Under the Big Dipper

by Desiderius George Dery

Soon they entered the branch road and found it to be but a woodsman’s run. It was thickly carpeted with pine needles and wound its narrow way through a dense growth of hemlock, as far as the eye could see. They drove for some time in silence, crossing a few shallow streams and arrived at last at the foot of a rocky height which rose sheer. Here they came to a halt, and Morton informed Helène and the Princess that they were to stop here for rest and refreshment.

Baskets were quickly unpacked and a substantial repast was spread out before the weary travelers. The girls ate in anxious silence while Morton explained to them that the men had gone merely to clear the road. They could hear, from where they were sitting, the sound of wood being sawn and the occasional breaking of branches. After what seemed to the girls an endless time, the men returned and Morton announced that they would shortly continue their journey—but this time on foot. The men knew of a foot-path over the mountains along which it would be more prudent to travel than on the highway, and a tramp of nine or ten kilometers would bring them to the main road along the Aluta and across the divide into Transylvania. Morton explained all this cheerfully and said they must travel with light baggage—the most necessary things only.

The girls gladly assented and in a short time they had made their preparations for the journey. Mihai, who had left a short time before, now returned and mounting the wagon, drove off following the woodsmen’s road. As soon as he was out of hearing Papiu rose and in response to a nod from Morton, struck out to the right, carefully skirting the ledge. Donald followed with the girls behind him and John brought up the rear. In this Indian-file fashion they advanced through the timber, slipping occasionally over the thick carpet of pine needles, but making good progress and always mounting higher and higher.

Helène, whom the events of the morning had filled with vague doubts and to whom the climb thus far had been quite easy, waited impatiently for a favorable opportunity to question Morton. The halt and the return as well as the men’s disappearance had puzzled her.

The opportunity came when they arrived at a relatively level stretch, a small plateau bordered on their left by the dense timber and gradually losing itself in the opposite direction into the forbidding rocky expanse of the mountain. She waited for Morton to get up to her and then asked him what the sudden change in their route betokened. Had he suspected any danger?

Morton met her honest eyes with a perfectly assumed innocence of gaze in his own and explained quietly that they had encountered a small patrol of a few men on foot, who had ordered them to halt. To avoid being questioned too closely they had started to withdraw when one of the gendarmes had fired. This fire they had returned and had put the patrol to flight. One of the soldiers, unfortunately, had been hit and left behind. Mihai, pretending to be a peasant casually passing by, had gone forward and had bandaged the man’s slight wound. He had left him in a protected spot, with food and water, where he would be easily found by his returning comrades. It was from this soldier that Mihai had received the information which prompted them to turn back and take this new path. Very few people knew of a passage or road crossing the slopes of the dreaded “Caineni”—his own military map did not show it—Papiu and Mihai were well acquainted with the path, and....

“You haven’t killed one of those poor soldiers, have you, Mr. Morton?” exclaimed Helène in awestruck tones.

Morton smiled and assured her that no one had been killed. The shots were intended to frighten them only. Mihai had reported that the soldier who had been wounded would be all right—his mates would be certain to find him. Miss Helène need have no anxiety. All her strength was now needed for the climb that was before them. He begged her to keep up heart and cheer the Princess.

They had now reached the narrow gully from which the spring descended. Helène could not repress a slight shudder as she saw the native guide turn and pointing upward begin the precipitous ascent.

It needed all the strength the girls possessed to follow. Don gave a helping hand to the Princess and John supported Helène’s faltering steps. It was a long, tedious and heart-breaking climb. The Princess, again and again, begged to be allowed to rest, saying that it was impossible for her to continue much longer. But Donald would put his arm around her and almost carry her up bodily. Helène, pale and staggering, found Morton’s ever ready arm to aid her and his quiet cheerful smile to encourage her.