A LITTLE WITCH.
After that the post loungers had the good sense to leave our young
friends alone, though when they sauntered away most of them either
thanked Cuthbert in a courteous French manner for his little treat, or
else waved a hand to him, with a broad grin that stood for the same
thing in the rough ways of their class.
Still, Owen asked no questions concerning what they had seen and heard
when at the office of the old factor; it looked as though he were
determined to exhibit not a sign of curiosity, no matter how much he
would like to hear all.
So Cuthbert took it upon himself to relate much that had been said, even
to the remark made by Mr. Gregory with relation to Owen
himself--watching out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other turn
rosy red and then grit his teeth firmly, as though repressing his
feelings.
"Evidently he will have to be drawn out, for I can see that nothing
tempts him to open up of his own free will; and yet he said a while back
that he meant to confide his story to us. Now, this thing has gone
quite far enough, and if we are to be Owen's best friends and chums it's
only right that we know who and what he is, and also how he and the Big
Mogul have fallen out. So here goes while the coast is clear, and no
stragglers around."
So saying, Cuthbert turned to the Canuck and, smiling, said:
"Owen, my boy, you promised to tell us something about your troubles
when an opportunity came. Now, I said then that I didn't want to intrude
on your private affairs, but you insisted that we had a right to know;
and since we've taken you into the combine as a fellow chum, and you're
going to wander with me over a good part of this old planet in time,
why, if it's just the same to you, I wouldn't mind hearing all you've
got to say now. I confess your coming to this place has excited my
curiosity, old chap, because I realize that there's been trouble of some
sort between you and Aleck over yonder. Now, he strikes me as not so bad
a tyrant as I had somehow imagined, and perhaps the matter might be
patched up between you. Remember, we don't want to hear anything that
you'd prefer to keep secret--just tell us as much or as little as you
think fit. You know we stand ready to give our full sympathy, and back
you up to the limit. Now, hit it up, my boy."
Owen drew a big breath, as though he had to nerve himself to speak of
these things to strangers; for he had hugged his troubles to his own
breast these many years, and they had evidently become sensitive
subjects with him.
But the ready sympathy which he saw upon the countenances of his
comrades was a new sensation to the lonely lad, and he had no further
hesitation about opening his heart to them.
"Don't make any mistake in the start, boys, for the trouble that lies
between Alexander Gregory and myself can never be patched up, though if
he had his way it would be. But I can never forget that his iron will
embittered the whole of my poor mother's life. I've seen her cry many
the time, and under my breath I cursed that hard-hearted old Scotchman,
who, because his daughter married a man against whom he chanced to have
a spite, refused to forgive. He's a cold-blooded monster, that's what he
is, and I would tell him so to his face."
"I suspected that he bore that relationship to you--grandfather--there's
considerable about your faces that gives the secret away," remarked
Cuthbert.
"I may look like him in face, but thank Heaven I'm a true Dugdale in my
feelings. I know you'll forgive me if I make the story short, because it
rouses up the old feelings inside, and sad memories always make me hate
him more and more.
"After my mother and father died, which was less than a year ago, he
heard of it somehow, and has tried to make up with me ever since,
sending messages with letters, asking me to come and live with him; but
his repentance came too late, for she was not here to know that he was
sorry; and I utterly refused to even hold any correspondence with the
man who would have let his own child go hungry or freeze to death
because she would not come and ask his forgiveness, something my father
would never hear of.
"Well, what do you think, finding that I wouldn't come to him of my own
free will, this domineering ruler of the Saskatchewan sent a party of
his halfbreeds up to the region where I was trapping and kidnapped me
outright--yes, I was carried a prisoner in their boat to this post, and
actually confined in a cabin as if I had been guilty of a crime. He had
the nerve to send me word that it had all been done without his
knowledge, his men thinking they were doing him a favor, and that he
would see me in the morning, when he hoped explanations might bring
about an understanding between us--if I persisted in my determination to
have nothing to do with him, I would then be at liberty to depart.
"I never so much as sent him an answer, I was so furious at being
dragged to his post like a wretch who had robbed traps; but during the
night I found a way to escape from the cabin, and taking an old canoe, I
fled down the river. The rest you know already. That is my story in a
nutshell, boys. I could talk for hours, and even then fail to tell you
all I've gone through since I was a little shaver, for I soon learned
the sad story of my mother, and how she had suffered because her father
refused to forgive.
