The Coolidge examiner., 1931-05-08

Dieskau. The German had been
on the eve of smashing Sir Will
liam Johnson and his mob of Co
lOnials and Indians when his mes
senger had left. By this time the
event had probably happened,
Jeems thought. Yet his uncle
was going into Forbidden valley
with look in his face which
puzzled him.
Restlessness possessed Odd aft
er Hepsibah had gone. Passing
years were beginning to leave
their mark on the dog. He was
growing content to watch life with
Jeems instead of ceaselessly pur
suing it. He was not old, and
yet he was no longer young. There
remained one thing which did not
ness of his youth. This was the
Indian smell. He always told
Jeems when one of their wilder
ness visitors was near, sometimes
many minutes before the savage
appeared from the woods. And he
never tired of watching Forbid
den valley. In the dawn he faced
it. AT midday he dOzed with his
half-closed eyes turned toward it.
In the evening he shifted its
scents Yet he did not go down
into the valley unless Jeems or
Henri was with him.
During the morning, Odds un-
RI N
Jeems Soon after noon, he left
his work and told his mother he
was going in the direction of Lus-
sans place. Catherine walked with
him through the young orchard
and up the slope. Never had she
seemed more beautiful TO Jeems.
His father was right-ths mother
of his would always be girl.
From above the orchard. standing
on a little plateau that overlooked
the Bulain farm, they called TO
Henri, who was in his turnip field,
and waved at him. Jeems stood
for few moments with his arm
about his mother. Then he kissed
her, and Catherine watched him
until he was lost to her sight in
the Big forest.
Jeems did not have the desire TO
hunt. nor did Odd. Unexplain-
able impulses were pulling at
them both. ODDS restleSsness was
unlike his masters. Whenever
Jeems paused, the dog turned and
shifted the air of their trail. fac
ing Forbidden valley in an atti-
tude of suspicion and doubt.
Jeems observed his companions
enigmatic actions. Odd was not
giving the Indian signal. 1t was
as if something without form or
substance, thing bewildering and
unlntelligible, lay behind them.
They came to Lussan's, nine
miles from their home. Since Lus-
sans departure, the place had
been abandoned, and In those five
years the wilderness had largely
reclaimed what man had taken
from it. Jeems stood where he
had fought Paul Tache, and ghost
ly whispers crept about him in
the stiffness. Then came a feel
ing of dread, almost of fear. He
turned back to the house and to
the open, where long ago he had
stood with TOinette and all her
lovelineSs so near to him.
The sun had set and dusk was
gathering over the land before he
drew himself away from the
ghosts which haunted Lussan's
place. Night could add nothing
more to his gloom.
Odd whined frequently in his
eagerness to reach home. Some
times he showed impatience at
his masters slowness by running
ahead. Jeems did not hurry. He
unslung his bow, which was the
only weapon he had brought. and
carried 1t ready in his hand. Yet
if Odd had limited of danger he
would have paid no attention to
the warning. Danger was miles
away on the other side of Dieskau
and his men. 1t would come no
nearer and he would never have
chance to meet it. In Toinette's
eyes he would always remain
renegade and coward.
Night thickened. The stars
came out. Deepening shadows lay
about them as they climbed the
tallest of the hills. from which
they could look over the ridges
and woods between them and
Forbidden valley. Because from
this hill it was possible to see
over the Big forest which shell
tered their farm from the north
winds, Jeems and his father called
1t Home mountain.
Odd whined as he climbed 1t to-
night. He went ahead of Jeems.
and when he gained the crest his
whining changed to a howl, so
low that one would scarcely have
heard 1t at the foot of the hill.
Jeems came to him and stopped.
For space, there was no beat
ing of a heart in his breast
nothing but stiffness that was
like Geath, shock that was like
death, a horror that could come
only at the sight and the feeling
of death.
Rising from the far side of the
forest into which Hepsibah had
gone that morning was a distant
glow of fire. Nearer, over the rim
of Forbidden valley. the sky was
red illumination of flame. And this
illumination was not of a burn