Adventure, November 1915 — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

~ et Dg ‘about her either.”’ The Posts man who might follow a worthier leader. And though you are a hireling of Helbaud, my quarrel is not with you. Helbaud him- self—is he among you?” “He is at the other-end of the portage,” informed Lavergne. “Then [ll take my brigade through and talk with him.” “No.” Lavergne shook his head decisive- ly. “Not one step. That’s the order. You can’t land your men on this portage.” “But my furs?” Lavergne shrugged his shoulders. “Do what you please with the furs. I haven’t any orders about them.” “And myself?” A second shrug. “The same as the furs! Go where you like. I haven’t any orders about you.” “The cunning devil!” gritted Dubawni. “He gives you no orders concerning the furs, but he knows that if I can not take them down the Manikuagan I may as well sink them in the lake or generously hand them over to him. You must know that yourself, Lavergne.”’ Lavergne, resting the rifle between his knees while he took a plug of tobacco and a pipe from his trousers pocket, nodded de- liberately. “Yes, I know,” he admitted, slowly filling his pipe. “Look you,” went on Dubawni. “My right of way used in common with the Hud- son’s Bay Company and the Arctic Fur Company has never been disputed till now. English Bay and the Manikuagan have al- ways been open waters till now, and I am beginning to wonder if Masita’s journeying with me timed the stroke. Did Helbaud know she was with me?” For an instant Lavergne’s eyes turned on Masita and lighted with admiration. “Maybe,” he replied, expelling the to- bacco-smoke between his firm lips. “I don’t know for sure. I haven’t any orders Dubawni gave a low imprecation. Re- pugnant as retreat was to him, for the mo- ment the idea of retreat entered his mind, but the next moment the utter futility of the attempt rushed upon him. All other possible southern river routes were in the possession of the Hudson’s Bay Company and barred by their posts at the mouths, for Ivan Trevor, the mighty Hudson’s Bay overlord, ruled the whole of the Labrador of Pillage 103 peninsula from Fort Chimo, and him, al- though unlike Helbaud he did not deal in guile and treachery, Dubawni held the more powerful. Between two enemies he stood, Trevor and Helbaud, and so dominant was the pas- sion for independence which had kept him from merging with either company that it kept him now from suddenly changing front, uniting with the Hudson’s Bay and enlist- ing their aid against Helbaud. “Tt is as Helbaud has planned, curse him!” he brooded, half to Lavergne, half to Masita by his side. ‘He has left but one line of action open to me. I must go on alone to see what can be done.” “‘No, no, not alone, father,” cried Masita, catching his hands and looking impulsively into his somber eyes. “I could not stay if you go. We must go together.” “But, petite,’ he protested, “I can not take you parleying with Helbaud. You know what he is. You must stay with Chambonne and the rest.”’ “No, I will not stay,’ declared Masita. She stamped her moccasined foot with something of her father’s passion so that the craft lurched heavily. ‘I will go. Do you think I am afraid of this dog Helbaud? I hate him. I despise him. I will face him with you, and he shall see fear in neither one. Father, do you hear? Iam going. If you do not let me go with you, I will run over the portage after you. There, make it easy for me and say I may go along!” She raised pleading, pouting lips toward him, and Dubawni leaned and kissed her. “Par Dieu,” he breathed with a thrill, “but in this moment you are like your mother, as like as the fawn is to the doe. She lives again in you. You bear her heart. You speak her words. For so she spoke that day of the sack of Opawika Post.” A moisture dimmed Masita’s dark eyes, and a quiver came-up in her throat. ‘Ah, it can not be that I am so like her!” she murmured, turning her eyes away lake- ward. “Never so brave as she was and never, never, so fine! And please, father, speak not of her now when I would be fierce. The memory of her softens, melts me, breaks my spirit, and I must be steel to defy Helbaud. Speak not — now. Tell Fr—tell the head voyageur we go.” Dubawni swung around to Lavergne. “You have heard?” he demanded. ‘“‘We LOOKS com ©) (EO) im }RORY Tee