The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-08-06
BAREE, Son Of Kazan

day. He entered the little meadow,
and stood beside the great rock that
had almost crushed the life out Of the
Willows body; and then he remem-
bered where Wakayoo, his big bear
friend, had died under Pierrot's rifle
and he smelled of Wakayoo's whltened
bones where they lay scattered in the
green grass, with flowers growing up
among them. -
And now, for the first time in many
weeks, q bit of the old-time eagerness
put speed into Baree's feet. Memories
that had been hazy and indistinct
through forgetfulness were becoming
realities again, and as he would have
returned to the Gray Loon had
Nepeese been there so now, with some
thing Of the feeling of wanderer go
ing home, he returned to the old beav.
er-pond.
All through the month Of August
BARGE made the beaver-pond his head
quarters. At times his excursions
kept him away for two or three days
at time. These journeys were al
ways into the north, sometimes little
east and sometimes little west, but
never again into the south. And at
last, early in September, he left the
beaver-pond for good.
1t was almost December when Le-
rue, halfbreed from Lac Balm, saw
Baree's footprints in freshly fallen
snow, and little later caught a flash
of him. in the bush.
Mon Dieu. tell you his feet are
as big as my hand, and he Is as black
as ravens wing with the sun on It ="
ne exclaimed In the Company's store
at Lac Balm. "A fox? Non! He is
half as big as bear. A wolf-oli |!
And black as the devil, M'sieus."
McTaggart was one Of those who
heard. He was putting his signature
in Ink to letter he had written to the
Company when Lerue's words came
to him. His hand stopped so suddenly
that a drop of ink spattered on the
letter. Through him there ran a Gu
rious SILVER as he looked over at the
halfbreed. Just then Marie came in
McTaggart had brought her back from
her tribe. Her big, dark eyes had a
sick look in them, and some of her
wild beauty had gone since a year ago.
With scarcely sound that the 9TH
ers could hear Marie had whispered
into the Factors ear, and folding his
letter McTaggart rose quickly and left
the store. He was gone an hour. Le-
rue and the others were puzzled. 1t
was not often that Marie came into
the store; it was not often that they
saw her at all. She remained hidden
in the Factors log house, and each
time that he saw her Lerue thought
that her face was little thinner than
the last, and her eyes bigger and hun
grier looking. In his own heart there
was great yearning. Many night he
passed the little window beyond which
ne knew that she was sleeping; often
he looked to catch a glimpse of her
pale face, and he lived in the one hap
piness Of knowing that Marie under
stood, and that into her eyes there
came for an instant a different light
when their glances met. No one else
knew. The secret lay between them
and patiently Lerue waited and
watched. "Some day." he kept saying
to himself-"Some day"-and that was
all.
Lerue was thinking Of this when
McTaggart returned at the end of the
hour. The Factor came straight up
to where the half dozen of them were
seated about the big box stove, and
with grunt of satisfaction shook the
freshly fallen snow from his shoulders.
"Pierre Eustach has accepted the
governments offer, and is going to
guide the map-making party up into
the Barrens this winter" he an
nounced. "You know, Lerue-he has
hundred and fifty traps and dead
falls set, and big poison-bait coun-
try. A good line, Ell? And I have
leased 1t of him for the season. It
will give me the outdoor work I need
three days on the trail, three days
here. Eth, what do you say to the bar
gain?"
ut Is good" said Lerue.
Eyes, 1t Is good" said Roget.
"A wide fox country" said Mons
Roule.
"And easy to travel" murmured Va
lenee in a voice that was almost like
a woman's.
tTo BE CoNTINUED)