Home > Authors Index > George Manville Fenn > To The West > This page
To The West, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
||
Chapter 30. We Meet A Stranger |
||
| < Previous |
Table of content |
Next > |
|
________________________________________________
_ CHAPTER THIRTY. WE MEET A STRANGER The pine-tree was still burning as we set off just after sunrise that morning, but a turn in the valley soon hid it from our sight. The weather was glorious again, and we made good progress, stopping that night at the snuggest settler's house we had yet come upon; but we could hear very little about Fort Elk. The man, who was living with his wife and son in that solitary place, had heard of the Fort that it was "somewheres up to the norrard." That was all he knew, but he gave us a good supper of roast deer flesh, and told us that if we looked out we could easily get more on our way, and when we were higher up we might perhaps get a mountain sheep. He was curious to know our object in making so long a journey, but saved Gunson from any difficulty in explanations by supposing that we meant to do something in skins, saying that he had heard that the company up there did a big trade with the Indians in furs. We left him and his son the next morning many miles from his ranch, for he had insisted upon shouldering a rusty piece and showing us part of our way by a short cut which saved us from a journey through a canon, where the path, he said, was "powerful bad," and it did seem a change when he left us with instructions to keep due north till we struck the river again, where we should find another ranch. For in place of being low down in a gorge, made gloomy by the mighty rock-sides and the everlasting pines, we were out on open mountain sides, where the wind blew, and the sun beat down pretty fiercely. We reached the ranch in due time, obtained shelter for the night, and went on the next day, finding the country more open. I was trudging along side by side with Esau, Quong was behind us, and Gunson out of sight among the rocks in front, when we were startled by a sharp crash, followed by an echoing roar. "What's that?" said Esau, turning pale. "Here, stop!" he cried. But I was already running forward, to come up to Gunson, reloading his rifle, and in answer to my inquiry-- "Don't know yet," he said; "I fired at a sheep up on that rocky slope. There was one standing alone, and half a dozen behind him, but I only caught sight of their tails as they disappeared up that little valley. The smoke kept me from seeing whether I hit one. Let's leave the packs here, and go up and see." It was a hot and difficult climb, for the valley was again steep and contracted here, and when we reached the shelf where Gunson said the sheep had stood, there was nothing to be seen but a wild chaos of rocks and the narrow rift down which a stream bounded, and up by whose bed the sheep had rushed. "Bad job," said Gunson, after a full half-hour's weary search. "That meat would have tided us on for days, and made us independent when we reached the next ranch, where the people would have been glad of the skin." "Shall we climb up higher?" I said, in a disappointed tone. "No; let's get back, and go on. Those two are having a comfortable rest," he added, as he pointed to where, far below, Esau and Quong were lying down by the packs. "Hurrah!" I shouted just then, for right away down in a pool of the rushing stream I had caught sight of something sticking out just above the water. "What is it?" cried Gunson, eagerly. "The sheep under water. That's a leg sticking out." "A piece of wood," he said, contemptuously. "No: you are right. It is the sheep." We had a difficult climb down to the place, but did not heed that, for in a few minutes we had dragged out the prize, which Gunson soon lightened in a very business-like way, while I signalled to the others to come up. Half an hour after we toiled down again, each bearing a quarter of the sheep, the beautiful head and skin being left as too heavy. Our load was lightened at mid-day, and again at night, when we camped, and the rapid disappearance of that sheep during the next days was startling, for the fresh pure air and exercise created a tremendous appetite which it was not always easy to satisfy. But somehow in our most hungry times we generally managed to get hold of provisions, either from the Indians or some settler. Twice over Gunson shot a deer, but the scarcity of bird and quadruped was very striking. There were plenty of berries, but they were not very satisfying food to hungry lads. Esau proved a great help, though, twice during the many toilsome days which followed, by his discoveries in two streams, and I helped him to drive some delicious little trout into shallow water, where they were captured, to Quong's great delight. How many days and weeks had passed before we were busy by one of the small streams which ran down