The Washington times., 1926-09-13
A Novel Of the
Great North
w Woods

Il hour ago. under the marvel.
ous canopy of the blue north
ern sky. David carrigan. Ser
geant IN His Most Excellent
Majesty's Royal Northwest Mount
ed Police. had hummed softly to
himself, and had thanked God
that he was alive. He had blessed
McVane, superintendent Of M
Division at Athbasca Landing, for
detailing him to the mission on
which he was bent.
He was glad that he was travel
ing alone, and in the deep forest,
and that for many weeks his ad.
venture would carry him deeper
and deeper into his beloved north.
Making his Aoonday tea over
fire at the edge of the river, with
the green forest crowding like an
Intimidation on three sides Of him,
he had come to the conclusion
Tor the hundredth time, perhaps
that it was nice thing to be
alone in the world, for he was on
what his comrades at the Land
Ing called g. bad assignment.
Oh 11RPGuSc ~ 4AA&p
Carrigan had said to McVanes
lar to notify. lost out in the
matter Of family p long time
ago.
A Silent Man
He was not q man who talked
much about himself. even to the
superintendent OF M Division,
yet there were a thousand who
loved Dave Carrigan, and many
who placed their condolences IN
him. superintendent McVane had
one story which he might have
told. but he kept It to himself,
Snstinctfvely sensing the sacred
not know that the one thing
which never passed his lips was
known to McVane.
or that, too, he had been think
Ing an hour ago. It was the
thing which. first OF all. had
driven him into the north. And
though It had twisted and dis
Eupked tia earth under his feet
compensation. For he had come
TO love the north with a passion
ate devotion. It was, In & way,
HIS Sod. It seemed to him
that the time had never been
when he had lived any other life
than this under the open skies.
He was 81 now. a bit OF q
philosopher, as philosophy comes
70 enc ii slln-cleaned and uiiz
polluted air good shumornd
Esssss Sssss - 4ssxss. = 49, s~3sssT 2ss0S.sa
he put niana8Ies on other mems
wrists: grazing little over the
temples nd i lover of ilfe Above
~ else he was that. a lover
of life. a worshiper at the
In the Wflds
So he sat, that hour ago, deep
IN the wilderness 80 miles north
OF Atl1abasca Landing, congratu-
lating himself on the present
conditions of his existence. A
hundred and eighty Vniles farther
on was Fort McAIurray. and an
other 200 beyond that was Chip
ewyan. and still beyond that the
Mackenzie and its 1 1,500-mile trail
to the northern sea.
He was glad there was no end
to this world Of his. He was
glad there were few people in it.
But these people he loved. That
hour ago he had looked out on
the river as two York boats had
forged up against the stream.
craft like the long. slim galleys
of old brought over through the
Churchill and Clearwater coun-
tries from Hudson's Bay. There
were eight rowers in each boat.
They we're singing. Their voices
rolled between the walls of the
forests. Their naked arms and
shoulders glistened in the sun.
They rowed like Vikings, and to
him they were symbols of the free.
dom of the world.
He had watched them until they
were gone upstream, but 1t was
long time before the chanting of
their voices had died away. And
then he had risen from beside his
tiny fire. and had stretched him
self until his muscles cracked.
It was good TO feel the blood
running red and strong in ones
veins at the age Of thirty-seven.
For Carrigan felt the thrill OF
these days when strong men were
coming out of the north-days
when the glory OF June hung
over the land, when out of the
deep wilderness threaded by the
Three Rivers came romance and
courage and red-blooded men and
women Of an almost forgotten
people to launch and sing and
barter for a time with the out
post guardians OF a young and
more progressive world.
II was north of F'ifty.Four, and
the waters of a continent flowed
toward the Arctic Sea. Yet soon
would the Strawberries be crush.
Ing red underfoot; the forest rose
was in bloom, scarlet fire-flowers
REDEEMED the trail, wild hyacinths
and golden-freckeled violets play.
ed hide-and-seek with the forget
i11e-nots in the meadows, and the
sky was a great splash of velvety
blue.
North Triumphant
It was the north Triumphant
at the edge of civilization, the
north triumphant, and yet pay.
ing its tribute. For at the o.her
end were waiting the royal
Upper Ten Thousand and tbs
smart Four Hundred with all
the beau monde behind them,
coyeting and demanding Lnst
tribute to their sex-the siILen
furs Of a far country, the lifs's
blood and labor of a land in.
finitely Beyond the pale OF draw.
tng.rooms and the whims of
fashion.
Carrigan had thought Of these
things that hour ago. as he sat
~ the adoa- Of fha first Of tl,n