Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-21

a feathers weight. He rose again in his
stirrrIps, and shouted back defiantly:
"Come on. Take Blue Jack if you
cam"
The pursuing officer shouted to the out
law to surrender, but the only reply was a
mocking laugh. The officer then fired
shot at the fugitive, but the bullet missed
It's mark, and Blue Jack, bending low to his
horses neck, and digging the spurs into the
animals sides, swept on and away with the
rush of tornado.
And after him swept the pursuers.
The emigrants watched the pursuit with
breathless interest until the foremost figure
upon the powerful Indian steed had passed
beyond their line Of vision.
During the confusion Burk escaped also.
At nightfal they halted upon the south
bank of the Platte, and were at supper
around their fires when the troops were seen
to approach, weary and dispirited-without
their prisoner.
''The fellow has escaped us" said the Off
Ger.
"You held on to the chase well, Lieuten-
ant" said the conductor.
81 can't bear to go back to the fort with
out him., was the quick reply. "There's
excitement all through the fort. Poor Fall
lon was nearly murdered, and was left for
dead. He was flung over into Deep Can
yon, and happened to lodge in clump of
bushes. There he came to himself, an hour
or more afterward, and, more dead than
alive, he climbed up to the ground above,
and fell down in a dead faint. A party was
Immediately organized and started in pur-
suit of the outlaw
FTba Aorr flNavr ~ tho ,ayfxr
of soldiers that had been sent in pursuit of
Blue Jack. They had found no trace of the
desperate or his companion.
mo use looking for Blue Jack" said the
officer in charge of the party, addressing
Landlord. "There has been a party of
Sioux about this quarter for few days
past, and no doubt Blue Jack has fallen in
with them. The party is hardly large
enough to attack your train, and I under
stand they have gone up toward Dakotah.
Blue Jack has an Indian wife somewhere
up there"
Upon the second day after leaving Fort
Mcpherson, the emigrants made their mid
day halt in grove of cotton woods, upon
| the bank of the South fork of the Platte, at
its junction with wide, tree-fringed river
which descended from the northward, and
/ L6I6 Jucy W ScJGlc.
The site of the village was selected ex-
actly at the junction of the two rivers, upon
a low bluff overlooking the two streams.
Then public square was carefully laid
out with mathematical exactness.
Then each mans lot was assigned him.
Mark Heber's was next to Whitman's,
on the eastern side of the square, facing
west, and his future garden ran back to the
edge of the lew bluff.
Mark Heber did mans work, and from
the first day of his hard toll Whitman
ceased to class the youth among the boys.
In TIE course of a week, eight strong log
houses, each story in height, and pierced
with loop-holes, and each provided with a
single capacious chimney, were finished,
1 and fronted the little naked square.
Mark Herber's house was simply arrang-
ed, built upon the plan generally adopted
by the settlers. There were but two rooms,
one being entered through the other. The
inner room was to be Gays. The outer
room was to be parlor, dining room, kitch-
| en-, library, and Marks bedroom.
"The house is your province, Gay" said
the youth, upon the morning after the house
was finished. 81 shall leave you to furnish
it and transform it into home while
work upon the stockade. If you need my
help when the stockade and blockhouse are
finished, will turn myself into house
carpenter"
81 sha'n't need you, sir" said Gay sauc-
lily. "You attend to the farm, and leave
the house to me-"
The shelter provided, the eight house:
were left entirely to the management of the
women, the men working upon the stock
ade, which was constructed upon strict mil
itary principles, and was model of wOrtl
and excellence.
1t required two weeks and the labor o.
sixteen men to complete this work.
Whitman and his family had been living
in their house for week. All the familie!
had moved into their homes save the He
bers, but Gay with pretty tyranny ha(
not allowed Mark to cross the threshold o
his house since he had finished it.
Now, when Mark unyoked his oxen
turning them loose in his own yard, anC
drew his wagon under great cottonwood
in his back garden, Gay called to him will
a bright smile, saying he might enter tht
house with her.
He came pleased and smiling, but paused
upon the threshold in mute astonishment.
Was this the room with four rough loe
walls which he had given into her hands?
Was this sunny little home log-houst
on the plains?
1t seemed incred BILE.
For little Clever-witted Gay, with he
delicate, skillful fingers, had fashioned ;
lovely home ont of her barren materials
such an one as would delight the eye t
rest upon, and her sole helps had been tw,
kindly boys Of fifteen years, who had worket
under her directions.
otis the prettiest room l ever saw,
cried Mark, with enthusiasm. "There ism
a house in town like it. Won't the peopl
open their eyes? It's just lovelyr criet
Mark delightedly. "Y on are a regular hom
fairy, Gay. You were meant for the iron
tier, and you are the fairest flower on al
= the plains! My precious little sister,
He drew her to him and kissed her ten
derby. But Gay, most unaccOuntably
broke from him, blushing like a rose.
am call Whitman in to see the house,
exclaimed Marx, not noticing Gays cOnfIl
sion. "We shall sit up for the ariStocrat
of the town."
He dashed out in boyish exuberance an
called in the entire population of the village
They all came in, and there was ger
eral request that Gay should christen tn
J settlement.
! Gays eyes frightened, even while sh
| shrank from the honor thus put upon heI
,, 81 can't" she said. "Mr. whitman
the oldest ofus all, and is our Mayor. LIE
him name the village"
"Then I'll call it Heber, in honor of on
little Gay" cried Mr.. Whitman. "Wha
do you all say, my friends?"
"Heber it ISL cried dozen voices, /
acclaim.
At that moment a boy who had been play
! ing upon the platform inside the stockad
came in, gasping the words
"IndiGnSr' The above we publish as
; specimen chapter; but the continuation {
this story will be found in the New Yor
Ledger. Ask for the number dated Marc
30, which can be had at any news office c
book store. Ifyou are not within reach {