The Magnetic North

receive ￡12 per annum for fagots to

gely enough, when, through sheer fatigue, his voice failed and his chin fell on his broad chest, a lad of fourteen or so, who had also had difficulty to keep awake, would jog Yagorsha's arm, repeating interrogatively the last phrase used, whereon the old Story-Teller would rouse himself and begin afresh, with an it

the fire in the morning, seemed desperately depressed and glu

l. No, he was much better. Brother Paul had been about to all the house-bound sick people, and given everybody medicine, and flour, and a terrible scolding. Oh yes, he was angrier than anybody ha

river?

bring medicine and things to Ol' Chief quick; and this was how he was welcomed back

to his guest. "Brother Paul

and then-would there be any fun in that after all? It was pla

day after the incident of the Shamán (who seemed to have vanished into thin air), Brother Paul shook the snow of Pymeut from his feet, and with three Indians f

old man astonishingly better. It looked almost as

garding his parent with a keen and speculative eye. He asked him some question, and they discussed the point volubly, Muckluck following the argument with close attent

wh

said the old

lained. "He go down river. W

an get back. But wh

ther Br

l Father Brachet; then everything

belly solly," t

ike white man," Muckluck continued. "

ty tollable,

stan'-forgive. Tell Sister Winifred-" She stopped, p

, hey?" He made a gesture of happy cl

with engaging modesty. "You-" He

gered if I don't t

ow-one

. We've got to do penan

Tomalla," sai

f the dark Kachime, and hurried over the hard crust that had formed on the last fall

g about between his bed and the fire, laying out the most imposing parkis and fox-skins, fur blankets, and a pa

of tea, the last of the bacon th

he had meant to have the priest's advice, or Mac's, at least, before investing. Ol' Chief watching him surreptitiously, and seei

ief. "You tell Father

iving back the mittens. But Ol' Chief wouldn't take t

no

very

no

said Nicholas, rising bri

ill Ol' Chief held out the deer-skin shirt

che

che

y-fi'

as I call

as. "St. Michael,

looked d

t the A. C. Store abou

temptuously. Then patting the one his fat

ot about twenty dollars' worth of

icholas volunteered. "M

he Boy laughed, and took it. Nicholas stooped, picked up the fur mittens, and, laying them on the Boy'

the daytime appeared only a roll of plaited mats, and a little, cheap,

see?

sed surprise a

y! I call

ix inches long had been cut in two. One of these curved halves had been mounted on four ivory legs. In the upper flat side had been stuck, at equal distances from the two ends and from each other, t

Boy, "but-a-what's it

of pride, she placed the pencil across the outstretched hands of the ivory suppliant, asking the B

the possession of more than one pencil could range them i

d he looks as if he was sayi

hat the Boy comprehende

sparkling, slowly the small hand crept in-was thrust down the side and drew out with a rapturous "Ha!" a gaudy advertisement card, setting for

e some huge renunciation. "You tell her I send with my love, and I

said t

d with the visitor's effects. Under the Boy's eyes, he calmly confiscated a

ough tea to last till I get

bustled about, gathered together an armful of t

all ready. Mush!

ents together, the lively Ol' Chief-so lately dying-made off, in a fine new

as's sled, appallingly emaciated, but brisk as you please, ordering the disposition of the axe and rifle along either side, the tea-kettle and

min'?" asked the

id Muckluck. "He

fered assistance or advice. When at last Ol' Chief was satisfied with the way the raw walru

ke care of your father, thoug

idently; then lower, "Shamán mak

od-

ed I say my p-" But the Boy had

wondering if he'd die on the way. But, after all, the open-air cure was

ogs, and knew how to drive them. Two-legged folk often had to

you take for a co

se

a good lo

se

ou help me to

ut he spoke

do the

hunder and fifty

't mean

doll

off th

emed to think t

and fifty dollahs for your leader, strai

" said the Pr

ths of the year, and not only that, but a prisoner in danger of starving to death. After all, perha

expensive dogs was an occupation that palled. By-and-

s," said t

sight a settlement o

s this

h-to

uts t

Come back whe

leak beyond belief. If you open your mouth at this place on the Yukon, you have to swallow a hurricane. The

d place for

d come, blo

a remote destinat

d o' thing would disco

ort. Unlike Pymeut proper, its cabins were built entirely abov

ermitted a halt on the edge of a strugg

he, once more warmly tucked up and tightly lashed down, drew the edge of the outer co

wn enough green woo

ang on t

built a fire of the seasoned wood the Boy had gathered.

