The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-04-01
CHAPTER /.
LIFE GLoRIoUsLY sTAKED

=
lowed his example.
The couple were evidently father
ard daughter.
The man was in the prime Of life,
hale and hearty. with large frame,
which was sinewy and athletic. with
out ceasing TO be refined and prepOs-
sessiug. He had the keen, sbrewd
look peculiar to the advance-guards
of civilization. and there was an hon
est. frank expression on his sun
Drowned face that proclaimed his in
tegrity and courage.
In her way, his daughter was equal
" picturesque aad 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 a gazelle, as light-hearted
as bird, as lovely a flower, anu as
spirited as an untamed antelope.
The stream by which the couple had
halted was Wood river, branch OF
the Platte, in Nebraska, at a point
fifty miles northwest Of Fort kearny.
Are you tired. Miriam = asked the
hunter, George Dane, with fatherly
solicitude.
Tired, father - rejeined the maid
on. with a happy laugh. "Oh. no
How could be tired after 4 day like
this? Every minute has been tilled
with pleasure and excitement. i feel
as fresh as yonder bird
The father smiled undcrstandIngiy,
with look of the fondest affection.
81 can guess the cause on your
lightness of heart" said he smlllngly.
The return. now daily expected, OF
a certain Hubert Earle, from the mines
of Idaho, may account suspect LOT
your present gladness."
A heightened color appeared on Mi
RAMS face, for the name mentioned
was that Of her lover. She answered
the chances of her father, however,
with frankness that attested his en-
fire sympathy with her, and said
True, father, my heart has been
unusually light for several days past.
How could it be otherwise since |
know that Hubert is coming z!
Mr.. Dane did not reply. He was
looking with kindling eyes, over the
fair flower-dotted plain; and his next
remark showed how widely his
thoughts had strayed.
L wonder what mother has been
doing without us all day, Miriam
She must be lonely, with no one to
speak to or share her meals. | should
not wonder if we could see our home
from this point" and his face lighted
up with a soulful glow. Z" Our cot
tage is not more than seven miles dis
tant; let me see -
lie drew from his coat a pocket
glass. adjusted it to his sight point,
ing it in a northerly direction, and
gaZed through it long and earnestly,
towards his rancho upon Carey 5
Fork.
Yes, l zee 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 before the windows, Miriam.
And there, on the grapevine bench,
under the big elm, sits your mother,
busy at her sewing. Bless her! She
does not imagine we are looking ut
her. Look, Miriam"
He yielded the Instrument to his
daughter, who obeyed his injunction,
her lovely face glowing with smiles as
she regarded the distant home-scene.
Dear mother!" she murmured. 1t
is treat to her to be able to sit out
under the trees without fear of moles-
tation. There are no hostile Indians
hereabouts nOW-are there, father"
NO. Red Knife. as you have al
reapy heard. was killed yesterday by
n settler, and his band has retreated to-
wards the mountains. | will confess.
Miriam, that during all the time we
have been i'm the West, | have not felt
so lighthearted, ana care free as since
we received news of Red hnife's
death. You have just seen how this
joy bubbles over in me. Red Knife
was demon, rather than a savage"
Miriam shuddered, and her features
even paled at the memory of the In
dian mentioned.
lie never spared n pale face" she
said, striving to speak calmly. "Des-
olation and cruelty marked his path.
For more than three years he has rag
ed to and fro upon the plains like a
raging wolf. lie was the terror of the
border"
lou have named him appropriate
ly, Miriam said the hunter. :" He
had 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
restoring it. when a strange, gasping
painting sound startled them both. and
sent them quickly to their saddles.
The hunter wheeled his horse and
ooked down upon the river-bank.
IRON which direction the sound had
come, his manner Self-pOssessed, but
his countenance indicative of alarm.
The maiden followed his example.
Her eyes were the first to discover
the cause of the sound that had start
led them, detecting a mans figure
creeping along through the under
growth of bushes lining the shore.
At the same moment their presence
in turn was detected, for the man
dropped suddenly among the protect
ing bushes, as if he had been shot.
IAN Indian - whispered Miriam. !
drawing from her bosom a revolver.
The hunter shook his head. continu- |
ing to watch the spot at which the |
man had fallen, his hand on his rifle. |
his manner that of one ready for ac- i
ton.
Suddenly as the man showed bag |
gard face peering cautiously from his |
concealment, Mr.. Danes anxious !
countenance broke into n smile, and /
he cried out:
"Hallo! Is that you, Thompson |
Do you take us for Indians, that you
skulk there in the bushes -
The individual addressed was silent |
n full minute. as it seemed, from sheer /
amazement, then he sprang out from |
his hiding place with a cry of relief. I
and advanced swiftly towards the |
father and daughter.
He was a man of middle age, Of the |
ordinary type of backwoodSmen. !
strong and brown and stalwart, of the |
rude, roHgh type that seems to belong |
to the border. His face was haggard /
and white. although covered with per
spiration. His breath came through |
his parched lips in quick, uneven rasps.
He had run far and swiftly. and look
ed as as it about to drop from fatigue
What has happened. Thompson =
asked Dane. with Keen anxiety. the
mans singular appearance giving him
a sudden shock of alarm.
The Indians gasped Thompson. |
scarcely able TO command his voice. |
They are coming! Red Knife and |
his band - divided - my wife my |
children! Help me. Help me!
"What talk is this :" cried Dane. |
agitated in spite of his efforts at self |
control. Red Knife was killed yes |
terday-S
He was only wounded" interrupt |
ed Thompson. "He is coming TO take |
his vengeance on us settlers. He has |
divided his band into two. They were |
up at Deer Fork this morning, and are |
now coming this way. The points to /
be struck are your house and mine"
My GodW calculated Dane, as his |
Informant paused in his excited. |
breathleSs narration.
. \ horse! a horsei" cried Thornn-
son, Keeling with fatigue. al can 90
no further on foot. Ny wife. nv
ab;1Jrap-Gn1 1oifv apI So.-a n x. /