Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

(140 turned to us and, in a voice that seemed to come from the grave, said: “IT want Ledoux! My people have come for him.” CHAPTER XXIII, WITH HANDS TIED. Y first feeling of astonishment gave way to one of admiration for the primitive, half savage woman who confronted us. Once again I caught my- self asking why the world in general looks upon the Eskimo as a stolid, even placid people. They are not, of course. They are vindictive, revengeful; and they are seldom turned from their purpose. Wageesh had certainly walked that great distance to Melville Sound. I could appre- ciate the effort it entailed. Here she was now, demanding Ledoux, and I knew well enough that she would not be easily dis- suaded. If her people were worked up about Ledoux, and resorted to violence, as they well might, we would find ourselves in a pretty fix. ~ JT had heard a thing or two about Eski- mo vengeance—tales that we handed back and forth in the north. They were not pretty stories, either. The wrongs Wa- geesh had suffered at Ledoux’s hands were enough to arouse any savage people to fa- naticism. Experience told me that to de- liver him into their, hands was to condemn him to a cruel and lingering death. Obviously I could not do that. Ledoux was my prisoner. He had broken the white man’s law, and he must pay as the white man dictated. I knew such an argument would be wasted on the Arctic air; and yet it was the very thought I had to re- member. Looking ahead, I could see the issue clearly defined—tribal law against the law which I represented. We had never been more than a handful in the Arctic. What prestige and power we held had not been gained by force. We had succeeded because we had appealed to primitive imaginations. The red coat had become a symbol of government and law and justice. The Mounted had never given ground. roe ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. What there was of empire in the north, we had established and held together. I found myself suddenly thrilling to the small part I had played in the undertaking. I won- dered if I had not stumbled upon the thing that had kept me in the service so long. I promised myself that I would not fail those others, who had fought the good fight with me, that I would not let any feeling of personal danger, or danger to her, whom I loved so dearly, defeat me. “Where are your people, Wageesh?” I asked. “Outside on the barren, mebbe half a mile.” “They are camped there?” “They make camp now. We just come.” Evidently Ledoux’s ears had caught the stir of their arrival and had sent him rush- ing back to the cabin to bar the door. Apparently we were in for it. I turned to Sheila with as brave a face as I could muster. “We can’t let them have Ledoux,” I said. “ You must understand why.” “They will kill him. We can’t give him up. I understand that perfectly.” I was glad she felt as I did about it. Wageesh understood what we said. As de- termined as ever, she exclaimed again: “IT want Ledoux!” ““T’m sorry,” I told her, “ but you can’t have him. He has broken the white man’s law. He isa prisoner. He stays here until the time comes when he goes south to Chip- pewyan with me.” “White man’s law?” she retorted sul- lenly. “ My people make the law here long before the white man come. My people will do whatever I say. They have not come here to harm Ledoux. I asked them to come. You cannot take Ledoux to jail. I want him; I have forgiveh him. He is safe with us.” I could not believe my ears. Sheila was no less astonished. ‘“ You mean that you want to take him back, to let him kick you and beat you again?” | Wageesh smiled sadly and shook her head. “ Better he beat me,” she muttered, “than that he be here and I out there alone. I have been a wife to him. I have COMMICOOOKS (E@) ‘ Ja} J Fy \ iar ts We) K “Gy TD FA ~