The Ely miner., 1933-01-06

| ing IRelr mlSglVlngS concerning InlS
white man from the House Of the
| Devils. From the actions of the men
and squaws it was evident to Stuart
| that Jingwak's efforts, successful as
they had been in keeping the trade of
these people from Sunset House, had
| failed to instill fear Of him personally,
except among the most superstitious.
| For at his request, they had come TO
| look at him and listen to his words.
After passing tobacco to the men,
| Jim told them that their fathers for
two hundred years had traded with
the old company, and always had re-
| ceived fair treatment. To save them
| from a longer journey south, the old
| company had built a post on the Lake
| Of the Sand Beaches, and wished to
| trade with them. But Paradis had
come among them with lies which only
| children would believe. In his pay
was a false shaman who lived on the
bounty of the Northwest company.
As Jim mentioned the name of Jing-
wax, from a group of young men in
| the rear of the Ojibwas rose groans
of protest.
at is a lier" shouted a youth: but
| the voice of Zotaire lifted above the
clamor of dissent.
"Bisan! Keep quietg" commanded
| the old man. you listened to Paradi5
when he said that this man who speaks
had the Evil Eye and talked with
devils. Now listen to him, and judge
for yourselves who speaks with a
double tongue"
Jim's heart leaped at the old In
dams defense of him. Here was a
friend in need. Then Jim told the
Indians that he would come In Decem-
Der, the little moon of the spirit, with
dog-teams loaded with honest trade
goods, and save them the long trip
south.
At the announcement there was q
nodding Of heads among the older
men, but from the rear Of the assem-
bly,, groans and cat-calls. However,
when Omar told them Of the disgrace
Of Paradis by his own chief-how he
had been sent to Nipigon, hush fell
Shaking hands with most Of the
older men and women, Jim returned
to the canoe, TO find Esau and Omar
squatted on the beach, watching 70
taire trace with his fingers a rough
sketch Of the trail north to the Stur-
geon river.
Through the afternoon the three
friends padded down the first Of the
Pipestone lakes and made camp on
an island near the outlet. To the
north lay other and larger lakes Of the
Pipestone chain, which formed the
headwaters of the Sturgeon river.
Eating their supper Of hammock, fried
pike, and tea, they considered the situ-
alton as they smoked.
"Too bad old Zotaire wouldn't come
with u.s." regretted Jim. "He seems
to have influence with these people"
HE had fear to travel to de Stur-
geon," replied Esau. "He tell me
dey might keel heem eef dey foun'
heem wild u.s."
"Paradees and Jingwak got plentee
fr'en' up dere," added the brooding
Omar.
"We're in for trouble on the Stur-
geon, I guess. But I'm going to find
that crooked fakir, trouble or no
trouble" snapped Jim. ''Tve got just
one year to get some of that fur, or
quit"
For a space, Omar looked at his dis
couraged chief, as he sat, elbows on
knees, head in hands. Then the half
breed rested an iron-hard hand on
Jim's shoulder, as he said: "We stay
cen dees countree and hunt for dat
Jingwak until de ice drive us sout'."
"But suppose we do find him, how're
we going to break his hold on the
Indians?'
Leave dat to Omar and Esau."
"What dyou two intend to do? 70,
can't kill him, you know, you old
wolf You'd ruin me if you did. And
they'd get you before you got out.
Remember, you've got a family"
The black eyes of Omar twinkled as
they met the sphinxlike gaze of the
old Indian. "Esau and Omar find de
way lO lctA udL WdUSuO.
But Jim saw little hope In the stu
alton. He had recklessly undertaken
TO double the trade of Sunset House
within the year by getting some Of
the Pipestone and Sturgeon river fur
from LeBlOnd. But would these Ojib-
was trade with him when he stole
march on his rival and came to them
on the snow in December? However,
there was but one line OF action open
at present, and that was to visit them.
show himself, and talk to them as he
had talked to the fishing camps up the
lake. Then the thought Of the girl
who had begged him to stay at Mita-
drove his present quest from his mind.
Was he ever to see her again? Would
she come back in the spring? II she
did, she would find a defeated fur
trader, out OF job, who had had the
boldness to make love to a girl who
could only pity him. As the quiet lake
went rose colored under the flush of
the afterglow, and the shadow-packed
spruce Of the adjacent shore of the
mainland deepened from purple to
violet, Jim smoked with his bitter
| thoughts, while Omar and Esau talked
| together in low tones. Then, as his
clouded gray eyes lifted from the en-
bers of the supper fire into which he
had been staring, cold nose touched
his hand and massive, hairy head
nudged his arm, while a pair of slant
brown eyes sought his.
Hello, SmokeI" Jim circled the
neck Of the dog with his arm. Smoke
loves Jim, even If he's poor fur man.
and a fool to love her.