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The Seaforth News, 1938-08-25, Page 6PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS THURSDAY, AUGUST ¢5,' 1938 "Run, Gillespie!" •cried some oriel at their heels, One poor animal was else—one of our men, I suppose—andlso benumbed I out Acini from the S had plunged into the ,storm and tracers and left him to ,die. !Gathering raced for the ladders at the rear stock- up the robes, I shook them free of ade with a pack of pursuers at may snow, replaced them n the sleigh ,and heels, The snow -drifts were in my led the string of dogs down to the ri- favor, for with my moccasins, I leap- ,ver, 'It would he 'bitterly :ootd facing ed llghtiy forward, while the 'booted that sweep of 'unbroken ,wind in mid - soldiers floundered - deep. I eluded my river; but the 'trail over ice would per - pursuers and was half -way up a :lad- mit 'greater speed, and with the (high der when a soldier's 'head suddenly banks on each side the dogs could not appeared above the well on the other go astray. side. Then a ;bayonet prodded me in the chest and 1 fell 'h'eavily backwards to the ground. I was captured, That is alt there is to say. No ,man dilates with pleasure over that part of his life when he was vanquished. It is not ,pleasant to have weapons of To an overruling Providence, and to the instincts, of the dogs, I owe my life. The creatures 'had not gone ten sleigh -lengths when I felt the loss 'o'f my coat, and giving one final shout to them, I lay 'ba'ck in the sleigh and covered myself, head and all, under the robes, trusting the huskies to find their way ,home. vary 'heavy with me, Now 'came. the casting.up of accounts, and my hill wasminus reserve 's'breiigth, with a. balance :of debit on the wrong side. The Morning after the escape from Fort 'Dangles, When "Mr, Suthenlatitl strode off leaving this daughter alone with ,me, I remember very well 'that Frances abruptly began (putting my pillow to rights. Instead` of keeping wide awake, as I should, by all the codes ?f romance;attd common sense, I—poor •foal =at once s�i aotied, with a vague, glimmering consciousness 'that was !dy t g .and this, 'perhaps, was the ,firstlbhsgful glimpse into paradise. When I came to 'niy senses, .Mr, Su- therland was again standing :by the bedside .with a,'half-shamed look of compassion under his shaggy 'brows, "EIow',lfar," I (began, 'With,a 'curious inability to use my wits and tongue, "show-far—I mean how long have 'I bean asleep, sir?' "Hoots, mon! Dinna 'slaver in that wreckiess fashion! It's months, lad, sin' ye opened y'r mouth .wi onything but daft gab," "`Months1" I gasped out. "Have I. been here 'for months?" 'Aye, 'mont'hs, The plain .was stiaw- white When ye began y'r bit nap'ple. Noo, ,d'ye no hear the 'Clack o' the geese through yon open window?" I tried to turn to that side of the little room, where a. great wave of fresh, ,clear air blew from the prairie. For some reason my !head refused to revolve. Stooping, the elder Aman gent- ly raised the 'sheet and rolled me over so that I faced the sweet freshness of an open, sunny view. "Did I rive ye sore, lad?" asked the voice with a gruffness in strange con- tradiction to the gentleness „of ,the touch, Now I -hold that 'however ,rasping a man's words may be, if he 'handle bhe sick with gentleness, there is much goodness under, the rough surface. Thoughtlessness and stupidity, I know, are patent excuses !for 'half the unkindness and sorrow OE life. But thoughtlessness and 'sibupidity are also responsible ,for most of life's brutality and crime. Not spiteful intentions alone, but the dulled, brutalized, ,dead- ened sensibilities drat go under the names of thoughtlessness and, stupid- ity—make a enan treat something weaker than 'himself with roughness, or in an excessive degree, qualify for murder. When the 'harsh voice asked, "Do d rive ye sore?" I began to un- derstand 'how surface roughness is of- ten caused ;by life's .asperities as by the inner 'dullness ,akin 'to the brute. Indeed, if my thoughts had not been so intent on the ,daughter, I could have found Mr, Sutherland's ,character a wonderfully interesting study. The infinite capacity of a canny