A Gentleman of Courage

with the possible exception of a desire to laugh, and his fourteen years of life seemed entirely out of fact. This philosophy did not strike Peter, but it did work into the troubled soul of Simo

keep him," he said

reat fight in the sea to save a strange woman and her little girl, and had succeeded in bringing only the child, Mona, ash

Curry if he troubles Mona again." He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "Aleck is almost twice as big a

on Peter again," said Simon slowly, "I'll make his father take

superstition and an immeasurable faith in the God that had made his beautiful world lay deep in his soul. Simon guessed what wa

re's face, and a little of anxie

I brought our wives through these forests for the first time, and now there are more than fifty of us here-all our own people and frien

oved the cabins he had helped to build, for the mill had brought prosperity to the wilderness people. It had also made necessary the ugly black tug which lay down in Middle Finger Inlet. The creases grew deeper in Simon's hard face as his eyes rested

e Superior was hidden, half a mile away. For a moment after Simo

our hearts would break. And now comes Peter, whose mother is dead, and whose father is worse than dead-for Peter-because he is an outlaw. It makes me think of a long time ago when a boy came into Ste. Anne de Beaupré, away down on the St. Lawrence, just as Peter came to Five Fingers three days ago.[128] His father

. But Simon nodde

pen like th

world but dimly. The green forests were a blur. The sunlight was a mellow glow. Mona's face, flaming with pride and joy, was an ethereal vision of loveliness which he saw as if through a number of gossamer veils. But in spite of his wrecked appearance his heart was beating with a swift and glorious exultation. He had kept his promis

s clung to his hand. Her face was flushed and her eyes were shining like lovely stars. But it was the kiss he felt mo

nly faintly remember his mother. Through the years since then his father had kissed him every night before he w

, a tremble of pleasure in her voice. "I

t m

you

tty

th of deep and sin

see you bite Aleck's ear," sh

onscience

ther fellow's ear," he explained, "but he s

1

. "If I were a boy and had hold of his ear

breast. "I'll lick him again tomor

f the saw in the mill. His bad eye was toward Mona, so that unless he gave his head a full turn he could not see her at all. A sweaty discomfort possessed him whenever he believed she

tter tomorro

ill?" s

must look s

comforted him. "And if anyone dares to lau

en door of Jame Clamart's cabin. Adette was bending over the crib of young Telesphore. Her big

his horror,

1

nt Mona was

!" she cried. "If you had seen it! If

ingly. "I mean that eye, Mona-the on

etorted Mona with fierce dignity. "He hasn't got a snub nose, any

her. "Why is it so round and glassy, Mona? It's just l

te Cl

drawn by an irresistible magnet, his one eye followed them, and Adette-looking

g above it. He felt as if warm water had been poured down his back. He was cl

nearer and grinned at his young friend. The effort hurt him. Telesphore's mouth fell slowly ajar as he stared at Peter. He gave no sign of recognition. The jovial comradeship of a few h

ed toward the big yellow piles of sawdust, hoping he might reach them before Mona discovered his flight. Screened by the piles, he came up behind Simon McQuarrie's cabin and almost bumped into a little man with a great head of shaggy gray hair, a round face with rosy cheeks, and eyes that

an attitude and quality about this little man that demanded s

1

you," guessed th

, and he promised never to bother Mona o

his shoulder. It was a gentle

u up, Peter. That is your

s,

on's place, for he found the medicine cupboard immediately, an

punished him well. But he is so much larger than yo

away from him until he's winded, then beat him up. I'm

he advised. "It's bad luck to fight on the Lord's Day. If you'll wait until Monday, I will take you out into the woods and show you a

1

fights?" a

ood cau

ful and comforting companion fast

ut in the woods somewhere, tell 'im you wanted to show him something, an' I could

he little man, laughing softly. "I mustn't let pleasure com

ave to

the little church. I'm

, preaching the faith of God wherever he went, and who came every few weeks to Five Fingers. "All the forest people love him, and he is so good I think God must love him most of all," she had said. "He buried my father and mother." And this was Father Albanel-thi

her," he said. "I guess mebbe it

e, Peter-when you have a just fight to make. God loves a peacemaker but He also has no use for a

e," promi

in the west and the afternoon song of the mill had ceased. The robins were chirping their evening notes. It was supper time, and Simon McQuarrie was

g sick,

, s

on the edge of

na told me, and then Adette, and after that I went down to the tug to have it out with Izaak Curry-and his

e bent his face

ething to

ed Peter huskily. "My

lips touched Peter's cheek-the fi

-every inch of you!" And Peter listened to his heavy f