Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-05-21
41E&An
The
Trapper's
Return
BY ANTHONY REIMERT
90. 1924, western Newspaper Union.)

THROUGH the snow, on his snow
Il shoes, plodded Jean Dubois. He
was returning to his cabin at the lit
tie 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
to have one year in which to achieve
riches. He knew a region where the
blue fox abounded. He had sworn
to come back rich.
For the first part of the winter he
had dreamed dreams of wealth. Then
he had found it one of the warmest
seasons on record. The fur was con-
sequently very poor. And there were
no blue foxes.
SO Jean was returning with little
more than he had taken out, only a
few miserable skins, and there was
murder in his heart.
For he knew that Pierre Langlois,
always his rival, had resolved to win
Marie from him.
Whether or not Pierre had married
her already, Jean knew that she was
as good as his. For the failure there
could be only contempt and scorn.
And he was going to put the question
straight to Marie. The girl should
answer him with a direct yes or no.
If She 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 a 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 a small
town unfold beneath him
A small town, but to him the biggest
place that he had never seen. He
stopped and stared at it. Either it
WAS a mirage or he was dreaming.
No, it was no mirage! There it
lay, unroled upon the snow! And yet
il was the same place. There was
TIE frozen river, there were the hills
and forests.
AS in q 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
it stood, the little cabin! But be,
side it, where had been Marie's home,
was large store, of brick
lie entered his cabin. Everything
was the same. He must be dreaming
He was afraid,
Suddenly there came knock at the
DOOR When he opened it a little group
stood there-Marie, and Pierre Lang
lois, and Maries 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.
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 Maries father by the
other, and they were shouting at him.
What was that they We're saying?
Gold in the hills? The richest gold
strike Of recent years. and the folks
had come hocking in, and now every
one was rich.
And he-fool that he was-had gone
wandering off for skins, when all this
wealth lay at home.
What was that? His cabin? He
listened mechanically to Marie's fa-
ther.
And the company will pay you
thirty Thousand dollars for the land,
Jean, to build q store on it. And we
have been looking forward to thy
return, because we Wanteu Sou W
know And Marie"
"Eh, but you have not heard. Pier
re is married. Yes, he married Marthe
Tremouille a month after you had
gone, and"
Jean looked into Marie's face and
saw the color flood it. And then he
forgot everything else.
"Eh, Jean, it is so long since thou
went away, and l have been wait
ing eagerly" she murmured, as Jean
folded her in his arms.