Scot for 'keeping his mouth shut I never rea- lized till I knew Mr. Sutherland. For instance, now that consciousness 'had returned, I noticed that the father himself, and not the daughter, did all the waiting on me even to the carry- ing of my meals. "How is your daughter, Mr, Suth- erland?" I asked, surely a natural en- ough question to merit a civil reply. "Aye—is it Frances y'r speeri'n' af- ter?" he answered, meeting any ques- tion ,with a question; and he deigned not another word, But I lay in wait for him at the next meal. "I haven't seen your daughter .ye; Mr. Sutherland," I stuttered out with a deal of •blushing. "I 'haven't even heard her about the house." "No?" he asked with a show of sur- prise. "Have ye no seen Frances?" And that was all the satisfaction I tot. Between the dinner 'hour and sup- per time d conjured 'up various plots to hoodwink paternal caution. "Mr. Sutherland," I .began, "I have a message for your daughter." "Aye," said she. • 'I wish her to hear it personally." "Aye." "When may I see her?" "Ye main bide patient, ladl" "But the message is urgent." That was true; for had ,not forty-eight hours passed since I had regained consciousness and I 'had heard neith- er her footsteps nor her voice? "Aye," said rose impertuttbable fa- ther. "Very .urgent, Mr. Sutherland," 1 added. "Aye" "When may 'I see her, Sir?" "All in ,gui'd time. Ye maun bide quiet, lad." "The message^",cannat wait," I de- clared. "'ILt must the given at once." "Then deleever it word for word to me, young ,mon, and I'd1! trudge off to Frances." "Your :daughter is not at home?" "What words wul ye 'have me )bear to her, lad?" he asked. That was too much for a youth in a ;reev'tsh state of convalescence. What lover could send', his 'heart's eloquence ''ty word of mouth with a peppery, prosaic father? -Tell Mistress Sutherland I must see her at once," f quickly responded with a flash of temper that was ever wont to flare up when put to the test. "Aye," he answered, wibh an amus- ed look in the ,cord, steel eyes. I'll ,de - defence wrested front one's )rands, to Ido not like to recall that return to feel 'soldiers standing upon one's the Sutherlands. A man, who is froz- wrists and rifling pockets. en to death, knows nothing of the It is 'hard to feel every inch the cruelties of northern cold. The icy man on the ,horizontal. hand, that takes' his life, does not tor- In ,truth, when the soldiers picked ture, but deadens the victim Into an me up without ceremony, or gentle- everlasting, easy, painless sleep. This nese, and bundling me up the stairs I know, for I 'felt the deadly 'fros't- of the main hall, flung me into a mis- slumber, and fought against it. Ach- erable pen, with windows iron -barred ing hands and feet stopped paining to mid -sash, I was but a sorry hero. and became utterly feelingless; and My tormentors did not shackle me; I the deadening thing began creeping was spared that humiliation. inch by inch up the stiffening limbs "Therel" exclaimed the Hudson's the life centres, till a great drowsiness Bay man, throwing .lantern -light began to overpower body and mind. across the .dismal low roof as I fell Realizing what this meant, I sprang sprawling into the room. "That'll cool from the sleigh and stopped the dogs. the young hothead," and all the I tried to grip the empty traces of French soldiers laughed at my dis- the dead one, but my hands were too comfiture• feeble; so I twisted the rope round They chained and locked the door my arm, gave the word, and raced off on the outside. I heard the soldiers' abreast the dog train. The ,creatures steps reverberating through the emp- went faster with lightened sleigh, but ty passages, and was alone in a sort every step I took was a knife -thrust of prison -room, used 'during the re^ through half -frozen awakening limbs. gime of the petty tyrant McDooell. Not the man who is frozen to death, It •was cold enough to cool any 'hot- but the man who is half -frozen and head, and mine was very hot indeed. I thawed back to life, knows the cruel - }mew the apartment well. Nor' -West- ties of northern cold. ars had used it as a fur storeroom. In a stupefied way, I was aware the The wind 'carte