Show it atau AV 5 Geofge dj Sy j SEP NICE BY CO FROM THE BEGINNING the Ca canadian nedLan north jim stuart trader in house to in sunset from his til fur ur post girl from min an overturned canoe in the lake charge with his hie head headman nim omar rescues a rival in the fur business and proves prove to daughter of stuarts stuarte she is if aurore aurora leeland Le Elond be a charming companion in a spirit cirit of fun fuin she and a jim arrange to exchange notes note certain island LAIl lond with Piu radis his hi halfbreed half balf breed lieutenant arrives arrive in search MI m a enmity toward jun jim though Lelli ond acknowledges of the missing ard parade hla his debt of gratitude cooing to the island to am e if aurore aurora has ha left the promised prom laed travel toward the leblond post 0 on in paradis and forced to not note jim Is i by the way he overturns overturn the boat leaving his hl halt half drowned enemy on the beach jun jim christie displeased at the trade showing discuss dic uze plans with his hie superior andrew made Chri atio allows allow stuart at his hii request one year to make good food he leaves leave treated paradis bribes bribe an indian to ambush the pot post feeling he has hae been unjustly jim and omar the attempt falls fads and jun jim takes the indian to leblond lablond I 1 CHAPTER IV continued 7 paradis opened the door of the trade room his dark features picturing the strain under which he labored but he be evidenced no surprise at the presence of the men from sunset house ile he met the glittering eyes of the ojibwa jims amused smile and the savage glance of omar who stood arms folded the fingers of his right hand band touching the handle of his knife with equal indifference good day monsieur paradas ls said jim pierre Pl rl erre here has hag a little story to tell your employers turning to the excited indian stuart continued now tell these gentlemen just what you told us what have I 1 to do wll thes indian demanded ra radis ls assuming an air of surprise as he stroked id his small email mustache but jim noted th the unsteadiness of his hand keep quiet rasped the interested and perplexed Afa maclauren cLauren let him tell his story questioned by jim when he be faltered ibis eyes shifting fearfully from the I 1 black face of leblond to the sneering paradis ls pierre told now in english now in ojibwa how he had been refused supplies for the winter because of hn old debts debt and in fit despair was about to fo leave with his family when paradis approached him with the scheme to ambush stuarts canoe on ailts return up the woman river from lake expanse As accused paradas of plotting the shooting of omar and jim the sneer faded from the head bead mans face with a snarl he flung at the indian you liel you dirt eater I 1 one minute paradas 1 rasped jim let him finish I 1 ledfond was studying his assistant through narrowed eyes right here I 1 want to say said jim that it was only after a long grilling firming when he feared for his life that this man named darned you paradis ls when you put beet een bees head eh all sneered the other palpably uneasy under the searching scrutiny of louis leblond Le Elond no I 1 put it into his head I 1 have to drawled jim enjoying the halting baiting after giving you that swimming lesson I 1 just naturally thought you were the skunk behind tills this shooting garadis denied having any part in the ambush beet ees a lie all lie lie be protested 1 I refuse ills pierre flour fill an he mall mak up de story but why should he take it out on me and ray MY man here unless he was paid to do it ile he had nothing against us lie ile never saw us before demanded jim and how did he know we were at lake expanse you told him and you learned it from maclauren ile he went to rob you of your grub nonsense he knew we freighting supplies our canoe BBS as empty then jim turned to grave faced leblond and Mac maclauren Louren who ho were exchanging whispers 1 if I I 1 report this thing to christie at lake F expanse x therell be a pollee police canoe here in september you know what that means leblond nodded we dont want the pollee police in this mr stuart he be said quietly its a bad mess but youve only got this indians word against the word of paradis ls if you report this thing to the authorities it will make no do end of trouble have til all of us down to the railroad and hold bold us ua there as witnesses it certainly will be serious not only for paradis but tor for the northwest north korth west trading company agreed jim with a stiff smile while wrinkles of amused satisfaction furrowed omars square face as he be watched wat clied the apprehension in the eyes of leblond Le BIond lot but I 1 dont intend to have indians bribed to fire on me by your people he went on if hed hit bit one ode of us it would have put you out of business and stand bland trial to boot you dont believe I 1 had any knowledge of this protested leblond no ot of course not what druh want us to do stuart asked maclauren Ua cLauren we regret this thing deeply but theres only this indians word against that of paradis 1 Par aills lg had a motive for injuring lie ine this indian had none im satis 64 ibis story li Is itral cht now if get rid of paradis send him out of tills this country and keep him out I 1 wont report this shooting