Show UNDER vu r N Z v A v t k FROZEN F n vre ra u STARS TA S CHAPTER I 1 I 1 smoke old chum theres something adrift out there to the south fars pricked the massive black and white husky raised slant eyes to the speaker jim stuart watched a distant object which regularly disappeared to lift again on the white crest of the running seas acts like a filled canoe smoke im going to get the glasses crossing the clearing where the grass grew thickly among tile the s stumps to tile the group of whitewashed white washed log buildings of the little fur post he entered the trad ehouse looks like a capsized canoe out there omar stuart said to the broad backed figure seated cross legged on the floor shaping with a drawknife a slab of birch into a paddle the halfbreed half breed lifted a swart square face seamed with lines his mouth widening to a grin as he said wal wat you do dis cano come from nor wes companes com panee beet ees good ving eh youre too bitter omar said the factor of sunset house we cant let men drown before our eyes even it if they are from Le Blonds 11 stuart took his service binoculars from the case and joined the dog who waited for him at the door crossing the clearing to the shore he focused the glasses on the wind barrien lake As he found tho the drifting 1 object he sought his lips moved in a muttered man blan hanging to that boat I 1 how long ca can he last jim started on a run for the trade aliouse ouse come on emarl theres some one with that filled canoe come on I 1 well take the peterboro peter boro I 1 the lined face oi of the halfbreed half breed stiffened stuff ened in a black frown wo we fill too out dere I 1 tough job put de cano into dat wind I 1 stuart laughed ns as lie he started for the shore followed reluctantly by his man the best can ceman I 1 ever saw afraid of that water he taunted you li ou sure hate that le allond outfit I 1 but well show this fellow some padd paddling lingl out into the welter of wind driven sens went the plunging canoe for a mile the dogged churn swish churn swish of maple blades fought the fury of the southwester on they went for a space then swung toward the submerged boat the canoes were within short rifle shot of each other when jim saw the dark head beside the submerged craft move as it to signal the approaching boat iles hea all right I 1 panted stuart hell hang bang out A boy boyll I 1 italis awash the filled canoe bore d down 0 wn on the no laboring peter boi boio 0 o As the rescuing boat worked closer a huge camber mounded over the craft burying burning the dark daik lead head beside it jim dug desperately with I 1 ills Is paddle fearful of what the lifting boat would mould reveal nut but as the canoe rose he saw the head still there with tho thi arms circling a th thwart wart good boyl muttered the bowman closer crept the file peterboro peter boro again the boat was drowned in a ridge of blackwater black water topped with foam then as the lark dark head appeared appealed the eyes aea of the tolling toiling bowman widened in amazement A girl I 1 ills paddle tore toie at the water over ills his shoulder lie he shouted its a girl I 1 it was dangerous work edging the peterboro peter boro alon alongside alde a filled boat yaw i awing in that sea but omar boisvert Bols vert was a magician with a paddle and did not hesitate liesl tate As they reached the canoe the half drowned girl turned a face gray from exhaustion and the tha drenching of the sens sells and her blue lips moved moed while omar blought to hold his bow into the wind whid against the drag of the yawing rafting canoe stuart worked desperately to get the limp body of 0 the girl into the boat without rolling them under a lifting sea at last she was in the peterboro peter boro and as a ridge of water broke at the bow they cleared the boat and headed for sunset house A white girl from LeBlond Le Blonds sl short hair whipcord knickers who can she be wondered jim as ills stilt stiff arms drove its his paddle ile he glanced over his shoulder at the huddled figure of ills his drenched pa passenger covered by ills his coat cold he shouted to the shivering girl get down out of the wind I 1 she nodded with a gallant attempt at a smile as he be encouraged only a few minutes now I 1 but two miles of running white horses separated the canoe yawing in the following sen from the post and the kneeling had his work cut out at length leaping into the shoal water stuart eased the boat in to tile the beach at the post then lifted the girl blue with cold from the boat can you ou walk lie he asked conscious of the thickness of her drenched crow black hair take my arm tha girls stiff legs numb from exposure to water and wind moved uncertainly with a shrug slie site raised black eyes to the man who supported her wondering it if lie he dared pick her up and run to the warm kitchen of omars cabin 1 I mako make you ion much trouble phe she replied through chattering teeth you take me out of that wet lake now you must dry me at the door of her cabin the amazed marthe Mart lie wife of omar met them with wide and disapproving eyes jim stuart with a short haired girl wearing a mans coat a mans mana trousers a by GEORGE MARSH copyright by penn pub co service mans high laced boots I 1 A costume for women unknown in wat wat you do beem she feebly gasped