Two on the Trail: A Story of the Far Northwest

by Hulbert Footner

  XIX

  GRYLLS REDIVIVUS

  On the next day but one Natalie's condition took a sharp turn for theworse; and for many days thereafter, Garth put every other thought outof his head. She fell into a high fever and suffered incessantly andcruelly. At this call, Rina showed forth in colours wholly admirable;day or night she seldom left her patient's side; she was never at a losswhat to do; and Garth comforted himself with the thought that Nataliecould scarcely have had better care anywhere.

  During these busy days Rina appeared to forget her own heartache in ameasure; and never once on the occasion of their daily trip to theisland (Garth forcing her to accompany him) did she again express a wishto speak to Mabyn. At their approach Mabyn always retreated; and theywere accustomed to set his rations down on the shore and immediately goback.

  But Garth could not trust the breed unreservedly, and unceasingvigilance was his portion. He had little enough sleep before, and now hestrove to do without it altogether. For three days and three nights hedid not close his eyes. On the fourth day, warned by his tortured,wavering brain that it must be either sleep or madness, he took his fatein his hands and lay down on top of the cache, with his gun beside him.

  He was unconscious for nearly twelve hours. When he awoke it was to findRina's eyes fixed upon him strangely. He sprang up, and she turned awayher head. He could not read that expression--still he had lain there ather mercy and she had spared him. Neither had she liberated Mabyn fromthe island, for Garth could see him moving about. He began to hope thathis arguments had real weight with the breed; and little by little,under pressure of his great need, he began to trust her.

  But when the dread promontory was weathered at last, and Natalie, awraith of her blooming self, awoke in her right senses, Rina changedagain, resuming her old sullen, moody self; and all his work was undone.It was clear the unfortunate girl was dragged ceaselessly back and forthbetween her new-fledged soul and the old savage impulses of her blood.She learned to love the irresistible Natalie whom she had snatched backfrom death--but she likewise hated her; hated her blindly because Mabynloved her; and inconsistently, but naturally, too, hated her because shedespised Mabyn. The same with Garth; over and over she unconsciouslyshowed she trusted him; but her blood still rebelled because he wasMabyn's enemy; and he would sometimes find her eyes fixed on him in aquickly veiled expression of savage, implacable hatred.

  On the first day of his imprisonment, Garth, under threat of withholdingsupplies, had forced Mabyn to cut down the willows fringing the hitherside of the island; and his movements about his fire and tepee were inplain view of those on shore. Concealed from him by a tree, Rina wouldoften sit by the hour, watching him wistfully. "God knows what courseher harried brain pursues!" Garth, observing her, thought--"if shethinks at all!" One thing was sure: under the strain of continuedseparation, her resistance to Mabyn's evil suggestions was graduallybreaking down.

  Meanwhile Garth was straining every nerve to complete the shack that wasto be at once their habitation and their fortress. Within the shelter ofits walls he hoped to sleep at peace again. His nerves were stretchedlike violin strings from the lack of it; for all he could permit himselfwas an hour or two in the morning while Natalie was awake and could warnhim. All afternoon he chopped pine trees, which old Cy with animprovised harness dragged into camp; and far into the night, untilovertaken with complete exhaustion, he trimmed his logs, squared theends, and lifted them into place.

  It was their second red-letter day, when the last sod was dropped intoplace on the roof, and Garth carried Natalie inside. Strictly considered,the house was not very much to brag about, perhaps; for it slanted thisway and that like the first pothooks in a child's copybook; but Garth,fired by Natalie's enthusiastic praises, could not have been prouderif he had completed the Taj Mahal.

  One end had been partitioned off for Natalie's room; and in finishingthis part Garth had spent all his pains. The floor was made of smalllogs, filled and plastered with clay, which he had hardened by buildingfires upon it; and had then strewn rushes over the whole. There was arough bunk in one corner, with a low table by its side--the latest thingin rustics, the maker explained. There was a tiny window high up on theside overlooking the lake; it had no glass, but a stout shutter swingingon wooden pins, and which fastened with a strong wooden bar. But thecrowning feature of the room, constructed with infinite pains aftercountless failures, was the fireplace in the corner. Garth deprecatedit; it wasn't much of a fireplace; only a sort of little arched doorwayof baked clay, so narrow the logs had to stand upright in it, makingcooking very difficult--but when Natalie saw the flames curling up thechimney in the most natural way possible, she set up a feeble crow ofdelight.

  The balance of the interior was to serve for Garth's room and storeroomcombined. It had a very small door, also on the lake side; but he couldnot afford a window beside; and he also saved himself the trouble offlooring it. The door was constructed in the same manner as the shutter,of matched poles strongly braced behind, and further strengthened withrawhide lashings.

