MtULm
It was spring in the Three Rivet
country. Over night almost, it
seemed, the gentler season had
come.
Even the great, moining Atha
basca River had softenel its voice.
When it first broke the ice-ribbed
barriers of winter it had howled,
and groaned and roared with re
lease of pent-up power, crashing
and pounding at the shuddering
ice floes. But now, the initial bat
tle over with, it had lowered its
voice to a crooning, lisping mur
mur, its coppery flood sliding
swiftly away to the northward,
where, thousands of miles distant,
those waters would finally hold
rendezvous with the silent Artie
sea.
John Benham, bent over the in
tricacies of a splice in a mooring
5- __1 1 1 __ 1 _1_1 C_
niiV) rv injiivu aj jiv. nviuvui O
ing in the depths of his great chest
was a wild, haunting happiness,
which always came to him when
the far, dim trails were open and—
beckoning. His face, bent eagerly
to his work, was lean and brown,
with brow, nose, lips and chin
cleanly and strongly carven. His
eyes, deepset, steady and sparkling
grey, were flawless in their clarity.
His heavy flannel shirt clung to
wide, sloping shoulders and opened
at the front to disclose a bronzed,
pillar like throat. His hands, weav
ing cunningly at the hemp, were
big, strong and nimble. The tre
mendous virility of fhe man seem
ed to glow from him like some
strange and powerful current.
Ellen Mackay, standing there
on the crest of the sloping bank,
distinctly sensed that current. It
almost frightened her, yet it seem
ed also to awaken a nameless, re
sponsive thrill which speeded the
beat of her heart and set her pulses
throbbing. And where she had ap
proached in thej^irst place with a
surety that verged almost on arro
gance, she now hesitated, swayed
by a curious timidity.
The man was unconscious of her
proximity. The song of the river
had covered her light-footed ap
proach. His bared head was bent
over his work. Beyond him, about
the remains of the noon fire,
i < 1 f • P £ t.
sprawled Lilt Sleeping AVAL Ills VAL ***•»
men, while still farther on, five
great, loaded freight scows tugged
at twanging mooring ropes and
shifted to and fro as though they
also knew the call of spring and
wero eaeer to storm the far leaguej
of the lonely island.
FJlen Mackay coughed, and was
suddenly furious with herself to
find that it had been a! most apol
ogetic cough indeed. The man’s
eyes lifted with alert swiftness,
rested on the slim figure of the girl
for a moment of startled wonder,
then he rose to his feet with a little
surge of power which rippled over
him like the wind across a sea of
grass.
"You—you are John Benham?”
Only by the strongest effort of
’ will was Ellen able to keep her
tone casual and business-like. The
impact of this man’s eyes were al
I most hypnotic. No wonder John
; Benham, the free trader, was such
a power among the fur gatherers
of the North. . j
j "Yes,” came the quiet deep
! tones. "I am Benham.”
| "I am Ellen Mackay. I have to
: leave immediately for Fort Elson.
II had planned to go with De Soto’s j
brigade, but I was delayed at Ed-;
monton and De Soto has gone on,
without me. Pat McClatchney tells!
me that you leave in the morning.
! If you will give me passage to Fort
Edson I will see that you are well
paid for your trouble.”
For a moment Benham did not|
I answer. His eyes rested steadily on;
| the girl, unwavering, startlingly j
clear. Yet he did not look at her asj
| other men had looked. His gaze j
! was speculative, not personal—1
! thoughtful, not amorous.
| Presently he spoke. "You are:
! Ellen Mackay. Then your father is
| Angus Mackay. Hudson Bay factor;
at Fort Elson?”
| "Yes. Angus Mackay is my fa-1
! ther.”
; A queer, hard light grew into
being in Beoham’s eyes and he'
shook his head slowly. "I’m afraid |
; that makes your request impossible
, Miss.”
| Ellen stiffened, spots of colour
j glowing on her smooth cheeks. “11
—1 do not understand.”
Strange fires flashed in his eyes. It
was plain that he had pust caught
himself in time to keep from ex
ploding into open rage. Suddenly
he dropped to his knees and bent
over his work again. "I’m truly
sorry, Miss Mackay,” he finished
quietly. "But it is impossible.”
For a long moment Ellen stood,
swayed by many emotions, of
which a rising anger was upper
most. This was the most unusual
experience in her life. Why, the
man had acted almost like a churl.
His flat refusal was stunning with
its impact, the more so because it
had been so unexpected. For, dur
ing the past four years, men had
viewed with one another to jump
to Ellen Mackey’s bidding. They
had gloried in alceding to her slight
est request. IHer four years at
college in Winnipeg had been one
long reign over all things mascu
line. Unconsciously this adulation
had spoiled her. She had known
no other law but that of her own
personal whim. Men, apparently,
were just automatons made to be
commanded. Yet, this man, this
big, virile, savage had flatly denied
her. Ellen’s imperious head lifted,
her rounded little chin stiffened,
and she turned on her heel anl
walked away.