overwhelmed with embarrassment ashes been in the lake marthe marine explained stuart she upset and drifted across from Le Blonds needs hot soup and a fire quick t ill rustle dry clothes for you miss miss 11 with a hash of white teeth the girt girl laughed oh you guess lin im aurore leblonde leblond LeBl I 1 jim S stuart was startled the blood showed in ills his tanned checks as he replied no I 1 know then he said marthe marine will take care of you miss bliss leblond Lc Blond let get those wet clothes off and dry out my cook will have some ome supper for you shortly Le Blonda Blonds daughter nt at sunset housel impossible to get her back across that lake until the wind pledl what a situation I 1 what would leblond his bis rival and enemy do hed saved the life of Le Blonds girl it was a huge joke on the free trader now what would he do As the girl followed the ojibwa woman into the log house she turned in the doorway and called to stuart monsieur moLd MOL leur oh very many thanks for saving me from a watery gravel with a laugh site she disappeared well omar ashes surely a cool one I 1 half frozen in those clammy clothes she stops to make fun of our breaking his paddle tore at the water over his hie shoulder he ha shouted its lt I 1 a garil our backs to roach reach lier her before she let go that canoe gratitude eli eh and nerve ali ah bahl grunted the halfbreed half breed louis leblon lie ees ces lak ink dat ile he don care for nobidee no bodee how you get her home get her back agal against list this wind shell have to stay till it drops with a grunt omar stopped in his tracks his face black with disapproval you know wat dat mean 1 I know hell make a fuss no doubt but theres no help hell for it she can sleep in my quarters with old sarah ill 1111 stay with you we breena her back to leblon een do da morn an we have you don know dat fetter feller no I 1 dont suppose I 1 do omar hut but I 1 know that hes putting us out of business and that will mean all our work here la Is lost no ko I 1 dont know leblond but liell hell know me before I 1 quit 1 the r squat quat sarah the scotch ojibwa who presided ded over jim stuarts kitchen was in a ferment averment of irritation as she bustled about her stove she had seen the canoe land and watched stuart followed by omar lead what she imagined a half drowned boy to the cabin then to her astonishment and wrath stuart had appeared to announce that this girl in mens clothes this shameless daughter of his rival across the lie lake was to be fed with her ire fire well started and the kettles on the outraged sarah had lost no time in shuffling over to the rear entrance of omars cabin for a whispered council of war with the equally indignant marthe marine yes it was true what sarah had seen short hair ind and mens bree breeches chest no ojibwa woman would bring shame to her sex by shearing her hair and as for the the breeches marthes rolling eyes and hunched shoulders eloquently portrayed her thoughts thought 3 but then some white women are mad I 1 with much wagging of dark braided heads the women parted jim stuarts knock at the door of omars cabin brought the reply corning coming I 1 shortly the door opened and tin daughter of the alie man who was rapidly driving him out of the fur trade at ojibwa for the lake of the sand beaches stood in dry woolen blouse caught at the neck by a scarf of crimson silk and whip cords on her aged feet a pair of the begrudging marthes Mar basins youre warm again no chilli chill he asked poignantly aware of the picture she made in the frame of the door yes my heroic rescuer she began archly and now monsieur Sour face that im warm and dry again and look less like a drowned fish do you not like me better the fluttering of her black hair ir the wind the allure of her thick lashed eyes the clean lines of her build held the appraising sweep of stuarts gaze as she posed han hands da on hips free of all self consciousness watch lne him in frank amusement no miss leblond 11 he replied in mock gravity va ty 1 I think I 1 prefer you on dr raw as a drowned ed fish you were t then he more respectful to your heroic rescuer 11 but my hair was plastered with water and my eyes red I 1 1 she objected vehemently see it now how bow tr it waves when its dry I 1 yes res its very nicel he replied aghast at her amazing candor as he be walked beside her toward his quarters so this was the new girl the younger generation I 1 lie ile had not been outside down to the he railroad and civilization since his discharge from the army on ills his return fr from om france but in the stray papers and magazines which had reached him in the hinterlands of Ki wedin lie he had read of the manners and dress of the younger generation the frankness of this specimen however was startling lie said now you told me how you happened to paddle that canoe out from your shore past the abo lee ot of tho the islands you sou see what it a ris risk you i toast oh ob I 1 was tired of listening to that fool paul paradas ls she explained and it rough inside the islands but outside before I 1 knew it the wind caught me and I 1 turn back you know the rest you had a close shave miss bliss leblond blond lie said qui quietly city wondering at her seeming lack of gratitude for the battle tw two 0 m men e had bat made with wind ll 11 and sea