  Natalie had Garth hang a spare blanket over the doorway between thetwo rooms; and she produced a shawl to serve for a table cloth. Aftersupper, when they locked themselves in and heaped up the fire, Nataliepropped up on her couch, and Garth sitting on a stool, smoking byespecial request--it was as snug as Heaven, Natalie said. The nights hadbeen growing dreadfully keen of late; and poor Natalie wrapped in allthe blankets they possessed had nevertheless more than once lain awakewith the cold. But now, within thick walls--what matter if they were outof the perpendicular?--and under a tight roof, with the flames leapingbriskly up the chimney, no king in his palace ever experienced such asense of opulent and all-sufficing luxury as Garth and Natalie the firstnight in their miserable shack.

  This was the fourteenth day after Natalie's accident. Every day afterthe first week had shown a slight improvement in her condition; andevery day had therefore lessened the hold Rina had over them; until nowGarth felt, should it be necessary, he could bring the patient safelyback to health unaided. Rina knew this too; and became daily more moroseand sullen in her demeanour. To separate her longer from Mabyn would be,Garth felt, simply to promote an explosion. Besides, sufficiently housednow, well armed, and with the food safely stored, he felt strong enoughto be merciful. On the night they moved into the shack he pointed outthe canoe to Rina, telling her that henceforth she was free to use it asshe would. He would go to the island no more, he added; but Rina mightcome every day for rations for both--as long as Mabyn remained where hewas.

  He hoped by this to incite the energetic Rina into planning Mabyn'sescape from the island. They could catch a couple of horses and ride totheir friends at the distant Settlement, or where they would. He felt hecould trust Rina, if she ever got Mabyn among her own people, to keephim from coming back. Thus he would at the same stroke be rid of them,and conserve his rapidly diminishing stores. It was no great matter ifthey drove off all the horses, for he still had old Cy under his eye forNatalie to ride; and their own journey back would have to be undertakenat a walking pace, anyway. He had learned enough of Rina's mixedcharacter to be sure that this would have a greater chance of comingabout if he let her think of it for herself, so he said nothing to her.

  He was disappointed. Mabyn, too timid to undertake so long a journeywithout ample supplies, or perhaps too obstinate to go, they remained onthe island; and Rina came every day for food. If she was grateful forbeing allowed to join Mabyn she did not show it. Every trace of herbetter nature rapidly disappeared, and she seemed wholly the sullensavage. Bad treatment was the explanation they thought; and they pitiedher.

  Garth waited five days more. Natalie was by that time moving aroundfreely; and they had begun to count the days to their ardently desiredretreat from that unhappy valley. The question of food became more andmore pressing--their journey would have to be spread over many slowstages; and he finally decided to drive Mabyn and Rina away.

  So the next time Rina came, he told her he
would give her two days'rations for two persons the following day; and after that they needexpect no more. In the meantime, he said, she was free to go up on theprairie and catch the first two horses she met. He even offered her oldCy to round them up, secure in holding the dugout for a hostage. Rinabetrayed not the least surprise, or any other feeling at his ultimatum,but coolly rode off as he bid her. She returned within an hour drivingEmmy and Timoosis, which she picketed below Mabyn's hut.

  What passed between Rina and Mabyn when she returned to the island, theother two could only guess at. However, Garth, up at dawn next morning,saw them striking the tepee. They made two trips back and forth betweenthe island and the mouth of the creek; and afterward, while Mabynsaddled and packed the horses, Rina paddled to Garth's camp to get thepromised rations. They both awaited her on the bank.

  Rina presented the mask-like face they had grown accustomed to, andmaintained a dogged silence. The only sign of feeling she gave was ashadow-like pain drowned deep in her dark eyes. Natalie's own eyesfilled at the sight of her stubbornness; in the days of her sufferingshe had grown very fond of her dark-skinned nurse; and it was she whohad insisted throughout on the existence of Rina's better nature, andhad never given up hope of reclaiming the worser part. And now itseemed, she must admit herself defeated.

  Garth laid out the food he had allotted them; and packed it in aflour-bag convenient to carry. He also gave Rina an open letter he hadwritten, setting forth their situation (without implicating Mabyn orRina) and asking that food and an escort be sent. That it would everfall into responsible hands was problematical; but it was a chance. Herefrained from any suggestion that it should be concealed from Mabyn,but Rina of her own accord thrust it in her dress; and he argued wellfrom the act.

  Rina turned to go without a word; but Natalie called her softly. In herhand she was holding a round silver locket, in which she had put a tinypicture of herself. She held it out to Rina with a wistful smile.

  "For you," she murmured. "Keep it because I love you."

  Rina looked at the little picture, struggling to maintain her parade ofunconcern. But suddenly she snatched it out of Natalie's hand; andthrust it in her own bosom. Her face worked with the pain of those whoweep with difficulty; her eyes filled and overflowed at last. With awild, brusque abandon, she flung herself at Natalie's feet and pressedthe hem of her dress to her trembling lips.

