The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-10-27

he turned from the frosty
- window of his office at Fort
Providence, one of the Hudson Bay
Company's posts The servant, or
late of the Scots Guards, departed
on his Grand glancing curiously at
his masters face as he did SO. The
Chief Factor, as he turned round,
unclasped his hands from behind him,
took a few steps forward, then standing
still In the center of the room, read
carefully through a letter which he
had held In the fingers of his right
hand for the last ten minutes as he
scanned the wastes of snow that stretch
ed away beyond Great Slave Lake to the
Arctic Circle and the Barren Grounds.
he medltated a moment, went back
to the window, looked out again,
shook his head negatively, and with a
sigh walked over to the huge fireplace.
He stood thoughtfully considering the
floor until the door opened and Sub
Factor Jaspar Hume entered. The
Factor looked up and said: Hume,
I've something here that's been worry
ing me bit. This letter came in the
monthly batch this morning. It is
from woman. The Company sends
another commencing the cause of
the woman and urging us to do all
that IS possible to meet her wishes.
1t seems that her husband Is a civil
engineer of considerable fame. He
had a commission to explore the Copper
Mine region and portion OF the
Barren Grounds. He was to be gone
six months. He has been gone a year.
He left Fort Good Hope, skirted Great
Bear Lake, and reached the Copper
Mine River. Then he sent back all
of the Indians who accompanied him
but two, they bearing the message
that he would make the Great Fish
River and come down by Great Slave
Lake to Fort Providence. That was
nine months ago. He has not come
here, nor to any other of the forts,
nor has any word been received from
him. His wife, backed by the 81. B. C.,
urges that relief party BE sent to
look for him. They and she forget
that this is the Arctic region, and that
the task is a well-nigh hopeless one.
He ought to have been here six months
ago. Now, how can we do anything?
Our fort Is small, and there is always
danger of trouble with the Indians.
We can't force men to join a relief
party like this, and who will volun-
teer? Who would lead such a party
and who will make up the party to
be Ied7."
The brown face of Jaspar Hume
was net mobile. 1t changed in ex-
preston Out seldom II preserved
steady and satisfying character of
intelligence and force. The eyes, how
ever, were of an inquiring, debating
kind, that moved from one thing to
another as if to get a sense of balance
before opinion or judgment was ex-
pressed. The face had remained i'm
passive, but the eyes had kinGIed a
little as the Factor talked. To the
Factors despairing question there was
not an immediate reply The eyes
were debating. But they suddenly
steadled and Jasper Hume said SEN
tentiously, GA relief party should go.V
Yes, yes; but who Is to lead them7''
Again the eyes debated
Read her letter" said the Factor,
handing him it.
Jaspar Hume took 1t and mechan-
ically scanned IT.
The Factor had, moved toward the
table for his pipe or he would have
seen the other start, and his nostrils
slightly CULVER as his eyes grew con-
scious Of what they were looking at:
Turning quickly, Jsspar Hume walked
toward the window IS L for more