Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/101

 the spur of Jasper Peak, where Jake lives now. I don’t know how Henderson got his live stock in; I believe he chartered a little steamer to bring  them up the lake and through Harbin’s Channel. That was before the pirates came; boats do not come through there now. Henderson was a queer old soul; he had lots of money, people said, and  just came away up here so that he could live alone. The next thing we knew Half-Breed Jake and some Indians were living on the place, claiming  that Henderson had sold it to them and that very  soon after the sale—he had died. There wasn’t anything to be proved, so we had to let it go. But we’ll know some day.”

He had spoken quietly until the last words, when his tone turned suddenly to bitter earnestness and he dropped his big sunburned hand upon  the table with such force that the tin plates  danced in their places. His clear face clouded with anger and he sat silent, staring out through  the little window. Hugh was almost frightened at the sudden sternness of his face.

“But the cow?” he hinted gently.