Show BLACK FEATHER by harold titus Q harold service titus I 1 SYNOPSIS rodney shaw independent trader arrives in Michili mackinac tn in 1818 determined ter mined to fight the trade monopoly established by the john jacob astor company in the northwest territory he Is met by conrad rich an elderly clerk ramsay crooks actors dominant figure and annette leclerc local beauty and inspiration to all the traders especially to burke rickman a ruthless trader who is the instrument of destruction to traders refusing to amalgamate with the astor company roussel rousse the town bully wearing the black leather feather symbol of invincibility knocks down shaws head oarsman basile and shaw in return throws roussel into the water ramsay crooks presents the symbolic black feather to shaw later at a conference shaw scorns actors proposal virtually to surrender his independence CHAPTER I 1 continued 2 because of this thing amalgamation because of what youre doing to the trade I 1 speak so because you draw independent traders into your net and shake from them not only their just profits but their freedom to come and go as they choose because when a trader puts a higher price on liberty than you can understand mr astor you resort to any means to deny to him the rights a man expects ot of this america 1 I was in this northwest before you began your damned amalgamation my partner and I 1 were here my partner belleau we asked for nothing except what we could take with our wits and our backs we had no quarrel with richer traders so long as they met us tace face to face so long as it was their personal power and not their money power that we competed with we did not fancy your swelling enterprise so we refused to trade with your hirelings and then what happened this you crushed us as betwixt millstones his voice dripped dropped to a whisper and he paused a dramatic moment your orders perhaps not your intent yes your intent to crush opposition by any means at hand first by raising prices to the hunters but that had little effect we could work for no profit next by threatening us and spreading lies among the indians but we grew tat fat on such and then finally it was your rickman who came to ravish and destroy this man the hunters call flaming hair this man whose hired task is to hound independents when all others have failed he laughed shortly and bitterly A successful vassal this rickman I 1 was far up the kalamazoo trading with scattered hunters belleau was at our fort on the st joseph rickman had goods and rum in plenty and he knew kelleaus Belle aus weakness which is like an indians for spirits he plied belleau with rum until he was a madman what else he did I 1 do not know but I 1 do know that I 1 found our storehouse empty belleau had fled in shame your rickman had our take and was on an his way here leaving me to survey the ruin of our hopes word was left mr astor for me to attend your representatives here at Michili mackinac you crooks I 1 suppose thought id come gladly after that blow that id crawl licking your feet for opportunity to trade the miserably few packs I 1 saved and whining for the sanctuary of your employ well I 1 did trade with you today I 1 traded one pack for food and rum my men have a right to that but with daylight I 1 leave I 1 go on where I 1 do not know but it will still be in this northwest sirl sir it will be to start again with these my empty hands and struggle lor for the thing a man in this america has learned to want opportunity to come and go as he wills to expect rewards only from the strength of his heart and his bis back he lifted both hands quickly to indicate the futility of amplification his gaze fast on actors face 1 I hold you see to the rights my father bled for a fair duel equal tooting footing identical weapons the right to take what I 1 can and hold it against other individuals and john jacob astor eyes blazing lips loose sat back in his chair wordless as crooks rose do you think shaw the company will accept defiance tranquilly hoi hof I 1 dont dream I 1 know your appetite but in this mr astor and I 1 are alike we take what we can we hold what we can in this we differ for him the object Is only pr profit tor for me it is the breath of life itself the breath of life itself sirl sir he bowed rather elaborately and into the eyes of ramsay crooks swept something like admiration he glanced at astor who gaze directed at the fire breathed quickly and shallowly through parted lips and the ghost of a smile not wholly sardonic twitched his bis face mr astor and I 1 sall sail tonight tor for lake erie he said the only thing that remains then is to bid you farewell their hands bands met in a perfunctory clasp the salute of admitted adversaries and as both faced astor and he did not remove his glance from the blazing logs crooks swept open the door A great wave of sound engulfed them the whine of fiddles the scrape and shuffle of feet the rollicking rumble of voices CHAPTER 11 II out there in the candle lighted thronged thron ged room was revelry the abandoned play of winterers winter ers in summer on a table against a long white wall fiddlers fidd lers scraped and swayed elbow to elbow and hip to hip a hundred couples figured the dance to the rhythm of the melody at the far end punch was poured voices I 1 were already loud and shrill rodney kodney shaws eyes still glowed with that spirit of conflict old basils basile made his way along the wall as the dance ended intent on his trader the men he said cannot be held much longer unless we put out for bois blanc at once they will be drunk beyond hope shaw said frowning yes we must be gone therell be no quarter now still he did not move the crowd out there had given way fallen back and clamor dwindled to a humming hush his eyes were on a figure now courts eying to ramsay crooks elaborate bow she went low to the floor slowly gracefully like a flower stalk drooping over crumpled petals crooks advancing toward her rosette of ribbons upheld speaking rodney moved down a step to see better strained forward to hear the girls lips were parted eyes smiling but as shaw moved her gaze caught by his stir swung to him and her mouth closed her chin came up as it had there on the beach words naming her queen of the night f for or each night of revelry heri here must by custom have its queen were spoken by crooks he bowed again and the girl with the rosette pinned to her bosom curtsied once more crooks backed away bowing repeatedly peat edly the fiddles were scraping the crowd closing in and a young lieutenant from the fort shouldering through the press offered his arm to the girl and swept her away shaw had a queer feeling of being alone in the crowd of being hungry there he stirred himself not thinking following impulse rather than reason and left the last step he even shook off babiles Ba siles hand but the hand came again gripping tightly but now master in an hour the men will be like dead shaw sighed and jerked at the long lapels of his coat ay ill go we must go i no wait he took babiles Ba siles wrist as his eyes followed that al luring figure on the dance floor wait basile give them this night the men I 1 mean beani avoiding the concerned eyes ol of his retainer let them have this night and at dawn we but bilt here have you not defied this company 1 1 I I nave have but 11 a hand clapping reassuringly the old one he held but theres no danger tor for the night danger but not here basile nor now not here and now under the eyes of the fort and the agency you sleep in my tent basile by the packs and at dawn he shoved the man away gently and set out across the floor walking slowly deliberately as a hunter might walk stalking punch and music and laughter mingled in his head and desire swelled his heart she had eluded him after that first dance and again after the next it was the lieutenant capes talking rapidly in his is ear now annette leclere he said he 4 6 14 I 1 5 41 1 I no longer ask lie he cried overtaking them said much more much more he poured out information in response to shaws request for the girls name she danced yonder with tall broad red haired burke rickman rodney had seen the man on his arrival and the description checked with that given him by his engages as the one who for astor had looted him of his all including a partner As I 1 was saying and perhaps the officer went on with what he had been saying for all shaw knew he was crossing the room grimly following rickman and annette leclere he jostled a lad collided with a matron he reached them confronted the girl 1 I ask you he began and before he could say more she had turned away drawing her escort into the throng mocking him with her laugh he pushed through now determined flushed with pique 1 I no longer ask he cried overtaking them commanding her attention by his vehemence 1 I observe that one does not ask the favor of a queen to have such one takes we dance his hand was on her arm rickman pressed closer to the girl possessively ses and now a glint of something more frigid than coolness was in his e yes eyes he spoke the dances shaw are all to be mine annette looked up at him she smiled at rickman tantalizingly as she had smiled at shaw I 1 oh sire I 1 had not been informed i Rick mans face twitched and he moved closer but annette curtsied to shaw and lifted a hand to his arm and he bore her away knowing that she had turned to him only to dismay another but not caring taking her on any terms gladly fragrance of her body assailed him touch of her shoulder set him lie he looked down at her and beheld the fairest woman beneath the stars I 1 the dance ended and he whirled her to an open doorway black with night outside under a balsam tree the moon flecks fell on her white face and shoulders annette leclere he said tremulously he had her close against him and her head jerking first this way then that eluded his avid lips her palms hard against his breast fought his arms under heaven I 1 will I 1 will t but she broke away she was adroit at eluding embraces she flit ted into the doorway as the fiddles started again the night was a swirl for shaw annette beside him annette gone annette with another while he chafed chafee and paced in jealousy a strange emotion queen of the dance she must distribute her favors impartially so she said close in shaws ear the fiddles were finally stopped fo tor r the nights crowning interval the dancers backed against the walls the queen alone out there was to select her king and by the doing encumber him with the obligation of entertaining on the next night of paying the fiddlers fidd lers of buying the wine she floated slowly down the room a shred of ribbon snipped from the rosette she wore in her small fingers she assumed deep deliberation impersonal weighing of this one or that frowning a bit as she paused first before this frontier gallant then another then she was before shaw the bit of ribbon was pinned to his lapel and with both hands she was pulling his face down standing or oc tiptoe her lips burned his cheek and he gasped grappling for her choking that hed make the formality actual before dawn ill kiss you he s wore swore holding one of her hands imprisoned he wrenched at the hand and she winced honestly and shocked at his own ruthlessness he let her go she laughed then and swung into rick mans arm and off into the new dance he searched for her in the crowd when the fiddles stopped again and out into dark hallways he stood in the front doorway and called again and out of the black s silence heard the barest echo of a teasing laugh and light words not before this dawn sire then the flick flick of small heels racing over gravel and though rodney pursued she eluded him in the strange darkness he turned back peculiarly stimulated chuckling at annettee Ann ettes adroitness burke rickman was waiting in the doorway feet spread fists clenched truculently there are worse things for a man than losing his trade shaw he said darkly rodney laughed a confident and casual and disarming sound ay far worse he agreed and pushed past basile came along the hallway intentness in his posture basterl Ma sterl he said in an excited whisper word of what you said to astor runs the place like fire and one awaits at your tent he asks that you attend him without delay he gives no name he is old and a man of the forest he is one guesses a friend in a nest of enemies come rodney had pitched his tent at some little distance from any other embers glowed before I 1 it t and with wit t the flap a maw man was wag s seated a ajl i drawn about his gam gaunt shoulder dei he was old how shaw he said in a voice which had small vigor and raised his right hand palm outward a gesture of friendly intent set he rasped in a whisper rodney seated himself no wind for words the visitor explained and indeed this was evident dentford for even the utterance of those few syllables had set him panting names leslie he said once I 1 independent trader actors slave I 1 now he tried to continue but only strangled and fought tor for breath somewhat eased he be raised his hands and began to talk in the graceful logical sign language now and then he dropped in a ww mostly however he made mAs his history just with move movements those gnarled but articulate hands of late years he had traded largely with the Me nominees and had retained his independence well enough until the monopoly which astor set spreading across the northwest wiped out his identity old man he be panted too old to fight I 1 traded here at own account and risk bout reached end of trail took likin to you when seen you arrive I 1 I 1 felt like pardner to you when heerd what rickman I 1 d done when heerd beerd what you 1 told astor I 1 waugh he said with sudden strength and fervor and then sank back to one elbow exhausted rodney started to speak but leslie held up a hand I 1 your plan he whispered what you aim to do plan ive no plan bitterly im a pauper I 1 enough fur to make a start at assembling trade goods once my men are provided for but somewhere some place in this northwest there must be a man back another to stand alone leslie shoved himself e erect r e e t waugh it was little more than a brave gasp mans talk spoke like tree free man brothers y you ou nd ind me Bro brothers therse shaw I 1 lesliea Le th party youre lookin tor for listen he rasped 1 I brought in good take I 1 got trade goods plenty I 1 got in mind th richest bradin ground left I 1 go got ev b ery thin but wind nd ind legs le gs ever er hear of th villagers pillagers Pil lagers IV TO BE CONTINUED |