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Updated: July 6, 2025
In earlier days Musq'oosis had sojourned for a while in Prince George, the town of the white man, and there he had picked up much of the white man's strange lore. This he had imparted to Bela that was why she was crazy, they said. He had taught Bela to speak English.
I lak go to bed after big hunt." "You shouldn't talk so much," said Sam. "It tires you." "Let me talk," returned Musq'oosis, smiling still. "I soon done talkin'. I lak tell yo'ng man all an old man know. But not moch good, I guess. Yo'ng man got learn same lak his fat'er." The old man murmured on out of his store of wisdom. Sometimes he appeared to doze, but always he kept hold of Sam's hand.
"I will go to my people!" cried Bela, looking away as if she envisaged the whole white race. The Indian mother raised her eyes in a swift glance of passionate supplication but her lips were tight. Bela did not see the look. "I go talk to Musq'oosis," she said. "He tell me all to do." The village of the Fish-Eaters was built in a narrow meadow behind a pine grove and the little river.
In the Indian village beside Hah-wah-sepi, little, crooked Musq'oosis was squatting at the door of his teepee, making a fish net. This was work his nimble fingers could still perform better than any in the tribe. Meanwhile, he smoked and dwelt on the serene reminiscences of a well-spent life. While he worked and meditated nothing in the surrounding scene escaped the glances of his keen, old eyes.
"Feels funny to have a fellow slinging lead at you, eh?" said Sam. "Musq'oosis say after a man hear bullet whistle he is grown," answered Bela. A few minutes later the river received them. There was a straight reach of a third of a mile, followed by innumerable, bewildering corkscrew bends all the way to the head of the rapids, thirty miles or more.
"You could come and tak' her 'way from him maybe." "Nothing doing," said Sam grimly. "Mahooley maybe not marry her honest," suggested Musq'oosis. A spasm passed over Sam's face. The horses strained back, startled, from his hand. "Oh, for God's sake, I've told you a dozen times it is nothing to me!" he cried. "Nobody can make Bela do what she doesn't want to do.
Musq'oosis called upon the chief surveyor, and the white man was delighted with his red brother's native courtesy and philosophy. When finally the wind died down Musq'oosis had only to drop a hint that he was thinking of travelling to the settlement to receive a hearty invitation. Musq'oosis, instructing two boys, Jeresis and Hooliam, to come after him with a dugout in two days' time, accepted it.
It took him but a moment to get the hang of it. On the debit side: "To team, Sambo and Dinah, with wagon and harness, $578.00." Under this were entered various advances to Sam. On the other side Joe read: "By order on Gilbert Beattie, $578.00." Below were the different amounts paid by Graves for hauling. Joe softly closed the book. So it was Musq'oosis who employed Sam!
"I tell you," he went on. "Who is the best man in this country?" "Bishop Lajeunesse," she replied unhesitatingly. "It is the truth," he agreed. "But Bishop Lajeunesse little skinny man. Can't carry big pack at all. Why is he the best man?" This was too much of a poser for Bela. "I don't want marry him," she muttered. "I tell you," said Musq'oosis sternly. "Listen well. You are a foolish woman.
She was kneeling on the other side of Musq'oosis, bending over him, and clasping both his hands to her breast as if to warm them. She had forgotten Sam. Her lovely face was soft and haggard with grief. Tears coursed down her cheeks. "My friend! My friend!" Sam heard her whisper. "Speak to me. Say you forgive me. Ah, don't leave me! I have no friend but you!" Sam looked on in a kind of horror.
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