Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-03-24
CHAPTER l.
ALrrR GLoRloUsLY sTAKEDl

LIFE GLoRl0UsLY sTAKEDl
Toward the close of beautiful day in
June, 1867, man and woman, mounted
upon feet horses, came galloplng over
one of the great plains of the West, and
drew rein in the shade of clump OF
cotton-woods upon the bank of beanti..
ful river. They had ridden far and
rapidly. Their steeds we're painting, and
covered with sweat and foam.
1--WE must give the herses breathing
SPELL" said the former, slipping to the
ground and his companion nodded
graceful assent, as she followed his ex-
ample. 9a :,
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. de had
the keen, shrewd look peculiar to the
advance-guards of civilization, and there
was an honest, frank expression on his
n-browned 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
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 gszelle, as
lght-hearted as a bird, as lovely as
flower, and as spirited as an untamed
antelope. :,
The stream by which the couple had
halted was Wood river, q branch OF the
Platte, in Nebraska. at a point fifty miles
northwest of Fort Kearny.
"Are you tired, Miriam 2" asked the
hunter, George Dane, with fatherly solic
itude. -, :,
"Tired, father ?" rejoined the maiden,
with a happy laugh. "Oh, no. How
could l be tired after day like this
Every minute has been filled with
! pleasure and excitement. / feel as fresh
as yonder bird"
The father smiled understandingly,
with look of the fondest affection.
~ can guess the cause of your light
ness of 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 face, for the name mentioned
was that of her lover. She answered the
elances of her father, however, with
| frankness that sttested his entire
sympathy with her, and said
"True, father, my heart has been
unusually light for several days past
How could it be otherwise, since / know
that Hubert is coming
Mr.. Dane did not reply. He was look
ing, with kihdling eyes, over the ian
| 6ower-dotted plain; and his next remark
showed how widely his thoughts hac
srsyed.
al wonder what mother has been doing
without us all day, Miriam. She mus
he lonely. with no one to speak to OF
share her meals. / shouldn't wonder !
we could see our home from this point,
and his face lighted up with soulfu
glow. "Our cottage is not more thar
seven miles distant; let me see
He drew from his coat a pocket-glass
adjusted il to his sight, pointing it IN Q
northerly direction, and gazed through II
| long ana earnestly, tV"eiuo uiS
upon Carrey's Fork.
"Yes, see il" he said, at last, With Z
| long, deep, and joyful inspiration, as !
the sight refreshed him in every nerve
"There is our cottoge as plain as day
can even see the vines you planted
before the windows, Miriam. And there
an the grapevine bench, under the biI
sIm sits your mother, busy at her sewing
Rless herl She does not imagine we sr'
locking at her. Look, Miriam. L..
He yielded the instrument to MI
daughter. who obeyed his injunction, be
lovely face glowing with smiles as sh'
| racarded the distant hope-s scene
aDear mother r. she hurmured.
is treat to her to be able to SIT out unoe
the trees without fear or molestahon
There are no hostile Indians hereaoouh
uow-are there, faiherr :,
"No. Red Knife, rs you have ALREADY
heard. was killed yesterday by a settler
and his band has retreated toward IN
noun,ains. will confess, Miriam, tha
daring ali the time We have been IN tn
West / have not felt so lighi-hearted an
care free as since We received news
Ped Knife's death. You have just seei
now this joy bubbles over in me; Re-
Knife was a demon rather than
savage
Miriam, shoddered, and her feature
even paled at the memory of the Indial
mentioned.
He never spared pale face, sh
said, striving to speak calmly Desc
lsiion aud cruelty marked his path. -
more than three years be has ragged
and fro upon the plains like rsvenin
wolf He was the terror OF the Dol
der"
/" You have named him appropriately
Miriam" said the buuter. He bad