Unknown to her, John Benham
watched her departure. A look of
Benham shook his head slowly, "F
impossi i
Benham looked at her curiously.
"This is your first season in the
north for some time, isn’t it?” he,
asked.
"Y—yes. I’ve been to sihool at
Winnepeg.”
"Then it is natural that you
would not understand. Should youi
go north with my brigade your fa- j
ther would disown you. For I am
Benham, a free trader—the free,
trader in your father’s life. Myj
name is anathema to him. He hates]
me unforgivably. Fie curses the
very thought of my existence. He]
even . . . ’’Benham bit off further(
words with a click of his teeth.]
His great chest arched and his fists!
clenched to hard, brown knots J
-----—i
ti afraid that makes your request
>le, Miss.”
regret clouded his face, and there,
was grudging admiration mingled
with that regret. It would be a cold
man indeed who could not admire
Ellen Mackay, and John Benham
was not cold.
The city had failed utterly in
despoiling the physicial birthright
of Ellen Mackay. She was sturdy,
buoyant, intensely alive. There
was no sickly, boudoir langour
about her slender and vibrant body.
Her stride was free, natural and
full of grace. She did not slouch.
She stood erect, proudly so, and
the rich colour in her smooth, olive
cheeks had been placed there by a
benevolent nature, not by the
chemistry of man. Her features
were lovely in their regularity and
as cleanly etched as a pine ridge
against the sunset. Her eyes were
level, dark and aglow with the joy
of life. And her hair was truly
her crowning glory, a rich blue
black cloud of crisp curls.
The thought of such a girl as
this sitting by his side during the
long brisk days and mysterious
nights of the river voyage ahead,
stirred John Benham deeply. But
only for a moment did such truant
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Liiuugma w lLii ilim. Wltn 2
hardening of his jaw and a shrug of
his shoulders he discarded them. She
was the daughter of Angus Mack
ay, which, in John Benham’s eyes,
seemed a damning fact beyond any
correction. And so he went on
with his work, though some of the
cheer of his mood had departed.
When Ellen Mackay re-entered
Pat McCIatchney’s little store there
at Athabasca Landing, her anger
and disappointment were easily ap
parent to the big, genial store
keeper.
He—he turned me down—
flat,” she burst out. "He’s a
brute.”
Kindly old Pat nodded commis
eratingly. "Ay,” he mumbled. "Ay
lass, he is a brute—but rather a
magnificent brute at that. I das
afraid. Noc is ye had gone to him
as old Pat suggested, and used a
wee bit of trickery on him, no
doubt he would have been glad tc
take ye. *Twas the fact that ye are
Angus Mackay’s lass that spoiled
things, I’ll wager.”
"It appeared to be,” admitted
Ellen. "But I don’t see why that
should have made any difference.
If he and my father have disagreed
over something it is no reason why
he should vent his spleen on me. 1
never saw such a mannerless clod.
And as far as telling him I was
someone else besides my true self—
I wouldn’t think of it. I—I’ll al
mit it looks like my last chance to
get north, but I won’t lie, even for
that.”
Pat sucked on his malodorous,
black briar for a time in silence.
"Let’s get our heads together,
lass,” he said at last. "I have a wee
idea that may be of value.”
At first Ellen shook her head in
flat denial as Pat unfolded his
scheme to her. But the more she
thought it over the more the wild
daring of the thing intrigued her.
In addition, when she had told Pat,
on arriving at Athabasca Landing,
that it was imperative that she go
north immediately to join her fath
er, she had meant every word of it.
Old Amgus Mackay was a proud
and haughty man and, knowing
him as she did. Ellen knew that
only the direst necessity could have
caused him to write as he had in
the letter she had received from
him on the day she graduated
from college. Her father needed
her. Just why, she could only
guess at. But he needed her, and
the blood of the Mackays had al
ways been thick and clannish. And
that was why Ellen put aside her
own feelings in the matter and fin
ally agreed to Pat’s plan.
"I’ll do it,” she said thoughfully.
"I’ll do it—if you can make the
arrangements as you suggest.”
There was little in the way of
packing for Ellen to do. During
her years at college she had not
forgotten that the north country
was a country of essentials, not
frills. A suitcase and a small trunk
was all the baggage she had
brought, and if it became neces
sary, she was ready to discard the
trunk. So she soon had things in
Miapc, men scretcneta out ior a lit
tie rest on the blankets of her
bunk.
