Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-04-07
ALIFE aLoRIoUsLY sTAKEDl

ALIFE oLoRIoUsLY sTAKEDl
Towards the close of abeautiful dayin June,
1867, man and woman mounted upon Meet
horses, came gallopng over one OF the great
plains of the West, and drew reinin the shade
OF elump Of cotton-woods upon the bank OF
beautiful river They had ridden far and
rapidly. Their steeds were painting, and
covered with sweat and foam.
'Wo must give the horses breathing
SPELL" said the former slipping to the
ground; and his companion nodded a
Graceful assent, as she followed his example.
The couple were evidently father and
daughter. . =.
.TRe man was in the prime of life, hale and
hearty, with largo frame, which was sinewy
and athletic, without ceasing to be refined
and prepossessing. He had the keen, shrewd
look peculiar to the advanced guards OF civili-
zation and there was an honest, frank ex-
preston on his sun-browned face that pro-
claimed his integrity and courage
In her way, his daughter was equally pic
turesque and attractive. .,
In the early flush of womanhood, with a
pure, sweet, and tender face, with eyes
darkiy glowing, with coral-tinted lips, and
cheeks softly flushed with the hue OF the rose,
with amber curls floating behind her, she
was as graceful as gazelle, as light-hearted
as bird, as lovely as flower, and as spirit
ed as an untamed antelope.
The stream by which the couple had halt ed
was Wood river, a branch of the Platte, in
Nebraska, at point fifty miles northwest of
Fort Kearney.
"Are YOU tired, Miriam?" asked the
hunter George Dane. with fatherly soici-
tude. =,
'Tired, father ~ rejoined the maiden, with
a happy laugh. "0h, no. How could be
tired after day like This ? Every minute
has been filled with pleasure and excitement.
feel as fresh as yonder bird"
The father smiled understandingly, with a
look full of the fondest affection.
81 can guess the cause Of your lightness
of heart, said he, smilngly. "The return,
now daily expected, Of n certain Hubert
Earle, from the mines of Idaho, may account,
I suspect, for your present gladness:
A heightened color appeared on Miriam's
face, for the n&me mentioned was that of her
lover She answered the glances Of her
father, however, with u frankness that at
tested his entire sympathy With her, and said:
"Tru0, father, my heart has been unusual
ly light for several DAYS past. How could IL
To otherwise, since / know that Hubert is
coming2'
Mr. Dane did not reply, He was looking,
with kindling eyes over the fair flower dot,
ted plain; and his next remark showed how
widely his thoughts had straycd.
II wonder what mother h hIB been doing
without us all day, Marian. 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 cot
tage is not more than seven miles distant;
let me seer
He drew from his coat pocket-glass, ad-
iusted it TO his sight, pointing it in north
erly direction, and gazed through it long and
earnestly, towards his rancho upon Carrey's
eyes, l see it." he said, at last, with a
long, deep, and Joyful inspiration, as ii the
sight refreshed him in every nerve. "There
is our cottage, as plain as day. | can even
see the vines you planted before the windows,
Miriam. And there, on the grapevine bench,
under the big elm, Pits your mother, busy at
her sewing. Bless herl She does not imag
inc we are looking at her. Look, Miriam. .
He yielded the instrument TO his daughter,
who obeyed his injunction, her lovely face
glowing with smiles as she regarded the dis
tant home-scene
"Dear mother |" she murmured, 1T is a
troat to be able TO sit ont under the treos
without fear Of mOlostAtion There are no
hostile Indians hercabouts now are there
father?
mo. Red Knife, as You have already
heard was killed Yesterday bya settler, and
his band has rctreated towards the noun
tains. | will confess, Miriam, that during
all the tine wo have been in tho We t Lhave
not felt 30 lghthaaried and care. free as
since We heard the news Of Red Knife's death,
You have Just seen how this Joy bubbles over
in me. Rod Knife was demon, rather than
o savage"
Miriam shudderod, and her features even
paled at the memory OF tho Indian men,
TONED.
ale ne,er spared pale face, she said,
striving to speak calmly, 'Desolatlon and
cruelty marked his path. For more than
three years he has ragged to and fro upon the
plains like raycning wolf He was the
terror of the blrd r."
"You have named him appropriately, Mi
rian," said the hunter. HE had a iendish
hatred ofthc white race, and his victims have
been many"
Mr. Dane held ont his hand for the glass,
and miriam was in the act OF restoring IL,
when strange, gasping painting sound
startled them both, and sent them quickly to
their saddles.
The hunter wheeled his horse and looked
down upon the river. bank, from which direc-
tiron the sound had come, his manner self.
possessed, but his countenance indicative ol
alarm. The maiden followed his example.
Her ewes were the first TO dlscoyer the
cause OF the sound that had startled them,
detecting mans figure creeping along
through the underground OF bushes lining
the shore. Ft
At the same moment their presence in
turn was detected, for the man dropped sud
denly among the protrndng bushes, as II nc
had been shot,
"An IndianP" whispered Miriam, drawing
from her bosom arevolver.
Tho hunter shook his head, continuing tc
watch the spot at which the man had fallen