into the river I cannot now remember, for I have lost count. It seemed that we had been tramping on for a great while, and that it might have been last year when we left the sea. It was long past midday, and the appearance of this little stream had attracted Gunson so that he determined to camp by it for the night; and leaving Quong and Esau to get a fire and make cakes with the last of our flour, he took the gun, and I a light pine pole, to see if we could not get something in the way of fish or game. I did not say anything, but I knew that Gunson meant to try the sands of the stream as well for gold. After about an hour's walking, and stopping from time to time to wash a little of the gravel, and pause in likely places, I suddenly drew my companion's attention to something moving in an open glade dotted with small pines and bushes, where the stream ran slowly by through quite a lawn-like stretch. He threw himself down and I followed his example, watching him as he crawled forward, taking advantage of every bush and rock, till he suddenly stopped, aimed, there was a puff of white smoke, and we both sprang up. "No miss this time, Mayne," he said, as I reached him. "Look!" Not above eighty yards away lay a beautiful little deer, quite motionless, and I forgot the destruction of the graceful little animal in the longing for a good supper that night. "Too much to carry back, eh?" he said, as he finished reloading. "Oh, no," I cried; "we must carry it somehow." And after the meat was dressed, we divided the load, making two packs of it in the halved skin, and then began to return, when a part of the stream tempted Gunson to make a fresh trial. "Disappointing work," he said, as he waded in. "Sit down and rest, my lad, for a few minutes. I'll soon see." But he found nothing, and I sat down in the little gully watching him, and thinking that the prize he sought to find ought to be very big to recompense him for the tremendous labour he went through. It was very still and peaceful; and, hot and tired as I was with walking, I was turning drowsy, when I heard a voice say loudly-- "I saw the smoke rise quite plainly somewhere here;" and, as I started up, a tall, grey-haired, severe-looking, elderly man, in leather hunting-shirt and leggings, and wearing a fur cap, stood before me, rifle in hand, while another man was coming up not a dozen yards away. "Hallo!" the first exclaimed, as he glanced from me to my companion, saw the cut-up deer, and took in Gunson's occupation as it seemed to me in a sharp glance of his clear grey eyes. "I thought I was right. You fired half an hour ago?" "Yes," said Gunson, quietly, "and hit." "Who are you, stranger, and where are you for?" said the grey-haired man, in a firm, stern tone of voice, while his companion stood back leaning on a rifle too, as if waiting to be told to come up. "English. Travelling and shooting," said Gunson, a little distantly. "And prospecting," said the new-comer sharply. "Well, have you struck gold?" "No," said Gunson. "Have you?" "No; nor deer either. Not your luck to-day." "Sorry for you, brother sportsman," said Gunson, rather sneeringly, I thought. "Well, where's your shanty? We shall be glad to share our game." "Where are you making for?" said the stranger, looking at me. "Fort Elk," I said; and I saw him raise his eyebrows. "Is it very much farther?" "Not five English miles," he said, looking at me fixedly. "Do you hear that, Gunson?" I cried. "Here, let's get back and tell Esau." "Not alone then?" said the stranger. "No, sir. I have a companion down by the river, and there is a Chinaman with us." "Any more questions?" said Gunson, rather gruffly; "because if not, perhaps you'll put us on the trail for the nearest cut to the Fort." "You can't do better than go back to the river," said the stranger. "I'll set you on your way. Mike, help him carry the deer-meat." The man took one of the packages, thrust the barrel of his rifle through the deerskin thongs, and placed it on his shoulder, while the new-comer asked me for my pole, thrust it through the other, and Gunson and I took an end each, for I would not let our guide carry it. "Where are you from last?" said the stranger. I waited for Gunson to speak, but as he did not, I said that we had tramped up by the river. "All the way from the sea, eh?" said the stranger, looking me over as I examined him and thought what a strong, keen, clever-looking man he seemed. "Yes; all the way from the sea." "And what are you going to do at Fort Elk, eh?" Gunson looked round at him sharply. "Well?" said the stranger, meeting Gunson's look firmly. "Only going to ask you if you were an American from down coast." "No, I am an Englishman like yourself. Why?" "Because you ask questions like a Yankee commercial traveller--drummers don't they call them?" "Yes, I think so," said the stranger, quietly. "I always do ask questions when I want to know anything." "Good