  "You good! You good!" she sobbed. Then springing to her feet as abruptlyas she had fallen, she flew away among the trees.

  Half an hour later they heard the two horses passing the trail behindtheir camp; the same trail by which they had all first entered thevalley; and the way to Spirit River Crossing.

  At first they dared not believe they could really be free of their enemyso easily; and they continually found themselves listening for the soundof their return. Garth saddled Cy at last; and rode along the trail tothe top of the bench. He saw Mabyn and Rina two specks in the distance;and still travelling south. When he returned with the news to Natalie,they allowed themselves to rejoice at last; and they were filled with agreat peace.

  Going home! was the burden of their happy speech; home to the land offriendly faces, the urbane land, the place of comfortable little things,where life was lapped in ease, sane and well-ordered! How their earsached for a human noise again! the bustle of crowded sidewalks, theclang of gongs, the fall of hoofs on asphalt! How their flesh yearnedfor the creature comforts! delicate feasting and good clothes to wear!One must be plunged into the wilderness for a while to sense the giftsof civilization at their true value.

  "I can understand now why men are so crazy to be explorers and things,"said Natalie. "They go away just for the tremendous fun of coming backto it all! Oh-h! Think of dances--and even despised tea-parties now!Think of theatres and restaurants and going to the races!"

  "And wouldn't I like to take you straight through to New York, though!"sang Garth. "Oh! Broadway and the Avenue in September! Everythinggetting under way again! And Coney Island is still going! Picture LunaPark dropped down on the island out there!"

  They laughed at the incongruous picture.

  "Where would we dine the first night?" asked Natalie.

  "Martin's," said Garth. "Fancy us in the balcony looking down on thegiddy crowd; and the orchestra sawing off the sextet from _Lucia_ fordear life!"

  "Lobster a la Newburg and a _peche Melba_!" cried Natalie in an ecstasy.

  "Not on your life!" said Garth. "Just like a girl's bill-of-fare.Something sensible for yours when you go out with me! How about a filet_dernier cri_?"

  "Don't know it," said Natalie. "Besides, I refuse to be sensible in myimagination," she added.

  Garth described the delicacy. "And a cheese sauce on top all browned,with strips of red pepper laid criss-cross; and it comes steaming hotunder a little glass cover!"

  Natalie groaned. "Oh, talk about something else!" she said faintly.

  "What will you wear?" asked Garth with a grin.

  Natalie drew a long breath and plunged forthwith into elaborate, exciteddescriptions.

  * * * * *

  Their respite was very short--only to the middle of the followingmorning. They were still dwelling on the subject of home. Garth hadcarefully lifted Natalie into the saddle; and was leading the horse upand down the strip of grass to see how she bore it. Suddenly she benther head, and laid a hand on his shoulder.

  "Horses!" she said.

  Garth sharply pulled up old Cy. "The Indian cayuses, perhaps," he said.

  Natalie shook her head. "Heavier animals than that," she said. "And morelike the steady trot of ridden horses!"

  They listened with strained attention; and presently the pound of hoofswas clearly audible returning on the same trail through the woods of thelake shore. The approach of strangers is charged with a tremendoussignificance to those immured in a wilderness. They bated their breathsto hear better.

  Garth scowled. "If they come back they can starve!" he said shortly."They'll not get another stiver's worth from our store!"

  Natalie's ears were very sharp. "There are more than two!" she saidsuddenly. "Four--six--more than that!"

  Garth's face cleared. "Friends, undoubtedly," he said. "Mabyn couldnever enlist anybody, not even breeds, against us!"

  But this was only for Natalie's benefit. Even while he spoke anotherthought struck a chill to his heart. Lifting Natalie off the horse, hesent her into the house; and taking his gun, he struck back through thewoods to the side of the trail, to reconnoitre. He dropped behind aclump of mooseberry bushes where he could see without being seen.

  The cavalcade was close upon him. The first to ride past was HerbertMabyn. His livid face was alight with triumph; and he carried a newWinchester slung over his back. An ill-favoured breed youth followed;his face struck a chord in Garth's memory; but so hard is it todistinguish alien faces that for the moment he could not place him. Nextthere came six packhorses, laden with food and camp outfit, and drivenby the next rider, a breed woman, whose face happened to be turned fromGarth as she passed. He had an uncomfortable sense that he knew her too.Rina followed, turning a sad and troubled face in the direction of theircamp as she rode by.

  This seemed to be all; and Garth was about to rise, when he heard stillanother rider approaching. He crouched back with a sure foreboding ofwho it was; hence there was little surprise in the actual sight of thefaded check suit enwrapping the burly figure, the broad-rimmed"Stetson," and the ragged cigar ceaselessly twisted between fat lips. Helooked older, that was all; and he bore marks of illness. Nick Gryllshad found them out.