Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-01-22

come, they would Know he was dead.
When Henri got out of his bed to
build the IRE the next morning Hep
sibah vas gone. He had stolen OF
like a shadow In some still hour OF
the night.
More determInedly than when bis
uncle had been with him. Jeems con-
finued at his work and ut the mental
efforts with which he WAS struggling
to reach out into the mountains and
valleys OF experience ahead of him.
Through the fall and winter the Blu
lain cabin was visited by wandering
Indians who had learned that food,
warmth, and welcome were always
there Jeems' friendship for them
was tempered by the things Hepsibah
had told him, and while he brought
himself closer into intimacy with these
unlimited guests. winning their conf
dence and making hinSfsf more eff
cient in their speech. he was also
watching and listening for the signs
OF hidden dangers against which his
uncle had repeatedly warned him.
Most Of the Indians were from the
Canada tribes. and among them he
occasionally an Onondaga or an
Oneida came. he detected in their man.
ner a quiet and sleenless caution
which told him these visitors from
the Six Nations considered themselves
over the dead line which marked the
country of their enemies. And he
made note that they always came
through that partSof Forbidden valley
which Hepsibah had predicted would
be future warnath for the Mohawks
This winter he went farther In his
adventurIngs. Captain Pipe. the old
Caughnawaga. had habit of spend
Ing several of the hardest weeks near
the HuIains, and with his two sons,
White Eyes and Big Cat, Jeems tray
eled to the shores of Lake Champlain
for the first time. He was gone
week and planned with his friends to
make a longer expedition the follow
ing year. as far lis Crown Point and
a place called Ticonderoga. where the
French were going TO build fort
some day. On this excursion he OK
perieneed the real thrill Of danger. for
White Eyes and Big Cat, both OF
whom were young braves who had
won their spurs. moved with caution
which was eloquent in its significance.
With Toinette and her people away
from the seigneurie, Jeems had no
hesitation In going to the Richeieu.
and made trips there with his father
on snowslfoes; and In March, during
break in spell Of intense cold. he
the house of the haron's oyerseer with
whose young people he had become &C
quainted. This overseer was Peter
Lubbock, an old veteran for whom
Tonteur held warm affection. and
through his son. Peter the younger.
Jeems had his first news OF Toinette
She was at the Ursuine school. and
her parents had taken fashionable
house In st. Louis street. Peter said
Tonteur wrote In every letter to his
father that he was homesick to get
back to the Richelfeu.
AS another spring and summer fol-
lowed those which had gone before
Jeems knew he was fighting something
that had to be conquered, a yearning
for Toinette which filled him with
bitter loneliness when Its hold was
strongest
| For two years Toinette remained in
| Quebec without making visit to the
| RichelIeu. During these years. the
| tragedy OF his divided birth was forced
upon Jeems. There was no doubt that
the English In him was uppermost or
| that the urge In his blood was toward
| the southern frontiers and the coll
onies of Hepsibah Adams. Yet he
loved the place where he lived with a
sincere passionate Big forest. For
hidden valley. all the miles Of wilder
ness about him as far as he could
| look to the horizons. This was New
France. It was his fathers country
! and not his mothers. Between his
father and himself comrndeship had
grown up which nothing could break.
but his worship for his mother was a
different thing as II something be-
sides motherhood bound him to her.
His friends had increased In number.
He came to know people along the
Richelieu but was always conscious
he was not entirely one OF them.
Toinette's words and her hatred for
him persisted In his memory and kept
recalling this truth.
Late In August OF the second year
of her absence. Toneite returned to
| Tonteur manor for a month. Jeems'
heart achad with the old yearning. but
he did not go to the seigneurie. Paul
Tache and his mother we're also at
! tho baron'a and he felt a sense OF re-
| lief when he learned that all OF them
I a. 49,