Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-04-02
4liscellamp.
RED KNIFE /;
BY LEON LEWIS

Toward the close of a beautiful day
in June, 1867, a man and woman, mount
ed upon fleet horses, came galloping over
one of the great plains of the West, and
drew rein in the shade of clump of cot
ton-woods upon the bank of beautiful
river. They had ridden far and rapid
". Their steeds were painting, and COW
cred with sweat and foam.
1--WE must give the horses breathing
SPELL" said the former, slipping to the
ground and his companion nodded to
graceful assent, as she followed his exam
pie.
The couple were evidently father and
daughter.
The man was in the prime of life, hale
and hearty, with a large frame, which
was sinewy and athletic, without ceasing
to be refined and prepossessing. he had
the keen, shrewd look peculiar to the ad-
vance-guards of civilization, and there
was an honest frank expression on his
sun-browned face that proclaimed his in
tegrity and courage.
In her way, his daughter was equally
picturesque and attractive.
In the early flush of womanhood, with
pure, sweet, and tender face, with eyes
darkly glowing, with coraltinted lips,
and cheeks softly flushed with the hue of
the rose, with amber curls floating behind
her, she was as graceful as a gazelle, as
light-hearted as bird, as lovely as a
flower, and as spirited as an untamed an
telope.
The stream by which the couple had
halted was Wood river, a branch of the
Platte, in Nebraska, at a point fifty miles
northwest of Fort Kearny.
Are you tired. Miriam p asked the
hunter, George Dane, with fatherly so
hcitude.
Tired, father % reoined the maid
en-, with happy laugh /" oh no. How
could | be tired after day like this
Every minute has been filled with pleas
ure and excitement. feel as fresh as
yonder bird"
The father smiled Understandings,
with look full of the fondest affection.
can guess the cause of your light
ness of heart, said he, smilingly. "The
return, now daily expected, Of certain
Hubert Earle, from the mines of Idaho,
may account, suspect, for your present
gladness."
A heightened color appeared on Mi
RAMS face, for the name mentioned was
that Of her lover. She answered the
glances Of her father, however, with a
frankness that attested his entire sympa-
thy with her, and sai@:
True, father, my heart has been I'M
usually light for several days past. How
could it be otherwise, since | know that
Hubert is coming ?"
Mr.. Dane didnot reply. He was look
ing, with kindled eyes, over the fair flow
er-dotted plain and his next remark
showed how widely his thoughts had
strayed.
wonder what mother has been do,
ing without us all day, Miriam. She
must be lonely, with no one to speak to
or share her meals. / 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 2"
He drew from his coat a pocket-glass
adjusted it to his sight, pointing it in q
northerly direction, and gazed through il
long and earnestly, towards his rancho
upon Carrey's Fork.
Yes, ! see it" he said, at last, with 9
long, deep, and joyful inspiration, as il
the sight refreshed him in every nerve
There is our cottage, as plain as day
| can even see the vines you planted be
fore the windows, Miriam. And there
on the grape vine bench, under the bis
elm, sits your mother, busy at her sew
ing. Bless her She does not imagine
we are looking at her. Look, Miriam.
He yielded the instrument to his daugh
ter, who obeyed his injunction, her love
ly face glowing with smiles as she regard
ed the distant home scene.
Dear motherW she murmured. 81
is treat to her to be able to sit out un
der the trees without fear of molestation
There are no hostile Indians hereabout
now-are there, father ~
No. Red Knife, as you have al
ready heard, was killed yesterday by
settler, and his band has retreated to
wards the mountains. | will confess
Miriam, that during all the time we hav
been in the West, | have not felt so light
hearted and care-free rs since we receiv
ed news of Red Knife's death. You
have just seen how this joy bubbles owe
in me. Red Knife was demon, rather
than savage"
Miriam shuddered, and her feature
even paled at the memory of the Indial
mentioned.
He never spared a pale face" sh,
said, striving to speak calmly. "Deso
lation and cruelty marked his path. Fo
more than three years he has ragged t,
and fro upon the plains like ravenins
wolf. lie was the terror of the border.
/" You have named him appropriately
Miriam" said the hunter. "a He had !
fiendish hatred of the white race, and hi
victims have been many"
Mr.. Dane held out his hand for tn
glass, and Miriam was in the act of re
storing it, when a strange, gasping, pan,
ing sound startled them both, ard sen
them quickly to their saddles.
The hunter wheeled his horse and look
ed down upon the river-bank, from whicl
direction the sound had come, his man
ner selfpossessed, but his countenanc
indicative of alarm. The maiden follow
cd his example.
Her eyes were the first to discover III,