Part 24 (2/2)
”She had no right----”
”Ah, but that is the cruelty of it--she _did_ have the right!”
”There are sos which a man must work out for himself,” said William Clark slowly, after a time ”I don't think I'll ask any questions If there is any place where I can take half your burden, you knohat I will do We've worked share and share alike, but perhaps sos cannot be shared, even by you and me It is for you to tell me if I can help you now If not, then you must decide”
Even as he spoke, his beloved friend was turning away froht Stu the shadows, under the starlight Without much plan, he found himself on a little eminence of the bluff near by
He sat down, his blanket drawn over his head, like an Indian, ht, as sometimes a man must, alone He did not know that William Clark, most faithful of friends, himself silent as a Sioux, had followed, and sat a little distance apart, his eyes fixed on the ainst the sky
The dawn caht at length grewcry, like some soul in torture As if it were his own voice, Meriwether Lewis stirred, rose, drew back the blanket from his shoulders, and turned down the hill
He saw his friend rising and advancing to hiripped, as they had when the two firstof their journey
Lewis frowned heavily He could not speak for a time
”Give the orders to the th
”Which way, Captain Lewis--upstreao forward, Captain Clark”
”God bless you, Merne!” said the red-headed one
CHAPTER III
THE DAY'S WORK
”Roll out,men stirred under their robes and blankets and turned out, quickly awake, after the fashi+on of the wilderness The sentinel caainst the cool of the h plains
Soon the fires were alight and the odors of roasting meat arose The hour was scarce yet dawn
”Ordway! Gass! Pryor!” Lewis called in the sergeants in charge of the three messes ”The boy Shannon has not returned Which of your men, Ordill best serve to find Shannon and meet us up the river?”
”Myself, sir,” said Ordway, ”if you please”
”No, 'tis meself, sor,” interrupted Patrick Gass
Pryor, with hand outstretched, also clai
”You three are needed in the boats,” said the leader ”No, I think it will be better to send Drouillard and the two Fields boys But tell eant Ordway----”