Adventure Magazine Cover, April 3, 1918 — page 58: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

56 ‘“‘There’s a little selfishness in it,’’ Wayne confessed. ‘I would go crazy if Joan were near any infection, and you'll have to give her quarters at Cumberland House. Send your men over now to my post for her stuff and the furs and everything but the bare necessities we'll use. They can gut the buildings before we go into them. And about the furs, you’ll keep them in trust only, so that there will be no trouble over them!”’ “All right,” agreed Carlisle heartily, hastening to issue his orders and to direct Drummond to place the toboggan he had brought so that Richelieu might roll onto it. ‘And, Wayne, I’ll leave you a load of provisions at your palisade gate.” “Thanks,’”’ nodded Wayne. ‘“T’ll take them in the spirit they’re given.” He passed with his five Free-Traders through the gateway. Andrews, Drum- mond, Galt and the other Hudson’s Bay men followed after, drawing Richelieu upon the toboggan, Carlisle turned from a last inspection of the smoking post ruins and gave Joan his hand for the run across the snows to Cumberland House. “We, too, are in isolation,” he observed with a whimsical laugh. ‘Do you happen to care, Joan?” She gave him a tantalizing smile as they raced side by side. “As long as I can go to my father’s stockade every. day, talk to him and know that he is all right, I—why, I expect to be very comfortable in Cumberland House,”’ she evaded naively. ‘And do you know what I’m going to make you do the very minute we get there, Paul?” “What?” he challenged. “Cook me a full course-dinner!” Joan decreed. CHAPTER XI OOCHEMEGOU KESIGOW HE full tale of the flight of the Sturgeon Lake Northwesters and Free-Traders — did not come down the Saskatchewan to Carlisle for several weeks. Christmas Day passed without the arrival of any of his Indian trappers, but about three o’clock on New Year’s Day the jingle of bells brought him and Joan running to the door. A grand Cree cavalcade they beheld, to- boggans and carioles drawn by gaily capa- Adventure risoned dogs with bead-worked blankets on their backs and bells upon their collars. Pot- tering in the rear, the squaws drove the teams with the duffle, children and furs packed into the carioles, but the hunters sped in front, gorgeous in their new capotes and leggings fringed with porcupine quills. At Carlisle’s beckoning they trooped up to the steps where he stood, led by old Soaring Eagle, a chief of the tribes and one of the best fur-takers on his books. “Tt is Oochemegou Kesigow—the New Year’s—the Kissing Day of the Crees, when every man is supposed to kiss every woman in sight— Factor,” Soaring Eagle greeted, “and we are here according to our custom.” “That is good, Soaring Eagle,” returned Carlisle gravely, albeit there was a twinkle in his eye as his glance met Joan’s. ‘“There is a gift for each one of you at the store when you trade your furs. How was the catch?” ‘‘We took much fur, Factor,” reported Soaring Eagle, “‘but we will take no more in ¢hat upper country. After the trade and feast we will hunt toward the Wenipak. The Red Death is raging yonder, and we fear it stalking through our teepees.”’ ‘Where, Soaring Eagle?’ demanded Joan anxiously. ‘“‘Where is it raging?” ‘Where roams the wind, Golden Daugh- ter? Where fall the forest leaves? ‘The Red Death is killing out the posts and tribes of the French Company and the Free- Trading men as red fire runs among the trees. So my _ far-journeying tribesmen bring the word.” “Tt hasn’t got among our own Indians, then, or into our own posts?” asked Carlisle with concern. “No,” declared Soaring Eagle, “for the struggle among the companies has been bitter and nothing but rifle balls has passed between. But the tribes of the Hudson’s Bay Company in the other districts are fearful even as we. They are fleeing from the Red Death, going east toward James Bay, south upon the prairie or north to the Barren Lands.” “Heavens!” ejaculated Carlisle. means the closing of those posts. no districts free from it at all?” ‘The tales of the Indian runners say that it has not spread as far as Fort des Prairies yet nor to the Athabasca, but that all posts are closed against newcomers.” Carlisle pointed toward Richelieu’s dis- mantled post. “That Are there COnnicloool< (C@