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Melisse heard the words, and her eyes were big with fear when her father turned from closing and bolting the door. In more than a childish way, she knew that Jan had gone forth to face a great danger.
"I am afraid, Melisse," he said seriously. "You are growing so tall and so pretty that I am afraid." "Afraid! My brother afraid to kiss me! And what will you do when I get to be a woman, Jan which will be very soon, you say?" "I don't know, Melisse."
"I am not feeling right," he admitted, trying to appear cheerful, "but this coffee will make a new man of me. You make the best coffee in the world, Melisse?" "How do you know, brother?" she asked. "Have you drunk any other than mine since years ago at Churchill and York Factory?" "Only Iowaka's. But I know that yours is best, from what I remember of the coffee at the bay."
He had meant to go by the Athabasca water route to see Jean de Gravois, leaving Melisse to Cummins for a fortnight or so. Now he gave this up. Day and night he guarded the child; and to Jan's great joy it soon came to pass that whenever he was compelled to leave her for a short time, Melisse would cry for him.
There was the old glorious pleading in her eyes, and before it Jan bowed his unkempt head, and crushed her hands tightly in his own. For a half-minute there was silence, and in that half-minute there came a century between them. At last Jan spoke. "I'm glad to see you again, Melisse. It has seemed like a very long time!" He lifted his eyes.
"It's the flour and water anchored amidships," he smiled grimly. "Cramps Ugh!" "We'll make it by supper-time," assured Jan cheerfully. Dixon leaned heavily on his arm. "I wish you'd go on alone," he urged. "You could send help " "I promised Melisse that I would bring you back if I found you," replied Jan, his face turned away. "If the storm broke again, you would be lost."
The hand pressed more tightly against his face. "It's not the music in the skies, John. It is real REAL music that I hear " "It's the sky music, my sweet Melisse! Shall I open the door so that we can hear it better?" The hand slipped from his cheek.
He did not observe the slight change that came into her face, and went on: "I don't understand this in Jan. He is needed here for the carnival. Did you know that he was going to Nelson House?" Melisse shook her head. "MacVeigh says they have made him an offer to go down there as chief man," continued the factor. "It is strange that he has sent no explanation to me!"
The woman, had she been there, would have laughed at them, and in a dozen gentle breaths might have told them all that the world held in secret between mother and child; but, leaving them, she had passed on to them something that was life, like herself, and yet mystery. Had fate given Maballa to Melisse for a mother there would have been no mystery.
Choking back the grief of this last meeting with Melisse, he crossed to the company store. It was late when Cummins returned home. Melisse was still up. He looked at her sharply over his shoulder as he hung up his coat and hat. "Has anything come between you and Jan?" he asked suddenly. "Why have you been crying?" "Sometimes the tears come when I am playing the violin, father.
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