The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-03-30
CHAPTER l

June, 1867, man and woman, mounted
upon fleet horses, came galoping over one
OF the greatest plains of the West, and
drew rein in the shade of clump Of cot
tonswoods upon the bank OF n beautiful
river. They had ridden far and rapidly
Their sieeds we're pantingand covered with
sweat and foam,
We must give the horses a breathing spell
said the former, slipping 10 the ground
and his companion nodded graceful as
sent, as she followed his example.
The couple were evidently father and
daughter.
The man was in the prime Of life, hale
and hearty, with large frame, which was
sinewy and athletic, without ceasing to be
refined and prepossessing. He had the
keen, shrewd look peculiar TO the advance
guards Of civilization, and there was an
honest, frank expression on his sun,browned
face that proclaimed his integrity and
courage.
In her way, his daughter was equally
picture sque and attractive.
In the early flush of womanh ood, 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 as a flower,
and rs spirited as an untamed ante
lope,
The stream by which the couple had
halted was Wood river, branch of the
Platte, in Nebraska, at point fifty miles
rlhwest of Fort Kearney,
Are you tired, Miriam ? asked the
hunter, George Dane, with fatherly SOL
icitude.
Tired fa.he-l' rejoined the maiden,
with happy laugh. ooh, no, How
could be tired after day like this
every minute has been filled with pleas
ure and excitement. feel as fresh IA
yonder bird.
The father smiled understandingly,
with look full of the fondest afiec,
tion.
4 can guess the cause of your lightness
of/heart,' ssid he smilingly. The return
now daily expected, Of certain Hubert
Earle, from the mines of Idaho, may
account, | suspect for your present glade
ness.
A heightened color appeared on Miriam's 5
lace, for the name mentioned was that OF
her lover. She answered the glance Of
her father, however, with n irankness
that attesIed his entire sympathy with her,
and said
True, father, my heart has been unus
ually light for several days past. How
could it be otherwise, since | know that
Hubert is coming'
Mr. Dane did not reply. He was
looking with kinding eye, over the fan
R flower dotted plain; and his next remark
showed how widely his thoughts had
strayed.
Il wonder what mother has been doing
without US all day Miriam. She musl
be lonely, with no one to speak to OF
share her meals. shouldn't wonder if
we could see our home from this point,
and his face lighted up with soulful glow
Our cottage is not more than seven miles
distant
He drew from his coat a pocket>glass
adjusted it TO his sight, pointing it in a
re norlherly direction, and gazed through il
long and earnestly, towards his rancho
sr upon Careys Fork.
b. Yes see it, he said, at last, with 4
long, deep and joyful inspiration,a as if the
- sight refreshed him in every nerve.
G There is our cottage, as plain ms day.
can even see the vines you planted before
the windows, Miriam. And there, OF
grapevine bench, under the big elm, sit
your mother, busy at her sewing. Bles
:. her she does not imagine we are looking
I. at her. Look Miriam
He yielded the instrument to his daugh
ter, who obeYed his inju notion, her lovely
face glowing with smiles as she regarded
the distant home'scene.
Dear mother' she murmered. Il
is treat to her to be able to sit out un
der the trees without fear of moles
tation, There are no hostile Indian
3 around here now-are they father.
re re No. Red Knife, as you have alread
heard was killed yesterday by a settler
and his band has retreated towards tn
mountains. will confess, Miriam tha
during all the time we have been in tn
q. West, have not felt so light'hearted an
care.free as since we received news of Re
Knife's death You have seen how tn
joy bubbles over in me. Red Knife VIZ
ma ma demon, rather than savage.
ed, Miriam shuddered, and her featur,
Ing even paled at the memory of the India
mo mentioned.
as, He never spared pale face, sl
said, striving TO speak calmly. 'Des
T lalion and cruelty marked his PATH
to For more than three years he has rag,
get to and fro upon the plains like r
vening wolf. He was the terror of d
IFS, border
You have named him appropriated
'r Miriam, said the hunter. 'He had
Ps. fiendish hatred of The white race, and
i,'' victims have been many.
Mr., Dane held out his hand Tor t
:, glass, and Miriam was in the act of