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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1938-03-24, Page 6pApp §3c3c, THE SEAPORTH NEWS THURSDAY, ,MARCH 24, 1938 °Pray, spare your histrionics, for the present," Eric out in with the icy self-possession bred by a lifetime' danger, :dispelling my uncle's second suspicion with a quiet'scorn that re 'vealed "What the--" began my kinsman "what did you strike him for?" 'Did I strike somebody?" asked Hamilton absently. 'Again my uncle flashed a question- ing look at me, but this time his face showed his conviction .so plainly no ord was needed. Did I strike aomebody? Wish yau'd apologize—" Apologize!" thundered my uncle. nal do nothing of the 'kind. Served him right. 'Twas h pretty way, a pret- ty way, indeed, to 'speak of any man's wife—" But the word "wife" had not been uttered before Eric threw out his hands in an imploring gesture. "Don't!" he cried out sharply in the suffering tone of a man under the op- erating knife. "Don't! It all comes `back! It is true! It is true! I 'can't get away from it! It is no nightmare. My God. men, how can 1 tell yau? There's 410 way of saying it!" It is impossible —.preposterous—some monstrous joke —it's 'quite impossible I tell you—it couldn't have happened—such things don't happen— couldn't happen — to her—of all women! But she's gone— she's gone—" "See here, Hamilton," cried my uncle, utterly beside 'himself with ex- citement 'are we to understand yott are talking of yanr wife, or—or some other women?" "See here, Hamilton," 1 reiterated, quite heedless of the brutality of our qutstians and with a thousand wild suspicions flashing into my mind. "Is it your wife, Miriam, and your boy?" But he heard neither of UM. 'They were there—they waved to me from the garden at the edge of the woods as 1 entered the forest. Only this morning, both waving to ale as I rade away—and when I returned from tae city at noon, they were g-onel I looked to the window as I came hack. The curtain moved and 1 thought my boy was hiding, but it was only the wind. We've searched every nook from cellar to attic, His toys were lit- tered about and I fancied I heard his voice everywhere, but not No—no— ' and we've been hunting house and garden for hours—" ''And Ow forest?'questioned Lamle jack, the trapper inatinct of former tlays suddenly re -awakening. "The forest is waist -deep with snow! Besides we beat through the bush everywhere, and there wasn't a trick, nor broken twig, where they ccoulcl have passed." His torn clothes bore evidence to the thoroughness of that search. "Nonsense," my ancle burst out, be- ginning to .bluster. "They've been dri- ven to town without leaving word!" 'No sleigh waa at Chateau Bigot -this morning," returned 'Hamilton. "But the road, 'Eric" I questioned, recalling how the old manor -house stood well back in the carter of a cleared plateau in the forest. "C.ould- n't they have gone down the road to those Indian encampments?" "The road is impassable for sleighs, let alone walking, 'and their winter wraps are all in the house. For Heav- en's sake, men, suggest somethirigl Don't madden me with these aieless questions!" But in elate of Eric's entreaty my excitable 'kinsman subjected the fren- zied man to such a fire of questions as might have subianated pre -natal latowledge. And ff stood 'bade listen- ing and pieced the ;distracted, 'broken answers into aome sort of 'coherency till the whole tragic scene .at the Cha- teau on that spring day of the year P815 became ineffaceably stamped on my memory. 'Causeless, with 'neither warning nor the slightest premonition •of .clanger, the greatest 'curse •which can 'h.cfall =Ill came upon My friend Eric Ham- h ilton. However fond it buslband may t be, there are 'things worse for his wife w than death whicb be may well dread, b and it was one of these tragedies whieb 'almost drove poor Hamilton s oat of las reason and 'changed the whole course of ma own Me. In broad daylight, his young wife and Mama son disappeared as suddenly , awl 'completely as if 'blotted out of ex- istence. That morning, Eric light-heartedly kissed 'wife and child ,good -by and waved them a farewell that was to be the last. He rode .down the wind- ing forest path to Quebec and they