The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-05-21
BAREE, Son Of Kazan

sition: he would marry Nepeese. Yes,
even that. He had told Pierrot so. He
had told Pierrot that when the latter
was his father-in-law, he would pay
him double price for furs.
And Pierrot had stared-had stared
with that strange, stunned look in his
face, like man dazed by blow from
club. And so If he did not get
Nepeese without trouble it would all
be Pierrot's fault. Tomorrow McTag-
CART would start again for the half
breeds country. And the next day
Pierrot would have an answer for him.
Bush McTaggart chuckled again when
he went to bed.
Until the next to the last day Pier
rot said nothing to Nepeese about
what had passed between him and
the Factor at Lac Balm. Then he told
her.
'"He is a beast--a man-devil," he
said, when he had finished. 81 would
rather see you out Herewith her
dead" And he pointed to the tall
spruce under which the princess moth
er lay.
Nepeese had not uttered a sound.
But her eyes had grown bigger and
darker, and there was flush in her
cheeks which Pierrot had never seen
there before. She stood up when he
had done, and she seemed taller to
him. Never had she looked quite so
much like woman, and Pierrot's eyes
were deep-shadOwed with fear and
uneaslness as he watched her while
she gazed off into the northwest
toward Lac Balm.
She was wonderful. this slip Of
girl-woman. Her beauty troubled him.
He had seen the look in Bush Nc
Taggart's eyes. He had heard the
thrill in McTaggart's voice. He had
caught the desire of beast in Nc
Taggart's face. 1t had frightened him
at first. But now-he was not fright
ened. He was uneasy. but his hands
were clenched. In his heart there was
smoldering fire. At last Nepeese
turned and came and sat down beside
,. him again, Mt his feet.
HE is coming tomorrow, ma cherie,"
he said. what shall ten him."
The Willows lips were red. Her
eyes slOne. But she did not look up
at her father.
Nothing. Nootawe-except that you
are to say to him that am the one to
whom he must cOme-fOr what he
seeks"
Pierrot bent over and caught her
smiling. The sun went down. His
heart sank with it. like cold lead.
From Lac Balm to Plerrot's cabin
the trai. cut within half mile of the
beaver pond, dozen miles from where
Pierrot lived; and 1t was here, on a
twist of the creek in which WakayoO
had caught fish for Baree, that Bush
McTaggart made his camp for the
night Only twenty miles of the jour-
| ney could be made by canoe, and as
McTaggart was travelling the last
stretch afoOt, his camp was simple
afair-a few cut balsams, a light
blanket, small fire. Before he pre-
pared his supper the Factor drew a
number of copper-wire snares from his
small pack and spent half an hour In
setting them in rabbit runways. This
method Of securing meat was far less
arduous than carrying a gun in hot
weather, and 1t was certain. Half a
dozen snares were good for at least
three rabbits, and one of these three
was sure to be young and tender
enough for the frying-pan. After he
had placed his SHARES McTaggart set
skillet of bacon over the Goals and
boiled his coffee.
OF all the odors of a camp, the
smell of bacon reaches farthest in the
forest. It needs no wind It drifts
on its own wings. On still night
fox will sniff it mile away-twice
that far If the air Is moving in the
right direction. 1t was this smell Of
bacon that came to Baree where he
lay in his hollow on top of the beaver
dam.
Since his experience in the canyon
and the death of Wakayoo, he had not
Jared particularly we'll Caution had
held him near the pond, and he had
lived almost entirely on crawfish. This
new perfume that came with the night
wind reused his hunger. But it was
elusive: now he could smell 1.-THE
next instant it was gone. He left the
dam and began questing for the source
of 1t in the forest, until after time
he lost it altogether. McTaggart had
finished frying his bacon and was eat
ing it.