through the crevices dogs had taken a sudden turn to the of the hoard walls and piled miniature left and were scrambling up the bank, drifts on the floor -cracks, all the Here my strength failed or I tripped; While rattling loose timbers like a for I only remember being ,dragged saw -mill, The roof was but a few feet through the snow, ,roiling over and high, and I crept to the window, find- over, to a doorway, .where the •huskies ing all the small panes .coated with stopped and set up a great whining. two 'inches of 'hoar -frost, Somehow, I floundered to my feet. Whether the iron bars outside ran With a blaze of light that blinded me, acros's, or up and down. I could not the door •flew open and I fell across remember; but the fact would make the threshold unconscious. a difference to a man trying to es- , cape. Much as I disliked to break the Need I say what door opened, what glass letting in more cold, there was hands drew the in and chafed life into only one way of finding out about the benumbed being? those bars. I raised my foot for an "What was the matter, Rufus Gil - ,outward kick, but remembering I lespie?" asked a bluff voice ,the next wore only the moccasins with which morning. I had awakened from what I had been snowshoeing, I struck my seemed a long. troubled sleep and fist through instead, and shattered the vaguely wondered where I was. 'whole upper 'half of ,the window. I "What .happened to ye. Rufus Gil - broke away cross -pieces that might lespie?" and the man's hand took hold Obstruct outward passage, and leaning of my wrist to feel may pulse. down put my hand on the sharp "Don't father! you'll ,hurt him!" points of upright spikes. So intense said a voice that was music to my was the frost, the skin of my finger ears, and a woman's hand, whose tips stuck to ,the iron, and I drew my touch was healing,' began bathing my hand in, with the sting of a fresh blistered palms. burn. At once I knew where 1 was and It 'was unfortunate about those forgot pain. In few and confused bars. I ,could not possibly get past wards I tried to relate what had hap - them down to the ground without petted. making a ladder :from ,my 'great -coat. "The country's yours, Mr. Suther- I groped round the room' hoping that land," said I, too weals, thick -tongued some of the canvas in which we tied and deliriously happy 'for speech. the peltries, might. be lying about. "Much to be thankful ,for," was the There was nothing of the sort, or I Scotohman's •comment. "Seven Oaks missed it in the dark. Quickly tearing is avenged. It would ill 'a' 'become a my coat into strips, I knotted triple Sutherland to give his daughter's plies together and fastened bhe upper )hand to a conqueror, 'batt I would na' end to the cross -piece If the dower say I'•d refuse a wife to a man beaten window. Feet 'first, I poked myself as you were, Rufus Gillespie," and he out, caught the strands with 'both strode off to attend to outdoor work. hand's, and dike a. flash ;struck ,ground And what next took place, I refrain below with 'badly ,skinned +pal'ms. 'That from relating; for lovers eloquence is reminded me I' had left .my 'nits in The only elogcent to lovers. prison room. CHAPTER XXVII The storm had 'driven the soldiers Nature is not unlike a bank. When inside; I did not encounter a soul in drafts exceed deposits comes a pro- file courtyard, and had no 'difficulty test, and not infrequently, after the in letting myself out by the ,main protest, bankruptcy. From the buffalo gate. hunt to the recapture of Fort Doug - whistled for the 'dogs. They came las by the Hudson's Bay .soldiers. huddling from the ladders where Idrafts on that essential part of a hu - had left them, the sleigh still trailing man .being called stamina had been leever; 'y'r message' 'when--when"--- and he fiteshated' in a way suggestive .F e'taruity- "L'@1 ideleeve'r y'r mes- sage when I sce her." 'At that iI turned' my :face to the veil iu the 'bitterness of 'spirit which only the invalid, with all the strength of a ,maxi in this whims and,the weak- ness of an inlfatit in his body, ,)mows. I spent a 'feverish, restless ' aright, with the hard -faced - Scotchman 'watching from his armchair at my bedside, Once, •when I suddenly agak- erred from sleep, or delirium, This eyes were 'fastened ,on any face'with a gleam of ,grave''kmidliness. rMr.