stood where the Chateau garden merged into the forest of Charles- bourg 'Mountain. At acern, when he rearmed, for him there existed gath- er wife nar child. For any trace of them that could be found, both might have been superaaturally spirited away. The great house, that had re- echoed to the boy's prattle, was deathly still; and 'wither wife, nor child, answered his call, The nurse was summoned, She was positive Ma- dame was amusing .the boy across the hall, anti reassuringly bustled 'off to find mother and $041 in the next room, and the next, and yet the next; to discover each in succession empty, Alarm spread to the Chateau serv- ants. The simple habitant maids were questioned, but their only response was white-faced, 'blank- amazement. Madame not returned! 'Madame not 'back! +Mon Dieu! 'What :had 'happened? And all the superstition of hillside lore added to the fear on each 'anxi- ous face, Shortly after Monsieur went to the city, Madame had taken her little son out as natal for a morning airing, and had been seen walking up and clown the paths tracked through the garden snow. Had alansiem ex- amined the clearing' between the hoases and the forest? Monsieur could see for himself the snow 1NaS too deep am' crusty among the trees for Ma- dame to go twenty paces into the woods. Besides, foot -marks could he traced front the garden to the hush. He need not fear wild animals. They were receding into the mountains as spring advanced. Let him talce an- other look about the open; arid Ham- ilton tore oat -doors, followed by the whole household; but from the Chat- eau in the center of the glade to the encircling border of snow -laden ever - greats there was no trace of wife 'or Then Eric !totalled at his own growing fears. Miriam must be in the house. So the search of the old hall, that had once resounded to the drunken tread of gay grandees, 'beg -an again. From hidden chamber in the vaulted cellar to attic rooms above, not a :corner of the Chateau was left unexplored. Had any one come and driven her to the 'city? But that was impossible. The roads were drifted the height of a horse and there were no marks of sleigh runners on either side of the riding path. Could she 'pc's- sibly have ventured it few yards down the main road to an 'encampment of Indians, whose squaws after 'Indian custom made mai of the white baby? 'Neither did that suggestion bring relief; for the Indians had 'brok- en camp early in the morning and there rwas .only a dirty patch of lit- tered now, where 'the wigwams had been. The alarm now 'became a panic. Hamilton, half-c.razed 'and unable to believe his own senses, 'began wond- ering 'whether be had nightmare. He thought be might waken up presently and .fin.d the dead weight smothering 'his 'chest had .been the 'boy snuggling close. He was vaguely C011S010118 it was strange of 'him to continue sleep- ing with that noise of shouting men and whining :hounds 'and snapping branches going on in the forest. The child's lightest cry generally 'broke the 'spell 'of a nightmare; but the din of terrified searchers mating through the 'woods and of echoes roiling 'eerily ack from the white hills convinced int this was no dreanaland. Then, he distinct crackle of trampled bruala ood and the scratch .of spines across is face called him back to an mien - durable reality. "The thing is utterly impossible, Hamilton," 1 oried, when in short jerky sentences, as if afraid to give thought rein, he had answered any uncles lauestioniag. "ampossiblel Ut- terly impossible!" "I would to God it were!" he moan- ed. "It was 'daylight, !Eric?" asked Mr. Jack •MacKenzie. He noaded moodily. 'And she .couldtat 3ost in Char- leslboarg forest?" I added, taking up the interrogations where my uncle left off. "'No trace—not a foatprintl" "And you're 'ratite awe she, isn't in the house?" replied my relative. "Quite!" he answered passionately. "Aad there was an Indian 'encamp- ment a few yards dawn the road?" continued Mr. ,Macfraenzie, undeterred; Oh! What has that to do with it?' he asked opetulantly, springing to his feet. 