"My father was only a timber-cruiser, a man with little education, but
an honest man at that. He was never able to make much more than a
living, and we have many times gone hungry, while he was storing up
treasures year by year, to be lavished upon his one other daughter, who
married to please him. But we'd rather died there in the bush than ask a
favor of him, my dad was that proud, and hated Alexander Gregory so for
his injustice.
"You understand now what I risked in coming back here; but when I
reasoned it all out in cold blood I saw that he could not keep me
against my will, for he's never been appointed my guardian that I know
of; so I determined to come, and stick with you, no matter what
happened."
"You mentioned another daughter--is she with him still?" asked Cuthbert,
who had a reason for the question.
"No, I understand that she was also taken away several years ago; her
husband turned out to be a bad man, and had to get out of the country,
because Mr. Gregory had sworn to shoot him on sight for good reasons.
So, you see, that stubborn will of his, that wanted to bend everything
his way, has not brought him very much of happiness. Still, it's just
what he deserves, and I'm not sorry one bit."
"Did the other daughter have any children?" pursued Cuthbert.
"I don't know; but what makes you ask?" said Owen, raising his eyes
quickly, to look his comrade in the face.
"Because, unless I am very much mistaken, I heard a girl's laugh in that
big cabin where he has his home, a merry laugh that somehow made me feel
as if I wanted to join in with a ha-ha of my own. If that is so she's
your cousin, Owen."
That was indeed a master stroke on Cuthbert's part, and well played,
too.
Owen looked startled.
"Cousin--a girl--related to me," he muttered, as if unable to quite
grasp the immensity of the thing; then a flush crept over his swarthy
face, as though the new thought was more or less pleasing to him; for,
poor lad, he had of late believed himself to be utterly alone in the big
world, saving this hard-hearted grandfather, whom he refused to
recognize.
This gave him new food for reflection; and the young philosopher who had
shot the shaft fancied that the intelligence might have more or less
influence in determining his future relations with the factor--the human
heart craves sympathy above all things, and this can seldom come so well
from strangers as from those of the same family--blood is ever thicker
than water.
Owen went about the preparations for the night, arranging the cots for
his two comrades, and his own humble blanket bed; but evidently he was
wrapped in deep thought, and Cuthbert believed he had set a current in
motion that was bound to have much influence over the other's future.
If he could only arrange to have Owen meet the owner of that merry
laugh, he fancied the rest would be easy.
With this idea in his mind he sauntered in the direction of the factor's
headquarters, half-meaning to secure another interview with the other,
at which, perhaps, matters might be threshed out, and light let in where
all was darkness now.
He changed his mind, however, when he saw that Mr. Gregory was busy with
some of his employes, who had come down the river in a big batteau while
the boys were eating their supper, and evidently had brought news of
considerable importance, since they immediately sought an interview with
the chief; and when Cuthbert glanced in through the open door their
heads were close together over some sort of a map which one of them was
explaining.
Nevertheless, Cuthbert could not refrain from keeping his eyes about, in
the hope that by a lucky chance he might discover the one who laughed;
and just as he was about to turn back to the camp of his friends he did
catch a sound that immediately fastened his attention, only instead of
merriment, it was rather a lugubrious little song, sung half under the
breath--a song that possibly had the power to bring before the mind of
the singer the face of the dear mother who had taught her to sing it, a
song that affected even Cuthbert as he stood with bowed head and
harkened.
Presently the sound ceased, and he heard a flutter near by, when looking
that way he caught a glimpse of a little figure passing into the rear of
the cabin; as the door was open he could see what appeared to be a girl
of some six or seven, slight of figure, and with the golden hair and the
face of an angel.
Cuthbert laughed to himself as he looked, for he was thinking of his
friend Owen, and what a change would come over him when he made the
acquaintance of this little fairy of the wilderness.
He now sauntered over to where some of the trappers and _voyageurs_ had
a fire, at which they had evidently cooked their supper earlier in the
night and about which they were now reclining, smoking pipes, and
exchanging stories connected with the wild life led by all.
No one paid any particular attention to the lad, save to give him a
place at the fire and offer him a tobacco pouch, which, of course, he
declined, saying to the amazement of these inveterate smokers that he
had never learned the art of indulging in the weed.
