The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-22
CHI APTER I,
A LIFE GLoRIoUsLY srAKED!


Towards the close of beautiful day in juno
ool, man and woman, mounted upon dect
norses, came galloping over one of the great
ialns OF the West, and drew rein in the shade
~ ciump OF cotton.woods upon the bank OF
Deautliul river. They had ridden far and
a9phidiy. 9ph Their steeds were painting, and covered
WIN sweat and foam.
.'We must give the horses a breathing SPELL"
sald the former slipping to the ground; and his
companion nodded graceful assent, as she fol-
lowed MS example.
The couple were evidently father and daugh.
The man was in the prime of life, hale and
nearly, with a large frame, which was sinewy
and athletic, without ceasing to be refined and
- progressing. He had the keen, shire Wd look
peculiar TO the adyance.guards Of civilization,
and there was an honest, frank expression on
hls sun-browned face that proclaimed his in
tegrity and courage.
In her way, his daughter was equally pictu-
rescue and attractive,
In the early flush OF womanhood, with pure
sweet, and tender face, with eyes darkly glow
ing, ing, with coraI,tnted lips, and cheeks softly
flushed with the hue of the rose, with amber
curs floating behind her, she was graceful
as gazele, as light-hearted as bird, as lovely
as flower, and as spirited as an untamed an
telope.
The stream by which the couple had halted
was Wood river, branch of the Platte, in
Nebraska, at point fifty miles northwest of
"Are you tired Miriam?n asked the hunter,
George Dane, with fatherly solicitude.
Llred, 1atherc reJoined the lna'den, with
after day like this? Every minute has been
filled with pleasure and excitement. l feel as
b fresh as yonder bird"
The father smiled understandingly, with
look full of the fondest affection.
u can guess the cause OF your lightness OF
heart" said he, smilngly "The return, now
daily expected, Of a certain Hubert Earle, from
the mines OF Idaho, may account, suspect, for
your present gladness."
heightened color appeared on Miriam's face,
for the name ment .oned was that OF her lover.
She answered the glances OF her father, however,
with trankness that attested his entire sympa.
thy with her. and said:-
'True, father, my heart has been unusually
light for several days past. How could it be
~ptherwS,, since l know that Hubert is
4 e. Mr.. Dane did notreply. He was looking, with
kndling eyes, over the fair flo wer dotted plaiDi
and his next remark showed how widely his
81 wonder what mother has been doing
without us all day. Miriam. She must be
lonely, with no one to speak to OF share her
/ meals. l shouldn't wonder If we could see our
home from this point" and his face lighted up
with soulful glow. Our cottage is not more
than seven miles distant Let me see."
He drew from his coat pocket glass, adjusted
1t to his sight, pointing 1t In northerly direc-
tioB, and gazed through it long and earnestly,
towards his rancho upon Carreys Fork.
Eyes, see it," he said at last, with long,
deep and joyful inspiration, as & 4 the sight re-
you planted before the windows, Miriam. And
there on the grape vine bench, under the big
elm, sits your mother, busy at her sewing. Bless
her she does not Imagine we are looking at
| He yielded the instrument to his daughter,
who obeyed his injunction, her lovely face
glowing with smiles as she regarded the distant
n, home-scene.
"Dear mother!n she murmured. "It is a
treat to her to be able to sit out under the trees
without fear molestation. There are no
hostile Indians hereabouts now-are there,
father" tMG Rod Kr,s. o. vou hova o,rooa1 hoard
Ii Ilah N0g lords hu q and ia
has retreated towards the mountains, l will
confess, Miriam, that during all the time we
have been in the West, have not felt SO light
hearted and care.iree as since we received news
| of Red Knite's death. You have just seen how
this JOY bubbles over in me-. Red Knife was {
demon rather than savage"
Miriam shuddered, and her features ever
paed at the memory of the Indian mentioned
HE never spared pale face" she said, striv
marked his path. For more than three year
he has ragged TO and fro upon the plains lk
a ravening wolf. He was the terror of th
"You have named him appropriately, Miriam,
said the hunter. He bad a hendish hatred O
the white race, and his victims have beel
many"
Mr. Dane held out his hand for the glass; ant
! Miriam was in the act of restoring it, when
strange, gasping, painting sound startled then
both and sent them quickly TO their saddles
The hunter wheeled his horse and looked
down upon the river bank, from which direction
the sound had come, his manner selfpossessed
IL i
maiden followed his example.
Her eyes were the first to discover the caus
of the sound that had startled them, detecting
mans figure creeping along through the under
growth of bushes lining the shore.
AT the same moment, their presence in tur
was detected, for the man dropped suddenl
among the protecting bushes, as II he had bee
shot.
"An Indian ~ whispered Miriam, drawin
from her bosom a revolver.
The hunter shook his head, continuing I
watch the spot at which the man had fallen
his hand on his rifle, mis- manner that OF on
ready for action.
peering cautiously from his concealment, MI
Danes anxious countenance broke into a smile
and he cried out:-
"Hallo Is that you, Thompson Do yo
take US for Indians, that you skulk there
the bushesW
The individual addressed was silent fu
minute, as ii seemed from sheer amaZemen
then he sprang out from his hiding place with
cry of relief, and advanced swiftly towards th
father and daughter.
lie was man of middle age of the ordnar
type of backwoodsmen, strong and brown an
stalwart of the rude, rough type that seems t
belong to the border. His face was haggard an
white, although covered with persplratlon. Ill
breath came through his parted lips in QUICK
uneven gasps. He had run far and swiftly, an
" looked as if about to drop from fatigue.
"What has happened Thompson" !" aske
Dane, with keen anxiety, the mans sngula
appearance giving him sudden shock oi a'ar4
"The Indians !" gasped Thompson, scarcel
able to command his voice. "They are coming
Red knife and his Observation-Disclosures Wife
my children! Help me Help me ~
T'What talk Ia this~ cried Dane, agitated ]
spite of his efforts at selfcontrol. Red Knii
was killed yesterday