The Cryptogram: A Story of Northwest Canada

  CHAPTER XXXVIII.

  GOOD NEWS.

  Colin Macdonald, I have omitted to state, was rather more than sixtyyears of age; a stalwart, bearded, well-preserved Scotchman, who hadgrown gray in the service of the Hudson Bay Company. He was an oldfriend of mine, as I had visited Fort Garry on previous occasions.

  "Good-morning, Carew," he began. "Overslept yourself--eh? Miss Hathertonwould insist on waiting for you--lucky dog that you are! But here issomething that will interest you."

  "Dispatches?" I exclaimed eagerly.

  "Right you are."

  "From Quebec, I presume?"

  "No; from the North. But sit down and have breakfast, man. You must behalf-starved."

  Curbing my impatience, I seated myself at the table. Flora sat on theleft and poured out the coffee. The factor remained standing.

  "I must be off directly," he said. "I knew you would want to hear thenews. A special courier came in at daybreak--splendid fellow!--all theway from Fort Charter--left three weeks after your party."

  "From Fort Charter?" I cried. "And what is the news?"

  "I hope it is good news," said Flora.

  "Well, yes, what there is of it is good," replied Macdonald, "and that'snot so much after all. The dispatches come from Fort Charter, andcontain information received there from Fort York and other northernposts. For one thing, my prediction was right. The Indians, instead ofcontinuing on the war-path, have disbanded as mysteriously and swiftly asthey assembled. A small force, collected from the different forts, hasstarted out to pursue the scattered parties of the enemy."

  "I hope they will succeed," said I. "Anything about Cuthbert Mackenzie?"

  "Yes. That infernal ruffian was the leader, according to Indian spieswho arrived at Fort York. But there is little hope of catching him. Heis supposed to have fled south with a few followers. By Heaven, sir, ifhe comes back to the Red River, I'll arrest him at once! The whole NorthWest Company shan't hinder me!"

  "I'm sorry he escaped!" exclaimed Flora, with flashing eyes. "But tellme, Mr. Macdonald, is there any word of Mr. Menzies and his party?"

  "They are all right," replied the factor. "They reached Fort Elk insafety, and then went on to Fort York. So you see that the North isquiet again."

  "But that won't avenge the burning of Fort Royal," I said bitterly, "orthe death of so many brave men."

  "The work of retribution will come later," declared Macdonald; "beassured of that. The governor will leave no stone unturned to seek outand punish the murderers. I wish Lord Selkirk were here; he is the verybones and sinews of the company. I understand that he contemplates anearly visit to the Canadas, and this outrage may hasten his arrival. Andnow I must be going, Carew. When you have finished your breakfast--"

  "One moment, sir," I interrupted. "I suppose there is no news of CaptainRudstone? It is foolish to ask--"

  "Oh, but there is! Bless me, I quite forgot to speak of it. Let me see;there was a reference to the matter in the dispatch from Fort Charter.What did he say? Wait--I have it!"

  Running his finger down the page of thick yellow paper, covered withscrawly writing, he read as follows:

  "... and tell Mr. Carew that we made a further search the next week forhis friend Captain Myles Rudstone. A party set out under Tom Arnold andwere gone three days. But they found no trace of the unfortunate man,and there can be no doubt that he perished in the storm, and is burieddeep under a drift."

  "Poor fellow!" said I. "I hoped he might turn up, but there is no chanceof it now."

  "It is a strange case," replied Macdonald. "I was familiar with CaptainRudstone's name, but I can't recall every having met him."

  With that the factor looked at his watch, gathered up his papers, andhurried from the room. Left to ourselves, Flora and I discussed thewelcome tidings we had just heard, as well as some matters of a morepersonal nature. Then, breakfast finished, I reluctantly departed to myday's work, and a few moments later I was seated at a desk in theclerk's quarters, with ink, quill, and paper before me; for I waswriting a detailed account of the siege and capture of Fort Royal, whichto be forwarded to the officials of the company at Quebec.

