Litchfield enquirer., 1869-04-01
M RED KNIFE; .2 OR, 1A ~ TT CARSON's LAST TRAIL.
By LEON LEWIS.
CHAPTER I.

AUTHOR OF 'sTHE WAGON TRAIN 1.-THE WITCH
 FINDER, 'tTHE WATER WOLF, ETC, ETC.
 CHAPTER T. "'4l
 A LIFE aLoRIoUsLY STARED os
 Towards the close of beautiful day in June, 1868, man and woman mounted upon fleet horses, came galloping over one of the great plains of the West and drew rein in the shade of clump of cotton woods upon the bank of a beautiful river. They had ridden far and rapidly. Their steeds were panting and covered with sweat and foam. ..s.....
 'sWe must give the horses breathing spell" said the former slipping to. the ground and his companion nodded "a pie.
 The couple were evidently father and daughter. 'a.fit. #tat - aeasaea
 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 guards of civilization, and there was an ed face that proclaimed his integrity and courage. lasao2al 99a<f ti.saga ~sa a1
 In her way, his daughter was equally picturesque aud attractive.
 In the early flush of womanhood, with a pure, sweet and tender face, with eyes darkly 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 gazeile, as light hearted as bird. as lovely as flower, and as spirited as an untamed antelope.
 The stream by which the couple had halted was Wood river, branch of the Platte, in Nebraska, at point fifty miles northwest of Fort Kearney. os....s... s-.. Are you tired, Miriam?' asked the hun ter, George Dane, with father)y solici. i tude. : -lFG z .A-l-..-sl. 7 s.
 Hired, father?' rejoined the maiden, with happy laugh. Oh, no. How could be tired after day like this? Every min ute has been filled with pleasure and excitement. I feel just as fresh as yondel bird
 The father smiled understandingly, with look full of the fondest affection. taa
 I can guess the cause of your lightness of heart. said he smilingly. The return daily expected of certain Hubert Earle, from the mines of Idaho may account, suspect, for your present gladness. .',3H F1 A heightened color appeared on Miri- am s face, for the name mentioned was that of her lover. She answered the glances of her father, however, with a frankness that attested the entire sympathy with her, and
 ifgs, father, my heart has been unusd- ally light for several days past How could it be otherwise, since know that Hubert is coming?' ail3 ai aa a.t..ss4tt,,a ..g ...s,.
 MT, Dane did not reply. He was look ing, with kindling eyes, over the fair flow cred dotted plain; and his next remark showed how widely his thoughts had stray ed. .,are.je II s;-'.p
 I wonder what mother has been doing without us all day Miriam? She must be lonely, with no one to speak, to 'aor share her meals. I shouldn't wonder if we could see our home from this point, and his face lighted up with soulful glow. Our cot tage is no more than seven miles distant; let me seeY'a3 Au44Ga .gl. fat!5 faeI 5uf
 He took from his coat 9 pocket et-glass, ad- iusted it to his sight, pointing it in nor therly direction, and gazed through itlong and earnestly, towards his ranche, upon Carrey's Fork. ..aa raf.o4.... t.o
 deep, and joyful inspiration, as if the sight refreshed him in every nerve. I There is our cottage as plain as day. q can even see the vines you planted before the win. dows, 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, Look, Miriam. 'f He yielded the instrument to his daugh- ter, who obeyed his injunction, her. lovely face glowing with smiles as she regarded the distant home-scene.
 Dear mother! she mnfmured. It is | treat to her to be able to sitIout under, ths trees without fear of rmolestation, There no aI.ns hostile dnd'ans hsfeapou'hss now No. Red Knife, as you have already heard, was killed yesterdey by settler anG his band has retreated towards the noun tains. I will confess, Miriam, that during all the time we have been in the West, ll have not felt so light hearted and care-fre. 1as since wesreceiyed news of Red Knifei I death. You have just seen how the 10, bubbles over me. Red Knife was demor rather than a savage.,1 xfio sssA 11aaged
 Miriam shuddered, and liner featnses eveg paled at the memory of the Indian men tioned. "@''sss# <a" s1l tsE AkS A0SCA SEShAO D pdAc 1aCo, Suo Sitlt striving to speak more calmly. sDesola tion and cruelty marked his path. Fol Imore than three years he has ragged to ant fro upon the plains like ravening wolf He was the terror of the border. saeaas1
 You have named him appropriately Miriam,' said the hunter. He had a fiend his hatred of the white race. and his vic tims have been many. 34si | Mir. Dane held out his hand for the gIas and Miriam was in the act of restoring it lwhen . strange gasping, panting sount startled them both, and sent them quickly to their saddles. - Nssss'ass's as'esi ssI ss ! I The hunter wheeled his horse and look ed down upon the river bank, from whicl direction the sound had come, his manne self possessed, but his countenance indica tive of alarm. The maiden followed hi exsmpae.c auTsassgg STE sss5.gsss.sf ..f1s
 Her eyes were the first to, discover tn cause of the sound that had startled them idetecting mans figure creeping alon, ] through the undergrowth nf bushes liniul the shore. xa9 Essa .saaass.ssss S9s ss.sfs,,ss., l At the same moment, their, presence il turn was detected, for the man droppes Isuddenly among the protecting bushes, q if he had been shot sa1 sx.ss sgs;8 s,5s9s; | sAn Indiany whispered Miriam, drawinl from her bosom . revolver.
 The hunter shook his head, continuinj taE- n xns akEsa .se ar