The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-09-16


hunters are troubled. At the schooner
of the trader who waits at Seal cove
the Crees have been told evil spirits
and devils wait to bewltch them. And
the women have begged their men to
take their fur across the Ice to Elk
wan"
With a puzzled look Etienne stared
into Garth's eyes. n
swat he do now? / dom under
stand" whispered the half-breed
Garth waited, hardly breathing,
through the silence which followed.
Then, on the hushed night doomed a
voice, hollow, sepulchral.
'Oh, Souci Great Shaman of the
Crees! 1t Is well you call us to warn
your people. There has come to the
island sorcerer from far country
to destroy the hunters of Akimiski-"
by gar!" And the fingers Of Ell
enne shut like bear trap on the arm
of the man beside him. "We are de
beeg fool!" he muttered, Interpreting
the reply of the spirit to the unsens-
ing Garth.
This conjurer," went on the voice
from the tipi, as the listening Indians
gasped with surprise and fear, twas
bitten In the face by the devil. Matchi-
Manitou, himself. He is the friend of
demons and woe to the Crees who
bring their fur to him, for their wives
will see them no more"
"Ahuah! Ahuah!" From the women
at the fire rose low wall as they
chung in panic to the cowed hunters.
go not to Seal cove but across the
ice, for there the Crees may trade
and feast in safety"
The voice died. Presently another
answered in the same vein, and yet
another, while the astonished and
ashamed Etienne and Guthrie, who
had so lightly accepted the treachery
of old Saul as a proved fact, electri-
fed by the swift turn of fortune, lis
tened with admiration and gratitude.
With the artistry of master, Saul
had played upon the known weak
nesses of his people, relying on the
than on his personal infiuence-win-
ming the squaws by the judicious
planting of rumors, as had Etienne,
and stampeding the men with a single
stroke at the medicine rites, for no
Indian who heard that unearthly voice
from the tipi would now dare to trade
with Mcdonald.
'"The old son-of-a-gun," chuckled
Garth. "He went to that ship to throw
them off the scent and keep them
gets life job with the company for
this nights work"
In an Overawed, whispering group,
the hunters and their squaws returned
to their tipis, where deep into the
night was discussed the marvel of the
spirit voices, which the great magi-
clan of the Elkwan had invoked for
the safety and guidance Of his people.
In the privacy of their tent the two
men, still dazed by the unhoped-for
success of their mission to the island
gossiped by the fire.
"Forty-six silvers and eighteen
black, besides lot of cross and patch,
you say?" Garth repeated, elated with
the trade that would come that Christ
mas to Elkwan.
"Ah-hah! Wor' twenty t'ousand
dollar-de beegest trade Elkwan evair
max. We do good job wen we breeng
Saul Souci from de headwater, w'at?"
you and Saul turned the trick,
Etienne. 1 can't thank you enough"
In his second year in the trade
Garth had made a telling business
stroke. In the face of the higher
prices of the free-trader-of what
seemed inevitable failure, he had,
with the help of the crafty old Cree,
swung a huge trade to his company
They could hug their fire at Kapiskau
and Attawapiskats but he had carried
the fight straight to the enemy, and
had won. Going out to Shot, snug in
his snow-hOle, Garth poured his hap
piness into hairy and comprehend
ing ear, before he rolled into his blan-
kets beside the staunch half-breed
who had made it possible.