The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-04-01
RED KNIFE,
Kit Carson's Last Trail.
RY LEON LEWIS

BY LEON LEWIS.
Autl or of "The Wagon Train" 1.-THE
Witch Finder" "The Water WOLF" etc.
CHAPTER /.
A LIFE GLoRIoUsLY sTAKED.
Towards the close of beautiful
day IN June, 1867, nun and wo-
man, mounted upon feet horses,
came galloping over one of the great
plains of the West, and drew rein in
the shade ola clump Of cotton woods
upon the bank Of a beautiful river.
They had ridden far and rapidly
Their steeds were painting, and Gov
cred with sweat and foam.
I'VE must give the horses a
breathing SPELL" said tho former
slippingto tho ground and his com.
panion nodded a graceful assent, as
she followed his example.
The couple were evidently father
and daughter.
The man was evidently in tlh
prime of life, hale and hearty, with
! large frame, which was sinewy and
athletic, without ceasing to be re-
fined and prepossessing, He had
the keen, shrewd look peculiar in
the, advance guards Of civilization,
and there was an honest, frank ex-
precision on his sun Drowned face that
proclaimed his integrity and cour-
age. ,
In her way, his daughter was
equally picturesque and attractive.
In the early flush of wcmanhood,
with pure, sweet and tender fece,
with eyes darkly glowing with cor
al-tinted lips. and checks softly flush
ed with the hue of the rose, with
amber curls floating behind her, she
was as graceful as a gazclle, as
light-hearted as a bird, as lovely as a
flower, and as spirited as al untamed
antelope. -.
The stream by which the couple
had halted was Wood river, branch
of the Platte, in Nebraska, ct point
fifty miles northwest of Fort Kearny
| Are you tired, Miriam p asked
the hunter, George Dane, with faiths
erly solicitude.
Tired, father? p rejoined the maid
Gu, with happy laugh. sOh, no,
How could be tired after day like
this Every minute has been filled
with pleasure and excitement. l feel
as fresh as yonder bird
The father smiled understanding
~, with lock full of the fondesJ
affection. aae- n.a
| can guess the cause of your
lightness of heart, said he, smilingly.
THE return, now daily expected, of
a certain Hubert Earle, from the
mines of Idaho, may account, / sus-
pect, for your present gladnes.'
"A heiphtened color appeared on
Mlriam's face, for the name mention
ed was that of her lover. Sho an
swered the glances Of her father,
however, with a frankness that at.
tested his entire sympathy with her,
and said 'e
True, father, my heart has been
unusually light for several days past.
How could it be otherwise, since |
know that Hubertiis coming?
Mr.. Dane did not reply. He was
looking with kindling eyes over the
fair fower-dotted plain !; and his next
remark showed how widely his
thoughts had strayed. r.
! Il 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. ]
shouldn't wonder if we could see our
home from this point end his face
lighted up with soulful glow
sOur cottage is not more than sevrn
miles distant; let mo Sec"
He drew from his coat a pocket
/ glass, adjusted it to his sight point
ling it in northerly direction, and
gazed through it long and earnestly
towards his rancho upon Carney's
Fork.
Yes, / see it, he said, at last, with
a long, deep and joyful inspiration,
as if the sight refreshed him in eve
ry nerve. There is our cottage as
PLAIN as day. l can even see the
vines you planted before the win
dows, 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 at her. Look, Mi
RAM
| He yielded the instrument to his
daughter, who obeyed his injunction,
her lovely tace glowing with smiles
as she regarded the distant homes
scene. Ea..--
| Dear motherp she murmured-
tits treat to her to be able to sit
out under the trees without fear OF
molestation. There are no hostile In
dams hereabouts now-are there,
father p
mo, Red Knife, as you have al
ready heard, was killed yesterday
by settler, and his band has retreat.
bed towards the mountains. | will
confess, Miriam, that during all the
time we have been in the west, | have
not felt as light-hearted and care
free as since we received news OF
Red Knife's death. You have just
seen how this joy bubbles over in
me. Red Knifo was demon rather
than a savage
| Miriam shuddered, and her fea.
lures even paled at the memory OF
the Indian mentioned. tz 49,
i. He never spared pale face, she
said, striving to speak calmly. 'Des
olation and cruelty marked his path.
For more than three years he has
ragged to and fro upon the plains like
a ravening wolf. lie was the terror
Of the border
You have named him appropri-
ately, Miriam, said tho hunter
He had a fendish hatred of the
white race, and his victims have
been many ag,Gt
| Mr.. Dane held out his hand for the
glass, and Miriam was in the act of
restoring it, when a strange, gasping,
| nantinp sound .startled than both