The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-06-18

i PierrOt. After little ne TOLERATED
him, and at last accepted him as Il
part of the cabin--and Nepeese. 1t
was the Willow whose shadow he be-
came. Pierrot noted the attachment
with the deepest satisfaction.
"Ah, In few months more, If he
should leap at the throat of M'sieu
the Factor" he said to himself one
day.
In September, when he was six
months old, Baree was almost as large
as Gray Wolf-big-boned, long-fanged,
with a deep chest. and jaws that
could already crack bone as if it
were a stick. He was with Nepeese
whenever and wherever she moved.
1t was late in August when BARGE
saw the first of his kind outside of
Kazan and Gray Wolf. During the
summer Pierrot allowed his dogs to
run at large on small island in the
center Of lake two or three miles
away, and twice week he netted
fish for them. On one of these trips
Nepeese accompanied him and took
Baree with her. Pierrot carried his
long caribou-gut whip. He expected
fight But there was none. Baree
Joined the pack in their rush for fish,
and ate with them. This pleased
PierrOt more than ever.
"He will make a great sledge-dog,"
he chuckled. at is best to leave him
for a week with the pack, ma Ne
peese."
Reluctantly Nepeese gave her con-
sent. While the dogs were still at
their fish. they started homeward.
Their canoe had stolen we'll out be-
fore Baree discovered the trick they
had played on him. Instantly he
leaped into the water and swan after
them-and the Willow helped him into
the canoe
Early in September a passing In
dian brought Pierrot word of Bush
McTaggart. The Factor had been
very sick. He had almost died from
the blood poison, but he was we'll now.
With the first exhilarating tang of
autumn in the air new dread Op-
pressed Pierrot. But ut present he
said nothing of what was in his mind
TO Nepeese. The Willow had almost
forgotten the Factor from Lac Balm,
for the glory and thrill Of wilderness
autumn was in her blood.
Most of Nepeese's hours she spent
in training Baree for the sledge She
began with babiche string and
stick. 1t was a whole day before she
could induce Baree to drag this stick
without turning at every other step
to snap and growl at it. Then she
fastened another length of babiche to
him, and made him drag two sticks.
Thus little by little she trained him to
the sledge-harness, until at the end Of
fortnight he was Juggling heroically
at anything she had a mind 20 fasten
to him. Pierrot brought home two of
the dogs from the island and Baree
was put into training with these, and
helped to drag the empty sledge. Ne
peese was delighted. On the day the
first light snow fell she clapped her
hands and cried to Pierrot:
by midwinter 1 will have him the
finest dog in the pack, mon PEREZ"
This was the time for Pierrot to say
what was. in his mind. He smiled
Diantre-wOuld not that beast the
Factor fall into the very devil Of a
rage when he found how he had been
cheated! And yet
He tried to make his voice quiet
and commonplace.
II am going to send you down to
the school at Nelson House again this
winter, ma cherie," he said. "Baree
will help draw you down on the first
good snow"
The Willow was tying a knot in
Baree's babiche, and she rose slowly
to her feet and looked at Pierrot.
81 am. not going, mon PEREZ"
1t was the first time Nepeese had
ever said that to Pierrot-in just that
way. 1t thrilled him. And he could
scarcely face the look in her eyes. He
was not good at blufing. Nepeese did
not wait for him to gather speech.
II am not going!" she repeated with
even greater finality, and bent again
over Baree.
With a shrug of his shoulders Pier
rot watched her. After all, was he
not glad? Would his heart not have
turned sick if she had been happy at
the thought of leaving him? He
moved to her side and with great gen.
tleness laid hand on her glossy
head. Up from under it the Willow
smiled at him. Between them they
heard the click of Baree's jaws as he
rested his muzzle on the Willows arm.
For the first time in weeks the world
seemed suddenly filed with sunshine
for Pierrot. When he went back to
the cabin he held his head higher. Ne
peese would not leave him! He
laughed softly. He rubbed his hands
together. His fear of the Factor from
Lac Balm was gone. From the cabin
door he looked back at Nepeese and
Baree.
s"Tha saints hQ hlnSSnd 7" ho MR.