Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1925-12-10
CHAPTER II-cOntinued


Steele strained from the window,
waiting for a repetition OF the vail.
But the voice which had defiled the
night was hushed. From the clearing
came the whimpering Of awed huskies.
the wolf challenge smothered in their
threats. Among the dim shapes OF the
Indian shacks beyond the trade-hOuse
not light fickered. They were as
the houses of the dead The post
people lay In their blankets. stiff with
fear. Like shroud, panic had fallen
on Wailing River.
Throwing on his clothes. the man
swung from the window and dropped
to the grass below The house. also.
Gas dark-St. Onge doubtless drugged
With cognac, but she7 Did she lie
numb with fright, or was she gallant
~ struggling with the Mystery
AS he approached Michel's dark
shack, Steele was puzzled Had the
Iroquois and David also weakened1
But two silent shapes. carrying some
thing in their hands, met him at the
door.
You heard IT. AfIchel7" demanded
Steele. searching the swart face Of
the half-breed. as they left the shack,
Tor traces Of excitement.
The features Of Michel were set
IKE stone as he said: DE WIndgo
get de fur cano' now he get de pos"
what d'you meanY' quickly de-
manded Steele. fearing that the Indian
In the head man had at last tri-
umphed over his intelllgence-that he,
too. had succumbed to the general
terror
michel mean" explained David. !
shat de Indian will leave de pos
after tonight"
The white man was relieved. These
two. at least. had not been stampeded |
by the nameiess thing on the ridge.
And then. as they reached the shore,
It began again.
From the crest OF the ridge came
an unspeakabIe mewIng. now strange
~ cat-lIke. now unearthly; followed
by the moaning Of a mangled thing In
torture.
1t ceased The white man heard
the rough breathing Of the men beside
him. Slowly the click of steel on steel
marked the cooking OF two rifles.
Then upon the heavy silence broke
the prolonged walling Of an 0jibway
woman for her dead
Rigid. the three men listened. The
wailing climaxed In manIacal shrieks.
Again the night was soundless
Turning to Steele, Michel muttered:
'-rete-B oule ees right; dat ees YER
bad ting to hear"
What Is It, David7~ Steele demand
ed Of his hard-headed friend.
"Eef David was on dat ridge. he
cell you" was the dry response.
There's nothing on four feet in
this country that could do that. There
may be something In this windIgo
story, after all Is It beast. bird. or
devil. Michel7"
"Eet may be crazee wolverine; eet I
may be devil: eet may be WIndIgo-
but eet flemish dees pos all de same" /
As the half-breed sadly shook his
head. the caterwaulIng began anew. q
With heads thrust forward the 3
three men on the shore strove to 4
pierce It's mystery. But this time, as
The voice rose to a climax. flame shot b
from the muzzles Of two rifles and the '
,hrieks were smothered In the report .
of the guns echoing from the ridge. s
Again silence blanketed the valley.
Thus did David and Michel fling
back their challenge OF lead 70 the s
,Owers OF darkness which menaced +,
he fur fort.
~The windigO knows now that "a
here's some fighting blood left in G,
vaiIing River" chuckled Steele. when b
ie heard approaching footsteps.
who's thereY7 called the voice OF al
T. Onge. -Who fired those ahotsY" IN
Michel and David. colonel; did you
iear it7~ asked Steele. curious to N
now the state Of the factors nerves. b.
St Onge approached and grfpped a
Iteeles arm. I've been listening d
nth my daughteg.T he said In
trsined Voice. Il went 70 rouse you, n
at yeu had sons. as the last straw. 81
sonaeur. NJ Imdiana VIII not alay N
assr ehim" On