'They'd moved off long 'before I went beck. Besides, Indians dont run off with white women. Haven't I spent my life among them? 1 should know :their ways!" "But my dear .fellowl" responded the elder 'trader, "so do 1 knave their. ways. If she 'isn't in the Chateau and isn't in the garden, 'can't yau see, the Tridian encampment is the only ,pas_ able explanation?" The lines on his face deepened. Fire flashed tram las gleaming eyes and if 'ever I 'have seen muncler written on the countenance of man, it was on Hamilton's, "What tribe were they, anyway?" 1 asked, trying to .speak in.differently, for every question was knife -play on a wound. "Mongrel .curs, neither one thing nor the 'other, Irotauois canoemen. 'French half-breeds inter -married with Sioux squaws! They're all connected with the North-West Company's crews. The NoraWesters leave here for Fort William when the ice breaks up. This riff-raff will follow in their own dug -nuts!" "Know any of them?" persisted my uncle. "No, I don't think I--ILet me see! By Jove! Yes, Gillespie!" he shouted, "Le Grand Diable was among them!" "What about 'Diable?" I asked, pin- ning him down to the subject, for his mind was last in angry memories, "What about 'him? 'He's my ane en- emy among the Indians," he answer- ed in tones thick 'and ominously low. al thrashed hint within ita inch of his life at Isle a 'la Crosse. Being a Nor' - Wester, he thought it 'tine 'game to pillage the Ica of a Hudson's Bay; so lte stole a silver -mounted 'fowling - piece which my granafather had at Culloden. By aove, Gillespie! The Nor'arVesters have it deal of blood to answer for, stirring, up those Indians against traders; and if they've brought this on me--" "Did you get it back?" I interrupted' referring to the fo wiing-piece, neither my uncle, nor I, offering any defense for the NoraWesters, 1 'knew there were two sides ta this complaint from a Hudson's. Bay man. "Not That's why I nearly 'finished him; but the more I clubbed, -the more he jabbered impertinence, 'Cool- ool cooloo! importel It doesn't matter!' 13y gavel I made it matter!" "Is that all about Diable, +Eric?" continued my uncle. He ran his fingers distractedly back through his long, 'black hair, rose, and, coming over to me, laid a tremb- ling hand ou eacli shoulder. "Gillespie!" he muttered through hard -set teeth. "It isn't all. I didn't think .at the time, but the morning af- ter the row with that red devil I found a dagger stuck on the 'outside of my hat -door. The 'point was through a fresh apeonted leaflet. LA withered twig hung over the blade," "Manl Are you mad?" cried Jack afac-Kenzie. 'He 11111St be the very devil himself. You weren't married then— He cottidn't mean—" al thought it was an Indian threat," interjected Hamilton, "that if I had downed him in the fall, when the branches were bare, he meant to have his revenge in spring when the leaves were 'green; but you know I left the country that fall." "Yo.0 were wron4, Eric!" I blurted out impetuously, ate terrible .signia- cance of that threat dawning upon nte. "That wasn't the meaning at all." Then I stopped; for H,amilton was like a palsied man, and no one asked what those tokens of a leaflet pierced by a dagger .and an old branch hang- ing to the knife might 'mean. Mr. ljack 'MacKenzie was the first to pail him .aela togeth er. "Come," he 'shouted. `Gather up your wits! To the camping ground!" ana he threw open the door. Thereupon, we 'three 'flung through the 'club -room to the astanishment of the gossips, 'who ha.c1 'been waiting outside for 'developments in the quar- rel with Colonel Adclerly. At the out- er porch, Hamilton laid a hand on Mr. MadKenzie's shoulder. "Don't come," he 'begged hurriedly, "There's a storm blowieg. It's rough, weather, .and a tough road, full of 'drifts! 'Make my peaee 'withthe man I starch." Then Eric and I •whisked out into the 'blacicaess of a boisterous, windy night. IA moment tater, Our horses were 'cleating over iced cobble-stones with the clatter of pistolashots, 'It will snow," said I, feeling a few flakes driven tlaraugh the darknest against My face; but to this rernar Hamiltaa w.as lasedless. "It will snow, Eric," a repeated. "The wind's veered north. We must get out to the tamp 'before all traces are 'covered. HOW far ay the Beauport TN'tVi"ve miles," 'said he, and I knew.0f by the sadden scream and plunge his horse that spurs avereoug into raw aides. We turned down that steep break -neck, tortuous street leading from Upper Town to the valley of the St. Charles. The wet thaw of midday had frozen .and the road was slippery as a toboggan slide. We reined mu horses in tightly, to prevent a perilous stumbling of fore -feet, and ,by zigzag ging front side to side managed: to reach the •foot of tbe bill without a single fall. Here, we .again gave then the bit; and we were presently than dering across the bridge in a way tha brought the 'keeper out cursing an:c yelling for his tall. I tossed a coin ca er my .shoulder and we galloped al) the elm -lined avenue leading to Ilia Charleabourg retreat, where Freud •Bacehanalians caroused Ibefore the British conquest, passed the thatch roofed .cots of "fiabitants" .and, turn ing suddenly to the rig'ht, followed g seldam frequented road, where snow was .drifted heavily. Here we had to sla.cken 'pace, 'our beasts sinking to their haunches. and 'snorting througl the 'white 'billows like a modern snow plow. Hamilton had spoken not a ward Clouds were massing an the north Overhead a 'few stars glittered agains• the 'black, and the angry wind had th moat mournful wail 'have eve heard. How the weird undertone name like the 'cries of a tortured child .and the lou.d gusts with the shriek a demons! 'lGillespie," called Erica voice trern ulous with anguish, "listen—Rufus listen! Da yoa hear 'anything? Da you bear any one 'calling far 'help? I. that a child crying?" "No, Eric, old man," said 1, shiver ing in my saddle. "I hear --I hear no thing at all but the wind." Bat my hesitancy .beliesi the truth o that answer; for we both hears sonuds, Which rat one can intenpre but ae w'hose well beloved is lost it the storm, And the wind burst apan us again catching my empty denial and tossing the words to apper air with 'eldritch laughter. 'ahen there was it lull, and I felt rather than beard the choking back of stifled moans .and knew tha t he min by my side, who had held iron grip of 'himself before other eyes was 110W giving vent to grief in tht blackness of night. At last 5 red light 'gleamed from thc window of a low cot. That was the signal for us to turn abruptly to tin loft, entering the forest 'by a aarroa bridle -path that twisted among the ce- dars. M if to look down in pity, the moon shone for a moment above the ragged edge of a storm cloud, and all the snow -laden evergreens stood nut stalely, shadowy and spectral, lila mourners for the dead. Again the road took to right -about at it sharp angle and the broad Cha- teau, with its noble 'portico and num- erous windows ,all alight, suddenly loomed up in the center of a forest - clearing on the mountain side, Where the oath to the garden crossed a froz- en stream was a small o.pen space. Here the Italians had .been encamped. We hallooed for servants and by lan- tern light examines; every square inch of the smoked snow and rubbisli heap. Bits of tin in profusion, stones for the are, tent canvas, ends of ropes and tattered rags •lay everywhere over the 'black patch, Snow was beginning to fall heavity in great flakes that °b- eamed earth and air. 'Not a thing had we found to indicate any trace of the lost woman and child, 'until I caught sight of a tiny, blue string 'beneath a piece of rusty' metal. Ricking the tin aside, I caught the ribbon up. When I saw on the lower ,end a ehild's fine- ly beaded moccasin, T confess I had rather felt the point of Le 'Grand Di- tties 'dagger at my OWn heart than have shown that simple -thing to Ha- milton. Then the snow -storm :broke upon tis in Mate :billows 'blotting out ev- erything. We 'spread •a s'heet on the ground to 'preserve any marks of the campers, but 'the .drifting 'wins] drove us indoors, and we were compelled to cease searching., All night long Eric and 3 sat 'before the roaring grate fire of the bunting -room, fie 'leaning for- ward with chin in his palms anti say- ing few words, I offering futile sug- gestions and altering mad threats, bet both etterly 'at a loss what to da We knew enough of Indian 'character lo know athat not to do. That was, iaise an outc.ry, 'whichmight hasten the cruelty .af 'Le !Grand Diable CHAPTIER IIT. Thoughmany years 'have passed since that .distnal storm in the spring of isvs, vvilten Hamilton and I spent a long „disconsolate