The Maid of the Whispering Hills

The Maid of the Whispering Hills

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Title: The Maid of the Whispering Hills
Author: Vingie E. Roe
Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5253] [Yes, we are more than one
year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on June 14, 2002]
Edition: 10
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE MAID
OF THE WHISPERING HILLS ***

The Maid of the Whispering Hills By Vingie E. Roe
Published January, 1912
To My Mother Who Has Been My Constant Help
My Father Who Was Proud Of Me
And My Little Brother, These Two Long Asleep On The Hill At
Carney--
This Book Is Lovingly Inscribed V. E. R.
Contents
I The Venturers II The Spring III New Homes IV The Stranger From
Civilisation V Nor'westers VI Spring Trade VII Forest News VIII First
Dawn IX Gold Fire X The Saskatoon XI Leaven At Work XII The
Nakonkirhirinons XIII "A Skin For A Skin" XIV Fellow Captives XV
Long Trail XVI Travel XVII The Compelling Power XVIII "I Am A
Stone To Your Foot, Ma'amselle" XIX The Hudson's Bay Brigade XX
The Wolf And The Caribou XXI Tightened Screws XXII "Choose,
White Woman!" XXIII The Painted Post XXIV The Stone To The Foot
Of Love XXV Answered Prayers XXVI Sanctuary XXVII Return
XXVIII The Old Dream Once More XXIX Bitter Aloes XXX The
Land Of The Whispering Hills

CHAPTER I
THE VENTURERS
"Mercy!" shrieked little Francette, her red-rose face aghast, "he will
begin before I can bring the help!"
Like a flash of flame the maid in her crimson skirt shot up the main
way of Fort de Seviere to where the factory lay asleep in the warm
spring sun.
On its log step, pipe in mouth, young Anders McElroy leaned against
the jamb and looked smilingly out upon his settlement. Peace lay softly

upon it, from the waters of the small stream to the east where nine
canoes lay bottom up upon the pebbly shore, to the great dark wall of
the forest shouldering near on three sides. To him ran little Francette,
light on her moccasined feet as the wind in the tender pine- tops, her
eloquent small hands outstretched and clutching at his sleeve
audaciously.
None other in all the post would have dared as much, for this smiling
young man with the blue eyes was the Law at Fort de Seviere, factor of
the Company and governor of the handful of humanity lost in the vast
region of the Assiniboine. But to Francette he was Power and Help, and
she thought of naught else, as it is not likely she would have done even
at another time.
"Oh, M'sieu!" she cried, gasping from her run, "come at once beyond
the great gate! Bois DesCaut,--Oh, brute of the world!--whips that great
grey husky leader of his team, because it did but snap at his heel
beneath an idle prod! Hasten, M'sieu! He drags it, glaring, along the
shore to where lie those clubs brought for the kettles!"
In the dark eyes upraised to him there swam a mist of tears and the
heart of the little maid tore at her breast in anguish.
The smile slipped swiftly from the factor's face, leaving it grave.
"Where, little one?" he asked.
"Beyond the palisade. But hurry, M'sieu,--for the love of God!"
At the great gate in the eastern wall he paused and looked either way.
To the southward all was peaceful. An aged Indian of the Assiniboines
squatted at the water's edge mending the broken bottom of a skin canoe,
and two voyageurs, gay in the matter of sash and crimson cap, lay
lazily beneath a drowsing tree.
To the northward there flashed into McElroy's vision one of those
pictures a man sees but few times and never forgets, a picture startling
in its clear-cut