Part 13 (2/2)
It was during one of her”clinics,” as she playfully called theirl to her for treatment The ailh syrup and quinine, then called for the next patient Patients were few that le street of the village There she encountered the strange native and his child
”Who are they?” she asked of a boy who understood English
”Reindeer Chukches”
”Reindeer Chukches?” she exclaimed excitedly ”Where do they live?”
”Oh, mebby fifteen miles from here”
”Do they live on the tundra as they used to?”
”Yes”
”Are there many of them?”
”Not now Many, one time Now very few Not many reindeer Too much not moss Plenty starve Plenty die”
”Ask the Chukche,” Marian said eagerly, ”if I o home with him to see his people”
The boy spoke for a er
”He say, that one, he say yes,” smiled the boy
”Tell him I will be back quick” Marian ay like a shot
Tearing into their igloo she drove Lucile into a score of activities
The medicine chest was filled and closed, paints stowed in their box, gars rolled up Then they were away
Ere she knew it, Lucile was tucked in behind a fleet-footed reindeer, speeding over the low hills
”Now, please tell ,” she asked with a s to visit the most unique people in all the world--the Reindeer Chukches They are almost an extinct race now, but the time hen every clump of s that lined the banks of the rivers of the far north in Siberia hid one of their igloos, and every hill and tundra fed one of their herds
”Long before the Eski the reindeer, short-haired deerskin and soft, spotted fawn-skins were traded across Bering Straits and far up along the Alaskan coast These skins came froo the Mikado of japan, in the treasure of furs hich he decorated his royal family, besides the mink, ermine and silver fox, had skins of rare beauty, spotted skins, brohite and black These were fawn-skins traded froe until they reached japan
They came from the camps of the Reindeer Chukches And noe are to see theed And I am to paint them! Paint them! Think of it!”
”Yes, but,” Lucile sone Suppose Phi takes a fancy to cross without us? What then?”
Marian's face sobered for a moment But the zeal of a born artist and explorer was upon her