a bargain quickly agreed maclauren the ash gray face of paradis worked convulsively as he be heard beard ills his sentence of banishment then he found its ills voice you writer of love let lestair letta tair lr he stormed you vink fink you get her now pilot paul paradis ees gone eh ch 7 ila ha I 1 ha I 1 you are de beeg fool de beeg from the side unnoticed by his head man the exasperated leblond lealond struck paradis full in the face with his open hand then the trade room door swung open wide and aurore aurora ledfond stood in the doorway why happening the matter eyes wide with surprise the girl glanced front from the dazed paradis and the furious face of leblond to the men from sunset house sir mr Stu stuart artill I 1 she gasped her dark skin bun deepening with color you came here and they tell me father what has happened black brows contracted she glanced inquiringly from her fathers annoyed look to the enchanted eyes of stuart this Is no place for you we are talking business objected leblond As he watched her jim wondered it if paradis had bad kept secret their meeting at the split rock if she had made a rendezvous in the stolen note to have him fall her then slowly over her expressive face broke the girls infectious smile it may be none of my business mon pere but as sir air stuart happened n not of long ago to have fished your daughter out of the lake your wayward ard child as the female head bead of your house insists on welcoming mr stuart to donne bonne chance the room was hushed with tension as she walk walked ed to jim and gave him her hand welcome to our city sir mr stuart she said her dusky eyes slight alight with challenge of course after this momentous business have lunch with us then she dropped a low Par paradis aills told me about the split spilt rock he saw the pulse beating in her throat the color deepen under her olive skin while her hand tor for an instant pressed his and the touch of her sent seat his heart oft off at a gallop thank you but were starting at once he answered find and poignant as a knife thrust came the realization that this amazing girl to whose nearness every nerve in his body was As alive would soon be but a demor memory Y but why she demanded her candid gaze sought the impatient look of her father why do you stand there as if you had no manners have you lost your voice I 1 am asking sir mr stuart to lunch with noth us before he goes with a resigned shrug of the shoulders ders leblond answered ans ered his indomitable daughter you do not understand we are talking business very important por tant will you wait for us outside on she glanced doubtfully at stuart and the men standing beside him looks more like war than business to me she filing duns lightly over her shoulder as she bhe left the room its agreed then said leblond eagerly thelt you make no report to the authorities if rara paradela ills goes yes tes if you ship lla to your posts out of this country co antry well shake hands on that mr stuart said gald maclauren and the three men bound their compact now will you take a meal with us before you start yes urged the relieved leblond Le Elond my daughter expects you an hour with tier her even in the presence of her fattier father and his partner would have been unalloyed delight to the captivated stuart but the fierce protest in the stormy face of omar and the responsibility for the safety ot of pierre forced him to refuse outside to in the clearing aurore aurora was waiting you will allow us ns to make a small return of the hospitality you offered us you will stay im sorry I 1 cant I 1 you mean you dont care to she was walking alone with him now dow ahead of the others care to ile he looked boldly into her pleading ea ees es dont don t you know that I 1 want to soc see you talk to you yon cant you feel it she turned to the lake and ana he saw she slow pulse of color sweep to the raven hair that rippled from her temple as she asked then im something more than an empty headed spoiled child to you mr heern stuart intoxicated by tier her nearness he even caught the faint scent of the perfume she wore alms voice thickened R V ci mr stuart she gasped her dark skin deepening with color you came here and they tell me as he replied almost inaudibly youre something more than a glorious creature who Is going out ot of my life forever aurora leblond her dusky eyes hali closed as he be watched her profile profil with its quivering lips but she did not arn turn her face you mean that 1 I mean much more then why am I 1 going out of your life I 1 stay here until september 1 I am gold going joto into the bush with omar when in two days then meet me at the white sand beach on the large island she said hurriedly for voices sounded close behind them tomorrow morning as early as you can 1 I will be at the white sand beach he whispered and his heart shook him with its pounding were sorry you wont allow us to return your hospitality mr stuart said ledfond as they stood on the beach where omar and pierre waited at the canoe and we admire your sporting blood in not dot pushing this matter added maclauren innocent or guilty paradis Is going to pay for this mess lies iles going to pay me if ever eve omar romar here or I 1 run into him again you keep your agreement a and rid ill keep mine thanks sir stuart returned