The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-24
A LHI aLoRIoUSLY sTAKED,

.-u.-- a.
t?l j. 49,. -. CHAPTER /.
-. a LUl aLoRIousLY sTAKED.
. y-towafds the close Of beautiful day in June
1867, a.man and woman, mounted upon nee
horses, came galloping over one OF the grea
i ulains Of the West, and drew rein in the shade
= of a clump of cotton-woods upon the bank OF f
beautiful liver. They had ridden far and ra.
pidly. Their steeds were painting, and covered
with sweat and foam.
sWWe must give the horses breathing spell,
said the former, slipping to the ground; ano
his companion nodded graceful assem-, az
She followed his example.
ter. ,,. -,
hearty, with large frame, which was slnewy
and athletic, without ceasing to be refined ana
prepossessing. He bad the keen, shrewd look
peculiar to the advance-guards OF clvln9atlon,
and there was an honest, frank expression on
his sun-brouned face that proclaimed his IN
tegrlty and courage.
: In her way, his daughter was equally pictur-
esque and attractive.
In the early flush Of womanhood, with apure,
sweet and tender face, with eyes darkly glow
ing, with coraltinted lips, and cheeks soItly
flushed with the hue of the rose, with amber
curls floating behind her; ske was as graceful
as q gaselle, as hght-hearted as bird, as love,
" as flower, ana as spirited as an untamed
antelope.
{. The stream by which the couple had halted
!, was Wood River, branch OF the Platte, IN Ne
brsska, at point fifty miles northwest OF Fort
Kearny.
d .stAre YOU tired, Miriam ?" asked the hunter,
! George Dane, with fatherly solicitude.
u;i.asTired, fsther?" rejolned the maiden, with Q
4 happy laugh. 'sOh, no. How could be tired
after day like this2 Every minute has been
filled with pleasure and excitement. feel as
, fresh as yonder bird" -,
snl The father smiled understandingly, with
8 aook full of the fondest affection. .
r.tc-"I can guess the cause OF your hghtness OF
heart" said he, smilingly. NThe return, now
daily expected, of certain Hubert Earle, from
the mines Of Idaho. may account, L suspect,
for your present gladness."
A heightened color appeared ON miriam
:; face, for the name mentioned Was that M her
lover. She answered the glances OF her father,
however, with frankness that atsssteo nus
'sTrue, father, my heart has been unusually
light for several days past. How could it be
!, otherwise since 1 know that hubert is
!, comingY ,
with hndling eyes, over the falr 1ower-oosteo
plain; and his next remark showed now widely
his thoughts had strayed.
sI wonder what mother has been doing with :
out US ali day, Miriam. She must be lonely,
with NO one to speak to or share her meals. 1
shouldn't wonder II we could see our home
: from this point" and his face lighted up with
soulful glow. sour cottage is not more
than seven miles distant; let me see z,
He drew from his coat pocket-glass, ad-
iusted it to his sight, pointed 1T in northerly
/. direction, and gazed through it long and earn
estly, towards bis ranohe upon Carrey's Fork.
s.fes, see it." be said, at last, with long,
deep and joyful inspiration, as II the sight re-
heshed him in every nerve. "Ihere Is our
cottage, as plain rs day. can even see the
vines you planted before the windows, Miriam.
And there, on the grapevine bench, under the
big elm, sits your mother, busy at her Sc wing
Bless her! She does not imagine we are look
ing 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. ...,
uDear mother!" she murmured. "it is a
treat to her to be able to sit out under the
trees without fear OF molestation. There are
no hostile Indians hereabouts now-ars there,
father %
mo. Red Knife, as you have already heard,
was killed yesterday by 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-tree as since we received
news If Red Knife's death. You have just
seen how this Joy babbles over in me. Red
Kuife was demon, rather than savage"
Miriam shuddered. and her features even
paled at the memory OF the Indian mentioned
"He nevers spared a pale face" she said
striving to speak calmly. "Desolation and
cruelty marked his path. For more than three
wears he has ragged to and fro upon the plains
like ravening wolf. he was the terror OF the
border"
stYou have named him appropriately, Mir
iam," said the hun! r. "He had hendlsh
hatred Of the white 70, aud his victims nave
bsen many"
Mr.. Dane held out his hand for the glass,
and Miriam was in the act Of restoring it,
when strange, gasping, painting sound star
tied them both, and sent them quickly 10 thelr
saddles.
The hunter wheeled his horse and looked
down upon the river bank, from which direc-
sessed, but his countenance indicative CT alarm.
The maiden followed his example.
Her eyes were the first to discover the cause
of the sound that had startled them, detecting
a mans figure creeping along through the un-
dergrowth of bur hes lining the shore.
At the same moment, their presence in turn
was detected, for the man dropped suddenly
among the protecting bushes, rs if he had
been shot.
"An Indian?" whispered Miriam, drawing
from her bosom revolver.
The hunter shook his head, continuing to
watch the spot at which the man had fallen,
his hand on his rifle, his manner that of one
ready foraction.
Suddenly, as the man showed o haggard face
peerine cautiously from his concealment, MIR.
Danes anxious countenance broke into smile,
and he cried out:
sHaIo Is that you, Thompson ? Do you
take US for Indians, that you skulk there in the
bushes?"
The individual addressed was silent full
minute, as it seemed, from sheer amazenept;
then he sprang out from his hidlng-pl,ce with
q CIV OF relief, aud advanced swiftly towards
the father and daughter.
He was man Of middle age, of the ordinary
type OF backwoodsmen, strong and brown and
stalwart. OF the rude, rough type that seems to
belong to the border. His face was haggard
and white, although covered with perspi1ation.
His breath came through his parted lips IN
quick, uneven gasps. He had run far and
swiftly, and looked as if about to drop from
fatigue.
''What has happened, Thompson ?" asked
Dane, with keen anxiety, the mans singular
appearance giving him sudden shock OF
alarm.