Strong High School - Mussul Unsquit Yearbook (Strong, ME)

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26 THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT but say, my boy, sit down here beside Betty, and the General winked at John Calder. There, that 's better and now Tex, let me tell you something. Your father and I have forgotten everything concerning ourselves and have buried the hatchet. We are going to join our ranches and we want you to be the foreman of the Starken-Calder Company's ranch. The house is furnished and I reckon you can pick your own wife. Hurrah! Hurrah! I'll take the job later, and my wife now, he said, taking Betty in his arms and starting for his horse. Star seemed to know where he was going, and with his double load hit the dirt at a rapid pace. I reckon they 'll be happy all right, said the General, and then he and john Calder lighted their pipes of peace and smoked far into the night, telling stories of their younger days. C. B. H., '22. 0'CONNOR'S LAST TRIP TO THE NORTHLAND IM O'CONNOR and his young wife, Marge, moved into the Canadian Northwest onto a little farm one hundred miles from any trading post, other cabins, or farms. This little farm was in a valley among the hills. About a quarter of a mile from the cabin was a river which had its source far in the Northland, and every fall before cold weather there were many canoes with men and their dog teams, going into the Northland to trap. One day while jim was getting his canoe ready for a trip to the trading post, he heard a cry, and looking toward the river, he saw a half-breed in a canoe which was awash. He did not hesitate but jumped into his canoe. When he had the Indian safely ashore he saw that it was Jean Cree, whom he had see11 at the trading post and who had saved him from getting a licking by drunken men several times. The Indian recognized Jim and he said, Monsieur, you have saved my life and I shall never forget it, you have but to command and I will obey. Nonsense,l' replied Jim, it was noth- ing. I did only what any man would have done. It is not so, Monsieur. You are the only person who has shown me any kind- ness since I lost my mother. Monsieur, you cannot leave your wife here while you are in the Northlandg let me stay with her, and I will protect her with my life. O'Connor had not thought much about his wife, who was new to the Northland, stay- ing alone for several months. My God, he muttered, what if I had left her alone? She would have gone crazy with loneli- ness. Jean, said jim, I am going to trust you, and I 'm going to let you stay on the farm with Marge, and if anything happens to her this earth isn't so large but what I will find you and call you to account. I'm going to tell you where I 'm going so that if anything happens you can come to me. For a week jim was busy getting his team and equipment ready. When it came time for him to go, his wife came out to bid him good-bye. She did not want him to go, but she did not say anything which would hold him back because she knew how he loved the Northland. The Indian went up the river fifty miles with Jim. jean, I may never return from this trip as the north is so uncertain. If I don't, I want you to take care of Marge until she finds another man. There is enough money in the bank at Montreal to keep both of you for the rest of your lives. Jean stayed that night with Jim and bright and early the next morning he bade Jim good-bye and good-luck and departed for home. Jim continued upstream until he found a good place to cache his canoe, then he took his team and struck out over- land for his cabin in the woods. When Jean reached home he found

