Show fai jabi ilk C BL c aarold titus service SYNOPSIS inde independent bent trader arrives rive shaw p rodney ren 1110 to in Michili mackinac 1 in i bis 1818 established determined S by ine light the trade monopoly northwest in the jacob astor company john 11 he 11 1 net met by col conrad rich an ferrI territory tory altorn astor w dom crooks itS elderly derly clerk cleric ramsay annette leclerc local and rant dant figure the traders f beauty and n to all ruthless burke a to of de destruct eader instrument tr trader who ho I 1 the tion to traders trader refusing to amalgamate bully I 1 the ithe astor ailor company roussel the town or of in invincibility vinct J wearing weart ne the black feather symbol oarsman knocks down aba head batlle basile and nd shaw in return throws throw roussel into the water ramsay crooks presents the symbolic black feather to shaw later shaw scorns corns actors proposal at t a conference virtually to surrender ur render his independence to fight the his readiness ginn announce ounces the amalgamation and prepares to depart at a hall ball that evening hollowing following day burke rickman as a th the show shaw recognizes ha him aitor agent aho ho had previously robbed and as a a and his trade of his hi partner with whom lie be dangerous rival tor for annette is ij Infatuate dL there nere Is s an n exchange ol of of bitter words annette Is chosen queen the dance and after flirting with both rickman and shaw chooses shaw as king tor for evening basile warns shaw the he following and tells him an to hasten basten his departure old man awaits him at his tent shaw finds lesue leslie an old free trader CHAPTER II 11 continued 3 ayl aal chos not heard of them far up the mississippi good hunters and in rich country but others are there others wast was gone now nor re gone by law th ion lone e independent who opposed em s gone sioux driven him out rich country baitin to be took byrne by me Wit with hyou you agot I 1 got I 1 trade goods you got th feet nd ind wind look he said astor figures to step in hes rickman well fix a for ml he fumbled in the buckskin pouch which hung from his g girdle I 1 r d I 1 e herel he be said and drew out a map crudely etched on parchment and pointed to the winding course of 0 the mississippi and to a lake indicated well towards its headwaters yon he said rich country baitin to be again he fumbled in the pouch and this time produced an indian ceremonial stone ol of green shaped like a butterfly polished to satiny smoothness more powerful nor more valuable nor a ton 0 trade goods like a key to a lock I 1 key to pillager lock give to me by cloud pillager chief saved his hide three year back Brot brothers hersl me nd ind cloud brot brothers hersl 1 he passed th stone nd tells me to send it if ever I 1 need a br brother otherl no use then two bots forts aready aready amongst em trade wont stand another split but now its different H he e choked and gasped then and after a struggle gave up and once more reverted to signs rodney had strength and agility he indicated rodney could direct the march and and pass the credits and see that they were collected just two of us I 1 I 1 old free traders left he whispered just two as wont belly crawl to I 1 I 1 I 1 astor do we deal rodney stirred though he was at tiie the prospect demurred it was not fair he declared gabble Gabb lel the other cut in 1 I got goods goods re no use lessen strong legs nd hearts go with em you got legs nd ind heart do we deal dont we ii lie asked again and in his eyes was pleading which warmed shaw wit with h something om ething else than the prospect of being able to make good his boast und and satisfy his impulse to sta stand nd against the great company they talked then until dawn silvered the east then rodne rodney y half led halt half carried the old tra trader der to the camp he had made at the ea eastern st end of the island and left hi him m with word that he would return and give his answer watch yel leslie m muttered ut as rodney lowered him to his couch of buffalo robes watch ye like a lynx watches prey come late I 1 dont doat sleep nights rodney slept until the sun was full an hour high he had gone to sleep with his heart still fast a at t thought of the opportunity to establish himself again and he awakened with his heart going fit to choke him gasping to himself a name over and over he repeated it sitting there in his robes blinking at the new day annette An he said annette annette annette Le clerel basile cooked breakfast for h him im and shaw ate alone before his te tent nt the old man e eyeing eing him with ill concealed curiosity finally he could ro longer restrain himself and put the question in french do we put out cut with the old one IS shaw smiled does one pass by rare opportunity does one basile of course we put out bui but not too hastily leslie is I a sick man basile so soberly berIy perhaps even wit with h a heavier sickness than one comprehends he is unfit for or a march today we must make