Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-17

All that she believed De Chaumont
| denied. The rich book which stirred such
| torment In me-''you know 1t was MS
mothersl" she Saddle Chaumont
thought merely coveted. can see now
that the crude half-savage boy wallowlng
In the spring stream, set that woman as
high as the highest star above his head
and made her the hope and symbol OF MS
possible best
| womans long cry. like the appeal OF
that one on whom he medltated, echoed
through the woods md startled him out
OF his wallow.
CHAPTER III
| TSAT up with the water trickling down
i my back The cry was repeated, out
Of the west.
knew the woods, but night alters the
most familiar places. 1t was so dark In
| vaults and tunnels OF trees and thickets
| that might have burrowed through the
| ground almost as easily as thresh path.
The million scarcely audible noises that
ill forest surrounded me, and twigs
not broken by me cracked or shook. still
! made directly toward the woman's
voice which guided me more plainly; put
left Off running as my ear detected that
she was only in perplexity. She called
at intervals, inlperatively but not In con-
tinuous screams. She was white
woman, for no squaw would publish her
discomfort A squaw II lost would camp
sensibly on a bed OF leaves. and find her
way back to the village in the morning.
The wilderness was full OF dangers, but
when you are elder brother to the bear
and the wildcat you learn their habits
and avoid or outwit them
Climbing over rocks and windfalls /
came against a solid log wall and heard
the woman talking In very pretty chat
ter the other side OF IT, She only left
off talking to call for help. and left off
calling for help to scold and laugh again.
There was a man imprisoned with her,
and they were speaking English, n Ian
guage | did not then understand. But
what had happened to them was very
plain. They had wandered into a pen
built by hunters to trap bears and could
not find the bush-masked and winding
opening, but were travelling around the
walls. II was lucky for them that n
bear had not arrived first, though In that
case their horses must have smelled him.
/ heard the beasts shaking their brides
/ found my way to the opening and
whistled At once the woman ceased her
chatter and drew in her breath, and they
both asked me question that needed
no Interpretation. / told them where
they were, and the woman began talking
at once in my own tongue and spoke 1t
as we'll as / could myself
I'm bear pen? George he says we
are In a bear pen! Take us out, dear
chief. before the bear family arrive home
from their ball. l don't know whether
you are chief or not, but most Indians
are. My nurse was a chiefs daughter
Where are you? 1 can't see anything
but chunks OF blackness."
| took her horse by the bride and led
him, and so got both the riders outside
They had no finder. and neither had I;
and all of us groped for the way by
which they had come to the bear pen
The young man spurred his horse in
every direction and turned back unable
to get through.
Though we could not see one another
l knew that both the adventures were
young, and that they expected to be
called TO severe account for the lawless
act they we're committing.
The girl. talking English or French or
Mohawk almost in one breath, took the
blame upon herself and made light of
the boys self-repToaches.
She laughed and said MY father
thinks am with Miss Chantry. and Miss
Chantry thinks am with my father He
viii blame her for letting me ride with
George Croghan TO meet him, and lose
the way and SO get into the bear pen.
And she will blame my father, and your
dearest Annabel will let the Count de
Chaumont and Miss Chantry fight II out
Il Is not an affair for youth TO meddle
with. George
Having her for interpreter the boy and
l consulted. / might have led him back
to our hunting camp, but II was hard
road for woman and an impossible one
for horses. There was no inhabited house
nearer than De chaumont'5 own. He de-
cided they must return TO the road by
which they had come into the bear pen,
and gladly accepted my offer to 20 with
him; dismounting and leading Annabel
de Chaumont's horse while / led his. We
passed over rotten logs and through black
tangles, the girl bending to her saddle
bow, unwearied and full OF laughter. II
was plain that he could not find any out
let. and falling behind with the numbered
horse he let me guide the party
do not know by what instinct l felt
my way, conscious OF slipping between
the wild citizens Of that vast town OF
trees; but we finally reached a clearing
and saw across the open space a lighted
cabin. Its sashless windows and defee-
tive ehinks were gilded with the yellow
light that comes from a glowing hearth.
Il know this placel' exclaimed Anna
bel. 1t is where the Saint -Michals used
70 live before they went to my fathers
settlement at lie RayViile. Look al the
honsel Nobody lives there. 1t must be
full Of witehes''
Violin music testified that the witches
were merry, We halted and the horses
neighed and we're answered by others OF
their kind
George Croghans grandmother was
struck By a witch ban. And here her
grandson stands. too tired 70 run. but
perhaps there aren't any witches IN the
house. don't believe wicked things
would be allowed 20 enter Il. The saint
Miehais we're SO pious, and ugly. and
resisne1 70 the poverty Of refugees. Their
society was SO coed for me, my mother
when she was alive. made me VeneFafe
ther1 until I hated them. Holy Sophie
disa ana vent 70 heaven. ! shah never
see her again. she was. indeed. excellent.
This can't ho q nest Of witches George
why dent you 80 and knock on the
dooFf'
IL HAa hoi necessary Tor the deer
opened aad man appeared. holding
Violin - the neck. re stepped cui ID
laak arqead ~ eetIa at 1aIas hofz
lezEea1l znel1 @ nd nezad Is