Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1933-11-16
CHAPTER V-Continued

D. 49, -A%A 4A&>A N4tlo
smoked meat, and bread-root must b,
put aside for winter" Eric told then
gravely. Half again as many parkal
and mukluks must be made. It mean.
from sun to sun In good weather.
He paused, his gaze sweeping tn.
crowd Some OF Sandomar's mer
looked woe-begone. Law and labor
their special denominations, were
clutching them again.
Eric glanced at Nan, but some devi
Of pride glazed her gray eyes and sci
her lips In a grim line. "What would
your highness have us dor she asked
bitterly. Chew skins like the Eski
kimos?"
1t must be all or nothing, life Oh
death. Something just as bad, per.
haps. Yet I'm hoping that you three
white women a be spared the worst
Jobs, simply because they'd seem SO
much harder to you than to the
squaws."
All work, both by brown and white,
was to be under Eric's general dfrec-
ton. II disputes arose. he would set
tie them He laid down the PROPOSE
ton that the soil belonged to the
Aleuts, that the c%onquerors could ex-
plot them. make them labor, rule
them, but they must not starve them,
steal from them, or shed their blood.
The sailors could have only Aleut girls
OF proper age who gave themselves
willingly: they could share the hunt
ers' wives, an old Aleut custom. only
with the husbands consent. II any
man broke this law, or committed
murder, or mutinied against the cap
tain, he would be killed.
There can be no appeal Eric said
In a low, grave tone. "There'lI be no
chance for a second ofTense. The lives
Of the whole party are at stake. I
myself will sentence the l~aw-breaker
and carry out the execution
Mans look was sullen-all her life
she had given commands. never obeyed
them, and discipline was a word she
did not know--but why did her heart
leap up7 Her gaze was dark with
resentment, yet 1t could not turn from
the viking form In the blowing mist.
the bright erect head, the grave face
for the moment alight with the fame
OF ideansm, the eyes blue with the
essence Of the eternal sea. She almost
hated him for dominating her, and de-
spised herself for the thrill of 1t.
On uechaQuo's advice, Eric divided
forces Into three parties, the first
to Kill seA-lions hauling out to breed
the far beach, the second to gather
Eggs and net birds on the rotting,
f~reacherous shale Of the bluffs, and
the third, mostly squaws, to spear,
clean and dry a small early school OF
Ialnon that had escaped the half-built
nsh-trnp.
Among the squaws at the drying
rack was 4 lean little woman with
lively motions. 1t was Mother Hor-
ton With Marie's help she vas cut
ing into strips and hanging the fish
last as her "slimer' could supply
hem.
The sinner" had slender, o~nce-love-
y hands. Eric watched them q full
minute before she looked up. 1t was
Nan, and she had deliberately chosen
he hardest, most disagreeable chore
a sight She was kneeling on the
bank, cleaning fish. Her hands
nd face r blood-stained, stir with
lime and scales, her fingers were
Needing from f~in-scratches, and she
sobbing, half In fury, half In pain.
She saw him and sprang to her feet.
With the sleeve OF her parka she wiped
'er face OF Its stain and tears. II
Tasn't crying" she told him angrily.
] rot sand In my eyes,
You'd better stop till you get It
ut $500. And I didn't mean you to
o this, anyway"
I'm not doing 1t for YOU Her
pale cheeks began to darken.
II you think / am, you're making the
iExest mistake OF your life. I'd have
tarved before ! let you force me to do
nything."
1T wouldn't have been for me. any
n.y." Eric said gravely. TT would
. for Law. which I'm trying to repre-
! have nothing to win or lose"
She whirled on him In swift fury.
fitting 30 everything. THAT isn't
hat you told Sandomnr last night.
Fould you mind saying which girl You
1efred tot / don't think II was
[aris. You must know she's engaged
} Wuccx-but perhaps that wouldn't
AkA Az difference to yon~