Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-06-24


mixed with relentless Indian blood, hung over
the head OF the old man, who still read and
wrote, and invented and theorized, In utter ig-
n0rance Of any peril except the danger that
some man, not n fool, should marry his daughter.
The fourth Of July was celebrated at Gagers
People came from fifty miles round. Pstriot-
celebrated Pierre Bottineau and the other Cana
dams ard half-breeds were there, mellowed
with drink, singing the sensual and almost lewd
French rowing songs their fathers had sung on
the st. Lawrence. Whiskey jim, y the retired
stage-driyer, and Hans Brinkerhoff and the
other 9erman settlers. With two or three Yam
KEGS, completed the slender crowd, which com
ton counties. And the ever-popular Edwards
was among them, his tau, grave face and flow
ing ringiets rising above them all. A man 50
! ready to serve anybody as he, was Idol zed
among frontiermen, whose gratitude is almost
equal TO their revenge. Captain Oscar, the
popular politician, who wore his hair long and
swore and drank, just 10 keep In with his widely
scattered constituents, whom he represented in
the Minnesota Senate each winter land who us
ualty cast hahn dozen votes apiece for him),
who wouldn't drink, but who knew how to tell
strange stories, kept them laughing for half an
hour. Edwards was type of man not so un-
common on the frontier as those imagine who
think the trapper always a half horse, half ALI
gator creature, such as they read of I'm the
Beadle novels knew one trapper who was a
student OF numismatics, another who devoted
his spare time to astronomy, and several traders
and rappers who were men OF considerable
culture, though they are generally men who are
ructnre All EwaF shetE Mch
were sufficient to have earned him distinction
had he been In 'scisili5atien, were concentrated
on the pursuits of his wild life, and such man
always surpasses the cOarser and duller Indian
or half-breed in his own field.
After q game of ball, and other sports ini-
lated from the Indians, the bots brules& began to-
be too much sostened with whskey to keep up
athletic exercises, and something in their man
ner led Edwards to suspect that there were other
OF which he had not been admitted. ~
By sdroit management he contrived to over
hear part CI conversation in which 'spoudre
Zee. He inferred that thel blowing up OF Limbs
ley's house was TO finish the celebration OF the
national holiday. Treating Bourbon to an extra
well-timed denunciations Of ssthe old monster
he gathered that the plan was to plant keg of
powder under the chimney On the north side of
the cabin and blow it to pieces, just to scare the
monster out, or kill him and his daughter, IL did
not matter which. Edwards praised the plan.
he said that IL ii were not that he had to 60 to
Pelican Lake that very night he would go along
and help blow up the old rascal
Soon after this he shook hands all around and
wished them Dor roydge in their trip to Lindsey
vile. He winked his eyes knowingly, playing
left in different directions, the Germans had
gone home drunk. and only "Whiskey Jim"
joined the half-breeds in their trip. They took
possession Of an immigrant team that was in
Gager's stable, and Just after sunset started On
their patriotic errand. They were going to cele-
brate the fourth by blowing up the tyrant
Meantime Edwards had taken long strides, but
his m9ccasin-clad feet were not carrying him i'm
the direction of Pelican Lake. Half the time
walking as only 1.-THE Long Trapper' could
walk, half the time in a swinging trOt, he m ade
the best possible speed toward Li1dsleyyille. He
had q start of the half breeds, but how much he
could not tell; and there was no time to be lost.
see If they were coming, crouching in the grass
lest they should discover him. %
Lindsey received him suspieiously as ever,
BY using his telescope EDWARDS soon conyin e
him that the party were Just leaving Gager's
The dusk OF the evening was coming on, and
Lindsley's fright was great as he realized his
81 will fight them to the death, - he said, get
ting down his revolver, with an air that w0ald
have done honor ~ Don Quixote.
elf you fight them and whip them, they will
waylay you and Kill You. But there are ten of
them, and il you fight them you will be killed,
and this lady viii be without a protector. Ifyou
run away the house will be destroyed, and you
viii be killed whenever you are found. But
what have you here! a magic lantern?"
The old gentleman had, before Edwards ar
rival, taken down the instrument to introduce
some improvement which he had just invented.
When Edwards stumbled over it and called ii a
magic lantern he looked at him seornfully.
"a magic lantern!" he cried. I" No, sir, that
Is a dissolying view, oxy-calcium, pantoscioster-
eoscopticon."
$. With this we must save you and your daugh-
title impatient ct this ill-tmed manifestation
Of Pedantry. "Get ready for action imms-
diately.-
81 have no oxygen gas
"Nake IL at once, /" said Edwards. He picked
Black oxide
"Here Is your material, - he said.
"Do yos understand chemistry" asked
Lindsey. But the trapper did not answer He
gos out the retort, and in five minutes the oxy-
gen was bubbling furiously Through the wash
bottle into the Indian-rubber receiver. Edwards
stood at the window scanning the road toward
Gagers with his telescope until 1t grew dark,
Then the magic lantern was removed
to the little grassroofed stable, I'm
which dwelt solitary pony, and by
f Edward diI ,S, tne f9 ,s was car
against the house. Edwards selected two pic
lures and adjusted them for use in the two
tubes
The half breeds were not in haste, and in all
the long hour OF suspense Emilia, hid in the
barn with her father and young Edwards, was
positively happy. For here was human com
partnership, and hungry soul VIII glally risk
death If by that means companionship can be
purchased. 1t did not matter either that con-
We sation was out Of the question. 1t is pres-
ence and not talk that makes companionship.
But bark! the bois trVles are on the bank of
the river below. Emilia's heart grew still as she
heard them swear. Their saa-r-r-r-re rolled
coming up the hill, quarreling drunkenly about
the powder. Now they were between the house
and the stable, getting ready 70 dig hole for
the "poudre n cannon"
''I'il give them fre-worls!" said Edward, in a
whisper.
A picture of Thorwaldsen's bas-relief of
" Morning having been previously placed in
the instrument, Edwards now removed the cap,
and the beautifurfying female figure, with the
/ ifant In her az M, shone out upon the side OF
the house with marvellous yividness.
"By thunder" said Whiskey Jim, steadying
himself while every hair stood on end
"Mon Dieui' cried the bois bruies, who had
never seen a pie ture in their lives except in the
cathedral of st. Boniface, at fort Garry. " Non
Dies' La SaiHte Yierge'' And they fell on their
knees before this apparition of the Blessed Viz
gin, and crossed themselves and prayed Justify.
80 But " Whisky Jim" Strengthened himself
up, and hiccoughcd, and stammered By thun-
der!' and added some words which, being
Saxon, Twill not print.
"The devii.'' cried Jim, a minute later, start
ing down the hill at full speed, for, by Edwards
direction, the light had been shifted 70 the other
tube in such a way Is TO dissolve the % Morning"
into a hideous picture of the conventional horned
al hoofed devil The picture was originally
ms ant TO be comic, but il now set Jim to run
niI z for dear life.
sOsi, eest Ie diqJte, Ie diGblel Le diablel cried
the frantic lois Lrales, breaking off their inyoca
sfions to the Virgin most abruptly, and fleeing
- I'm r.