night of enforced waiting, I still hear the roaring of the northern gale, 'driving round the house -owners .as if it would wrench WI eaves from the, root It Shrieked across 'the garden likemalignant fur- ies, sashed with the 'boom rof a sea through the cedars and pines, 'and tore up the 'mountain slope till all the many voices of the forest were echo- ing lback a thousand tumultuou.s dis- cords. Again, 1 see ',Hamilton gazing at the leaping ;flames 'af the log ,fire, as if their frenzied niation reflected samething of his awn burning 'grief. Then, the agony .of our atter helpless- ness, as long as the storm raged, •would prove too great for his self-co.n- trol. Rising, he would pee& 'hack and forward the atal length of the hunt- ing -room till his eye would be caught by same abject with whieh the boy had played. He would put this 'care- ful] away, as one lays .aside the be- longings of the dead. Afterwards, lan- terns, which we bad placed on the oak center table on coming in began to smoke and give out a pungent, 'barn ing smell, and each of us involuntarily walked across to a 'window and 'drew aside the curtains to see haw daylight was coming an. The white glar.e of early morning !flooded the room, but the snow -storm had changed to driv- ing sleet and the panes were ioed from 'corner to corner with frozen rain -drift. Haw We 'dragged through two mare days, while the gale raved with unabated 'fury, I do -not 'know Poor Eric was for rushing into the blinding 'whirl, that tamed 'earth alai air into one white tornado; but he could 'not .see twice 'thealength Of his own arm, and we prevailed .on •larn to come back. 'I0'n the third night, the wind fell like a tiling that had fretted .out its strength. 'Morning zatealed an ocean 'of 'billowy <Irate, -crusted lover by the frozen sleet' an'd reflettiag a white dazzle that made one's eyes blink. Great icicles hung from the na- ked :branches of tate sheeted pines and snow was wreathed in fantastic forms among the cedars. We had laid our ',plans while we waited. After lifting the canvas from the .camping -ground 'and 'seeking in vain for more trace of the fugitives we 'despatched a dozen .afferent search -parties that very morning, Eric leading those vsho were to go an the river -side of the Chateau, and a 50111e well-trained bushrangers picked from the "habitants" 'of the hillside, who could track the .forest to every Indian haunt within a week's march af the city. 'After patting my men on a trail with instructions to send back an In- dian courier to report each, night, hunted up an old ahabitant" guide. named 'Paul .Larocette, wit° had often helped me to thread -the woods of Quebec after bar game. INow Paul was 'habitually as silent as a aumb an- imal, and sportsmen bad nielmaznecl him The Mate; but what he lacked in speech' he made •up 'like other "wild creatures in a wonderful acuteness of eye and ear. andeecl, it was commonly believed among trappers that Paul possessed some nameless sense hy which be conk! actually "feel" the presence of an enemy before ordinary men could either see, or 'hear. For my part, I would 'be willing to pit that asset' of paula against the nose of any bound that clog-fatteiers could ,back. 'Peat"' said I, as the "habitant" stood before me licking the short stern af an inverted clay pipe, "there's an Indian, a 'bad Indian, an Iroquois, Paul,"--- I was .particular in .describ- mg the radian as an Iroquois, . for, Peas wife was a Huron from Lora ette "An Iroquoia, aim stole a Mate woman and a little 'boy front the 'Cha- teau three days ago, in the .morning." There, 1 paused to let the facts soak ih; for The Mute digested in- formation in .small morsels. !Grizzled, stunted and chon.ky, he was not .at all the picturesque figure which fancy has painted of his class. lasteati of the red toque, which artists :place on the heads of "habitants", he wore a cloth cap with ear -flaps coming clown to 'be tied under his chin. Hhis. jacket was .an ill -.fitting garment, the cast- off coat of some well-to-do man, and his trousers slouched in simple folds above brigh tly :beaded moccasins. When' I paused, !Paul axed 'his eyes on an invisible spot in the snow' anti rtuninated. Then he hitched the baggy trousers op, pulled the red scarf, that held thern to las waist, tighter, and, taking bis eyes 'off the snow, looked up for me to go on. PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical D. E. A. McMAISITER—Graduarte of the Faculty of Medicine, 'Univers- ' ita af 'Toronto, an.d of the New York Post ,Graduate 'School and Hospital. Member of the College of Physicians and. Surgeons of Ontario. Office on High street. 