. | suppose that
devil of a girl told hi.h she didn't
care to marry me, or else he told her
that he didn't approve of the mar
riage. Some day I'll get square
with him for putting in his oar that
way-the old fool! He's just gone
so that ! can't be married now, and
told her that no Indian marriage
would be any good Well, III get
the best of him, anyway. I'll take
her down in the spring and marry
her wheI we get south"
He returned TO the post, where he
took a drink from his bottle of di-
luted alcohol before he sought his
bunk and tossed restlessly all night.
IN the early morning came few
hours of sleep, and he awakened
later than was his custom.
He clamored for his breakfast and
questioned old Cyprier when he
brought it to him.
When did White Beard. the Man
itou limo, go away" he asked. 81
found last night that his canoe was
gone"
81 saw this morning that il was no
longer at the landing" answered the
old fellow. "Yet he cannot have
gonI for long time, because he was
to take -four and kukush, the meat of
pig. He cannot go to the great wa
sions, for his are nearly gone"
That is So" agreed Curran. 81
laid the stuff for him on the floor
Of the storeroom."
Investigation showed that the pro-
visions were still there, untouched.
"Well, he isn't gone for good yet;
intends to come back soon, that's
sure. Wonder what kind Of a dodge
he's up to low ?"
Curran also inquired about Mash
kaugan, but found that no one had
seen him. Curran was growing more
alC more nervous, vaguely scent
ing something that might be affect
ing his plans.
He judged it best not to go to the
old chiefs tent, deeming it likely
that the girl, after her conversation
with the priest, might not be in a
mood in which it would be best to
talk with her.
He would have to get hold Of Nj
missuts alone. Inquiring for the
chief, he learned that the old man
had taken his GU and gone out on
the barrens to try for a caribou.
During the next two days Curran
made rath'~ large inroads on his
supply Of strong drink and began to
fume because the old priest had not
returned. AS for Mashkaugan, Cur
ran heartily hoped he had broken his
neck somewhere.
Perhaps he's gone and made
away with himself with all his crazy
superstitions. hope he has; 'twould
be a good riddance of bad rubbish.
Best thing he could have done"
Wandering over to the landing, ne
counted the canoes there-ten in all.
A peculiar mark on one Of them at
tracted his attention. This canoe had
been there { y a number of days, he
felt sure, and looked like the 9TH
ers, so that he had hitherto paid no
special attention to it.
Curran turned it over. There was
no doubt. 1t was Mashkaugan's.
The agent looked about him. An
Indian squaw was coming down to
the waterside, bearing a kettle she
wanted to fill.
"How longs this canoe been
here 2" he asked.
The squaw looked at him in some
surprise. To her these white men
were beyond comprehension. The
canoe had been there four days in
ALL Any one who had seen it once
should have been able to recognize
IL at the merest glance. Here was a
man who had never noticed il. Such
hIindnee1 WAS amazing