Adventure Magazine Cover, April 3, 1918 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

~ Cumberland House. Ambush She was half out of her chair, her face all flushed, leaning over the table toward him, her hands planted on the litter of dispatches. “Don’t mention it, please! It would bring misfortune, I’m sure. I’ve learned to be superstitious in this North, you see. Yes, I was a fool to say he wouldn’t come. He will come. And Paul, Paul—you must not lose!” Carlisle’s fingers closed on hers, outspread upon the papers. “By the God of Northmen, Joan,” he vowed, “I will not lose!’’ The magnetic pressure of his hands told more than the mere words. Joan with a radiant smile slowly withdrew her hands and dropped back into her chair, still fol- lowing his movements with her eyes as he set about writing the answer to the govern- or’s despatch. gue = WHEN he had finished he looked gaia UP “Would you like to read it, Joan?” he asked. “Ves, I would like to, Paul,” she con- fessed, “‘that is, if it is the same as the other —if it is proper that I should read it.” “Tt’s all right for you to seeit, girl. Here Joan took the paper and read: |?) I have your dispatch via Norway House, al- though it was somewhat delayed en route. The break-up of the river caught the courier at the Pas, and he had to lie up with the dogs and come on at the first opportunity by canoe. This circumstance -would have made ita question whether reinforce- ments could have reached here in time had I needed them, but luckily I do not. Besides my own men, Galt’s strong following which was here when I arrived, and the crews of the two fleets of York boats whom I have retained, I am drawing in all the forces of the other posts with all the Indians of those sections. The Indians are loyal and numerous, and thus I shall have a prepond- erance of men. here. In fact, it started here in a manner I shall explain when I reach James Bay. Both Northwesters and Free-Traders fled from it, burning Richelieu’s post as they fled, except Riche- lieu, Wayne and five of Wayne’s men. In isolation at Fort Wayne the five Free-Traders died with it, Richelieu recovering and managing to escape up the Saskatchewan. Fort Wayne we fired so as to leave no possibility of the disease spreading here. I have given Wayne quarters at Cumberland House, although we thought it best not to tell him the extent of his losses yet, he is such a strange and moody man. There has been no infection at Everything is in the usual shape, and fur has been plentiful. I shall stop the Northwest brigades here and then go down to ene Portage. ' As regards the smallpox, it has been . 05 The Northwesters have claimed the ground there and closed the Portage and thus the Pigeon River route to any but their own voyage I myself had to make a dash up the Kaministiquia coming in. You can understand that it is supremely in our interests to contest that claim without delay, be- fore undisputed closing of it gives them excuse for holding it under a ruling of the corrupt Montreal courts. So I shall pass over the ground to void the claim and come home to the bay via the Michipicoten, the Missinabie and the Moose. I am sorry to hear you have been troubled in health but trust to find you much improved when next I pay my respects. “Well, Joan?” he questioned when she looked up with the light of surprise upon her face. “You are going down to Grande Portage, Paul? I thought you would go down to James Bay by the Hayes River?” “No,” he responded, ‘‘if I stopped Riche- heu’s brigades here and then went down the Hayes, my work would be only half done. I am going to open up Grande Portage, and by the God of Northmen, Joan, you are going with me!” That day the courier Flaming Torch departed down the river. The next day the men of the other posts came up, Lewis from the Pas, Lea from the Nepowin, Garry from Moose Lake, Hampton from Chimawawin, Jarvis from Grand Rapids. - They brought all the Indians of their sections to add to Carlisle’s strength, and Jarvis, his Cockney nose tilted skyward in pride, drove up with his own crew the Factor’s great craft which had been left at Grand Rapids when the river froze. “See the bloomin’ Rajah ride!”’ he grinned doffing his cap to the crowd on shore. “Some d’y I'll command one of my own. Just mark wot I s’y.” He had with him Soaring Eagle’s tribe, the up-Saskatchewan Indians who had elected to hunt about Lake Winnipeg when driven out by the plague, laden with a fresh catch of fur. The fur went in in trade, and these were the busy hours, hours filled with life and movement, sound and color after the ghostly desolation and silence of the Winter. Never an hour went by, day or night, but some new fleet of canoes touched prows upon the Pine Island Lake shore, some new family pitched camp and swelled the teepee city ’round about Cumberland House. Out of the eastern and western arms they came, off the Sturgeon and the Carrot Rivers, from Lakes Namew, Amisk, Goose, COnnicloookxs (C@