Charlevoix county herald., 1914-07-25
CHAPTER VIII.
The Babe in the Woods.

While Lorimer had been waging a
fight for his life that Is to tins day
talked of by Indians of the north,
Curran had sought to further his
own ends. When he took courage to
speak to Mashkaugan, giving slight
hints concerning ms intentions to-
ward Ameou's child, he was met with
snarl.
"Since have returned from that
place OF tiends," cried the hunch-
back, my food has not nourished
me, for / have no taste for it..
Neither do | sleep, for if my eyes
clos, there comes before them that
face | saw upturned IN the rapids !!
Often there are devils around it who
thrust 1t at me. | am accursed be-
cause of thee, and some day thou
shalt share the curse with mew
Thou art crazy" answered Cur
ran, sneerlng at nm. Thy brain is
becoming ''lore crooked than thy
body"
but the man gave no answer,
merely casting an EVIL glance at him
before he returned to his shack
where he spent many hours alone.
HIS fellow Indians feared him to
some extent and were keen to avoid
him.
Ameou was sitting before her tent,
a woful picture of woman who has
suffered great sorrow, Curran went
up to her, being anxious always to
make favorable impression on her.
Because of the grief that has
come upon thee" he said, there is
no reason to deprive myself of any
thing thou mayest need. The door
of the storeroom is open. Help thy
self, for it is the way of white men
as of Indians that what belonged to
the husband is the wife's and the
child's.> Always come to me and
thou shalt have everything according
/ to thy needs, for | am thy friend.
The young woman looked at him,
impressed by the kindness of his
false words.
81 thank thee" she said; "but |
shall not stay here long. In seven
days, or maybe ten, my father leaves
with him. Oh! the sight of this
ness is more than can bear ]
help him who is old. Some traps !
pare pelts, as | have done since ]
was child"
Curran sought to dissuade her
from this purpose, saying that she
must not go away, for provisions in
would be hers for the asking. When
sought to influence her with other ar
gument.
"The child is the son of Yellow Hair
who was a white man. His father
would have wanted the boy to be
brought up as are the sons of the
whites. knowing many things that
should be kept here where there are
white people and grow up as man
! of that race"
HE has no father now! cried
! Ameou. "He is my child, and will
follow the life of my own people! ]
am again but one Of the Indians that
are here today and gone tomorrow
The man who might have taught him
other ways is dead"
"There are others who may teach
himw exclaimed Curran. 81 shall,
myself, be at pains to do so, later on,
/ SeeklflB 10 ldhe the place VI Ills Ia
Their whom | loved. ! will show him
the ways Of white people"
'The ways of white people" cried
the young mother. "They have
some that are evil, as ] surely
know"
She was looking intently at him
with big, frank eyes. Probably she
had meant exactly what she had
said, but Curran was uneasy be-
cause, like all men of his kind, he
was ever wondering how much 9TH
ers might suspect.
Therefore he could make no an
swer. He merely nodded his head
in a manner that might have signi-
fled anything, and went away slowly
with his hands in his pockets, trying
to look unconcerned.
A few moments later he CHANGED
to see the old chief, Nimissuts, sit
ting on the ground and sharpening
an axe with a small file which Is
one of the northern Indians most
valued treasures, Curran strollec