t the dogs with unabated interest, had got up from the fire to carry them the scraps

of my fish. Fish is wh

ow; wait t

? They're

sh-dogs no g

g a little sulky and didn't help. He finished up the fish himself, then sat on his heels by the fire, scorching his face w

rees below zero-better to be trotting after those expensive

nd had risen. It was blowing straight out of the north and into their face

ce of all nature, unbroken hour after hour, became as nerve-wearing as the cold and stinging wind. The Boy fell behind a little. Those places on his heels that had been so badly galled had begun to be troublesome again. Well, it wouldn't do any good to holla a

so long in the eye of the wind. And Nicholas, in the kind of stolid depression that had ta

d Nicholas seemed to wake up. He stopped,

came s

ou no

h wh

dle-

mbulator. The Boy remembered. Of course, there were usually two men with each sled. One ran ahead and broke trail with snow-shoes, but t

you gottah push.

laughed, and took hold, swallowing Nicholas's intimation that he, after all, was far more considerat

uch fa

etty qu

zig-zagging on without apparent plan. It was better going when they got to a frozen lake, and the dogs seemed not to need so much encouragement. It would appear an impossible task

welcome because it was something to break

hat, Ni

ion d

thrown up their noses

ounced the mission to the travellers, bu

msy, fur-clad figures had come running down the slop

elow it, more on humanity's level, could be dimly distinguished, now, the Mission Buildings, apparently in two groups with an open space in the middle. Where are the white people? wondered the Boy, childishly impatient. Won't they come and welcome us? He followed the Esquimaux and Indians from the river up to the left group

it as a mark of the white man." He looked over his shoulder a little defiantly at the Holy Cross. Recognition of what the high white apparition was had given him a queer jolt, stirring unsuspected things in imagination and in memory. He had been accustomed to see that symbol all his life,

f crossed sticks men grow as dazed, as hypnotized, as Pymeuts watching a Shamán's ivory wand. All the same, I'm not sure that faith in '

rly fell backwards into the snow, for Brother

do you do? Ca

g face, held the door open to let the Boy come in. Then, leaning out into

ool-boys had vanished. He c

aid the Boy, tamely, for he had not yet reco

Brother Paul, standing erect, unwelc

lled himse

onted the Jesuit-"those Pymeuts are not only cold and wet and

easily

dly expect from a follow

I know, for I've just travelled that thir

s, it am

one with a cold, d

the truth, I've b

rims? It struck him as comic that the upshot of the journey should be that he was doing p

her, hasn't been so 'easy' even for me. And I'm n

him even while he made the boast. Silentl

re you b

wondering if he was expected to

your way u

o let them rest their wicked bo

ere as hospitable as the beautiful face of

ee the Fathe

d back in

r Superior

l wa

very

'm

t the Pymeuts' deliberate depravity. Nicholas, too!-one of our own people, one of the first pupils of

g so to heart, he can't rest without coming

agree that, for the sake of others who are trying to resist temp

man and were kind to him, I

ed here as Nicholas was-the most favoured child of the mission-who helps to perpetuate

er Paul struck in with an

of these people; and such as you come he

-I

"Last summer some white prospectors bribed our best native teacher to leave us and become a guide. He's a drunken

aesar! I

or was not a particular individual. He stood the

particular young man and a case compounded of mixed elements, but

ble pains the fundamental rules of civilization; we teach them how to save their souls alive."

wheele

n't s

nd to

e to gamble. Broth

et drunk, and so find th

ather Wills!" a vo

ew into the room, and a creature stood there such as no man looks to find on his way to an Arctic gold c

rse; don't wait, or she'll die without-" And as suddenly as she came the

lure of their mission.... What was that? Voices from the other side. The opposite door opened and a man ap

shook hands with great cordiality. "We have heard of you from Father Wil

be highly gratifying, and, indeed, the cheerfulness

not accept the chair offered

is-first, or will you first go up and was

a-Are you the F

ceremoniously, b

ather B

t. The first thing to do is

ng hours of cold that made him feel a lit

nd I zink a glass of toddy would be a good sing for you." He slightly e

ssed merriment, half with nervous fatigue. "Father Brachet, if you're

n! W

all desperat

las, ready to go back on

Paul has just

it, wha

and himself sat down in the wooden armchai

d in front of him on a

rachet, Ol' Chief

ng back to Pymeut"-he interrupted himself as readily as he h

raised by-a-what you will think a

nable word "wicked" cropping up again, and h

asure, and said someth

em-found us having a s

turned sharply

go back

d, twisting his mittens and

rm against an invisible army. Then, as it were, stung into pla

ld Orang Out

grog and the hot bath, and leave these people to fight their foolishness out among themselves! It didn't concern him. And here was

las p

ather Brachet,

hot tea and a cracker in each sauc

and gave the white stranger the second cup. As he was going out: "Same man he

riest quickly. "Well

is h

Wiz zos

e's just been brought in by our boys; they are back

ooking a

padded out of the room

ste much time over a sore heart. It behoves us to hurry up with our penitence." T

