The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-04-01
CHAPTER
A LIFE GLORIOuSLY sTAKED !

June, 1867, man and woman, mounted
| upon fleet horses, came galloping over
one of the great plains Of the West, and
drew rein In the shade Of clump of
eottoE-woods upon the bank of beauti-
full river. They had hidden as far and
rapidly. Their steeds were painting and
covered with sweat and foam.
I'VE must give the horses a breathing
spell, - said the former, slipping to the
ground; and his companion nodded a
graceful assent, as she followed his ex-
ample,
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 prepossesslng. lie had
| the keen. shreWd look peculiar to the
advance guards of civilization, and there
was an honest frank expression on his
| sun Drowned face that proclaimed his in
tegrity and courage.
In her way, his daughter was equally
picturesque and attractive.
In the early flush of womanhood. with
| pure, sweet, and tender face, with eyes
darby glowing, with coral-t tinted lips,
and cheeks softly flushed with the hue
of the rose, with amber curls floating
behind her, she was as graceful as gazelle
llghthearted as a bird, AS lovely asa flower
and as spirited as an untamed antelope.
The stream by which the couple had
halted was the wood river, branch of
TIE Platte in Nebraska, at a point
fifty miles northwest Of fort Kearney.
care you tired Miriam p asked the
hunter Geo. Done, with fatherly solici-
tude.
Tired father p rejoined the maiden
with happy laugh. oh, no. How
could 1 be tired after day like this?
Every minute has been filed with pleas
ure and excitement. | feel as fresh as
yonder bird.
The father smiled understandingly,
with a look full of fondest affection.
L can guess the cause your lightness
of heart, said he smilingly. The return
now daily expected of a certain Hubert
Earle, from the mines Of Idaho may ac-
count, l suspect for your present glad
ness.
A heightened color appeared on Miri
ans face, for the name mentioned was
that of her lover. She answered the
the glances Of her father however with
frnkness that attested his entire sympa-
thy with her and said;
True father my heart has been unu-
sually light for several days past. How
could it be otherwise, since | know that
Hubert is coming?;;
Mr. Dane did not reply. He is look
ing with klndllng eyes. over the fair-fow
err dotted plain and his next remark
showed how widely his thoughts had
strayed
L wonder what mother has been doing
withoud 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 and his face lighted up with a
soulful glow. Our cottage is not more
than seven miles distant; let me see p
He drew from his coat pocket-glass,
adjusted it to his sight, pointing it in
northernly direction, and gazed through
it long and earnestly to his rancho on
Carey Fork
Yes [ see it, he said at last, with a
long deep, and joyful inspiration, as if
the sight freshened him in every nerve.
There is our cottage as plain as day.
| can even see the vines that you planted
before the windows Miriam And there
on the grape vine bench, under The big
elm sits your mother, busy at her sewing.
Bless her she does not imagine we are
looking at her. Look Miriam
He yielded the instrument to his
daughter. who obeyed his injunction, her
levely face glowed with smiles as she re-
garded the distant home scene.
Dear Mother" she murmured 1t
IS treat to be able to sit out under the
trees without fear of molestation. There
are no hostile Indians herea bouts now
are there, ftaher?'
Oh. Red Knife, as you have already
heard, was killed yesterday by settler,
and his band has reiterated towards the
mountains. | will confess. Marian, that
during all the time we have been in the
West, | have not felt SO lighthearted and
care-tree as since we received news of Red
Knife's death. You have just see. how
this joy bubbles ovor in me. Red Knife
was demon rather than savage
Miriam shuddered, and her features
even paled at the memory Of the Indian
mentioned.
He never spared pale face she said
striving to speak calmly. 'Desolation
and cruelty marked his path For more
than three years he has ragged to and
fro upon the plains like ravening wolf
He was a terror of the border.
You have named him appropriately,
Miriam, said the hunter He had a
fendish 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 re-
storing it, when strange gasping pant
ing sound startled them both, and sent
them quickly to their saddles.
The hunter wheeled his horse and
looked down upon the river bank, from
which direction the sound had come, his
manner selfpossessed, but his. counte-
nance indicative of alarm. The maiden
followed his example.
Her eyes we're the first to discover the
cause of the sound that had startled
them, detecting mans figure creeping
along through the under growth of bush
es lining the shores.
At the same moment their presence in
turn was detected, for the man dropped
suddenly among the protecting bushes,
as if he had been shot.
AN indiana whispered Miriam, draw
ing from her bosom revolver.
The hunter shook his head, continuing
20 watch the spot at which Tie The nan had
fallen, his hand on his rifle, his manner
that of one ready for action.
Suddenly, as the man showed bag
gard face peering cautiously from his
concealment, Mr.. Danes anxious counte-
nance broke into a smile, and he cried
out:
Halo Is that you Thompson? Do
you take us for Indians, that you skulk
there in the bushes?'
The individual addressed was silent
full minute, as it seemed, from sheer
amazement; then he sprang out from his
hiding place with cry of relief, and adj