The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-01-27

SlOiys NC SohA
manded the tipi and the fire.
81 have medicine and have cured
many Indians at the Lake of the Sand
Beaches" Jim said. "Your wife has
poisoned her hand. The poison moves
fast up the arm. 1t will reach her
neck-then her heart If you would
have her live. must see her at once"
For space the Indian scrutinized
Jim's frank countenance. lit by the
fire glow. Then he entered the tipi,
from which directly issued a muffled
conversation broken by low means.
That there was no treachery here.
Jim was satisfied.
The Indian emerged from the tent
and said: "She is very sick. If the
medicine of the white man will help
her, she is willing to see him."
Lighting torch Of rolled birch
bark. the Ojibwa led the way into the
tipi. AS Jim followed, crouched. in
visible figure held rifle lined on the
lodge. Omar was taking no chances.
On a pile of skins Jim found q
oQud" PAIN, thC Sut
while cleaning fish. was red and
swollen, the Inflammation reaching to
the glands of the forearm. And her
head was hot with fever.
AS he had guessed, 1t was a bad
case of infection, but, there was a
chance of checking 1t as it had not
progressed to the shoulder. Return
ing to his canoe, he took his medicine
case from bag, and had the old man
heat a kettle of water. Then he said /:
"This will give her pain. The wound
is full of pus-of poison. 1t must be
cleaned out and washed with medicine.
Does she understand it will hurt herT
The old man smiled grimly. HAS
she not been in pain for two sleeps?
She says the little knife can be no
worse"
So, in the Pickering light of the
birch-bark, Stuart opened the inflamed
hand, cleaned out the wound, sterilized
it with bichloride Of mercury, and
bound it up, while the drawn, gray
face Of the old squaw wet with the
sweat of her agony, held to its stole
immobility.
They went outside to the fire, and
the stiff features of the Ojibwa soft
ened as he said: 1.-THE white mans
medicine is strong. She will be well
again."
81 do not know" replied Jim, con-
sidering the situation. He might pull
the old woman out of her infection if
he stayed and dressed the arm. But
that meant the risk of showing them
selves to camps in the vicinity. And
time was precious If they were to
help Esau. Omar would never agree
to it. But then, there was the brave
old soul in the tipi who had not so
much as whimpered as he opened the
wound, helpless without him. How
could he leave her?
Out of the murk Omar suddenly ap-
peared at the fire.
"This is Omar, my friend" said Jim,
as the two men exchanged "bo'-jo's"
and the customary handshakes. "You
have not told me your name"
The old mans scanned face expand
ed in chuckle. "My name Is Jinaw."
1t was Ojibwa for rattlesnake, and
Omar's black eyes snapped as he said,
significantly thrusting menacing
face into that of the other: you
got your poison fangs ready for some
bOdyF
With unblinking eyes the Indian an
swered the strange question. my
fangs are waiting for the trader,
Paradis, and Jingwak, the shaman."
Jim glanced at Omar's surprised
face. Could it be that they had Stun
bled upon a possible ally, or was
Jinaw leading them on to betray the
object of their search? And yet he
had trusted Jim with his squaw's arm.
"Why did you ask me if l had come
to tell the Ojibwas that Jingwak grows
fat on the flour of Paradise Jim de
handed.
Because, the sun before the last
sleep. Jingwak was here and said So"
"He was here?" Jim was thrilled.
This old man might have news of
Esau. "Was he alone?"
Eyes, he was waiting for Paradis
who had been up river"
did he say why Paradis went up
river?"
"He said that Paradis went to drive
from the country the trader who had
been telling the Indians at the Lake of
the Great Stones that Jingwak was
false shaman. l told him he could
prove that lie by curing my squaw
who was sick"
"What did he do?"
"He said he had no time to set up
his medicine lodge, but would drive
the devils from her ARM" said the old
man with grimace
"And he proved he was wabeno.
for the devils stayed" laughed Jim.
The face of Jinaw twisted with hate.
"That is why the fangs of Jinaw wait
for him." he said.
HAS Paradis returned?"
81 have not seen him."
"Have you seen an old man in a
bark canoe travelling this way?"
"No."
"YOur son went with Paradise"
'Yes, Jingwak said there were nine
with him, in two canoes"
Then. with glance at Omar, Jim
said: 'Your son is not killed. We
spared him."
Jinaw's face reflected his amaze
ment. "You met them-ten of them
and they did not stop you?"
"My medicine was too strong for
them. We left them lying on the trail,