At first the tumult of her
thoughts made even, a hint of sleep
impossible. She heard old Pat
clumping about in the store, and
after a bit came the rumble of his
voice as he talked for a time with i
someone. Ellen’s thoughts soon *
came back to John Benham. , Her
mini \ is ma'de'up to the fact that I
she disliked him thoroughly. But
when she endeavoured to isolate the
reason for this she failed to get
very far. In spite of the unreason
able rancour she felt, she had to
admit, in all fairness, that her
charge of rudeness on his part was
not correct. She had asked him a
question and he had given her a
straightforward answer. That it
had not been the answer she had
desired and expected did not con
stitute rudeness. His words and
manner had been respectful, but
none the less adamant. And it was
this latter fact, though Ellen hard
ly realized it, which had aroused
her.
A masterful man. Ugh! How
she loathed masterful men. With
a little throb of conternation she
rpmpmKprprl fliaf cimnlv Kv o-lanr
ing at her he had shattered her
self-aplomb in a most disturbing
manner.
And so John Benham and her
father were at loggerheads. Very
well, if Angus Mackay hated this
free trader, then Angus Mackay’s
daughter would hate him also. She
settled this fact in her mind with
a clack of her little white teeth.
She felt she could trust her father’s
judgment in such a matter. She
wondered again just what the issue
was between her father and John
Benham. She mused over this to
doze and soon fell asleep.
It was dark when she awoke. Pat
McClatchney was shaking her
gently by the shoulder.
"Come, lass,” the old fellow
murmured. "Pierre Buschard is
here. He would talk with you.”
Ellen followed Pat into the
store, now dimly lit by the yellow
< * t o. «• •
LJtams yi a lamp, jiaiiuiug juau at
the edge of the glow was a huge
lark figure of a man. As Ellen ent
ered, the stranger tugged off his
red woolen cap and stood twisting
it between two great paws.
Continued next issue.
Friend: Did you get any replies
to your advertisement that a lone
ly maiden sought light and
warmth in her life?
Spinster: Yes, two from an elec
tric company and one from the
gas light people.
"A lip stick please.”
"What size Miss?”
"Two car rides anl a house-1
party.”
-----1
M
f fVJ < J
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1
In The WEEK’S NEWS I
UNDER FLOOD WATERS—The in
undated residence section of Poplar %
Bluff, Mo., as flood waters of the 1
Black River swept into the town.
The danger was relieved somewhat
when the river washed out its levee
and spread over a large farming
area.
"A TWELVE STATE SWEATER” —A
tribute to the riding quality of the modern
car is demonstrated by Mrs. S. D. Wein
berger of Los Angeles who knitted this
“Twelve State Sweater” while riding
across the Continent from Summit, New
Jersey. She is pictured in her new
i Plymouth Sedan.
figHh x'^P^L inaugural style!
I*88**' " 11 NOTE—At the second in-'
RUNCIMAN VISITS ROOSE- auguration of her husband,
VELT—Mr. Walter Runciman, Mrs. Roosevelt wore an
President of the Board of evening gown of silvery
Trade of Great Britain, who blue with a fox fur border
was a week end guest of Presi- ing the long scarfi dye,'
dent Roosevelt. Great Brit- match,
ain’s indebtedness to the
United States was reported to
be one of the subjects ^
discussed.
RELIEF MARCHERS
PARADE—A part of the
group of WPA workers,
numbering 3000, shown
marching past the U. S.
Supreme Court Building
carrying banners de
manding expansion of
the WPA program.
AND NOW THE STREAMLINED COW—Breeders are giving
attention to streamlining dairy cows to obtain as much beauty
in tbs in modern trains and autos. No longer are dairy cows
wantet, with huge udders carried close to the ground. The
streamlined model cow pictured, a Guernsey, produces just as
copious quantities of milk and is less subject to injury.
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Cwsdian PHU BAKEH plans to
—“ combine business and pleasure this
winter. Sundays he will broadcast
horn New York over the Columbia
network and between programs he
plans to dash to Florida to get in
some fishing in Southern waters.
Cleopatra, lameus Egyptian Qneen wore \
Bronx* ornaments. Here l Miss Sue Fon- \
drte, wearing a Bronx* bathing suit at \
Tahiti Beach. Miami. Glistening in the sun \
it shines like armor yet is soft as doth be- \
cause it is a mesh woven suit Bronze. \
an alloy oi Copper, oldest metal oi commerce
is rust-prooi.
PRESIDED. ... __iN DELANi
ROOSEVELT—A recent studio poi
treat of President Roosevelt He is j
the first President to be inaugurated
TanuarY 20th instead ai March 4th. 1
-.. , . -- .. y
—
PHIL LOHD in two la
mous roles. At right as
the beloved character,
Seth Parker. The other
as master-of-ceremonies
of the popular "WE THE
PEOPLE" program heard
over the NBC-Blue network Sunday afterrtoons.