way," said Gunson, gruffly; and it was very plain that they two would not be very good friends. "Do you know Mr Daniel Raydon at the Fort?" I asked, to change the conversation, which was growing ticklish. "Oh yes, I know him." "He is the chief officer there, isn't he?" I continued eagerly, as I seemed now to see the end of my journey. "Yes; he's head man, my lad." "What sort of a person is he?" "Humph! Well, how am I to describe him? What do you mean? His looks?" "Yes; and altogether what sort of a man is he?" "As far as appearance goes, about such a man as I am. Stern, determined sort of fellow, my lad; accustomed to deal with the Indians. Bit of a hunter--naturally from living in these parts; bit of a gardener, and botanist, and naturalist; done a little in minerals and metals too," he continued, turning to Gunson. "Sort of man to talk to you, sir, as I see you are prospecting--for gold, I suppose?" "You can suppose what you like," said Gunson, drily. "This is a free country, I believe. I never heard that Government interfered with people for looking up the place." "Oh no; it's free to a certain extent, but we settlers who are fixed here like to know what perfect strangers are about." "Look here," said Gunson, "I always make a point of keeping my business to myself. Do you want to quarrel with me?" "By no means," said the stranger, smiling. "I think the disposition to be quarrelsome is more on your side. I merely asked you a few plain questions, such as you would have asked me if our positions had been reversed. Suppose you had marked down a deer, being a resident here, and came out for it and found a stranger--" "Poaching," said Gunson, mockingly. "No; we have no game laws here, sir--had bagged your deer, and when you came up to him, wishing to be civil, and offer him the hospitality one Englishman should offer to another in this out-of-the-way corner of the world, he cut up rough with you, as I think, on consideration, you must own you have done with me. What then?" I glanced from one to the other, ready to appeal to Gunson, for he seemed to me to be horribly in the wrong. There was a great difference in them, and it seemed to me to be very marked just then; the stranger so tall, commanding, and dignified, in spite of his rough hunting-dress, his eyes keen and flashing, and his well-cut features seeming noble by comparison with Gunson's, whose care-lined and disfigured face, joined with his harsh, abrupt way, made him quite repellent. But just as I was anticipating quite an explosion of anger, I saw his face change, and grow less lurid. He looked frankly in the stranger's face, took off his hat, and I felt that it was a gentleman speaking, as, in quite an altered tone, he said simply-- "I beg your pardon. I was quite in the wrong." "Hah!" ejaculated the stranger, "that is enough;" and he held out his hand. "There's a ring of dear old England and good society in that, sir. Welcome to these wilds. It is a treat to have a visitor who can talk about the old country. It's many years since I have seen it. And you?" "Oh, we were there seven or eight months ago," said Gunson, quietly; and as we walked on, and our new friend plied him with questions about London, the Government, and the changes that had taken place, always carefully avoiding any allusions to the object of our visit to the north-west land, it seemed to me that I was listening to quite a different man to the rough prospector, and I fancied that the stranger was noticing that Gunson was not the sort of man he seemed. It was so pleasant to listen to the converse of these two gentlemanly, well-informed speakers, that the distance seemed quite short back to where Esau was lying down idly throwing stones in the river, while Quong had the kettle boiling, and, as soon as he caught sight of us, came running up to seize upon one of the packs of deer-meat, and trot off with it. "Useful sort of fellow, that," said the stranger, nodding at Quong as he ran on before us. "Good cook, I suppose?" "Excellent," replied Gunson. "You had better stop and have a bit of dinner with us. He'll have a steak ready in a few minutes." "With all my heart. Mike, you have some cake in your wallet." "Yes, sir," said the man respectfully; and I saw Gunson's one eye turn to him sharply. "We can easily walk to the Fort in an hour afterwards," said the stranger. "And do you live near?" I said, eagerly. "Yes, very near," he replied, smiling. "It's very lucky we met you," I said, "for we had no idea how far we were off. Here, hi! Esau!" I shouted, as soon as we were within earshot, for he was coming towards us now in a slow, hesitating way. "This is my companion who has come with me." "Friend or brother?" "Friend," I said; and I was going to say more, but I caught Gunson's eye, and it seemed to suggest that I was talking too fast. In less than half an hour we were partaking of the hot juicy steaks which Quong