The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-02-24
by GEORGE MARSH
Copyright by Penn Pub. Co.
(WNU Service)
CHAPTER XII
IL


ice. AS they left the shore and took
the snowed-over trail up the purple
plain of Lake Expanse to the mouth
of the Woman river, Jim glanced back
at the huddle of dark buildings. From
the second floor of the inspectors
house window sh0ne yellow through
the dusk. 1t was the room of Mary
Christie.
shes sorry, poor grill" he thought.
"She's saying gOod-by-telling me she's
sorry. Bless her big heart"
He stopped and waved his hand,
wondering if she could see him out
there in the starlight; then, with his
bitterness, turned and followed his
kOtting dogs.
A week later Jim, Esau and Migwan,
with three loaded sleds, left Sunset
House bound for the Pipestone lakes,
while Omar remained at the post to
prepare for the Christmas trade.
Night after night the hurt which tor
tured Jim's days walked him with the
pOignancy of the dreams ii brought.
And, after supper, as he conjured up
the face of AurOre in the fire which
held his broOding eyes, often, from
old habit, his hand instinctively CROPPED
FOR the furry ruff, the pointed ears
on the massive skull of Smoke lying
beside him, to meet no touch of a
moist nose, no lick of warm tongue.
He had lost them both-the two crea-
lures he loved.
At the Lake of the Great Stones old
Jinaw, who had acted as his agent,
waited at a large camp of hunters for
Jim's sleds loaded with trade goods.
In two days Stuart and Esau turned
south with more black and silver fox,
lynx and marten than had reached
Sunset House the previous year. And,
according to Jinaw, the bulk of the
Christmas trade was yet to come.
"Christie's eyesll stick out of his
head when he sees the fur we send to
Expanse after Christmas" Jim said
triumphantly, TO Esau. "We've got
more than double the value of last
years trade on the sleds right now"
He patted the old mans shoulder affec-
tionately, "And you are responsible
for it."
Esau's scanned face beamed in his
pleasure. your fader he feel happy,
now, to know dat Sunset House get
de fur, ah-hahr'
The man who carried a wound no
material success could heal smiled at
the quaint fancy of the loyal old
Ojibwa. Eyes, father will be happy
now. He knew he left Jim in good
hands"
Through the dusk Of one starless
night, three trail-weary teams of hus-
kies left the lake ice and turned into
the clearing where the candle-lit win
dows of Sunset House beckoned.
Warned by the yelping Of the dogs,
Omar threw open the trade-house door
and hurried to the sleds with well
coming .'bo'-jo's."
You get de fur?" demanded Omar,
peering at the sled wrappings. .
Heaps of 1t, Omar!" cried Jim.
"Jinaw and old Zotaire are bringing the
whole hunt of the country with them
Christmas. We've got LeBlond licked
to a standstill !"
the trade-hOuse door and the dogs fed,
the hungry and tired factor of Sunset
House sought his supper.
"Bo-jo', bo'-jo', Meester Jeem!"
cried the red-faced cook, brandishing
a fork in one hand as she welcomed
Stuart with the other. you home all
safe? You make de beeg trade, ah-
hah! | head you tell Omar. But you
breeng back de face so thin. Sarah,
she feed you up" Then, with question
ing look of her swapping black eyes,
she asked, as she nodded toward the
living room: "You see noding cen
dere?'
mo, what d'yuh mean?"
Sarah's fiat face divided In wide
grin. you look!"
Curious, Jim walked into the liv-
Ing room. There on the table lay one
of his own envelopes. Casually he
picked it up. On the envelope he read
his own name in the handwriting of
turore LeBlond.
Dazed, mystifed, Jim stared at the
paper he held in his shaking hand.
"Sarah!"
The Ojibwa stood in the room, her
black eyes on the twitching face of
the man who stared at the unopened
letter.
How did this get here?"
The Indian shook her head. 'You
look and see you know den."
Jim studied the envelope. What
could it mean? What trick were they
playing on him now? She was at
Winnipeg and yet here was her hand
writing on one of his own envelopes,
without address or stamp.
He turned angrily on the woman
who waited. who brought this?
Why don't you tell me? What's the"
The complaisant smile of the Ojibwa
as she fingered some dark stuff which
circled her throat and was tucked
into her wooden blouse, drove Jim to
open the envelope.
She was bidding him good-by, telling
him what he had already learned from
the Winnipeg paper. Then he read:
Jim darling, I've come back! l was
hurt-tried t" close my heart to you.
But it was no use, you already were
there-had all of it! You just wouldn't
be driven out. oh, I've been so un-
happy since leaving that note. They
tried to drive me into hateful thing,
but my magician in the forests held
me with his spell. Jim, couldn't
wait for spring-Tve come back to
you, dear maker of magic. Do you
want me, now, after the pain / gave
you? reached Bonnie Chance by
dog-team. yesterday, and here / am a: