Show e BLACK r t f FEATHER FEATHERBy 1 By HAROLD O 0 O O 0 v Harold ao Service Titus e Q g tI CHAPTER X Continued X-Continued 14 14 Almost daily canoes linked the trading rading post with the camp where Rodney oney Shaw recuperated He had hadeen hadeen been een sitting up came the word he hend had nd stood on his feet later He Head Head had ad walked a n few steps He was Seating sating as a man should eat Basile asile came an uneasy light in his eyes byes yes I The liThe trader may return any day le said watching her face What delays him Basile she risked asked ked pointedly My liMy firmness I plead and argue I invent delays For a week he heas fras tas as been going about from lodge to lodge odge gaining strength rapidly but las has as well gaining impatience to re- re turn urn here I must prevent that return return re reo re- re turn until until the place is isas iss jas as s he left it it But quickly ellel quickly when she swayed t as from a blow He uHe has forbidden forbid forbid- den en mention of you your youl Such a man jOne ne does not know One knows knowse InC jhc e is in your debt One feels be e should not think such thoughts 1 j. j But what does one do Yes what did one do Too long in inthe inthe the forest this Basile to determine the strategy which would have haveL L brought rought him and these others peace He was in distress He knew the hotness of young blood should not frustrate frustrate the longings of young hearts But how to arrange such smatters matters matters how to temper prejudice jand and arrange better understandings he did not know A word to her would have suf- suf ced the repetition of Shaws Shaw's declaration declaration dec dec- I oration that he had seen her cloak in Burke Rickman's quarters and Iway way to the goal would have been achieved But he had not the fineness fine fine- ness of perception the insight into the complexities of youth to realize that He was accustomed to obey Shaws Shaw's orders Shaw had banned talk of the girl He could not reason reason reason rea rea- son behind that command On such disabilities at times do destinies hinge binge Slowly as one in physical pain Annette iAnnette nette made her final preparations for departure She prolonged d e each ch small operation as one will when loath to leave a place behind and it was near dusk when she finished finished finished fin fin- and closed the small chest chestand land end with a deep sigh tossed her tread head She turned then to Rodney's table table ta- ta ble fole and taking ink and quill and paper sat for long writing slowly painstakingly weighing each word she inscribed Finished she folded the paper and left it there and dusk having fallen she told her boatmen to be ready an hour before before before be be- fore dawn and until the appointed time Mime she lay staring at the glowing logs in the fireplace numb and resigned resigned re- re signed During her weeks at Fort Shaw she ehe had thought now and again of Rickman's Hickmans menace She was not particularly concerned not afraid Still she had chosen such an hour for departure because none would know and she could be well on her herway herway herway way way before the news had even a slight plight chance of spreading up and down the lake I Still as they breasted the point where where Rickman sulked she felt a creep through her body and when they were beyond a sense of f relief made itself known 1 J They stopped but shortly for food after tafter daylight and then kept on going go- go ling jing down the slow flowing tributary Ito to the great Mississippi Later they met met a canoe paddled by two women who had been gathering rice They were not Pillagers not people of at Shaws Shaw's domain though living and hunting on its edge 1 Around the bend the woman in inthe inthe inthe the stern said That was the white medicine woman It was she who cured the little trader of his sickness She uShe is the one the woman who married a company runner says that Flaming Hair boasts t tc he hf hp will win t take k when h hh h he h has had had rum It is said that both Flaming Hair and the little trader want her herfor herfor herfor for a wife She has the sign of running away She has that signs The woman in the stern chewed tobacco rapidly Flaming Hair would welcome word of her It HIt is so And with only two skins of or rice to trade he may open his hands wider if we v give him that word You are swift of thought Wabe- Wabe gum Let us go o faster I Yes it will be good My thoughts Tire are re like spring water CHAPTER XI R So Rodney Shaw came home to his fort gaunt and still a bit pale but erect in his canoe The wind blew chill that day but buthe buthe buthe he had hod refused the capote which his men urged him to wear He was not cold he declared the new life in his veins had plenty of warmth This was true His splendid vitality vitality vitality vital vital- ity had rebo rebounded amazingly from the depths to which bullet bullet bullet bul bul- let had reduced it and his body felt no discomfort from the autumnal autumnal autumnal autum autum- nal wind A chill however lay upon his heart and in his eyes as they stared across the water to his establishment establishment establish establish- ment was a bleakness He felt as ashe ashe ashe he had felt Celt for days as if the sun I c w re ure re permanently gone In the beginning beginning beginning be be- ginning he had attributed the sensation sensation sensation sensa sensa- tion to physical weakness but realized realized realized real real- that this was an error Toughened Toughened Toughened Tough Tough- ened to hardship with the splendid foundation of vigor on which to rebuild rebuild rebuild re re- re- re build strength his body had hod regained regained regained re re- re- re gained much of what had been lost Not all of course but much He could walk and paddle his heart no longer pounded his ribs at slight exertion exertion exertion ex ex- ex- ex his voice had recaptured its vibrant timbre Still he felt ld co un He stepped ashore now without the feeling of achievement which he hc had anticipated Men left tasks and ran to greet him shouting and laughing g. g A half 9 w r L t Vr lrI t r rl e l You Are Swift of Thought dozen Indians loitering about the place stared One of the engages had taken a native wife sand and nd Rodney stopped to speak to the girl and bid her welcome and try to make a joke about her husband He stood a moment before his quarters looking about A great flock of red winged blackbirds ready for their annual leave taking rose and dipped and whirled above the fort like soot flakes tossing on a gale He was back safe alive treading the ground of his stronghold and it was good Good to be there A tingling stab ran his breast as he told himself it was good to be back within that stockade He had ached and hungered hungered hungered hun hun- to be back thinking return would bring relief from the pall which hung above him He would have been back days before had hadnot hadnot hadnot not Basile persisted in his argument argument argument ment that the trade after all that had happened demanded that Rodney Rodney Rodney Rod Rod- ney be seen among the scattered hunters This was reasonable and Shaw had yielded to the old mans man's nagging restless though he had be be- come That feeling of being under a cloud had increased with the days He knew its beginnings the time and the reason but he would not let himself dwell on those He knew it dated from the moment moment he had sent Annette Leclere away He had sent her away in bitterness bitterness bitterness bitter bitter- ness but he had not wanted her to leave His heart had wanted her herto herto herto to remain close to him to comfort him to hear the questions he ached to ask But his mind would not permit that heart to have its L way She ane ne had been Deen in Rickman lUCKman's s quarters here after pleading in the streets of Mackinac with Rickman not to leave her Surely then she had come to Rickman She had served him Shaw but only as any ony woman would serve an any man wounded and andin andin andin in need A gnawing wonder harried him Had she not once or twice or thrice I actually felt the things her looks and andI I touches told him she felt back there thereat at Mackinac Was there not not after all that had happened a chance that her blood might call to his as his once had to hers Hed He'd wanted to ask her those thin things s. s His heart had But his hi's mind filled with animosity animosity animosity ani ani- and doubt would not let his heart have its way would run no risk of letting that heart demand its way So he had banished her and the pall had settled Fish were smoking on racks of withes over a fire A hunter was just then unloading the carcasses of I two deer from his canoe Rice was I heaped y yon yonder o n d e r on an oilcloth Against the wall were newly delivered delivered I ered packs of fur from some native who was already d discharging his debt A well-stocked well profitable establishment establishment establishment es es- this the sort of domain domain domain do do- main free men dreamed of building in the wilderness It was his de de- de- de spite opposition It was his to hold easily now I And yet despite all this it was i not good to be here The place was i filled and yet it was empty the fort had permanence and instability together he had a feeling of homecoming homecoming homecoming home home- coming and departure much lay ahead but behind ably behind He walked into his quarters where Jacques was making a fire and again that feeling which had swept and rocked him at Mackinac reasserted reasserted reasserted re re- re- re asserted itself Again he thought what it would be for a trader coming coming coming com com- ing home to lips and arms and eyes like hers Again he saw loneliness and hardship without mellowing tenderness stretching before him 1 u down aown the me lne years uv Voila oila muttered Jacques rising rising rising ris ris- ris- ris ing from the hearth as flames crackled Jacques went out closing closing closing clos clos- ing the door Rodney moved slowly about He stopped beside the table table ta ta- ta- ta ble staring down at the paper folded folded folded fold fold- ed there His name was inscribed on it in a fine and delicate script Trembling he snatched up the paper opened its folds sank to the bench and began to read My Dear Rodney When this comes to your attention your wish that I be gone will be wholly granted I have spent days here unknown unknown un un- un known to you and I pray you ou will not be harsh with Basile when you become aware of it One of the objects of my coming here was to say to you that nothing you can canever canever canever ever think of me for the mischief I did will be undeserved I a attempted to say this at your bedside but you would not hear me out I 1 bear you no resentment resent ment for that dismissal I beg of you to consider this When 1 betrayed your plan to Burke Rickman I Iwas Iwas Iwas was a girl piqued and hurt I have matured I believe In the months that have passed and this maturity has only Increased my perception of the enormity of my misdeed I shall carry my regrets regrets re reo grets throughout life This Is all I have to say dear Rodney It would have been a privilege to say it rather than write it But being the transgressor I can ask no favor I wish you only health and happiness and good fortune Annette Leclere He looked slowly up from the paper paper pa pa- per his mind completely in a swirl She here She preparing for return Return where With whom His h heart nHo e a t hi hi s rI b h s an d hi hg p t u a. a i throat swelled A letter such as that sweet gentle humble But Buther Buther Buther her cloak had been in Rickman's quarters I She had come to him from the company fort II Jacques he called lunging for forthe forthe forthe the door Jacques Jacques was there Not in answer answer answer an an- to his call But there eyes large and excited and strained words on his lips The liThe clerk Rich from the company company company com com- pany awaits at the gate he blurt blurt- ed Clerk Rich Company Devil take him Jacques what of the Was she here When did she leave What was A rising clamor of voices and pound of feet broke his question down He moved slightly to look past Jacques and saw Conrad Rich racing toward him Forgive this Shaw Rich panted panted panted pant pant- ed coming to a halt They wouldn't let me in But its it's moren life and death that fetches me here herc Rodney was struck by the genuineness genuineness genuineness of the mans man's emotion U Annette Annette An Annette An- An nette he finally got the word out explosively on on the way out and Rickman hes he's hard after her Cold within Rodney turned to warmth to heat to a fire Is uIs this another wild scheme he snarled Is this another attempt attempt attempt at at- tempt by you company hirelings to suck a man into a trap where he heI he- he I Shaw uShaw leave off Its It's no time for I talk such as that think Id I'd be here if jf that was so think Id I'd risk my skin com comin in here for trade Its It's a woman this time Im I'm to say and theres there's none at our establishment to stand by her Listen Listen Listen Lis Lis- ten he sa said id as Rodney's hold re re- re- re Its lilts all hes he's planned on for days Its It's all hes he's lived for this chance at her It drove him wild when she come callin the military back Nd he schemed to kill you sos so's he could have not only the trade but her Military She called them back U Fore God Shaw didn't you know But how could you No you couldn't Listen Rickman sent back for the military to come nd drag you out of here to stand trial They come Capes But Annette Annette Annette An An- nette it Shed She'd worked for you back yonder Shed She'd got Leslie's Leslie's Leslie's Les Les- lies lie's Giles to take your part sos so's they'd kill the warrant But Capes was on th way and there was nood nobody nobody no no- body od else to send to call call him back So she come th night we urea tired your place here That's what touched Rickman off I tell you man It drove him wild She stand- stand in tellin him as how she was when she begged him to stay at Mackinac as how she only done it to give you a chance to get free and here ahead of us He went mad I Itell Itell Itell tell you man mon nd ripped her cloak off oft and she had to run for it He paused again panting and Rodney stood before him jaw loose She didn't come to to him he asked in a whisper Eh Him You didn't know She didn't tell When she was you she didn't give it away Him you she come for Shaw its it's you she loves And she's goin back and hes he's after her and it'll be belike belike belike like devils from hell at her tender flesh if he ever gets gets gets- Shaw was past him then spinning him to one side with an arm thrust jerking open the door crying Jacques Jacques Two men and a light canoe Now Jacques now I IAn An hours hour's start miles of advantage advantage advantage tage had Burke Rickman As Rodney set his course to the southward to have the strategic shelter of the chain of islands he made the other out far far off An hour passed and two with with- H. H 1 n 1 mL out out further lunner sight signi 01 of Rickman rucKman The Thelast me last island of the chain was a full league in length and beyond lay much open water When they breasted this final shelter he cursed his boatmen and the canoe quivered as they drove blades deeper Jacques in the bow spoke guardedly guardedly guardedly guard guard- edly They have not passed beyond Out there was steel-blue steel water sullen under clouds the hue of new iron Upon it as far as they could see floated no other craft Turn so Rodney extended extended extended ex ex- ex- ex tended his left hand the bow swung toward the reed bed at the foot of the island He picked up a rifle and examined the priming critically Reeds hissed against the birch bark barkas as they slipped into their cover making on toward the |