The Ely miner., 1933-01-06

l
Not a mark" he announced; "dey
want to steal her, but Smoke he hear
dem too quick"
'WeI, we know now what to expect
from the Pipestone country" said Jim
| gloomily, with a shake Of his head
do you suppose 1t was that Wa
| gosh?'
"No," said Omar, "he know de dog
was here"
WED better paddle straight to the
Islands in the morning and talk to
them as if nothing had happened"
"Ah-hah, we go to de camp, first
| ting. I see wat dat Wagosh say"
BY sunrise they were on their way.
AS the strange canoe approached the
fishing camp on the islands, groups of
shawled women gathered in front of
| the tipis.
A rabble of wolfish dogs met the
canoe as it slid into the beach of an
] island. Leaving Esau in the boat,
| with the challenging Smoke who, with
stiff name and barred fangs, answered
| the snarls of the Indian huskies, Omar
and Jim stepped ashore.
1--WE are from the Lake Of the Sand
Beaches" announced Jim in Ojibwa
| TO an old Indian, with face scanned
| with wrinkles, who left the group of
women by the tipis and met them.
II wish to speak to the hunters who
trade there. Send word to the other
| islands,"
With face immobile as stone, the
grizzled veteran scrutinized Jim and
Omar through keen, mink-like eyes,
before he replied.
What are your names?" he asked
quietly.
"I am Stuart, Of the old company"
said Jim, ''and this Is Omar, my head
man." There was a shrewdness, an
intelligence in the rugged features Of
the old man which impressed Stuart,
and he wondered If he, too, were IN
der the spell OF Jingwak, the sorcerer.
"You have journeyed far. What
have you come to the Pipestone to
tell us?"
Irritated by the calm insistence OF
the Ojibwa, Omar broke in. "You will
hear when you have called the hunters
together. Send these boys here with
! word to the other islands"
The weathered skin Of the Indians
face creased with a dry smile as he
countered: "Who are you to give Or
ders in the Pipestone countryT"
Omar laughed goodnaturedly as he
passed the Indian a plug Of niger
head. MY father has swallowed the
fms OF a dore and they prick his
throat. There Is tobacco and tea in
the canoe. Send for the hunters"
With a grin, the old man ordered
some boys, who stood near the group
listening to the talk with hushed in
terest, TO take Stuart's message.
"What d'yuh think Of him? Has
Paradis got him?" whispered Jim to
Omar.
Hard to tell"
Jim sauntered to the old Indian as
he talked rapidly to the group of curl
Gus and awed sQuaws near the tipis
"You have seen many long SHOWS
come and go" he said in Ojibwa. 'You
have lived long and seen the faces of
many men. Look at me! Do speak
with single tongue?'
The old Indian met Jim's eyes with
candid gaze. He removed the pipe he
had filled with Omar's tobacco, spat,
then replied: 'I know the face Of the
white man. In my youth I voyaged
many long SHOWS for the old company
down at Fort Hope on the Albany.
There learned from the Oblate father
that there is no truth in medicine men.
But the people here will not listen
to me-"
"They believe this Wabeno, Jing-
wak?"
"Yes, many believe him and the
Frenchman, Paradis."
Jim was stirred by the open speak
ing Of the shrewd old man. Here was
a possible ally. He must be cult
vated
what Is your manner"
"Ovide Zotaire, they called me at
Fort Hope; my father was half
French"
where Is this Jingwak, nowT
"He summers In the Sturgeon river
country, three sleeps toward the big
water"
"Have you ever seen this French
man, Paradise"
"Yes, he was here the last long
SHOWS; he came with dog-team."
what does Jingwak tell the Ojib-
was about me and the post Of the old
company to keep them from bringing
me their furs?''
Old Zotaire laughed as he replied:
"He says that the good spirits he talks
with tell him that the House Of the
Settling Sun is the home Of devils.
He says you have the evil eye"
"And the people believe him"
"Some do, but not all"
what do you thinkF'
'Jingwak is jessikib, liar. Para
dis keeps his tipi filed with tobacco
and -four
Jim glanced at Omar, who listened
beside him. The face Of the half-breed
was black with rage The muscles of
his square jaws bulged as his teeth
crunched. His little eyes snapped. as
/, he leaned toward the old Indian. You
show me de trail to de Sturgeon
| riviereg'
Zotaire calmly gazed into the blood
| filed features Of the half-breed.
IT am an old man, and It is far" he
answered
A look of satisfaction touched
Omar's fierce eyes. "In our canoe is
-four, tobacco and tea. You are
wise man and our friend" he said sig
nifcantly. "The old company win not
forget Zotaire"