Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-08-05


Ameou spent some hours over her
husbands sixteenfoot canoe, which
she had made herself of a bark of
splendid texture and very free from
knots. She heated the seams with a
bark torch and covered them with
smooth layer of spruce gum melted
in seal-oil, to prevent cracking. To
doubtful little places she applied her
lips, sucking hard to discover the
tiniest hole, but there were no
"leaks."
Curran and Lorimer wrote a num-
Der of letters, which the brigade
were to mail many weeks later at
Big Rat River.
1t was late at night before all
stopped working. The fur which
Lorimer had already bought that
spring was carefully counted and es-
timated, after which it was baled
again and made ready for shipment.
Curran had been informed of the
prices that had been paid, so as to
guide his dealings with other return
ing trappers. There were still a
couple of weeks of trading ahead,
for distant parties were still expect
ed to turn up. Except for them the
brigade would have been compelled
to leave with only scanty rest.
Lorimer slept lightly that night,
and whenever he awoke he was con-
scious that his wife was watching
silently, sobbing softly now and
then, like child who is weary after
much weeping.
Yet in the morning her eyes were
dry, and she moved about bravely,
L
bag and showing him where she put
the things that would be needed
most frequently on the journey.
The breakfast was served early.
It was hearty one and better
turn out, for Ameou had supervised
it personally. Mashkaugan de-
vou.ed great quantities of food in
utter silence; but Lorimer, notwith-
standing his wife's encouragements,
found it hard to swallow.
thin pCH' c1 y0u " foI9 h aDOu' YOU
might. be gone over a couple of
months, long before real cold wealth
er comes. I'll take care of every
thing. If you find the going too bad,
come right back. No use considering
anythn that can't be worked by a
brigade
"Cp to Mukumeshu Lake it's all
right, since We have quite a lot Of
every year. They're only acquaint-
ed with one of the three rivers that
run into it. The other two we ought
to know more shout. You'll have to
look 'em over. You've got all July
bothered by anything but flies"
They had discussed this already
over and over; but, like all men who
live in the wilderness and have few
matters to talk about, they th'ashed
over details to the utmost.
Curran had risen from the table,
mer's gun, his open manner giving
no inkling that he was not an honest
man, giving the best advice to Il
friend
The time to leave was now at
hand. Lorimer threw the strap of
his pack over his shoulder, as it was
not worth while to adjust the lump
line to his forehead for the few
yards down the river. Ameou fol-
lowed, carrying the repeating rifle.
The provisions had been expertly
slowed in the canoe by Mashkaugan.
who was waiting quietly, pipe
in mouth, ready for the start. Final
ly husband and wife drew apart.
Remember to tarry no longer
than the end of August" she said,
'for early in the month of falling
leaves-thou knowestw
He smiled at her tenderly md
babe her good-by again.
He was about to step into the ca
noe when Curran came up to him.
Don't like to pu. my oar in" said
the chief agent, land I'll shut up If
you tell me to; but had a notion
maybe, as you were going for a long
trip, you'd like to fix up something
for your woman. A chap can never
tell. If anything happened 20
you"
you're a good fellow, Boycep
interrupted Lorimer, Selling his
hand. 81 ought to have thought
about it, but we've been so confound-
eddy busy. Come up to the store
with me. still have a couple of
hundred pounds of my own in Eng
land, and some salary the company
owes me-"
They walked back to the post. A
peculiar smile again came to Cur
rams lips.
Lorimer sat at the board table, a
product of the cross-cut saw, where
pelts were generally spread out for
inspection, and with a rather rusty
pen began to write. What he wrote
was brief:
Being of sound mind, and
about to undertake a long jour
ney, hereby leave and bequeath
all that l may die possessed of,
of every kind and nature, to my
beloved wife Ameou, daughter
of Nimissuts, a Nascaupee In
dian, and declare this, before
witnesses, to be my last will and
testament.
(Signed)
LAWRENCE LORIMER.
"Let me see," he said, after he
had added the date. "I have no
doubt that this will is all right,
though l don't know much about
such things. But it must be wit
messed, and if the witnesses should
ever be needed they'll be hard to get
! - Il