mental torture, he said that the company's business was calling him to
Churchill, and early in August he left for the bay.




CHAPTER XI

FOR HER


Upon Jan now fell a great responsibility. Melisse was his own. Days
passed before he could realize the fullness of his possession. He had
meant to go by the Athabasca water route to see Jean de Gravois,
leaving Melisse to Cummins for a fortnight or so. Now he gave this up.
Day and night he guarded the child; and to Jan's great joy it soon
came to pass that whenever he was compelled to leave her for a short
time, Melisse would cry for him. At least Maballa assured him that
this was so, and Melisse gave evidence of it by her ecstatic joy when
he returned.

When Cummins came back from Fort Churchill in the autumn, he brought
with him a pack full of things for Melisse, including new books and
papers, for which he had spent a share of his season's earnings. As he
was freeing these treasures from their wrapping of soft caribou skin,
with Jan and Melisse both looking on, he stopped suddenly and glanced
from his knees up at the boy.

"They're wondering over at Churchill what became of the missionary who
left with the mail, Jan. They say he was last seen at the Etawney."