Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-02-12

continued robbing the trap-lines, some
night relentless jaws would yawn un-
der the snow for his unwary feet
laws, which, if once shut, would hold
their victim in grip of steel until the
freezing death brought swift relief.
Before he started Steele returned
to the house At breakfast Denise had
been gracious, affable, but impersOnal,
and Steele felt that the mood of the
previous evening still possessed her.
SO, Justly hurt, he made no attempt to
plead his case or correct the impress
sion she had patiently suffered herself
to nOurish-the belief that he had
lightly gone from her revelation of
the secret places of her heart, that
day on the beach, to low intrigue at
Ogoke; under the pretense of seeking
information, had met Rose Latlamme
secretly, only to escape surprise and
detection by the alertness Of his
watchdog, David. Thus the situation
shaped itself in the mind of the smart
ing Steele; and, as it is ever with the
unjustly suspected, he had, with
brave show of Indifference, hardened
his sore heart to the suffering girl
whose turden was already sufficiently
great.
But her welfare demanded his early
departure from the post and the man
whose thoughts she filled, left her that
morning without an attempt at de-
fense or explanation.
"We were going up the river at
once, mademoiselle. l want you to
KNOWN case anything happens-and
trouble, that 1 have done what l
could"
The sober eyes Of the girl grew
wistful. She started as If to speak,
then turned her head while he
watched the blood surge to her throat,
her face, then fade. Never had she
seemed more lovely-more exquisite.
A mad desire urged him to take her
In his arms-to make her see how
deeply her self-inficted hurt wronged
his love for her; to tell her that ii
was all so futile-so useless, this sus-
from each other. Then she said:
"You have been so good to us-are
doing so much. We can never repay
you. / wish you all success, monsieur
and safe return"
That was all. Sick at heart he
turned away to the waiting dog teams
which, followed by the blanketed
bloodhound, jingled out Of the clearing
and down to the river ice on their
strange quest. And, until the bend
shut them from sight, a knot of post
Indians in awed wonder watched the
sleds speeding south. For that men
should thus calmly set out In search
of horrible death was a matter be-
yond their ken.
One morning, a week later, Steele
was frying moose steak In his camp
in the spruce, on the Little Medicine
river Three days before, David had
started with the dogs for the rendeZ-
vOus at the mouth of the Stooping
river where (from Portage lake) word
would be left on a piece of birch bark
by the partner of Michel. In the Med
icine hills the friends had found most
of the Indians back on their trap-lines,
but uneasy and fearful of the early
return of the Windigo, and the condi-
lakes were similar.
AS Steele sat by his fire eating his
breakfast Of moose, hammock and tea,
the nose of Windigo, the hound, lying
at his side, lifted to sniff the air
Then low rumble swelIed his black
throat
whats the matter, old boy? Smell
something's" And Steele patted the
dogs wrinkled forehead
The wind blowing upstream again
brought the message, and springing to
his feet, the bloodhound ran toward
the river, sucking In the biting air
through quivering nostrils, then raised
his head in a deep-throated bay.
Curious, Steele left his breakfast to
follow the dog to the river ice, where
already his heavy voice doomed out
upon the silence of the frozen forest.
For a space he gazed downstream
at dark object moving up the white
trail, then exclaimed:
"That's David! And he's pushing
the dogs for all there's in them. News
He's heard from Michel"
Running to the tent, Steele hastily
got his bags ready for swift return
downriver, then returned to the ice.
In matter Of minutes, David, with
face circled by the frost from his hot
breath, drove his light sled up to
Steele, the noses Of his dogs white
with rime.
"Get de stuff on de sled, Queek !'
cried the excited Ojibway. "Here ees
de word from Michelw And he thrust
into Steele's hands a roll Of birch bark
on which, In the syllable writing of
the woods Indian, was burned the
message from Michel, in Ojibway, left
at the jack pine by Little Jacques.
"Come to Portage lax, fas'," read