Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-02-01
CHAPTER vim.

The message.
Kazan's howl awakened the man. He
came out Of the tent, peered for q few
moments up at the sky, built up the fire,
and began to prepare breakfast. He
patted Kazan on the head, and gave
him a chunk Of meat Joan came out
a few moments later, leaving the baby
asleep in the tepl She ran up and
kissed Pierre, and then dropped down
on her knees beside Kazan, and talked
to him almost as he had heard her talk
to the baby. When she jumped up to
help her father, Kaxan followed her,
and when Joan saw him standing firm
" upon his legs she gave 4 CRY of
pleasure. ,.,.8.tss as n
i. 1t was strange journey that began
into the north that day. Pierre Raids
son emptied the sledge Of everything
but the tent, blankets, food and the
furry nest for baby Joan. Then he har-
messed himself in the traces and
dragged the sledge over the SNOW. He
,coughed necessarily.
!. tits a cough I've had half the win
ter, = He'd Pierre, careful that joan saw
NO sign Of blood on his lips or beard.
'Tn keep in the cabin for a week when
We get home"
Even Kasan, with that strange beast
knowledge which man, unable to ex-
plain, calls instinct, knew that what he
said was not the truth. Perhaps it
was largely because he had heard other
men cough like this, and that for gen
erations his sledge-dog ancestors had
heard men cough as RadissNp coughed
and had learned what followed it.
More than once he had scented death
In tepees and cabins, which he had not
entered, and more than once he had
sniffed at the mystery Of death that
was not quite present, but near-just
as he, had caught at q distance the
subtle warning Of storm and Of fire.
And that strange thing seemed to be
very near to him now, as he followed
at the end Of his chain behind the
sledge. It made him restless, and half
dozen times, when the sledge
stopped, he shifted at the bit Of hu-
manity buried in the bearskin. Zach
time that he did this Joan was quick
~ at his side, and twice she patted
his SCARED, and grizzled head until
every drop Of blood In his body leaped
riot0uAly with Joy which his body
aid not reveal. i-4R
This day the chief thing that he
came to understand was that the little
creature on the sledge was very pre-
.cious TO the girl who strokeA his head
and talked to him, and that 1t was very
helpless. He learned. too. that Joan
was most delighted, and that her voice
was softer and thrilled him more
deeply, when he paid attention to that
little, WARM, living thing IN the bear
skin.
For . hong time after they made
camp Pierre Radisson sat beside the
6re. Tonight he did not smoke. He
stared straight into the flames. When
at last he rose to 60 into the tent
with the girl and the baby, he bent
over Ka1an and examined his hurt.
you've got to work In the traces to-
morrow, boy" he said. I'VE must
make the river by tomorrow night. II
we DON'T
He did not finish. He was choking
back one Of those tearing coughs when
the tent-flap dropped behind him. Ka-
Fan lay stiff and alert, his eyes Allied
with . strange anxiety. He did not
ike to see Radisson enter the tent,
for stronger than ever there hung that
oppressive mystery in the air about
him, and Il seemed to be q part Of
Pierre.
Three times that night he heard
faithful Gray Wolf calling for him
deep in the forest, and each time he
answered her. Toward dawn she
came in close to camp. Once he caught
the scent of her when she eircled
around In the wind, and he tugyed and
whinsd ct the end Of his chain, hoping
that she would come In and lie down at
his side. But no sooner had Radisson
ssoved ~ the tent than Gray Volt was
gone. The mans face was thinnes,
aAA his Uea were, redder this morn
ing. Hls cough was not 50 loud Or %
rending. It was like Q wheeEe. Is u
eomeshlng had given way inside, and
before the Girl came ont he clutched
his hands often to his throat. Joan's
face whitened when she. saw him.
ANXIETY gage way to fear In her eyes.
pleYFs Radlsson laughed when she
auns her ayms about him. and coughed
70 pyove that what he said was true.
sYou 50 the cough 10 not 20 bad,
ny Joan,~ he said. TT IL breaking mp.
You cannot have forgotten, ma cherie1
Il always leaves one red-eyed and
weak"
It was . cold, bleak, dark day that
followed and through 1t Kazan and
the man tugged at the fore Of the
sledge, with Joan following In the
trail behind. Kazan's wound no longer
hurt him, He pulled steadily with all
his splendid strength, and the man
never dashed him once. but patted him
with his mittened hand on head and
back. The day grew steadily darker
and in the tops Of the trees there waa
the low moaning Of a. storm. !.