Foregathered were all the breeds and creeds and
fashions of the wilderness.
Over all this, pervading the air like an incense, stirring the desire of
man and beast, floated the aroma of the roasting caribou. The feast-hour
was at hand. With cries that rose above the last words of a wild song the
seven groups of men rushed to seven pairs of props and tore them away.
The great carcasses swayed in mid-air, bent slowly over their spits, and
then crashed into the snow fifteen feet from the fire. About each carcass
five men with razor-sharp knives ripped off hunks of the roasted flesh
and passed them into eager hands of the hungry multitude. First came the
women and children, and last the men.
On this there peered forth from a window in the factor's house the darkly
bearded, smiling face of Reese Beaudin.
"I have seen him three times, wandering about in the crowd, seeking
someone," he said. "Bien, he shall find that someone very soon!"
In the face of McDougall, the factor, was a strange look. For he had
listened to a strange story, and there was still something of shock and
amazement and disbelief in his eyes.
"Reese Beaudin, it is hard for me to believe."
"And yet you shall find that it is true," smiled Reese.
"He will kill you. He is a monster--a giant!"
"I shall die hard," replied Reese.
He turned from the window again, and took from the table a violin wrapped
in buckskin, and softly he played one of their old love songs.
Pages:
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75