` Snibherladd,' (',cried, with alt the` impatience 'df a child, 'rypdeas'e tell pre, where're your daughter?"' "I sent her 'to a "neighbor, sin' ye came to y'r senses, lad," said he. "Ye hae kept her about ye .night and day sin' ye !gaeddaft, and losli, mon, ye hat )gabbled wild talk enough to turn the head •o' any lassie clean 'daft. An' ye clever sir' nonsense when ye're daft, what ,would ye say when ye''re 'sane? (bobs, mon, ye 'mann learn to 'hand y'r tongue—" "Mr. Sutherland, I (interrupted in a .great heat, quite 'forgetful of his hospitality, "I'm .sorry to be ,the means of •driving your daughter from her )homer I 'beg you ltd send ,ire hack to Fort Douglas—" "Hand •quiet," +he '.ordered wibh a wave ,Of his +hand. "An' wa'd ye have me expose ,bhe head of a •mitheriess bairn to a' the stack o' the aurid geese its the settlement? Temper y'r ardor wi' .discretion, lad! 'Tway but the day before yesterday she left and ,she was sair done wi' nursling you air' losing of sleep! Till ye're 'fair y'rsel' again and up, and she's weel an'd' rosy w;i' full sleep, bide paitientl" Thatspeech sent my face to 'the wall again; but this time not its anger. And that dogged 'fashion 'Mr. Suther- land had of taking his own way did me many a good 'turn. 'Olften . dtave I heard. those bragging ,captains of the Hudson's Bay • mercenaries swagger into the little cottage sitting -room, while I lay in !bed' on the other side of the thin 'board partition, and relate to Mr. Sutherland all the incidents of their day's •search 'for .me. "So many pounds sterling for bhe man who captures the rascal," de- clares D"Orsonnens, "Aye 'tis a ,goodly price for one poor rattle -pate," says :Mr. Suther- land. Whereupon, , D'Orsonnens s•w•eans the ,price is more than my poor etnp- ty head is worth, and 'proceeds to de- scribe nee in terms which Mr. Suther- land will only tolerate when . thund- ered from an orthodox pulpit. "I'd have ye understand, Sir," he would declare wibh great dignity, "I'll have no profanity ,under my roof. Forthwith, the would show D'Or- sonnens the door, lecturing the aston- ished soldier, "The ne'er-do-weel can hawk nae - thing frae me," said he when relating the incident. Once I heard a Fort Douglas man observe that, as bhe searoh had prov- ed futile, I must 'have fallen into one df the air -holes of the ice. 'tNae doot the headstrong young mon is gettin' what he ,deserves. I warrant she's warm in his present abode," answered Mr. Sutherland. On another ,occasion ,D'Ors.onnens asked who the man was that Mr. Sutherland's ,daughter had been nurs- ing all winter, "A pair body driven from Fort Douglas by those btoadbhirsty vill- ians," answered Mr. Sutherland, giv- ing his visitor a strong toddy; and he at once improved the occasion by taking down a volume and reading the 'French officer a series of selec- tions. After that D'.Orsonnens came no •more. 'I hope 1 did not tell Nor' -West secrets in a Hudson's Bay 'rouse when I was delirious, Mr. Sutherland," I remarked , The Scotohnnan had lugged me from ,bed in a, gentle, lumbering, well meant fashion, and I was sitting up for the first time. "Ye're -no the 0100 wi' a leak t' y'r mouth. I dinna say, though, ye're aye as discreet wi' the thoughts o' y'r head! 'Ye need ma fast y'r noodle wi' remorse about company secrets. T canna say ye'il no fret shoot some other things ye hae told: A' the win- ter lang, 'twas Frances and stars and speerits and 'bogies and statues and graven images—who' are fodbidden by the Holy Scriptures—till the lassie thought ye gane clean 'daftl 'Twas a ,bonnie e'e, like silver stars; or, a !bit blush, like the'prppin! or laughter, like links o' gold; and mair o' the like till the lassie came rinn'in' oot of y'r room, fair red wi' chalet Losh, mon, ye maun keep a still 'tongue in y'r head and not 'blab oat y'r'thau,ghts a' a wife till she believes na mon ,can hae peace Waist her. 1 wad .na .hae ye abate one. jot o' all ye think, 'for her price' is far above rubies; hut ,hae a care wi' y'r !grand talk.! After ye gang. to the' kirk, lad, na