mae mac lauren flushing im glad weve rot got such a square are rival on III this lake with a wave of his bis hat to the white figure of aurore auroire who iho stood on the higher shore stuart stepped into the canoe while two humiliated and exas aerated fur men watched him until his canoe passed from sight flight behind the islands Isla nils first blood for sunset louse I 1 laughed jim elated with the outcome of the visit to Le leblonde Lenion Blonds ds and blowing with the memory of aurtres Au Aur oras flaming face tomorrow he should see tier her alone with alti her lieuru in tier her voice she had asked him to come this mocking headstrong girl who had feared to meet inept ills ees ces there was no mistaking her flushed face her voice her look us ua through it curtain of mist lie ile also ako had come to mean s something om ething to fill this amazing girl well weil omar what djoi I 1 think will they keep their word and send our friend paradis down to Kip lgon the paddle of the halfbreed half breed dipped methodically a number of times before he an answered sered why you hunt dat girl wen we ue start for Pl tODe in vree free day jims brown face slowly broke into a smile there was no deceiving the astute omar and his unfailing loyalty atoned for its his meddling 1 I 1 asked you if you thought keep their word paradis Is a valuable man ledfond will hate to lose him thrice the long paddle of omar broke the water while jim waited for the stern mans answer then thesila the eyes of the halfbreed half halt breed met those of ills his chief as he be replied you cross crosa de ink again omar go wid you there was no luring of omar from his fixed idea so with a laugh jim resumed his paddling an anxious sarah and marthe stood on the beach beside old esau and the yelping smoke and the dog team when the canoe returned in the eyes of the indian women the journey across the lake had been in the nature of a war party and they chattered with relief when they saw there had been no casualties you cross de lak een de mornin demanded omar jim nodded 1 I follow een noder cano you tak smoke smoked yes I 1 planned to send smoke into the bush to smell around I 1 wont bo be caught again omar shook ills his black head bead you nevalee see her again wy you go the head man stared in awed silence at the sudden pain in jims set face that Is why I 1 am going because ill never see her again said stuart in a low tone ali ah hah bah you lak dat girl replied the loyal omar softly den I 1 go tak care of you the wide mirror of the great lake was still shot with reflected stars when the two canoes left sunset house at the knees of each as lie he pushed his boat out into the dusk dusic lay a rifle before the sunrise two canoes were landed widely apart on the large island drawn up and hidden from sight in the bush omar took his bla rifle ri lie and the binoculars and crossed the island to watch the post it if paradis followed her canoe that mor morning fling the halfbreed half breed promised himself leblond would be relieved of his promise unless lie wanted to send a de dead ad man to the on jim had bad hours to wait until he could hope for the coming of aurore aurora le LA blonds caroe so he dropped hla his clothes on the me sand beach and cooled his impatience with a long swim she was coming to meet him this glorious dark creature who had so valiantly fought death over miles of wind driven sea only to laugh at it to in her pride she had turned her flushed face and clouded eyes from him that he might not see but be had S seen cell miracle though it was those hours at sunset house with this girl of the cities had wrought rought their mutual spell tile the humble fur trader jim stuart tied had reached her ber it if not her heart her senses and she was coming to him here on this lonely island to say goodby good by jim landed rind leisurely put on his hig clothes she had asked him to be at the sand beach as early as he be could reach it but had named no hour ile he looked at his watch seven ocl too early yet betl I 1 it would take her an hour to piddle paddle from the post then he a canoe in the distance when the boat had bad approached to within athin a half mile jim knew from the stroke that the craft was paddled by women it was she presently the bow waved her hand bani to the man who restlessly walked the shore the canoe drifted nearer for a space be watched the blade of aurore driven by her round arms flash in the sun then shortly tier her laugh reached him good morning I 1 you are early monsieur stuart she called 1 I have been here for hours he ha said waiting for the dawn and now she has come very pretty with a flash of white teeth she smiled into his eager face as lie he drew the boat in to the beach and gave her his hand while the eyes of the indian girl in the stern snapped with excitement at this see secret ret tryst of Le Blonds daughter and the trader front from across the lake then as she stepped to the r sand land jims ebes which had not left the radiant dark face noted the tan linen knickers beneath the white blouse he be grinned you wore them in memory iter her dusky eyes lit with raillery yes in memory of our meeting and because they wash 10 they stood on the beach looking at euh each other like runaway children nix a I 1 the indian girl paddled the canoe d I 1 |