River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-03-04

grass WIG LnuioAo. AnVJ diI1 1T~r'
but their chief is. He talks like a
mouthful of hot mush. an if be amt
full blooded Scotch they amt no such
thing as Scotch in the world He's the
hi-yu, skookum. top chief of the whole
caboodle. What he says goes You
want to get that from the start off.
Danny Means been tryin' to get
away from him for six years. Dan
ny's all right. but be amt got 60 in
him. He knows way oUt-learned it
on huntin' trips-to the west of the
way you an me came. He amt had
the nerve to tackle it by his lonely
But we can pull it of. the three of Us.
Whiskers is the real goods, but he's
mostly loco, just the same"
who's Whiskers?' Smoke queried.
why, he's the top geezer. He's the
Scotcher. Hes gettin old, an he's
sure asleep now. but he'll see you to-
morrow an show you clear as print
what a measly shrimp you are on his
stompin grounds. These grounds be-
long to him. You got to get that into
your noodle. They amt never been
explored nor nothin'. an they're hisn.
an he won't let you forget it. He's
got about 10000 square miles Of hunt
in country here all his own He's the
white Indian, him an the skirt.
Huh! Don't look at me that way.
Wait till you see her Some locker.
an all white, like her dad-hes Whis-
kers. An say, caribou! A hundred
thousan' of good runnin' meat in the
herd an ten thousan wolves an cats
a-followin' an Twin off the stragglers
an the leavin's. The herds movin' to
the east. an Wen be followin 'em any
day now"
Here comes Whiskers, lookin' like
he's goin somewhere" Shorty Whis-
pered.
1t was morning. and the bachelors
were sQuatting over a breakfast of
caribou meat Smoke glanced up and
saw small and slender man. skin
clad like any savage, but unmistaka-
bly, white, striding in advance of sled
team and following of dozen In
dams. Bushy whiskers. yellowish gray
and stained by camp smoke, concealed
most of the face. but failed wholly to
conceal the gaunt. almost cadaverOus,
cheeks.
How do you do?" the man said.
slipping a mitten and holding out his
bare hand MY name is Snass."
Mines BeIlew." Smoke returned.
feeling peculiarly Disconnected as he
gazed into the keen. searching black
eyes.
Getting plenty to eat. / see. Rough
rations. but we don't starve often. And
it's more natural than the hand reared
meat of the cities"
Il see you don't like the cities"
Smoke laughed in order to be saying
something and was Immediately star
tied by the transformation SnasS I'M
derwent
Quite like a sensitive plant, the mans
entire form seemed to wilt and culver.
Then the recoil. tense and savage, con-
centered in the eyes, in which appeared
a hatred that screamed Of immeasur-
able pain. He turned abruptly away
and then, recollecting himself, remark
ed casually over his shoulder:
'I'll see you later, Mr.. Bellew. The
caribou are moving east, and I'm going
ahead to pick out location You'll all
come on tomorrow"
Later on in the morning Smoke went
for stroll through the camp. busy
with it's primitive pursuits. A big body
Of hunters had just returned. and the
men were scattering to their various
fires. Women and children were de-
parting with dogs harnessed to empty
toboggan sleds, and women and chill
dren and dogs were hauling seds
heavy with meat fresh from the killing
and already frozen. Furs and soft
tanned leather clad all alike. Boys
passed with bows In their hands and
quivers Of bone barbed arrows, and
many a skinning knife of bone or stone
Smoke saw in belts or neck hanging
sheaths.
Segregated In the heart of the camp,
Smoke came upon what was evidently
5nass' fire. Though temporary in ev-
cry detail. it was solidly constructed
and was on large scale. A great heap
sf bales of skins and outfit was piled
on a scaffold out OF reach Of the dogs.
A large canvas fly. almost half tent.
sheltered the sleeping and living quar-
tiers.
To one side was a silk tent-the sort
favored by explorers and wealthy big
game hunters. Smoke had never seen
such a tent and stepped closer. AS he
stood looking the flaps parted and a
young woman came out. So quickly
did she move, so abruptly did she ap-
pear. that the effect on Smoke was as
that of an apparition. He seemed to
have the same effect on her, and for
long moment they gaZed at each other.
She was dressed entirely in skins.
but such skins and such magnifcently
beautiful fur work Smoke had never
dreamed OF. Her parka, the hood
thrown back, was of some strange fur