lish," said the priest gently; "I expect you speak

te man now." (He gleamed at the Boy: "Don't suppose I need

no say you wicked," he reassured the Father. "Shamán say Holy Cross all right. Cheechalko no good; Cheechalko bring devils

argument all round. Brother Paul's been sa

me on steamboat up from St. Michael. One white man, he got coast sickness. Sun shining. Salmon run big. Yukon full o' boats. Two days: no canoe on river. Men all sit in tent l

he Father, "wiz nurse

hrug, adding the damaging fact

ther n

little now but nurse ze sick and prepare ze dying. Ze Muzzer Superieure has broken down after h

hese my brethren." In Nicholas's mind was the perplexing fact that these white men could bring sickness,

ross people kind-" Again he made that almost French motion of the shoulders.

of you. I sought you had learned better. Zat old S

r clearness was unmistakable. If Father Brachet was jealous of th

arm. He advanced at a word from Nichol

h startling suddenness; "take

en with favour to Pymeut prayers, he pulled out of their respective hiding-places about his person a carved ivory spoon and an embroidered bird-s

riends wizzout money and wizzout price? We do not want zese sings. Shamán takes ivories from ze poor, furs from ze shivering

in a speechless appeal to his despised ambassador. Before anyone could speak,

vient de Minóok-faudrait le couch

"How-do, Brother Etienne?" s

alf inside the door. He wore aged, weather-beaten br

ssé, là, je crois. Mais ?

pas d'autre moyen," said the Father. "En

Brother Etie

e little colloquy, and saying, "You tell." But t

ny time or str

miling, and arresting the impetu

hesitating, "they are sorr

question rang a l

the highest kind of religion that they're so almighty afraid of losing your good opinion, but it-it gives you a hold, doesn't it?" And then, as the Superior said nothin

are-a-not in his province." Still he bored into the youn

us?" he asked,

raid I'm not

A

never were honester penitents than the Pymeuts. The whole Kachime's miserable. Ev

nif

d would be disa

d out his hand, spread the fingers apart,

e good of it i

But I tell you, my son, Paul does a wo

flint-a

but zat a man is in earnest. Out of such a 'flint' we strike sparks, and many a generous fir

t of saying "Father Wills," but cha

h! It is"-he came a little nearer-"it is but as if I would look at you and say, 'He has earnest eyes! He will go far whatever road

"You are pretty wide

ails zan ze Yukon for a fanatique.

pulled out the picture. In spite of the careful wrapping, it had got rather crumpl

t teeth to part with it. Can it go up

and Ol' Chief stopped wiping his eyes. While the Boy stood at the mantel with his back to Father Brachet, acting on a sudden impulse, he pulled the ivory pen-rest out of his shirt, and stuck its various parts together, saying as he di

d up his humorous old features. The penitents looked at each other, and telegraphed in Pymeut that after all the Boy had come up to time. The Fat

ndly gravity he pronounced a few simple sentences about the gentleness of Christ with the ignorant, but how offended the Heavenly Father w

ly and with sudden excite

ei

quaws-witches!" With an outward gesture of his lean claws he swept t

called out, driving the Pymeuts forth as one shoos chickens out of a garden

od back to let the little procession come in. Nobody noticed them further, but the Pymeuts scuttled away the instant they could get b

a weak voice came

t, calling Brother Etie

e from the foot of the pallet

what you sai

bo

king rest

es

can do

m gl

. That's why-I-had to come.

ddle. He unbuttoned the flap and took out some soiled, worn-looking papers. "Are zese in proper form?" he asked, but the man seemed to have dropp

od near. The man from

rials, and put a pen into the slack han

losed his eyes, and the paper slipped from under his hand. The Boy caught it, and set down the faint words:-"will a

silence. They waited a moment

ou sig

es opened.

aper. "Thank you, Father. Obliged to you, too." He turned his dimming e

ope

iting-table, where he tie

of everyday energy sounded strangely from dying lips-almost a wh

wn to catch the w

s going lik

ked, breathless, "did

mer. Nex' summer-

r all." The Boy stood up

t will out-boo

ave you been ma

e Aug

terprise sunk in the

e Aug

pieces up by-" The weak voice fell down into that

at Minóok, you're s

p. But the Boy was bending down fascinated, listening

came faintly b

old there-pl

found himself opposite the co

you, my son. Come u

he spring floods brought thousands. What did any risk matter? Think of the Pymeuts doing their sixty miles over the ice just to apologise to Father Brachet for being Pymeuts. This

tune-building is shortened to a few months. No more

d it gaily-gold to buy back the Orange Grove, to buy

passed Brother Pa

five minute

perior

ative went on hurriedly to Paul. "We

," agreed Paul, pausing w