brought round to us on the point of his knife, and washing it down with hot tea, while the stranger and Gunson chatted away about the sport to be had in that part of the country, filling my head with eager hopes of partaking therein, as I heard of the different kinds of game and deer, some of which were of huge size--elk and moose as high as horses, which were shot in the winter. It soon became evident that our new acquaintance was a keen sportsman, but he talked in quite an easy modest way of what he had done, and at last I felt obliged to join in, telling of our adventures with the bears, and asking if he had seen or shot any. "Several," he said. "Many, I may say, but of course spread over a long stay here. I can show you their heads and skins. I generally save them. That man Michael Grey is a clever hunter, and an admirable skin-dresser." "Are the bears very dangerous?" "Only under certain circumstances, my lad. There are several kinds here, varying very little. I mean beginning with the smallest; he strongly resembles the next larger, and he again the one larger still, and so on, till we get up to the cinnamon, and from him to the great grizzly, who is a fierce beast best avoided. As for the others, they are stupid, inoffensive creatures, whose great aim in life is to get out of man's way, and who will not interfere with him or fight if they are left alone. Now then, what do you say to going on?" "By all means," said Gunson; and we rose, to my regret, for I had enjoyed the meal and rest, and the hunting narratives were delightful. We were all ready for starting, and I shouldered one pack, Quong loading himself up with the deer-meat, and our new friend and his follower insisting upon helping to share our burden, while I noticed that Mike, as he was called, kicked the burning embers about in all directions so as to extinguish the fire. "What is that for?" said our new companion, interpreting my looks; "that is what every hunter or traveller should do. Never leave a fire. There is abundance of wood--huge forests all about, but none that ought to be destroyed. The pine-trees burn fiercely." I nodded, for I knew. "And, once a forest is set on fire, we never know where it may end." We walked on, chatting about the beauty of the country, which every minute grew more open; and I was listening full of interest, when Esau gave my jacket a tug. "I say, who is he?" came in a whisper. "Don't know. Going to show us the way to the Fort." "Is it much further?" "Oh no," I whispered back; "only a mile or two." "Thank goodness," murmured Esau; "I am getting so tired." It proved to be only about a mile and a half, or, as I ought to call it in that country of no roads and many climbs and descents, about three-quarters of an hour's walk, before we came upon a wide, open spot, dotted with trees like a park, through which the river ran, making a sharp elbow, at the corner of which there was what seemed to be a high fence, with square wooden buildings at two of the corners. These took my attention directly, for they looked like strong, square, wooden towers, trying to be like the sides of a man-of-war, inasmuch as they were fitted with portholes, out of which projected the muzzles of small cannon. I could see that there was a rough trail leading up to a grim gateway in the square fence, and that the nearer we got to the place, the bigger and stronger that fence looked, and that inside was quite a large square with huts and other buildings, and what seemed to be a garden, beside which there were cultivated fields with corn growing and potatoes, outside. "So that's Fort Elk, is it?" said Gunson, thoughtfully. "Why, I suppose you could stand quite a siege there from the Indians." "We could, and have done so before now." "But what about fire?" continued Gunson. "That is our worst enemy," said the stranger, as he struck the rough beaten path. "But where is your garrison?" said Gunson. "Oh, busy about in the stores and garden. We are not at war with any of the people about, so there is no occasion to play at soldiers now." "But where is your ranch?" I said, as we approached the gate. "Oh, inside the fence, of course." "Then you live in the Fort?" I said, looking at him curiously, for a suspicion was beginning to rise in my breast, as we came right up to the great palisade, and I realised how much bigger it all was than it had seemed. "Yes," he replied, smiling, "I live in the Fort--the Hudson's Bay Company's trading store and station; and I bid you all a hearty welcome." "May I know whom we have to thank before you show my young friend Gordon here to the chief's place. You ought to go to him first, Gordon, my lad." "Yes, that is quite right," said our friend, smiling; "but you can do that without trouble, for my name is Raydon. I am the chief officer here." I stopped short and stared, and Esau's jaw seemed to drop so as to show the whole interior of his mouth. _ |
||