The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-03-30

ness of heart said he, smilingly. The
return now expected of q certain Hubert
Earle, from the mines of Idaho, may &C.
count, suspect, for your present glad
ness
A heightened color appeared on Miri-
ANS face, for the name mentioned vas
that of her lover. She answered the
glances of her father, however, with q
frankness that attested his entire SYM
pathy with her, and said:
True. father, my heart has been unu-
sually light for several days past How
could it be otherwise, since know Hu .
bert is coming?
Mr.. Dane did not rebly. He was look,
ing, with kindling eyes, over the fair
flower dotted plain; and his next remark
showed how widely his thoughts had
strayed.
Il wonder what mother has has been
doing without us all day, Miriam. She
must be lonely with no one to speak to
or share her meals. I should Mt wonder
if we could see our home from this
point, and his soul lighted up with q
joyful glow. 'Our cottage is not more
than seven miles distant; Let me see?'
He drew from his coat pocket glass
adjusted it to his sight, pointed it in a
northerly direction, and gazed through
it long and earnestly, towards his rancho
upon Carrey's Fork.
Yes, l see it. he said, at last, with a
long, deep and joyful inspiration. as if
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 big
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
daughter, who obeyed bis injunction,
her lovely face glowing with smiles as
she regarded the distant home scene.
Dear mother she murmured. 1T is
a treat to her TO be able to sit under the
trees without fear of molestation. T':ere
are no hostile Indians hereabouts now
are there father?
No Red Knife, as you have already
heard. was killed yesterday by a settler,
and his band 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 free as since we received the
news of Red Kaife's death. You have
just seen how this JOY bubbles over in
me- Red Knife was a demon, rather
than savage
Miriam shuddered, and her features
even paled at the memory of the Indian
mentioned.
He never spared pale face, she
said, striving to speak calmly. Desc
lation and cruelty marked his path. For
more than two years he has ragged to and
fro upon the plains like ravening wolf.
He was the terror Of the border
You have named him appropriately,
Miriam said the hunter He had a
fiendish hatred Of the white race, and
his victims have been many
Mr.. Dane held out his hand for the
glass, and Miriam was in the act of restor
ing it, when strange, gaspino, 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 direction the sound had come. his
manner self possessed, but his counte
nance indicative of alarm. The maiden
followed his example,
Her eyes were the first to discover the
cause of the sound that had startled
them, detecting q mans figure creeping
along through the underground Of bush.
es lining the shore
At the same moment, their presence
in turn was detected, for the man drop
ped sude ,nly among the protecting
bushes, as if he had been shot.
'An Indian? whispered Miriam, draw
ing from her bosom q revolver.
The hunter shook his head, contiuu.
ing to watch the spot at which the man
had fallen, his hand on his rife. his
manner that of one ready for action.
Suddenly, as the man showed hag
gard face peering cautiously from his
concealment, Mr.. Danes anxious coun-
tenance broke into smile, and he cried
out:
Halo! Is that you, Thompson? Do
sou take US for Indians, that you skulk
there in the bushes?'
The individual addressed vas silent a
full minute, as it seemed, from sheer
amazemeat; then he sprang out from his
hiding place with cry of relief, and ad-
vanced swiftly towards the father and