gestures at occupying ourselves tonight during the dance at which im to be king with a reminiscent cent grin 1 I slip away and go to him in the mean timo time the sound of shod wheels rolling on gravel checked him and he looked up to see annette I 1 in n her gig careening down the narrow street but she could not help giving him notice as he leaped outward hinging flinging up an arm to make the leading black shy wide grasping the fillys rein she cried feigning pique you will have me upset rodney kodney shaw stay backi 1 I stay here I 1 defy you as he vaulted the wheel to the seat beside her but you were to be gone from mackinac all have heard the brave things you said to mr astor did you not mean them that be gone in defiance to him not until those ripe lips hunger as mine hungers hun gerl nonsense sirel sire so he drove with her that morn mom ing and strolled with her that afternoon he wooed roughly madly until late in the afternoon annette fled bed his avid arms and hungry lips and sought sanctuary from his determination in the house of the old aunt which was her home he went back to his tent walking lightly head high men turned to watch him because between sun and sun he had become famous he had defied astor and he had flaunted his trespassing tres passing in romance upon grounds which that spring at least had been admittedly burke Z I 1 W sting astor and claw back at rickman mans others wondered what manifestation ife Rick mans mins resentment might take but burke rickman was not to manifest his resentment not openly donald maciver Ma clver the shrewd scot and loyal servant had seen to that he and rickman were together when annette drove past that bright forenoon with the pugnacious young shaw on the gig seat beside her and maciver had seen the chill of threat show in the others eye and the heat of jealousy creep into his cheek dont lad maciver muttered while his eyes twinkled ITS a passing thing no challenge t to 0 ye is yon upstart let him go on let him spend mayhap hours wi th lass heu hell gi us what we need quicker so thun by any ither means iles hes not actors mon nd he must be so if we discharge our auty he made his boasts last nic it hed trade again nd ind in t th h territory its our obligation to de ta irmine where to follow to crush th juice 0 resistance from his very bones if need be would he gi us a hint as to where hell trade nol but will a lad tell th innery innermost 0 st secrets of his heart to a lass aal ayl ay from her well learn rodney gestured as king at the dance in the company headquarters that night and told himself that he was only waiting for the hour to grow late before slipping away to join leslie but when the hour grew late he put it off multiple aiple joy and achievement were there annette Annc tte first of all was there challenging and tantalizing tal izing him and rickman was there his resentment badly U under rider control but depart at last he did and found fo und leslie waiting well do ye take my offer the old trader asked 1 I do pardner 1 I good well sting lim im th two on usi well sting astor and nd claw back at rickman tor for what he done to Y ye look Pard pardner 1 he led shaw to to the stores of trade goods snug under their oilcloths and by the light of a blazing torch rodney beheld the valuables piled neatly there ought to be spry leslie lesl ie whispered my men tell on hearin rickman puts out afore long wed best be b e weeks ahead d on him bluntly can you travel shaw asked resell fix few days rne so for a we week ek while he waited for leslie to gain strength nath rodney shaw reveled in the pretense that feminine charms held him at mackinac despite the truth that courtship served as a blind to confound the watch he knew must be kept on him he was enmeshed as many another had been caught in this half decade since annette leclere done with montreal schooling had come back to live with her old aunt A forbidding woman this aunt a grim forbidding woman sprung from metia stock a fixture in the place midwife and speaking a jargon of ojibway and patios and seemed to take pride that so few un understood der stood her well shaw disturbed the old lady and she stormed at annette for having him about but it did no good the girl laughed at her then from pan to fire rickman was w a a banished tossed aside a s I 1 d e snubbed it would seem and now it was shaw who came hammering on doors before dew was dry CHAPTER III rodney shaw changed his approach to annette scarce knowing that he changed the light of amused combat left his eyes for minutes his voice plea pleaded ded softly he lost poise lost years he would boast to her of what he had done of what he could do he would strut before her and he would plead almost seriously as others had pleaded almost seriously I 1 I 1 not quite and not for long abdat and at those times the girl was not so ready of tongue she listened denying his half reverent pleas by her silence but still she listened today he was in such a mood stupefied by her intoxicating beauty