The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1947-07-31

u d1A Oh 1CA oPA4AC. I1GI ShAl SOOSS
fleshed. She was sure they were
alone in the place, but who was
beating that drum, in low mo-
notonous rythym that entered into
her blood, controlled the throb
of heart and pulse? 1t sounded
as if skeleton fingers we're tap
ping on the parchment.
Tom tom tom! Tom tom tom!
Tom tom-tom! Tom tom tom!
A thin voice was whispering up
near the roof. Nipegosis sat hud-
died, without movement, en-
tranced. Marion listened to the
thin voice with flesh creeping
on her bones. The drum might be
some trick, the voice ventrilo-
quism, not the voice of the spirit
medium of Nipegosis, but it was
terrifyingly convincing.
Love comes on the trail" whis-
pered the tiny voice. Death is
there. Danger comes behind.
Death is close to Love and Love
travels with danger. Beyond Elk
River by the barrens, on the edge
of the forest Death threatens Love
and Danger follows fast
The whisper faded to wordless
chirp. Something seemed flutter-
ing overhead, small but nimble,
like bat. That ceased. The drum
tapped on.
Tom tom tom! Tom tom tom!
Tom tom tom! Tom tom tom!
Then silence while the fire
shifted inside the drum stove and
the lamplight juggled with the
shadows. The weird faces on the
totem pole seemed alive, peering
at her, grinning. She felt the pre-
sences that were invisible.
Love on the trail. Death-and
/ Danger following fast!"
What did the cryptic words
mean? Nipegosis would profess
he had not heard them, did not
utter them. Perhaps he had not.
The Conjuror stirred, came
back to life.
The pan of iron, child" he
said querulously, but in his own
voice. Bring it swiftly. Heat it
on the stove. Then bring me the
bowl OF herbs, there by the bison
skull"
She obeyed, placing the heavy
skillet on top Of the hot stove
that was fairly humming with
heat, showing a dull cherry on its
sides. The heat in the room was,
or seemed to be tremendous. Pres
plration dripped from her fore
head, but Nipegosis shivered.
At his bidding she sat down the
hot skillet on the floor upon two
billets Of wood. The Conjuror
bent over, Stiffly, until she fan
cied he must creak, picking out
tWlgs and dried leaves from the
bowl of highly polished wood,
tossing them on the metal where
they curled and gave out pungent
odors, inter tWining coils Of
smoke. The room seemed to swim
before her eyes. She seemed cur
iously light, without body. The
walls of the log house faded and
she fancied she floated through
them, high in air, beneath bright
stars, going fast. She heard the
deep drone of the Conjuror's
voice and could not understand
what he said. He seemed to guide
her.
There was a river, its current
turned to ice, black under the
stars, rejecting them. A black
strip Of forest over which she
located. Then a waste blue-White,
stretching lar SCUM.
A star on the ground, on the
.dge Of the forest, red fitful 1t
vas not star, but dying fire.
She seemed impelled toward it.
moving without volition, without
ny sense of COrpOreal being, how
ring Only her mind, like bird,
ike a spirit descending.
There was man by the fire,
nuffled up, crouching, shivering.
&c set sticy carefully on the fire
There were three other sticks on
le snow beside him. She tried to
2e his face but could not. She
1t that a message trembled be
Neen them, trying to adjust it
IF to the right vibrations, to CON
-" some ghostly static; to tune
in. ~ IL s.tBssk
me felt a tremendous sympathy
Or this shiVering unknown. She
1T she knew him, that his pres
nee there was important, vital tC
,er happiness. She knew that he
Tas hurt, helpless, that Death
7as close by. Her sight blurred
he scene wavered, distorted
lowly disappeared.
Then she was back in the Con-
uror's house, on the hide-cov-