Menotah Part 52

The livid-faced woman saw, and shuddered for the first time on that awful journey.

'It has shown me the way; I must follow.'

The canoe swung sullenly round, then darted like a bird towards destruction. It struck also upon the black rock, where spray flew high in clouds. Round again, gradually quickening in speed. Sideways it floated to the awful white line which marked eternity.

Her heart seemed to have ceased its feeble beat; the breath stifled her with hot gasps. Sky, river, forest had vanished, blotted out by a raging sea of red flames, boiling and hissing blood-like before her eyes.

Memory came back on the torrent of that grim flood. The past lay outspread before the mind. Every small detail shot forth in sharp relief, each careless action writhed from the seething atmosphere of her horror and imagination.

'This is Death! How awful a thing it is.'

The cold winds s.n.a.t.c.hed the foam from the waves, and tossed it above rock ma.s.ses in furious revelry. The canoe had reached that awful line which marked the extinction of two lives. It shuddered upon the fearful brink. It hovered, like a bird of prey, before making the fatal plunge beneath. It trembled, and groaned again with the angry buffetings. It succ.u.mbed to the irresistible force, to the mighty, unseen hand drawing it down, down--and then--ah, then--

At the foot of the great rapids black rocks glistened in the moonlight; foam-flecked waves darted up to beat the air; angry waters rolled and tossed like wind-swept snow heaps, crying forth with the deep voice of thunder. Ice crystals still danced and s.h.i.+vered in the biting wind.

A blood-red gleam slowly fought its way from the north, ascending the heavens to dye the shafts of the auroral light a bright rose colour.

On either side of the river, black pines swayed beneath the eternal whisperings of the forest. The grim hand of winter slowly fringed the sombre tresses with silvery beauty.

The colours were black and silver, with red above. The blending of the first two made the complexion of mourning. Is not the last the colour of life's mystery? Red gold, red blood, red flush of shame, red blush of love. What else is there in life worth taking?

Onward rushed the Great Saskatchewan, with a sobbing and murmuring, while loose s.h.i.+ngle hissed and rattled upon the sh.o.r.e, and leafless bushes swept the waters. Then the ice lord crept from drear confines of the Arctic, with the great chains in his white hand. Soon would he fasten down those clamouring waves to a long silence.

So, to this day, no Indian lands at that point, nor stretches his tent near the rocky ledge which faces the great rapids. And the name of the place is still called, _Menotah-toopah_--the pa.s.sing place of the heart which knew not sorrow.

GLOSSARY

Bandy--Flow of language Brace of bullets--Pair of aces Bulldog--A large horse-fly possessing formidable jaws b.u.mmers--Idle loafers

Ch.o.r.es--Odd jobs Corked--Greatly surprised Coyotes--Prairie wolves c.r.a.ps--Dice Croak off--Die Cut didoes--To excessively enjoy, or make a fool of, oneself

Diddle--Get the better of Dosh--Money

Gall--Impudence Goldam--A local expletive Goldeye--A small, highly edible fish, common in the Saskatchewan Good--Physically well and strong

Heelhi-Manitou--The good, or great, Spirit Hopping--Dying

Jag (Jamboree)--A drunken spree

Kanikanik (spelt in various other ways)--The red willow

Megrims--The 'blues'

Moonhead--Madman Mosquito hawk--A large species of dragon fly Muskegs--Moss swamps Mutchi-Manitou--The lesser, or evil, Spirit

Nitchies--Natives

Quirk--Laugh

Raddled--Drunk Razzle-witted--Crazy

Sc.r.a.pping--Fighting or quarreling s.h.a.ganappi--A rough, native-bred horse Sharpshooters--Cigars s.h.i.+n plasters--Dollar bills, _i.e._, money Slick--Easy, pleasant, etc.

Snuff out--Die Spoiling--Extremely anxious Suds--State of depression

Totem--Every man is descended from some animal. This animal is known as the Totem. Thus one man's Totem may be a buffalo, another's a beaver, and so on Truck--Miscellaneous articles Twitter--Hurry

Wasayap--An Indian maid of old mythology Waterlogged--Done for, beaten, etc.

Worth shucks--Not worth anything at all

THE END