Part 21 (1/2)
”Ah, you must play for me now, Melisse! It has surely gone from Jan Th.o.r.eau.”
He held out the violin to her.
”Not now, Jan,” she said tremulously. ”I will play for you to-night.”
She went to the door of her room, hesitating for a moment, with her back to him. ”You will come to supper, Jan?”
”Surely, Melisse, if you are prepared.”
He hung up the violin as she closed the door, and went from the cabin.
Jean de Gravois and Iowaka were watching for him, and Jean hurried across the open to meet him.
”I am coming to offer you the loan of my razor,” he cried gaily.
”Iowaka says that you will be taken for a bear if the trappers see you.”
”A beard is good to keep off the black flies,” replied Jan. ”It is approaching summer, and the black flies love to feast upon me. Let us go down the trail, Jean. I want to speak with you.”
Where there had been wood-cutting in the deep spruce they sat down, facing each other. Jan spoke in French.
”I have traveled far since leaving Lac Bain,” he said. ”I went first to Nelson House, and from here to the Wholdaia. I found them at Nelson House, but not on the Wholdaia.”
”What?” asked Jean, though he knew well what the other meant.
”My brothers, Jean de Gravois,” answered Jan, drawing his lips until his teeth gleamed in a sneering smile. ”My brothers, les betes de charogne!”
”Devil take Croisset for telling you where they were!” muttered Jean under his breath.
”I saw the two at Nelson House,” continued Jan. ”One of them is a half-wit, and the other”--he hunched his shoulders--”is worse. Petraud, one of the two who were at Wholdaia, was killed by a Cree father last winter for dishonoring his daughter. The other disappeared.”
Jean was silent, his head leaning forward, his face resting in his hands.
”So you see, Jean de Gravois, what sort of creature is your friend Jan Th.o.r.eau!”
Jean raised his head until his eyes were on a level with those of his companion.
”I see that you are a bigger fool than ever,” he said quietly. ”Jan Th.o.r.eau, what if I should break my oath--and tell Melisse?”
Unflinching the men's eyes met. A dull glare came into Jan's. Slowly he unsheathed his long knife, and placed it upon the snow between his feet, with the gleaming end of the blade pointing toward Gravois. With a low cry Jean sprang to his feet.
”Do you mean that, Jan Th.o.r.eau? Do you mean to give the knife-challenge to one who has staked his life for you and who loves you as a brother?”
”Yes,” said Jan deliberately. ”I love you, Jean more than any other man in the world; and yet I will kill you if you betray me to Melisse!” He rose to his feet and stretched out his hands to the little Frenchman.
”Jean, wouldn't you do as I am doing? Wouldn't you have done as much for Iowaka?”
For a moment Gravois was silent.
”I would not have taken her love without telling her,” he said then.