Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-04-02
RED KNIFE;
or,
KIT CARSON'S LAST TRAIL.

hIl CAhSON' . 1ASl lAA1L.
~ LEoN LEWIS,
AUTHOR or "rBE WAGON TRAIN" "rHEwITCn
FINDER" "rHE wArER WOLF" ETC., ETC.
CHAPTER RI.
A LIFE GLoRIoUsLY sTAKED!
Towards the close Of beautiful day in
June, 1867, man and woman, mounted up
on feet horses, came qalloping over one Of
the great plains Of The West, and drew rein
in the sha'!e Of . clump Of cotton woods up-
ridden far and rapidly. Their steeds were
painting, alA covered with sweat and foam.
We muk give the horses breathing
spell, said IL former, slipping to .he ground;
and bis companion nodded graceful assent,
- she followed his example.
Tee couple we're evidently father and
daughter.
The man was in the prime Of life, hale and
hearty, with large frame, which was sim
ewy and athletic, without ceasing to b refs
ned and prepossessing. He had the keen,
shrewd look peculiar to the adyance-guards Of
civilization, and there was IN honest, frank
expression on his un-browned face that Ero>
claimed his integrity and courage.
In her way, his daughter was equally pic.
turesque and attractive.
In the early flush Of womanhood, with .
pure, sweet, aud tender face, with eyes dark.
" glowing, with corAl>tinted lips, and cheeks
softly flushed with the hue Of the rose, viii
amber curls floating behind her, she xas -
graceful rs gasslle, as light>hearted -
bird, as lovely as flower, and Is spirited ~
an untamed antelope.
The stream by which the couple bad halt
eJ was Wood river, branch Of the Platte,
in Nebraska, at point fifty miles northwest
Of Fort kearney.
Are you tired, Miriam ? asked the hun>
ter, George Dane, with fstherly solicitude.
Tired, father r rejoined the maiden, with
happy laugh. .Oh, no. How could b.
tired after day like thisf Every minute
has been filed with pleasure and excitement
feel - fresh ss yonder bird
The father smiled understaGdingly, with .
look full oil the iondest affection.
Il can guess the cause Of your lightness
heart said he, smilingly. The return,
now daily expected, Of certain Hubert
Earle, from the mines Of Idaho, may account,
suspect, for your present gladness.'
A heightened color appeared on Miriam's
face, for the name mentioned was that of her
lover. She answered the glances of her IA
ther, however, with q frankness that attested
bis entire sympathy with her, and said:
True, father, my heart has been unusu>
ally light for several DAYS past. How could
Il he Otherwise, since kAow that Hubert is
comiug?'
Mr.. Dane did not reply. He was looking,
with kindling eyes, over The fair Aower-dot.
ted PLAIN; and his next remark showed how
widely his thoughts had stnyed.
Il wonder Whist mother has been doing
without ~ Ill day, Miriam. She must b
lonely, With no oae 10 speak to or share hes
meals. shouldn't wonder il ~ could see
our Loae from this point and his face light
Cd up With . soulful glow. Our cottage ID
not more than seven miles distant let me
| see p
He drew from bis coat Q pockes>glass, I'd.
jssaed il % his sight, pointing it in . north.
erly disectioo, ard eased through it long aud
earnestly, texssas bis s..sAs -r0a caireyi
TurE.
Yes, l ses it, y aid, at last, with . long,
deep, and joyful inspiration, - il the sighl
refreshed him in every nerve. There d our
cottage, - plain - day. / can even &c the
vines you planted before the windows, Miri-
am. And there, on the grapevine bench,
under the big elm, sits your mother, busy at
her sewing. Bless her She does not inn
agine Ne are looking at her. Look, Mir,
am
He yielded the instrument to his daugh>
ter, who obeyed bis injunction, her lovely
face glowing with smiles ~ she regarded the
distant home>scene.
Dear mother she murmured. 1T is Z
treat to be able to sit out under the trcea
without fear Of molestation. There are NO
hostile Indians hereabouts now-are there,
fa,her?'
NO. Red Knife, ~ you have already
heard, was killed yesterday BY . settler, and
his baud has retreated toward the mountsins
l will confess, Miriam, that during al the
time we have been ia the West, have moi
felt SO light-hearted ard care>free a. since
we received news of Red knife's death. You
have Just seen how this joy bubbles over in
me. Red Knife was . demon, rather than Z
savage
Miriam shuddered, and her features even
paled At the memory Of the Indian men,
toned.
He never spared . pale face she said
striving 70 speak calmly. Desolation and
CE0Sity uiASAeu oss PStus COG uAUSO Suou
three years be has ragged to and fro upon the
plains like ravening wolf He was the
terror Of the border
you have named him appropriately, Mir.
iAm,' said the hunter. He had Q 6en1ish
hatred Of the white race, and his victims have
been many
Mr.. Dane held ont his hand for the glass,
and Miriam IVES in the oct Of restoring Il,
when . strange, Raspisg, painting sound
startled them both, aud cent them quickly 70
their saddles.
The hunter wheeled his Aorss and looked
down upon the river bank, from which di>
rection the sornd had come, his manner self.
possessed, but . coueteaasce indicative Of
alarm. Ths maiden followed his exam
pie.
Her eyes were the frst 10 discover the
cause OF the sound that had startled them,
detecting mans figure creeping along tAso'
the undsrgrowth Of bushes ising ths
shove.
At The same moment their pessaacs IN
turn was detected, for the nan dropped sud-
denly among the protecting bsshes, q it hs
had been shot.
'An Indian r whispered Miriam, drawing
from her bosom revolver.
The hunter shook biz hoAd, co0tinuing 70
watch the spot st which the man had fallen,
his hand on his rife, his manner that Of one
ready for action.
Suddenly, IS the man showed haggard
face peering cautiously froa his coacsal>
ment, Mr.. Danes anxious couutenance broke
into : smile, and be cried out:
Halo! II that you, Thempsonf Do
you take us foe Indians, that you skulk there
in the hushesy
The Individual addrssssd vas silent fall
minute, - il seemed, from sheer amaxement;
then be sprang out from his hiding >plxce
with cry Of rslisf and advaaced swiftly 70.
wards ths father and daughter.
He was nan It middle ags, Of H. oldi-
nary type Of backwoodsmea, stroae and
browa aud stalvaEt, Of the rude, rough type
that seems to hsloag 10 the border. His lace
was haegard and vhiass altho1gh covered
with penpiraiion. His breath eane thrOuah
his parted lips in quick, uneven gasps. He
had run far and swiftly, and hooked - if
about to drop from atigue.
What has happsasd, Thompson ? asked
Dane, with en- anxiety, the mans singular
appearance giving him > sudden sheck Of
alarm.
sThs lndiaas r ssspsd Thompsor, scares.