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 25 inch by inch. Tex called to Betty to keep her nerve. They came in sight of the Starken ranch and the General saw them coming. He was terrified, for Wildfire was headed toward the big corral where the horses were and he knew that he would try to jump the fence to get i11 with the other horses as he had done once before. But there was now no cause to worry, for Tex was at her side and lifted her bodily from the horse. Wildfire kept on going, tried to jump the fence, fell and broke his leg. Tex put Betty down and then started to leave, but the General said, Tex, my boy, I have just learned a great lesson. How can I ever repay you for what you have done today? You are welcome here at any time. Come to the party to-night as an honored guest and say, Tex, tell your Dad I want to see him on some business before the party. Tex rode away and told his father, who My boy, I have known General said, Starken for many a year and to-night he is going to bury the hatchetf' The time for tl1e party arrived and the came rapidly. .lose was there but guests seemed ill at ease. Betty noticed this and told her father. Betty, he said, I want to ask your forgiveness. jose is not the man for you. Treat him well to-night and be careful about a tight between him and Tex. I'll talk to you later, dear. What is the matter, jose. said Betty as she returned to him. Does my little senorita not think me all right to-night? said jose. I thought something was the matter, Betty replied. Ah! come out here where we can talk alone and I will tell you, he said. There my little one, said jose, and l1is dark eyes Hashed. Heem come here to-day. I see heem here yesterday. You tell heem you never marry jose. You hate heem. You ask heem to party. I kill heem. To-night you marry me or and he drew the wicked dagger, but Betty was not afraid. psy 'K jose Gardeau, I don't love you. I hate you, and I will never marry you, you thief, said Betty, and also-- A murderer, said another voice, the voice of Tex Calder. Betty, get behind me, over near the tree,', said Tex, never letting his eyes leave those of jose and always keeping his right hand near the butt of his revolver. jose Gai-deau, said Tex, a word from me and you would be put behind the bars. You know that I know who 'killed Tony M., then ran away with his wife, deserted her, stole my father's cattle and tried to shoot joe Desmond. VVho robbed the bank of El Dorado? VVho held up the stage at Parmego Pass and robbed innocent women and even little children? jose Gardeau, you must pay, you, who are at this minute trying to drag Betty down to become a slave to your accursed plans and plots. just then jose made a move and Tex, drawing his revolver quickly, shot the dag- ger from his hand, seized him, and tied him. A quick messenger notified Captain Maloney and a bunch of Texas Rangers. Tex handed jose over to them. About this time the General came forward and said, What 's the meaning of this, sir? Captain Maloney said, Nothing sir, only this young man by the name of Tex Calder, saved us tl1e trouble of capturing jose Gardeau, famous bandit, horse and cattle thief, murderer. He receives a re- ward of S5,000. I-Ie turned to Tex and said, Calder, come to the Ranger headquarters to-mor- row and receive your reward. I wish to talk to you about joining tl1e Rangers. The General's eye twinkled as he said to Tex, Meet me in the living room as soon as the guests go. After the guests departed and Helen was bidding a few remaining friends good night, Tex went into the living room. His father, the General, and Betty were waiting for him. I suppose you will be joining the Rang- ers to-morrow, eh, Tex? said the General,

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 27 Marge waiting for him. For three months they worked on the farm. ,lean got the winter's wood and during his spare time he trapped along the river and in the hills around the cabin. Marge had him tell her of the Northland and its dangers. She spoke often of ,I im and of what they would do when he returned. He had promised her that he would never go into the north again if she would let him go this once, and then she and .lim would live on the little farm and enjoy themselves. XVhcn Jim reached his cabin in the woods. the first thing he did was to cut enough wood to last him through the trap- ping season so that he would not have to leave his traps to cut wood. During the iirst months of winter he tended his trap line and was very successful, and had no trouble with anyone bothering his trap line. One day while he was wandering in the woods hunting for game, he stumbled upon a little valley which was overrun with game, where he immediately set some traps and for two weeks he was kept busy skin- ning the animals he caught. At the end of this time he had nearly doubled his catch of mink, otter, beaver, lynx, muskrat, and fox. He took in the traps that were furthest from the cabin, because just as soon as the river broke up he would start for home. One morning when jean returned from his trap line Marge came to meet him, something which she had never done be- fore. lean, you know where Jim is, or you have some idea so that you could Gnd him, don't you? H Yes, replied Jean, UI do, but I hope that you do not need Jimg are you ill? jean, I want you to take this to Jim as quickly as possible. It will take you a week to go and come, but you must do it. Do you want hi1n on account of --? Yes, Ieang I can stand it no longerg he must know. The next day the rising sun found Jean well on his way to find Jim. He encoun- H 73 tered many difficulties but he was used to the north so he got through all right. One day while Jim was busily cleaning some pelts, he was halted by a loud Hallo, and looking up, he saw jean com- ing toward him. Several questions rushed to his lips, Had she become tired of the north? Was she ill and needing him? VVhile he was thinking thus, he had run to meet jean, and jean handed him a letter. Dear jim:- I can stand it no longer. You must know. Come home at once. K' Lovingly, HMarge. He asked no questions but went to take up the rest of his traps. XVhile he was gone ,lean packed the furs, and as it was late when Jim returned, they decided to wait until morning before starting for home. There was no sleep for Jim night. that In the morning he roused .lean out of a perfectly good slumber and they were well on their way at sun up. NVould they ever reach home? They had been traveling two days and well on into the nights. The Indian told Jim that there was no need to worry because he would find his wife all right and waiting for his arrival. The next moment Jim turned to the In- dian and said, I 'm going to hurry ahead for the cabin is over the next hill. At the top of the hill he could see the cabin and behind him he could see jean coming along leisurely. Did the Indian know? If he did, why didn't he tell him, but never mind, he would know in a little while, and he broke into a run. He could not go very fast on his snow- shoes and it seemed to him that he would never get to the cabin. He was there at last. He opened the door and went in. He heard a wailing sound. VVhat could it be? Marge,'i he cried, where are you? His wife came through the door with a small bundle in her arms. Look, Jim, and I've named him after you.