for h her e life she turned impulsively placing a hand band on his arm as her face sobered you dont have to tell me that she said and the raillery left her brilliant eyes 1 I died out there today I 1 knew I 1 last liang hang on much longer then I 1 saw you coming I 1 lie ile looked suspiciously at her dark face was she acting but the straight gaze which met his betokened sincerity 1 I thought you know he be said lamely know she cried almost savagely you think rde me a tool fool then swiftly her mood changed ali ah I 1 will now make amends to my heroic deliverer from the raging waters of mita Mit awang agama ts Is that right the lake of tile the sand beaches I 1 she laughed sir you have rescued a waterlogged water logged maid from the she will never neer forget your bravery or your surprise at her whip cords I 1 she thanks you with all the heart she has left lef t I 1 aurore leblond bowed grotesquely until her hair touched the long grass of the clearing ile he watched her in silence with a quizzical smile puzzled wondering half charmed partly repelled lets leta see what sarah has got tor for us he suggested im hungry arent you starved 1 sho she wont poison me will she marthes eyes snapped oro when she ehe saw me in these the girl lifted a shapely leg and curled her toes la in the smoke tanned moccasin far too generous in size for her foot you did startle them in those be laughed you rather startled me I 1 been in winnipeg since tho t h 0 war you poor danl man I 1 no ive lived in winnipeg and prefer this hello smoke 1 bursting from the spruce at the edge of the clearing where lie he had been hunting bunting rabbits smoke loped up to the man and girl what a handsome bogl she cried why hes much larger than any of fathers I 1 where did you get him hes a hudsons Hud sons straits said jim proudly iles hes a raving beauty tho the derling darling I 1 will he be let me touch him most moat 0 of f fathers wont smoke this Is a friend of mine s said ald jim shake hands with herl her with a red grin which bared his hl formidable tusks the raised a hairy paw which the girl took smoke she said with a laugh as ai the dogs slant eyes watched his masters face youre not polite you dont look at the lady when you shake hands like his master hes embarrassed by beautiful lales bailes said jim as they left the dog and entered the house home Is that why you prefer this life to W winnipeg because of your shyness of the ladles but be lonely when this beautiful lady goes she chal ledged here indeed was no false modesty what makes you think so he teased oh ob every one Is dut but youre hardly polite how nice and comfortable you are herel here I 1 she went on her eyes moving from the chairs built of spruce and birch in the round the caribou and bearskin bear skin rugs to walls walla bare except for moose horn gun rack melt and two shelves of books lie ile reddened under his tan youre laughing at my humble quarters not much like your fathers place are they ignoring his remark she faced him with why do you men hate each other cant you trade with the indians without fighting stuart laughed at her frankness we exactly got to fighting yet but I 1 admit hes making it pretty rough for me they sat down at the table and the square built sarah appeared her copper skin red from cooking a large pink bow bobbing bravely from her dusky braids with W a withering look at jims guest from her small eyes she deposited a dish of steam lne carl bou stew to be followed by broiled whitefish hot biscuit tea and wild strawberries enles dear me but im hun hungry gryll exclaimed the girl as the outraged and inquisitive ojibwa woman oman hands on hips boldly scrutinized her from bobbed hair to whipcord knickers to gain a better view of which the cook coolly stepped back and circled her chair then aware of the exhaustive in from the rear by the fascinated and shocked hoc ked sarah the girl rose and turned to the gasping cook would you iou like to see my knickers she blie asked wheeling on her toes you dont wear them do you find them very comfortable choking with confusion the overwhelmed sarah led fled to the kitchen while stuart shook with laughter youre youie too much for sarah she was certainly hypnotized by your my what your il bodle wason your pan whipcords whip cords I 1 mon dieul are they as awful its as that she cried overcome by the ojibwa equivalent what did you call them albo dl what no wonder marthe find and sarah are shocked I 1 think of a woman wearing anything an thing with such a name I 1 gibo d dl I 1 1 and 8 she h 0 broke into shouts of laughter lie he repeated repeated gibo dl eg wason I 1 she faltered breathlessly gibes for short 1 walt wait till they hear that in winnipeg 1 hey II 11 never wear vear em cm again agRi nIll I 1 stuart regarded hla his guest with unconcealed curiosity burled in the th hin herlands ter lands since the war he had had no contact with the new girl but now it appeared he was being offered a rare opportunity for the study of the species there wont be much left of me ma when sarah and marthe get their heads head t together gether but youre not really shocked 0 monsieur stuart with us ns all women wear them for sport no indeed im not shocked he laughed his eyes shifting frog from her dusky head to the well shaped hand busy with her fork we saw lots iota |