  * * * * *

  The breakfast room again; the time nine o'clock that same night. Afterlaborious toil with brain and hand, I was enjoying a well-earned rest.Supper was over long since, and the ladies had retired a few minutesbefore. A snugger, more cozy place could scarcely have been found inQuebec itself. Two lamps shed a soft light, and a mighty fire roared inthe huge stove.

  Macdonald and I sat in easy-chairs at opposite sides of a table that waslittered with books and papers, glasses, a bottle of whiskey, and acanister of tobacco. He was smoking a long churchwarden, I a stubby andblackened short one. At a small table at the other end of the room threeofficers of the fort were playing cards with the silence and attentionof old-world gamesters.

  "Nearly done with your report?" asked the factor.

  "I think another day will finish it," said I.

  "It's a trying task, no doubt."

  "I would rather be fighting Indians," I replied. "The work is betterfitted for Mr. Burley."

  "Quite so," assented Macdonald. "By the bye, where is your legal friendto-night?"

  "I'll warrant he's in the men's quarters, as usual," I answered, "on thehunt for information."

  "He's a queer chap, but sound-headed," said the factor. "He spoke to meof the matter that brought him to the Canadas, but I couldn't give himany assistance; I never heard the name of Osmund Maiden."

  I'm afraid it's a useless search--so many years have passed since theman disappeared.

  "I agree with you," I replied. "But he is a plucky fellow, and sticks onin spite of failure. He deserves to win. I don't suppose he told youwhat he wants with the man?"

  "No; he was close-mouthed about that, Carew. Fill up your glass again.That rare old Scotch I get straight from Edinburgh, and the tobacco isthe best crop of the Virginias. You see, we try to live up to the markhere in the wilderness."

  "Royally," said I. "I have tasted no such tobacco or whisky since I wasin Quebec last."

  We smoked for awhile in silence, and then Macdonald suddenly blurtedout:

  "If the Northwest people make trouble, my supplies will be cut off."

  "Any news to-day?" I asked.

  "A little," he replied. "It may mean nothing--or much. Certainly ourenemies are growing bolder. Last night a lot of half-breeds marchedthrough our colony, making murderous threats and singing war songs."

  "And a week ago two swivel guns and a howitzer were stolen," said I;"and a week before that there was a brawl up at Isle-a-la-Crosse, inwhich a man was killed on either side. Mr. Macdonald, the situation isbecoming intolerable. How will it end?"

  The factor brought his fist heavily down on the table. "In a generalfight--perhaps in a war spread over the whole territory," he declared."By Heaven! sir, if I had authority from Governor Semple, I would takestern measures at once--I would make the Northwest people show theirhand, and then attack and crush them. We have borne insults and affrontstoo long."

  "I hoped that I was done with fighting," I replied.

  "Ay, you have had more than your share of it. I am sorry for you, Carew.I will hurry on your marriage--I sent for the priest this morning--andthen I would advise you to send your wife to Quebec. We shall win in theend, and uphold the supremacy of the company, but not without astruggle, I fear."

  The thought of parting from Flora--of sending her hundreds of miles awayfrom me--made me feel very blue; and the factor's keen eyes observedthis:

  "Cheer up," he said. "We are discussing events that may never occur.Come, what do you say to a little diversion--to a hand at cards?"

  "With all my heart," I assented gladly.

  But just then the door slowly opened, and Mr. Christopher Burley slowlyentered the room. He was neatly attired in black, and after lookingabout him he made a low bow.

 
"I trust I am not intruding," he said in a dry, precise voice. "I desireto see you particularly, Mr. Macdonald. I have been conversing with someof the older employees of the fort, and I find that through ignorance Ioverlooked a most important matter during the interview you granted meseveral days ago."

  "Indeed!" replied Macdonald. "And to what do you refer? Go on; you mayspeak freely in front of Mr. Carew."