things.

We call Him God. Manikawan called Him the Great Mystery.

XXVII

SHAD'S TRIBUTE TO THE INDIAN MAIDEN

Though Shad's weakness caused him to wobble woefully when he walked,
his knee had much improved since the day of his injury.

The food, given him in small portions at frequent intervals, and the
assurance of continued life that the appearance of the rescuers
brought, stimulated his body to new strength and restored to him his
mental equilibrium. Hope is life, and one possessed of a large degree
of hope, coupled with a good physique, may withstand a tremendous
amount of hardship and privation.

The very presence of Manikawan during the long period of enforced
inactivity and waiting, had kept alive in Shad Trowbridge the hope
that Mookoomahn might after all reach the river tilt and send his
friends to the rescue before it was too late. Had it not been for
this, it is scarcely probable he would have survived until they came.

The few Indian words which Shad had acquired had not been sufficient
to permit him to carry on connected conversation with Manikawan or the
other Indians. Denied this privilege for so long, he talked almost
incessantly to the three trappers, while the four sat through the
hours until daybreak, keeping vigil with Death. He talked of the
prospect of continued life, and what a blessed thing it was to know
that he was still to be in and of the great and glorious world; of his
trying experiences since he had joined the Indians.

With dawn the tent was pitched among the trees, not far from the
lodge. Then they removed to its more comfortable shelter, with Bob
walking at Shad's side to steady his uncertain footsteps.

Shad was sick, and suffered severely from nausea that day--and at
intervals, indeed, for several days thereafter--a result that always
follows the introduction of food into the contracted stomach after a
long period of starvation, particularly when the food is of coarse
quality and unsuitably prepared.

Almost immediately, too, his legs began to swell. But this disturbed
him little. It was merely an incident and another result of his long
period of starvation, quite to be expected.

"Don't worry about un none," advised Ed Matheson, when Shad called
attention to the phenomenon. "Injuns as starves always gets swelled
legs, an' they stays swelled for quite a bit, too. Just forget un now.
You'll be all right so long's you don't get too rapid wi' th' grub,
an' set you'm b