pleading with her to go inland with him and she put him oft off and when he wheedled for reasons she listed his shortcomings she was in play but he f failed ailed to realize her words were not full meant presumptuous reckless audacious foolhardy to desire one so lovely to risk further the ill will of the company lot Hohe ho he laughed why should I 1 fear but they have stripped you of your tradel trade 1 they will crush you if you persist they will try yes but they do not guess the card hidden in my sleeve card you possess some secret or is tills this only an idle boast he had been toying with that same black ostrich plume which had reposed these days in his waistcoat pocket and now he waved the symbol bo I 1 of superior strength in a dismissing gesture listen he said halting in their walk and leaning close they think me a pauper and that is well but here under their nose ive acquired a share in goods beyond my wildest dream and with these goods I 1 march to the richest ground untended a ground they plan to work they were on a forest trail on the heights of the island dappled suling ht fell upon them scents of balsam and cedar were in their nostrils ali ah annette he breathed taking her hands 1 I never dreamed in the years ive lived that such a desirable person as you pressed foot to earth I 1 she was in his arms then yielding gently and he felt her quick and irregular breathing against him dear annette sweet annette An and ive wasted years thinking of trade when i ts its love I 1 want ive wasted my life holding freedom as a goal when its enslavement in your heart I 1 need 1 enslavement rodney enslavement he repeated repeat eZI the word aloud and looked away from alarm s wept swept her and at his manner into the girls face ofa of course 6 its 1 what I 1 fantl he cried cr ed laughing hungrily to cover his confusion youre you set me on fire he muttered grasping her so roughly that half frightened she sought escape they returned to the village shaws tongue losing its ease HO he tried to pass off that unguarded moment those impetuous words and conduct himself as he had gadai at other times but fright persisted let lips seduce him from that objective which was the breath of 0 his life hiet ah nol no hed gone far enough along this course at the gate he told her he could not be with her this night he had aff affairs airs to attend he said he was brusque and absorbed having been frightened by the strength of his own emotions he left her impelled to run in flight and she stared after him with the mingled feelings of one who has been rebuffed so the that it night the girl sat alone hurt and outraged and burke rickman prowling the places of merriment in his role of spy saw neither her nor shaw but shaw he discovered was at his tent annette then might be alone and the time he had awaited and the mood which had been so long in shaping might have arrived so he rapped on the aunts door and found her there with signs of tears on her cheeks and high temper in her eyes sly this rickman in playing on tempers he questioned adroitly and probed and prodded to no avail and he kept on belittling rodney scoffing at him predicting his dire future until annette went white again with provoked loyalty and boasted of shaws strength and courage and possessions and plans her thoughts and impulses were all hating and loving rodney in the same moment defending him while she longed to hurt him S she h e achieved both her boasts W were ere the things rickman had waited to hear that was all he needed to know shaw had a partnership and planned to march to a rich ground unclaimed by traders so at midnight when rodney slipped along the trail to lesliea Le tent another followed furtively and when shaw heard from his partners lips the thing he had suspected and feared this other listened prone behind a boulder I 1 leslie no longer deceived himself the hand of death lay heavily upon him giles his clerk was holding a cup of water to his lips as rodney appeared the old man smiled weakly ive held ye I 1 back I 1 delayed th inkin I 1 ye I 1 I 1 I 1 might git I 1 I 1 strength no good he whispered aist one thing I 1 want its to I 1 see th pillager trade I 1 out of yon I 1 I 1 hands you go he said and weak though he was the order came imperiously rodney knelt beside him in the entry to the tent he could not hear the light scruff scruff of a body worming closer could not know that alien ears heard those rasping words spoken at the cost of such tor torture tur you take th goods affen I 1 dont follow yourn he added and his s suffering af eyes gleamed with stala stalwart art friendliness no strings I 1 to iem em yourn he said and looked at giles as if to adjure the man to bear witness to the agreement he funi fumbled bled then in his pouch and drew out the map and butterfly ornament take em he gasped use em I 1 cloud U treat ye like brother ill go rodney said ill give them such opposition they v e never dreamed of ill be gone before the sun shows he promised TO BE CONTINUED |