White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-05-07

z & +
a grotesQue rack Of fleshless bones
whom Taoga would not have recog-
nized. Behind him trailed his people.
Jeems counted them before he could
tell one from another. Eleven! He
ran toward them, and Toinette swayed
from the line at the head Of which
the Tall Nan marched. He might not
have known her at first II she had not
met him in this way, for those who
were behind All De Bah walked with
bowed heads and dragging steps like
death figures in weird parade. Her
eyes stared at him from face so
strange and thin that it choked his
Joy. Her body was not heavier than
childs when he clasped her. Then
she began to cry softly with her face
against his breast.
He carried her to the tepee. Her
clothes were in tatters, her moccasins
worn to shreds. She was 80 small
burden that her lightness sent horror
through him and his eyes were blinded
by a hot fire when she raised a cold
hand to touch his face. He placed her
on the soft skins in the tepee, then
he was conscious of Wood Pigeon
near him, in moment Mary Daghlen
came in. Jeems made way for them.
He went outside, and in his path was
creature who leapt weakly against
him. 1t was Odd, skeleton with red
and watery eyes and jaws falling
apart. Jeems waited until the Thrush
came out and told him she was going
for warm water and food and that
Wood Pigeon was undressing Toinette.
Then he sought the others. All but
All De Bah had disappeared and were
being cared for. The Tall Man could
scarcely stand as he told his story.
He had brought his eleven people back
alive-the dog and he Like the truly
great, he gave credit to his inferior.
Without the dog, he would have failed
in his struggle to feed eleven mouths
and Jeems knew why Odd had not
been eaten.
After a time, Mary Daghlen let him
see Toinette again. She was in her
bed of skins. The look which had
frightened him was gone from her
eyes, and they were bright with the
joy of his presence. She held out her
arms to him, and he knelt beside her.
Wood Pigeon looked at the two with
shining eyes, and soft mist gathered
in Mary Daghlen's. After this, Jeems
did not see Toinette again for an
afternoon and night. During this
time she slept, and the Thrush and
Wood Pigeon were never far from her
side. The next day she walked with
him about the town.
What was in Toinettes heart was
also in Mary Daghlen's. The young
girl who had known no other life than
that Of her adopted people since baby
hood, but whose mother had kept God
and Church alive in her soul, watched
with increasing anxiety for the return
of Shindas, and she told Toinette that
at last she was prepared to yield to
her environment, and If no priest came
that spring or summer she would
marry Shindas In the Indian way.
This thought now held less of horror
for Toinette. She had seen the fidelity
and courage Of an Indian family in it's
struggle against death; she had seen
the Tall Man gnaw at bitter bark that
his women and children might have
scraps of skin and flesh; she had seen
q mother hide her portion Of food day
after day that she might save it for
her children; she had witnessed a
faith and devotion which could have
been inspired by nothing Nless than
the strength of God in their souls.
Her prejudices melted away in spite
of their background of unforgettable
tragedy, and she began to experience
emotions which had not come to her
before. And though she said nothing
| of it to Jeems, the conviction was
| growing in her heart that she would
I! not allow another winter to separate
them, even if priest did not come
| to Chenufsio.
But he came, following closely the
months Of starvation. He was a
| gaunt, death-faced man, on his way to
take the place Of brother who had
died among the Indians of the Ohio.
That was what he said. History was
to relate otherwise. for a year later
he was the force behind the Abenakis
in their slaughter Of the English at
Fort William Henry. His name was
Father Pierre Roubaud. He was
| cold, terrible man Of God. Yet he was
the Church. He would have died
thousand deaths for the Cause Of
which he was the spiritual If not the
moral representative. he would have
eaten human flesh in defense of it.
He did see such flesh eaten by his
savage disciples at Fort William
Henry. He remained in Chenufsio two
| days. On the second Of these days he
married Jeems and Toinette according
| to the ritual Of the Catholic church.
The gloom he brought with him was
dissipated by this event. Chenufsio
gave itself up to few hours of re-
| ;o{o;pp IN honor ne FTionoo,n do uoh+or