Outcasts of River Falls Read Online Free PDF Page A

decided he was probably a Métis.
    “ Tansi, Mademoiselle . Belle, she is home?”
    “Aunt Belle, there’s a deer at the door!” Kathryn called, still mesmerized by the dead animal. “I mean a gentleman wishes to speak with you.”
    Her aunt, a dirt smudge on her face, came over to join her niece. “Why, if it isn’t Claude Remy, returned from your trap line in the bush. Wherever that hidden camp of yours is, you should think about finding the nearest barber before coming back to civilization.”
    The big woodsman took no offence. “ Ma Belle, you are magnifique. First ting I do, I bring you a yearling jumper, fresh killed dis morning.” A broad grin split the dark beard. “I gut it out back. Oui?”
    His accent was strange, and Kathryn decided it was sort of French and sort of something else, mixed in.
    “ Merci , Claude. I’ll be sure to share the meat with everyone in River Falls. Oh, and we’ve had a bear through so please, when you’re done dressing the buck, don’t leave any tasty morsels lying about.”
    The big man grunted, then walked toward the shed where Nellie was stabled.
    Aunt Belle closed the door. “Hmm, I think this venison comes with strings attached, n’est-ce pas?” With a shake of her head, she went back to moving Kathryn’s belongings.
    Kathryn didn’t know what her aunt meant by this and before she could ask, another knock sounded through the cabin.
    “That will be them and I haven’t got the tea made. Katy, would you mind...”
    “Curiouser and curiouser.” Feeling decidedly like Alice in Wonderland, Kathryn opened the door, wondering what she would find on the other side this time.
    The man standing there reminded her of a stork – tall, extremely thin and oddly angular. He had several heavy boards slung over his shoulder and behind him was another fellow, short and stout, carrying a large saw and various other tools.
    “Pierre, my favourite carpenter, please entrez-vous .” Aunt Belle shouted from the kitchen. “I was about to put the tea on.”
    “ Salut , Belle. You said your lovely niece needed a room of her own, so we came with our this and our that,” Pierre replied. “I brought the this ,” he tapped the planks, “and Joseph brought the that .” Kathryn swung the door wide, stepping back as the two men tramped in.
    “And this beautiful young lady must be Katy, Patrice’s girl. Welcome to River Falls, Mademoiselle.” Pierre paused in front of Kathryn, the boards teetering precariously on his bony shoulder as he touched the brim of an imaginary hat.
    “Ah, actually, it’s Kathryn,” she corrected as he continued past her with the lumber. “And yes, I’m Patrick’s daughter. Won’t you come in...” she called to his retreating back.
    “Bonjour! Bonjour!” Pierre’s partner Joseph greeted her cheerily as he scurried in, lugging his tools. “Bonjour! Bon jour!”
    She immediately thought of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.
    Before she could close the door, Kathryn spied a diminutive woman hobbling up the path toward the cabin. The white-haired matron used a silver-topped black cane carved with the most elaborate decoration and obviously of high quality. Trailing several steps behind was a boy carrying a wrapped bundle. It was her Prairie Puss-in-Boots, the same boy she’d seen when they’d arrived in the sliver-in fested cart. His large red hat was perched at a jaunty angle and the shiny black feather gleamed in the morning sun.
    Kathryn stood at her post of doorkeep, waiting for these newest visitors to arrive. Her aunt had to have the busiest cabin in the west!
    The wizened elder stopped at the door and motioned for the lad to give Kathryn the parcel. She took it from him, a tantalizing smell rising from what she hoped was a cake wrapped within.
    “ Merci , JP. Run along now.” The grandmotherly woman shooed the lad away with a wave of her cane.
    He wiggled his eyebrows impishly at Kathryn, mouth ringed with cake crumbs and icing, no doubt his fee