Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-01-01
"What d'YOu mean?"

BOule try max some trouble OVair deeS
Windigo. Wen I go back TeteBoule
weel tell me wat Pierre say to
heem" And the lean face of Michel
took on a fierceness which caused the
squaws instinctively to draw back.
What motive Pierre could have had
in the tale of the Windigo at Feather
lake, other than the needless agitation
of the post Indians, was an enigma to
Steele, but 1t was evident that Michel
had an idea Of Its nature which he
would divulge only when ready to talk.
Michel" Steele asked as the three
men sat by their fire smoking after
supper pipes, whats In the back of
your head regarding this Pierre? You
think he knew Of the dead Indian at
STOPPING river when he came to the
post, yet made no mention Of that but
told this wild tale Of the Feather lake
Windigo scare. Why should he lie
about the one and conceal the other"
The Iroquois slowly exhaled col
umn Of smoke before replying.
"Dees Pierre I know for long time.
He alway max trouble. When l see
heem, he tell me something or he new
aire max more trouble on dees riv-
iere," was the unresponsive answer
but what Is he driving at? Why
shouldn't he report the killing of that
Indian at STOPPING river as well as the
Windigo scare that existed at Feather
lake?"
Michel shook his head. "Eet ees
queer ting, for sure" was the laconic
reply.
Steele's eyes sought David's impas-
sive face, but the Ojibway seemed
deep in a problem Of his own. 1t was
irritating to a degree, but Steele knew
his Indians-knew that Michel would
talk in his own time and not before
that questioning would only drive him
into a deeper silence.
"HOw many Indians trap the Port
age Lake country?" Steele asked.
"Good nance hunt dat valley, good
nance ovaire on de hittle Current"
We'll start tomorrow. 1t looks as
If Monsieur Windigo was not going to
pay this country
From the ridges Of the mainland the
moaning below of cow moose slow
ly rose and died on the frosty night
dat COW holler ver strange" said
David as the three sat with tilted
heads, ears straining.
Again out across the still lake
drifted the mating call.
Huh !" muttered Michel, "dat Injun
poor caller"
Rigid, the three listened to the voice
In the night, and In the mind of each
slowly took shape the same surmise.
Then from the burnt ridge of the
opposite shore lifted low wall, gath
ering In volume until it climaxed in a
scream.
DE Windigo'!' With leap, Michel
had his rifle and was sliding the canoe
into the water,
Come on," cried Steele, "we'll sep
arate and stalk that ridge from three
directions"
They were halfway to the shore
when the voice burst out anew in sobs
and maudlin mewing, and Steele pitied
the terrified women and children of
the fishing camp, facing the horror
alone, with their men far in the carl
bou barrens.
Landing on the beach under the
ridge, Steele left the others with the
warning: mo wild firing, now! Re-
member the whistle! Well meet here
on this sand beach,"
The canoe vanished in the shadows
and the American started his stalk.
Twice he stopped for a space to study
the caterwauling on the brow beyond
him. Blood-chilling, unearthly, the
voice filled the calm night.
The danger Of the hunters firing into
each other was great, and he climbed
cautiously taking the cover of the
down timber, ears alert for the stac-
cato whistle Of the yellow legs, their
signal of identification.
At last, with skin and clothes torn
by the brittle twigs of the dead
spruce, he reached the fiat shoulder Of
the ridge. For some time the night
had brooded, unmarried by the voice
Cooking his rifle he crept forward,
searching the area of skeleton trees
ghostly in the pale light of the stars,
for some movement. He was puzzled
at the failure of the Indians, whose
pace should have been faster than his,
to reach the brow Of the ridge. If
they had, perhaps even now, the row
ing eye of Michel already marked
him Out-was sighting down rife
barrel, his crooked finger on the trig-
GER waiting to be sure of his target
before he fired. At the thought Steele
flattened out and whistled.
But the hoo-hoo of a gray owl, pa
trolling the green timter of the lake
shore below, was his only answer
Minutes, which seemed interminable
to the watcher, passed. Where were
the IndiaTs2
Then to his surprise an unspeakabie