mon can keep that up," 'His warning I laughed to the, wind's, as youth the world aver has ever .laughed sage counsels of rohil.l- ing age, 11 1 can compare my recovery'icnly to the swift ;transition of: .seaaoas in l those..northern Illatitudes: Without' any lingering spring, the cold grayness 01 long, tense winter gives place to a radiant sunburst ,of warm, _yellow light. The `uplands .have long since' been 'blown )rare 'of anow by the' March winds,' and ibhnaugh the tangle Of. matted turf shoat myriad ,pur:plle cups of "the prairie" anemone, wh-ile the 'russet gr'ass takes On emerald' tints, One day the last 'blizzard May be sweeping 'a white trail of ;stormy majesty across the prairie; the next a fragrance o'3 flowers rises 'from the steamin+g.,eart'h atoll the snow -filled ra- vinies Siav'e•,lbeoomu miniature lakes .re- flecting the ,dazzle of. a sunny s'ky and, fleece ,clouds, - IMy convalescence Was similar to the •coming of summer. Without any weary ,fluetuation'front midi 'to 111, and ill oto well—which sickens the heart with a de'fermod shape—all my OW time strength came 'back with the glow of that year's 'J'une sun, "There's nae accountin' for some wilful' folk,. lad," was .Mr. Sutherland's mebnark, ante evening after I was able to leave ,my :room.• "Ye dune, risen frae y'r bed like the crocus •frae snaw,Ati' Frances were dhangin' aboot y'r pil- low, dad, Iim nae sure yd be up sae dapper and smart." 5I tbaught'nty nurse, was to return when I.•was able to be up,' I answer- ed, strolling to the 'cottage door. "'Come back frae the door, lad. Dnn- ma show y'rsel' tae the enemy. There be more cpeerin' 'for ye than hae 'love for y'r ;health. Have y'r wits eiboot ye! Dinna be frettin' ,west' for Frances! The lassies aye rip fast enow tae the mon wi' sense to .hold his ain!"• With that advice he 'motioned me to the only armchair in ,th'e room, and sitting down on the outer step to keep watch, began reading some theo- logical ,disputation aloud. "It's a ,pity you can't lay the theo- logical thunderers on the doorstep to drive stray De Meurons off. Then you could copse in -and take this chair yourself," I answered, sitting back where' iuo visitor could see me, But Mr. Sutherland did not hear. He was 'deep in polemics, rolling out stout threats, that used Scriptural texts as a cudgel, 'with a zeal that tes- tified enjoyment. "The wicked 'bend their bow," began the rasping voice; but when he cleared his throat, pre- paratory to the main argument, my thoughts went wandering far from the reader on the steps. As one whose dream is jarred by outward sound, I heard his tones ,quaver. "Aye, 'Frances, • 'tis. you," he said, and. away he went, pounding at the sophistries of some straw enemy. A shadow on the threshold, and be- fore I had recalled my listless fancy, in tripped Frances Sutherland, her- self, feigning not to see me. The gray eyes were veiled in the misty fashion of those fluffy things women wear, which let through all beauty, but bar out intrusion. I do not .mean she wore a veil: veils and frills were not seen among the colonists in those days. But the heavy las-hes hung low in the slumbrous, dreamy way that sees all and reveals ,nothing. Instinctively I started up, with wild thoughts throng- ing to my lips, At the same moment Mr. Sutherland did the most chival- rous thing •I have seen in homespun or :broadcloth, "Hoots- wi'y.,r ,giddly slaver," said he, before I had spoken a word; and walking off, he sat down at some dis- tance. Thereupon his ,daughter laughed merrily with a whole quiver of dang- erous archery about 'her tips. "That is the nearest to an untruth I have ever heard hint tell," she said, which mightily relieved my embar- rassment. "Why did the say that?" T asked, with my usual stupidity. "I em sure I cannot say," 'and look- ing straight at me, inc let go the ,bat'b- ed shaft, that lies hidden in fair eyes for unwary morta'l's. "Sit down," she commanded, sink- ing into the chair I had vacated. "Sit down, Rufus, please!" This with an after -shot of alarm from the heavy lashes; for if a woman's •eves may speak, so ,may a man's, and their language is sometimes bolder. "Thanks," and I sat down on the arm of that