'Phone 27. Office 'fully equipped for x-ray diagnosis and for, ultra abort 'wave electric treatment, ultra vialet sun lamp .treatment and infra 'red electric treatment Nurse in atteadance. DR. IGTILDERT C. JARROTT — Graduate of Faculty a Medicine, Un- iversity of Westerat Ontario. Member of College of Physicians and'Ssugeons of Ontario. Office 43 Goderich street west. Phone V. Hours 2-4.30 pan., 7.30-9 pm, Other hours by appoint., meat. Successor to DT. Chas. 'Mackay. DR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of Landon 'Hos- pital, Landau, 'England. Special at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose aral throat. Office and residence behind Dorninion Bank. Office Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104. DR. F. J. BURROW'S, Seaforth. Office ,and residence, Goderica street, east of the United Churc.a. 'Cotron'er far the County of Huron. Telephone No. 46. DR. F. J. R. FORSTER— Eye Ear, Nose and Throat. IGaaduate in Medicine, University of Toronto 1118117. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Astral Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and 'Golden Square throat 'hospi- tals, London. At Commercial Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 1.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. DR. W.' C. SPRAT Physician - Surgeon Phone 90-W. Office Jahn St. Sea'forta Auctioneer. GEORGE •ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed. F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction- eer for Perth anti Huron Counties, Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stock, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell, Phone 834 r 6. Apply at this office. HARVEY. McLLWAIN, Licensed Auctioneer for County of Huron. Sea - forth, RR, 5, Phone 228 r WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at 'lowest rates in 'First -Class Companies. THE McKH.LOP Mal Fire hisurance Co HEAD OFFICE--SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFI CERS President, Thomas Moylan, Sea - forth; Vice President, William Knox, Londesthoro; Secretary Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth, AGENTS F. MOKerclier, Rail, Dublin; John E. Pepper, .R.Ra, Brucefield; E. R. G. Yarmouth, Drodhagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; 111,:n. Yea Holmesville. DIRE CTO RS Alex. Broacifoot, Seaforth No. 3; James Sholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Lon desboro ; George Leonhardt, Borahalm No, 1; 1raak McGregor, Clinton No. 5; _Fames Connolly, ,Ged- erich; Alex 'aidEwing, Blyth No. 1; Themes Moylan, Seaforth No. 5; lAtm. R. Archibald, Sealforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect Insurance or transact other 'business, will be promptly attended to 'by applications to any of the albove named officers .acklressed to their respective Peat- affices. One of the most Important Factors in 'cleterminiag the quality of the 'cheese is the starter which is 'used to hasten -and control the acid fermenta- tio•n .of the milk, 'an.d it is, therefore igi y important that uniform start- rs of 'high quality 'be used. 'A starter orrectly made and 'handled cannot arm the.product in any way; rather t ahottla improve it, whatever the quality of the milk may ;be. The ques- tion of starters is wholly under the control o'f the maker, and fie has .anly himself to blame if the •quality of his product is injured by the use 'of a poor starter. That Iroquois, who 'belongs' to the North-West trappers---" , ^Pays d'En Haut?" ,asks ..:Paul, peaking for the first .thrre. aYes," I answered, "and they all disappeared with Elle woman and the laid the day 'before the, storm The 'Mute's eyes were 'hack Ora the w. "Now," said' I, "Ill make you itach man if you take me straight to athe ,ilace where hes hiding." (To be cantinued) "I'm 'writing a song." "What's the subject matter?" 'ft doesn't"