The Bismarck tribune., 1924-06-13
Home to Wealth
and Love
BY ANTHONY REIMERT

III ouSti tiC oLpN, oAA '7h'"
shoes, plodded Jean Dubois. He
was returning to his cabin at the
little far northern settlement of st.
Joseph after a years absence.
One year before pretty Marie, the
daughter Of the storekeeper, had
promised to wait for him. He was
10 have one year in which to
achieve riches. He knew a region
where the blue fox abounded. He
lad sworn to come back rich.
For the first part Of the winter
ne had dreamed dreams of wealth.
Then he had found it one of the
warmest seasons on record. The
Iur was consequently very poor.
And there were no blue foxes.
SO Jean was returning with little
more than he had taken out, only
few miserable skins, and there
was murder in his heart.
For he knew that Pierre Lam
glois, always his rival, had resolved
to win Marie from him.
Whether or not Pierre had mar
ried her already, Jean knew that
she was as good rs his. For the
failure there could be only con-
.empt and scorn.
And he was going to put the
question straight to Marie. The
girl should answer him with a di-
rect yes or no. If size refused to
marry him and share his poverty
with him, he meant to shoot both
her and Pierre.
Such was not the nature of the
man, but the year of loneliness in
The wilds had warped his judgment.
He had gone little mad, as many
men are apt to do.
And now he was ascending the
last hill before the settlement. 1t
was late in the afternoon. He
reached the top; he stopped and
rubbed his eyes.
In place Of the tiny village that
he had known all his life he saw
small town unfold beneath him.
A small town, but to him the big
gest place that he had ever seen.
He stopped and stared at it. Either
1t wars mirage or he was dream
Ing.
No, it was no mirage! There
1t lay, unrolled upon the snow !
And yet it was the same place.
There was the frozen river, there
were the hills and forests.
AS: in a dream he entered it.
There were high buildings of brick
where formerly had been the log
shanties. And motor cars. And
shops with plate glass windows!
Feeling sure that he was asleep,
Jean made his way toward the
cabin that had been his home. Yes,
there 1t stood, the little cabin! But
beside it, where had been Marie's
home, was large store, of brick
He entered his cabin. Every
thing was the same. He must be
dreaming. He was afraid.
Suddenly there came knock at
the door. When he opened 1t a
little group stood there-Marie, and
Pierre Langlois, and Marie's father.
And they were laughing at him.
At. the sight of this an ugly
scowl came upon jeans face. Pierre
and Marie! He felt against his
hip for the knife he had hidden
there. .fa
But suddenly, impulsively, Marie
ran forward and caught him In her
arms. She was still laughing; she
had not understood that gesture.
Jeans hand fell to his side.
And now Pierre was grasping him
by one arm and Marie's father By
the other, and they were shouting
at him.
What was, that they were say
ing? Gold in, the hills? The rich
est gold strike Of recent years, and
the folks had come flocking in, and
now everyone was rich.
And ..she-foOl that he was-had
gone wandering off for skins, when
all tHis wealth lay at home. 81
What was that? His cabin? He
listened mechanically to Marie's ia
fher.; ~ist@ ~ 49,
sand the company will pay you
thirty thousand dollars for the land,
Jean; to build a store on It,. And
We have been looking forward to
thy return because we wanted you
TO know. And Marie"
"Eh, but yen have not heard.
Pierre u married. Yes, he married
Marthe TremouilIe a month after
yOu had gone and"
Jean looked into Marie's face and
saw the color food II. And then
hes forgot everything else
a'.Eh, Jean, 1t is'so long since thou
went away, and have been wait
ing. eagerly" she murmured, as
Jean folded her In his arms.