same chair. For once in my life I had sense to keep 'my tongue still; for, if I .ha'd spoken, I must have let bolt some im- petuous thing better left unsaid. "Rufus," she began, in the low. thrilling bones that -had •etrthratled me 'front the first, "do you know I was your sole nurse all the time you were delirious?" "No. wonder 1 was delirious! Dolt, that I was, to have 'been ,delirious)" thought I to ,myself; but I choked down the 'foolish rejoinder and 'en- deavored en- deavor•ed to look as wise as if my head had been 'ballasted with the weight of a patriarch's wisdom instead of ballooning about like- a kite run wild. •. . "I think I know all your secrets. "Oh!" A ratan ,usually has some se- crets he would rather not share; and PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical. SEAFORTH 'CLINIC Dr. E. A. McMaster, M.B.; Gradu- ate of 'University of Toronto. J. D. Colquhoun, M.D., C.M., 'Grad- uate of Dalhousie fljniversity, Halifax. The Clinic is fully • equipped w++ph complete and modern x ray and other Ms -to -date diaki'tostic and thercupfic equipment. ]5r. Margaret K. Campbell, M.D., L.A,B,P., Specialist in Diseases to Infants and Children, will he at -the Clinic last Thursday In every 'mogth from 31" to 6 p:m: ''Dr. F. J. R Forster, Specialist in :Diseases of 'the, Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat, will l e at the Clinic' the fleet Tuesday in °every month horn 4"Ito 6 p.m. r. 'F,ree welt -baby , clinic will he )held on 'the ' second' and` last Thursday/ fn every month front1 to t2,p.,m. ' W. C. STRO ', ;M.D., .F.A.C.S. Surgery Phone 90-W. (Office John St,, Seaforth DR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of London tHos- pitaA, London, England. Special 'at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and residence behind Dominion Bank. Office Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104. t' DR. F. J. R. FORSTIER—Eye Ear, Nose and Throat, 'Graduate'' in Medicine, University of Toronto 17. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and 'Golden Square thrdat ho pi- tals, London. At 'Commeroial ,Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 1.30 p.m. to''5 p.m. 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, AIH'R:ENS, Licensed Auction eer for Perth and Huron Counties, Sales Solicited. Terms on Application, Farm Stock, chattels and real estate Property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell. Phone 634 r 6 Apply at this office. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) STAIN ST., SEAFORTM, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in 'First -Class Companies. THE McKILLOP Mutual Firelasuraace CP HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS - President, .Thomas Moylan, Sea - forth; Vice President, William Knox, Londesboro; Secretary Treasurer, M A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. McKercher, R.R.ti, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R:R.1, Brucefield; E. R. G. Jarmouth, Brodhagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, ICincardine; Wm. Yeo, Holmesville. DIRECTORS Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth No, 3; James S'h•ol•dice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londesboro; George Leonhardt, Bornholm No. 1; Frank McGregor, Clinton No, 5; James Connolly, Gnd- erich; Alex 'MCEwing, Blyth No. 1; Themes Moylan, Seaforth No. 5; Wm. R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact .other business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their •respective post - offices. .though I had not swung the full teth- er of wild weft. ' freedom—thanks sole- ly to her, not to me—T brcmbd'ed at recollection of the .passes that come bo every man's 'life 'when he has been near enough the ,precipice to know the sensation of ,fsiltibg .without. going over, "You talked incessantly of Miriam and M'rs. Hantiltan and Father Hol- land." "Amid what ,did I say about Fran- ces?" "You said things about Frances that made 'her tremble."' "Tremble? 'Wh'at a 'brute, and you waiting on me ,day and—" (To be continued.) "The neighbors ,tell me that you have a model husband, Mrs. Hicks." "Yue, sir; •Iblmt 'e ain't a workin' model:'• •