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THE PEACE OF ROARING RIVER




[Illustration: "God bless you, Madge," said the man. "I will come soon."
See page 306]




THE PEACE OF ROARING RIVER

BY

GEORGE VAN SCHAICK

AUTHOR OF

SWEET APPLE COVE, THE SON OF THE OTTER,
A TOP-FLOOR IDOL, ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY

W. H. D. KOERNER

NEW YORK

GROSSET & DUNLAP

PUBLISHERS




Copyright, 1918

BY SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY

(INCORPORATED)

Second Printing




CONTENTS

     I. The Woman Scorned                                           13
    II. What Happened to a Telegram                                 26
   III. Out of a Wilderness                                         42
    IV. To Roaring River                                            71
     V. When Gunpowder Speaks                                      102
    VI. Deeper in the Wilderness                                   124
   VII. Carcajou Is Shocked                                        152
  VIII. Doubts                                                     165
    IX. For the Good Name of Carcajou                              189
     X. Stefan Runs                                                211
    XI. A Visit Cut Short                                          223
   XII. Help Comes                                                 237
  XIII. A Widening Horizon                                         251
   XIV. The Hoisting                                               279
    XV. The Peace of Roaring River                                 290




ILLUSTRATIONS

  "God bless you, Madge," said the man. "I will come
      soon." See page 306                               _Frontispiece_
  Truth flashed upon her! In a few moments she would
      see for the first time the man she was to marry               98
  "I'm glad you were not hurt. Rather unexpected,
      wasn't it"                                                   122
  He put out a brown hand and touched the girl's arm               270




THE PEACE OF ROARING RIVER




THE PEACE OF ROARING RIVER

CHAPTER I

The Woman Scorned


To the village of Carcajou came a young man in the spring. The last
patches of snow were disappearing from under the protecting fronds of
trees bursting into new leaf. From the surface of the lakes the heavy
ice had melted and broken, and still lay in shattered piles on the lee
shores. Black-headed chickadees, a robin or two, and finally swallows
had appeared, following the wedges of geese returning from the south
on their way to the great weedy shoals of James' Bay.

The young man had brought with him a couple of heavy packs and some
tools, but this did not suffice. He entered McGurn's store, after
hesitating between the Hudson's Bay Post and the newer building. A
newcomer he was, and something of a tenderfoot, but he made no
pretence of knowing it all. A gigantic Swede he addressed gave him
valued advice, and Sophy McGurn, daughter of the proprietor, joined
in, smilingly.

She was a rather striking girl, of fiery locks and, it was commonly
reported, of no less flaming temper. To Hugo Ennis, however, she
showed the most engaging traits she possessed. The youth was
good-looking, well built, and his attire showed the merest trifle of
care, such as the men of Carcajou were unused to bestow upon their
garb. The bill finally made out by Sophia amounted to some seventy
dollars.

"Come again, always glad to see you," called the young lady as Hugo
marched out, bearing a part of his purchases.

For a month he disappeared in the wilderness and finally turned up
again, for a few more purchases. On the next day he left once more
with Stefan, the big Swede, and nothing of the two was seen again
until August, when they returned very ragged, looking hungry, their
faces burned to a dull brick color, their limbs lankier and, if
anything, stronger than ever. The two sat on the verandah of the store
and Hugo counted out money his companion had earned as guide and
helper. When they entered the store Miss Sophia smiled again,
graciously, and nodded a head adorned with a bit of new ribbon. There
were a few letters waiting for Hugo, which she handed out, as McGurn's
store was also the local post-office. The young man chatted with her
for some time. It was pleasant to be among people again, to hear a
voice that