ewo counters into the earth floor,
hile the tepee echoed to derisive howls.
And so the ancient game of La Halle went
re :

n, the pile of tobacco, hats, silk-handker-
chiefs and horse-chits passing backwards
nd forwards according to the winner’s luck.
The excitement had reached fever pitch

J. A. Kerr, Manager
The Interior’s Finest
e

- Noted for Its Hospitality
‘and Excellent Service

Fully Licensed
e

_ THE “MERC.”
: _ Trail’s Leading
Department Store

A Beaver Indian encampment.

when there arose a loud commotion outside,
guttural cries mingling with the pounding of
moccasined feet, more shouts and a couple
of staccato gunshots. In a split second the
motley concourse was spilling out into the
night.

“The Wolf!” Reid Johnstone brandished
a Winchester. “The Wolf! He’s stolen
Asquity’s daughter from his tepee up on
the hill. He’s heading across the river.
Quick! Maybe we can stop him yet.”

Pounding along amidst the horde of
shadowy figures I reached the river-bank to
find myself the centre of a tumultuous
throng of angry Beavers, howling epithets
and firing their rifles at The Wolf, whose
dugout, like an indigo log, could be faintly
discerned moving rapidly towards the south-
ern shore. The dark heads of horses bobbed
up and down upon the flood ahead of the
canoe. Reaching the shore, they scrambled
up the bank, followed by The Wolf, who
sent a barrage of shots whining in our
direction and disappeared with a defiant
whoop into the forest carrying Asquity’s
thirteen-year-old girl with him.

With flashing eyes and angry talk the
Indians finally dispersed and soon the tom-
toms were throbbing again. But Td seen
enough to realize the barbarity and primitive
savagery that still lay close to the skins of
the Beavers upon whom incoming settlers
were inclined to look with dangerous con-
tempt.

* * OX

Late in August a tall, broad-shouldered
man in the khaki uniform and wide-brimmed
Stetson of the British Columbia Provincial
Police, stepped down the gangplank of
the S.S. Peace River. He was Constable
Tom Hidson, and had been a member of
“E” Division (Vancouver) until called upon
to proceed to Fort St. John to take over the
duties of Constable Jamieson who had
resigned to lead a band of settlers to establish
a colony at Hudson’s Hope. While he
remained with me a few days to get his
bearings I managed to round up Mannie
Gullion—brother of the Peace River's cap-
tain—to act as his interpreter. Finally he

took up his quarters in the neat B. C. Gov-
ernment Office across the Peace.

As the leaves commenced to turn, the
entire strength of the Beaver tribe clattered
down the hill, pitched their tepees and
engaged in another round of gambling,
feasting and dancing. But beneath their
apparent gaiety they were more disgruntled
and awkward than ever. Up in the moun-
tain’s, Attachie’s band had encountered
Graham’s party of thirty sun-tanned sur-
veyors. Montaignais’ crowd had run across

WILLIAM BAKER LTD.
Rossland, B. C.

Insurance Real Estate
Stocks and Bonds

NOTARY PUBLIC

Telephone 118 P.O. Drawer 150

CITY GARAGE
A. F. HUBNER, Proprietor
EXPERT REPAIRS TO ALL MAKES OF CARS

Gasoline, Oils, Tires, Tubes and Accessories

ROSSLAND, B.C.

HUNTER BROS. LTD.

Department Store

Groceries, Hardware and Men’s Clothing
Radios, Refrigerators

Ladies’ Shoes, Hosiery and Lingerie

_ Rossland, B. C.

ORWELL HOTEL

MISS H. HOEMES, Proprietress
FULLY LICENSED DINING ROOM
COMFORTABLE ROOMS

ROSSLAND, B. C.

HOTEL. ALLAN
Manager, R. BIELLI

LICENSED PREMISES
e
ROSSLAND, B. C.

BARRIE LUMBER CO.

LUMBER, WOOD AND
BUILDERS’ SUPPLIES

*
ROSSLAND, B. C.

Page Seventy-nine