Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-12-12


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their agony. Demons and fiends
screeched and beloved in a mad
cacophony of horror. At last 4 voice
rose through the octaves to q wall
which chilled the blood as it died
over the moon-bathed forest.
A silence so tense that it vibrated
in the ears like sound, followed.
Then a sepulchral voice startled the
cowed Montagnais. A spirit was
speaking!
"Montagnais, I come from the
spirit places at the call Of my BROTH
er, Kinebik. I have travelled far
from the land where the sun sleeps.
My brothers heart is sick. The lit
tie children are bewitched by the
Evil Eye of the white men and die.
Drive these white strangers from
Waswanipi or the women will wall
in the tips of the Montagnais
through the Long Snows!"
Suddenly the painted walls of the
medicine-lodge visibly shook and
swayed. The conjuror was about to
invoke another spirit voice. A low
cough was cut off short and the skin
tipi was again motionless.
Presently, a voice SO shrill, so
penetrating that it tortured the ears,
quavered over the clearing. It
scared thinner and thinner. Then it
descended to moan and roar like a
March drifter on the barrens, later
to drop lower until it doomed with
the sudden thunder of ice split by
frost.
Then the voice cut high and clear
through the silence. "Montagnais,
l have heard the voice of Kinebik,
the Wabeno, who speaks with the
split tongue Of the snake. 1t was no
spirit who talked. The voice was his
own. He is a false shaman who
destroys the young men with the
whiskey of Tete-Blanche."
There were startled murmurs Of
dissent. The voice went on.
1.-THE white men were sent by the
Fathers at Ottawa. Isadore fears
them for he has broken the law and
given whiskey to the Montagnais.
If the white men are killed, the
red coats will come. and the Mon
tagnais will be punished. The chill
dren are no longer sick. There was
no Evil Eye. 1t was the lie of Kline
blk, Isadore's servant. Why does
he not answer? He is here in the tipi.
He is afraid and is silent for he
knows he has lied. Even now Tete-
Blanche is here with whiskey to de-
stroy the young men!"
The clearing was in a chattering
uproar. In the murk Finlay and
Red waited the outcome with drawn
guns.
my people, the true spirit has
spoken and has gone! Why has not
Kinebik answered? Have his words
choked in his throat? Follow me and
we shall Learnt"
The old man strobe boldly to the
medicine-lodge. Crawling into it
from the rear he re-appeared, drag
ging limp shape. Wabistan rolled
the body on its back. The moon
light shone full on the glazed eyes
and the swollen face with protrud-
ing tongue of Kinebik.
The chief turned to those who had
had courage to follow.
Look, Montagnais, the lies of
Kinebik have choked him! The spirit
has punished him for speaking with
a split tongue!"
Two men pushed through the cir
Gle of gaping Indians and bent over
the conjuror. One of them, with
white hair and features knotted with
rage, turned to the group and cried
in Montagnais:
"Montagnais, you are fools! Kline
blk was strangled! It was the plot
of the white men! They are here on
the island! Hunt the men who killed
Kinebik!"
mol" shouted Wabistan. "It was
the good spirit that choked the lies
in Kinebik's throat!"
Instantly a milling mass of Indians
surrounded Kinebik's body. There
were cries of, kill the white men!"
answered by shouts: at was the
work of the spirit! Kinebik was a
false shaman!"
In the gloom at the edge of the
clearing two men with cooked pis-
tolls listened. "Wabistan is safe!"
said Finlay. HE doesn't need us
now! Tete-Blanche will soon start
to hunt us! We'd better meet Bl.ise
at the cancel"
They moved swiftly across the s.
land but Blaise was not at the canoe
under the steep shore. Finlay was
cold with apprehension.
what could have happened, Red?
He should be here!"
Hes IN trouble said Malone.
They'll follow the shore path
soon, nosing for our cancel" NUT
tered Garry. ''If they reach us,
don't fire unless we're cornered. It
will only draw the rest and we've
got to get Blaise. God bless his foxy
old bones! 1t was magnificent! He
snuffed that shaman out without a
sound!"
Listen! They're moving this way
now, along the shorel"
you're right. Red! Stand by this
path and wen club 'em with our