The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-03-26

upon feet tshorses, came gallopiDg over ont
of the great plains of the West. and drew
rein in the shade of a clump of cottonwood
upon the banks Of a beautiful river TheJ
had ridden far shd rapidly. Their -steed
were painting, and covered with sweat anC
foam.
we must give the horses a breathing
spell, said the former, slipping to the ground
and his companion nodded graceful assent
as she followed his example.
The couple were evidently father ant
daughter.
The man was in the prime of life, hale anC
hearty, with large frame which was sineWJ
and athletic, without csasing to be refined
and progressing. He had the keen shrewC
look peculiar to the advance guard of civil.
cation, and there was an honest, frank ex'
| preston on his sun-browned face that pro
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, and tender face, with eyes dark.
| ly 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 ight-hearted as 6
bird, as lovely as flower, and as spirited as
an untamed antelope.
The stream by which the couple bad halt
ed was Wood river . bIanch Of the Platte, in
Nebraska at point fifty miles northwest Of
! Fort Kearny.
Are you tired, Miriam?' asked the hunt.
er, George Dane, with fstherly sOlicitude.
Tired, father2' Tejoined the maiden with
happy laugh. oh, no. How could be
tired after such day as this2 Every min
ute has been filed with pleasure and excite
ment. feel as fresh as yonder bird
The father smiled understandingly, with
look full of the fondest affection.
4 can guess the cause Of your lightness Of
heart, said he smilingly. The return, now
daily expected of a certain Hubert Earle
frpmsthe mines Of Idaho, may account, ]
sospSct, fsk your present gIaduess.' -
A heightened color appeared on Miriam &
face, for the name mentioned was that of her
lover. She answered the glances of her ia
ther, however, with frankness that attest
ed his entire sympathy with her, and said:
True, my father, my heart has been unu-
sually light for several days past. How
could it be otherwise, since l know that Hu-
bert is comingP
Mr.. Dane did not reply. He was looking
with kindliug eyes over the fair hower-dOt-
ted plain; and his next remark showed how
widely histhOughts had stIsyed.
L wonder what mother has been doing
without US all day, Miriam2 She must be
lonely with no one to speak to or to share
her meals, shouldn't wonder if we could
see our home from this point ard his fsce
| lighted up with a soulful glow. f0ur cottage
is not more than seven miles distant, let me
see.'
He drew from his coat pocket glass, ad-
justed it to his sight, pointing it in a north
westerly direction, and gszed through it long
and earnestly,tOWards his rancho on Carey 8
Fork.
Yes, see it, be said at last, with long
deep aud joyful inspiration, as if the sight
refreshed him in every nerve. There is oar
cottage, as plain as day. can even see the
vines you planted before the window, Miri-
am. And there, on the grape vine bench,
under the big elm, sits your mother. busy at
her sewing. Bless herl She does not imag-
inc we are looking 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 homestead.
Dear motneri' she murmursd. Il is a
treat to her to be able to sit out under the
trees without fear of molestation. There are
there, father7'
No. Red Knife, as you have already
heard, was killed yesterday by settler, and
his band has retreated towards the noun
tains. will confess, Miriam. that during
all the time we have been in the west,
have have not felt so light hearted and care
free as since We have received news Of Red
Knife'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 Indian mention
ed.
He never spared pale face, she said stri-
wing to speak calmly. 'QssolatiOn and cru
city marked his path. For more than three
years he has raysged 10 and fro upon the
plains like ravening wolf. He was the ter
rOr of the border.
You have named him appropriately, Mi
RAM, 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 star
ted them both, and sent them quickly to
their saddles.
The hunter wheeled his horse and looked
down upon the river bank, from which di-
rection the sound had come, his manner self
possessed but bis gountensnce indicitiYe of
alarm. Tbs maiden followed bis example
Her eyes were first to discover the cIuse
of the sound that had startled them, detect
ing a mans figure creeping along through
the underground of bushes lining the shore
At the same moment their presence 10 turn
was detected, for the man dropped suddenly
among the protecting bushes, as if he had
been shot,
:An Indian, whispered Miriam, drawing
from her bosom a revolver.
The hunter shook his head, continuing to
watch the spot at which the mau had fallen, |
his hand on his rife, his manner that of one |
ready for action.
Suddenly, ,ss the man showed a haggsrd |
face peeriDg cautiously from his conceslment
MF Danes anxious cOunienance broke into i
a smile, and he cried out:
'HallOl Is that you, ThOmpsonH Do you
take Us for Indians, that you skqlk there in
the busiest
The individual addressed was silent foil |
minute as it seemed, from sheer amaz 3ment
hen he spraDg out from his hiding place,
with cry OF relief, and advanced swiftly to-
ward father and daughter,
de was man OF middle age, of the ordi-
nary type of bsckwoodsmen, strong and
brown and Stalwart, of the rude rough type
hat seems TO belong TO the border. His face
vas haggard and white, although covered
With perspiratiOu. His breath came through
lis parted lips in quick, uneven gssps. He
lad run far and swiftly, and looked as if a.
,olt to drop frou fatigue.
What has happened, ThompsonP asked
Dane, with keen anxiety, the mans singu-
ar appearance giving him a sudden shock of
.larm.
The Indiansl glsped Thompson, scarcely
BILE 10 command his voice. They are com
ngi Red Knife and his Standardization
Tife-my ehildrenl Hep NIL Help me!
What talk is this? cried Dane, agitated
n spite of his efforts at self-eontrol. Rcd
Knife was killed yesterday {
He was only wounded interrupted
thompson. He is coming to ts ke vengeance
n US settlers. He has divided bis band in {
D two. They we're up at the Deer Fork
lis morning, and are nov coming this way.
he points 10 be struck are your house aud q
line.'
my GOdl' calculated D me, as his inform {
ut paused in his excited, Breathe nerra-
on. '
"A horsel horseI' cried Thompson, reel. t
g with fatigue. i can go no further on
Ot. My wife, my children-God pity and v
i've iheml' t
He looktd from the hunter to his daughter
mute and agOnized supplicatiop b
Dane snatched the glass from Miriam's h
snds and placed it to his eyes. a
He looked to the nOrthvard-zsaw his pret
cottage, his wife busy al her needle under f
e trees-and glanced at the dim line of the D
'rizon stretching away eastward and west O.
ard from his home.
Suddenly the glass dropped from his hand b
his face blanched to the hue of SNOW d
,om the vest, seeming TO emerge from the tc
Duds of scarlet and gold, he had beheld b
Id Of r.,o.,ntod L.. IL =. -