He understood enough of the French _patois_ to follow what was said, and
felt more or less interest in the weird tales they spun concerning the
astonishing wonders of the Great Lone Land, which he, in his audacity,
had been tempted to venture into alone, bent on exploration--he realized
now that it would surely have proven his tomb had he been allowed to
proceed thither, convoyed only by the faithful Eli, who was ready to
follow him to the uttermost parts of the earth without question.
Presently, when he had broken the ice by becoming a little familiar with
his neighbor on the right, a rather pleasant-faced fellow in the
picturesque uniform of the Hudson Bay Company, he ventured to ask about
the sweet little singer, whose voice had charmed his ear; and, as he
suspected, it turned out that she was a child of the factor's younger
daughter, her name, Jessie (which was Scotch enough to please Cuthbert's
romantic fancy) and that she had always been at the post, a gleam of
sunshine, for whom any of them would willingly have died.
Cuthbert was more than pleased with his discoveries, for he believed
that it would, after all, not be so very difficult to bring about some
sort of a reconciliation between the young Canadian and his ancestor,
the old factor, whose heart had lost much of its flinty nature long
since under the ministrations of this little golden-haired witch, and
was really hungering to remedy his conduct of the past as far as
possible.
If he did nothing more than joining these two, Cuthbert could
congratulate himself that his mission to the great Saskatchewan region
had not been in vain.
He hunted Eli up at once, determined to form some sort of plan whereby
such a desirable end might be attained.
Fortunately, Eli was alone in their tent, and when the other questioned
him before speaking, not wishing Owen to hear them discussing his
affairs, Cuthbert learned that the third member of the party had gone
out quite a while before, saying that he would return by the time they
were thinking of retiring.
Cuthbert fancied that it was the mention of the little cousin that had
affected him so; perhaps even at that moment Owen was hovering about the
headquarters of the factor, in the hope of getting a glimpse of the
owner of the sweet voice.
So Eli was placed in possession of all the facts as learned by his chum,
and as of old they discussed the situation, for while the boy from the
lumber regions lacked the education and polish that were Cuthbert's
birthright, he did possess a shrewd mind and had homely ideas of what
was good and true--this had been the very thing that attracted the
Virginian to him in the start, and the more he saw of Eli the stronger
grew his affection, until it bade fair to become another David and
Jonathan relationship.
On his part Eli was more excited than usual, because he had made a
discovery during his friend's absence, which was to the effect that
certain specimens of ore which he had somehow managed to pick up and
thrust into his pockets while in the woods were very rich with a
greenish mineral which Eli knew well enough to be virgin copper, and he
felt convinced that he had at last struck the bonanza for which he had
so long been searching--a genuine copper lode.
When they had partly arranged their intended plan of action and fixed
matters so that on the morrow they could open the game, the two young
conspirators began to get ready for turning in.
There was certainly no need of keeping watch here, for they were in the
stockade bounds of the fort and within a biscuit toss of the factor's
headquarters; surely no prowler would dare molest them here, and if he
did there would always be the chances of his running up against a 30-30
from the forceful little Marlin repeater that must discourage his
sneaking propensities.
Once they had heard a great disturbance around on the other side of the
main building, with many loud excited voices chiming in, but Cuthbert,
believing that the affair did not concern them and was probably only a
dispute among some of the unruly employes of the trading company,
restrained the impulsive Eli, who was for bolting out and learning the
cause of the fracas.
Where could Owen be?
Surely the boy would not sneak away, after so boldly accompanying them
to the Hudson Bay post--he had as much as promised to stick by them up
to the time they expected to return to civilization, and if Cuthbert was
any judge of human nature Owen Dugdale was not the one to go back on his
word.
And it was very unlikely that anything could have happened to him off in
the dense forest, where he was so much at home--the men connected with
the post were now aware that the factor frowned upon such a thing as
kidnapping one who showed the utmost reluctance to visit his relative,
and consequently they would leave him severely alone from this time on,
and as for the timber cruiser, he knew the bond of blood existing
between the lad and the stern old factor, and with the inevitable
consequences staring him in the face if he raised his hand again toward
Owen, he would not dare arouse the ire of Alexander Gregory for
anything.