Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1925-12-31
The Valley of Voices


continued. accented by the beating Of
the drum.
Lets see what he is about" sng-
gested Steele. and they crept for
ward.
Within a hundred yards they made
out a small. round skin tipi from
which the sing.song emanated
'Naske awass. windlgor moaned
the voice inside. "Ahuah! ahuah!"
"He tell de Wlndigo to go away
whispered David to Steele.
Then Michel wormed his way to
some small balsam near the tent,
while the others watched.
Presently low mewIng from the
Iroquois stopped short the waillng In
the tent Then from the balsam rose
the caterwauling OF a lynx In the mat
ing season.
The drumming started furiousiy, ac-
companied by voclferous shouting. The
scream Of the lynx rose to a maniacaI
shrek. The drumming ceased, and
the maudlIn cries OF a creature
frenzled with fear filled the tent. Pres
emily the flap was thrust aside. and
grey-faced Indian scrambled out and
fed like a deer In the direction OF
the post, leaving behind him a white
man and an Ojibway doubled with
laughter, and beside them, his face
set like stone. tall half-breed deep
In thought.
why did you do that, AIIchell He
VIII only make things worse at the
posi-"
try eef he scare ov de windigO,
heeself"
swell. are you satlsaed7"
Yes. Get ees YER strange he ees
so scare" And the head man shook
his head doubtfully. "He talk to de
Windigo. an. wen he cum, he run. =
Back at the post Steele related to
st. Onge the events OF the morning.
This Tete-Boule. Colonel, is only
source of trouble here. He is filling
the minds Of the Indians with the
Wlndigo, and then makes medicine 10
drive him away, doubtless for a con
sideration."
St 0nge shrugged with indifference.
1T wllI,not matter. j am expecting a
packet from Albany any day ordering
me to abandon the post"
Steele stared at his host In surprise
Where was the old fighting blood In
this veterani What hidden cause had
paralyzed his nerve7 And his love
for his daughter-that at least should |
drive him to fight through to the BIT
ter end.
They we're on the river shore and /
alone, so Steele grasped the opportuni-
~ for which he had waited. The mat
ter between them had to be cleared up /
II he were TO give his best efforts and
those OF David in the days TO come.
Colonel st. 0nge. he began. II am
deeply interested IN your situation
here. have offered the services of
David and myself, In an attempt to
aid you In your trouble; but I must
say. candldly, that you are not meet.
ing me half way. II / am to nut in
the next three weeks in an effort to
run this thing down. must first have
-FOUR full and complete confidence. /
must know-what you know-and
hlnk. This Is due me. If you cannot
AXE me into your confidence. I shall
,e compelled to thank you for your
and bid you goodby, deep
y as ! shall regret f."
ST. onge listened patiently, as the
speaker thought. hopelessly, to the
Iltimatum
"Let us sit down and talk 1t over,
0onsieur," he replied.
The two men moved to q rock and
lighted their pipes.
Monsieur Steele began st. 0nge,
/ am in a net from which see no
scape. You came here a stranger.
tanning TO be a scientist, interested
a the study of Indian customs and
olk-lore. That Is all I knew about
on. AS It was. I told you too much
nat first night"
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