The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-01-22
'"i = a we've got % 0c;
ghed when he saw that his bury

tne IRE, WIS asleep ninseN-
He did not hear the stealthy footstep in
the canyon; he did not see the figure that
came from the gloom bis eyes had failed to
penetrate.
1t was the figure of an Indian girl, who
carried bow, to the string of which was
fitted an exquisitely-shaped arrow. She
saw the sleeping men, and never took her
eyes from them.
Hal she marked them for her shafts
We shall see.
Stealthily approaching. she stooped over
Chalbert Ross, and touched his shoulder
with her bow. The touch reused him, and
he looked into her eyes astonished. She
touched her lips indicative of silence, and,
stepping back, mot;oned him to rise. He
glanced at Bains.
The giant still slept, and, confident that
he would not awake for while, the young
er hunter arose and followed the Apache
girl.
Without g wor.,, she led him down tho
canyon until she began to ascend. He fol
lowed her up the rough path to the country
above. and on the edge of the gulch-the
precipice-she paused.
THE country so far as the white man can
see beiosgs 20 Walpan, she Apache" she
sail, sweeping her hand before her. "He
owns thousand rifles, and more horses
than the two pale-fac IS can count. Neva is
his child, and the only child he has. She
has followed the rJle-faee for many miles,
and she knows Whit brought him to the
land OF the Apaches.''
She smiled as she spoke the last sentence,
and Chalbcrt Ross started forw lrd y ith e.-
garness.
Tell ne-5ell me, Neva, where it is :"
he cried.
"The lost mine Of shining silver ?" she
asked.
"Yes, ycs!''
"W.at viii the paie-face Go if Neva tells
hinl"
Anything you ask -
"Anyth:n.;, he say" she said, triumph
| antly. in low whisper. He says he viii
| do anything Neva asks if she tells Kim
about the lost silver mine. She VIII try
him. Neva viii see if the pale-faoe is as
| good as his word
Try ine g.rl. Chalbert Ross never broke
| promis-A''
Then her right han. pointed to the west
away from The canyon.
"Do the eyes OF t,le 5ilver-huntcr behold
| q fire ?'' she asked.
.'Fhey do
"There is n wagon train from the white
| mans country conCinued the Apache.
''Wa'pan has sail tha5 it mi i.yht halt in his
lln3, FOR the p def ces DO not hunt si!vcc-
| mines. Ia one of the wagons is a pale
| girl."
ClIalb ,rt Ross stlrtl again.
| "W'ih the white ma, swear TO obey Neva
! If sno tells ni.n where the silver is - the
chiefs dIus.sser suddenly as:1el.
Yes"
"I.et I'm swclr it,"
The oath was taken.
''Now p cried tie Apache girl, in tones
Of triumph, "Ncva c".nmanls the silver
hunter to slay the wh.,o rose"
With cry of horror ON his lips, Chalbert
Ross started back, staring at the
Apache, cursins himself for his rash
| promise.
For a moment ne did not speak.
as the silver-hunter coward 90 she
cried
'.No but you have -sked too much, Neva
! 1t would be murler.''
The Indian girl hughed.
| "WeN, if the pale-face's word is worth
! less, he viii die near the lost silver; but
! his eyes VIII never see it. Neva knows
where it is. There are rocks Of sh ming
wealth but the skeletons of TIE old Span
iards guard them
"What care I for skeletons p'' cried
Ross. Il viii keep my worl! Where is
| the mino?
! 'In a few words the Apache girl located
the lost silver mine, and swore to guide the
hunters thither.
"But first the whit, girl must step upon
the long trail,' she slid. eff the hunter
! fails Neva's shaft win fad his heart. She
will meet him to morrow night. Can he
find the fire where his brother sleeps?"
"Yes,'' answered the young man, and
the next minute the apache girl was glid-
| ing away.
! For awhile be stood alone, undecided
lie thought of making his way to the cor
r.lcd train, and getting a glimpse of the
! travellers but, after some sober thinking,
! descended to the BED of the canyon, and
rejoined his companion, whom he imne-
/ diately awakened.
| Kyle Bails was soon made acquainted
with Nevas visit, and the oath she had
! exacted from his friend.
| "Look here" he said. "We can't find
the silver without the girl, that's certain ;
and she won't guide us until the white one
is out of her road. A little case of jealousy.
Her red lover has been smitten by the pale
girl I'll attend to the business. I've
sinned oftener than you, Chal Ross"
But it viii be murder
! "Well, what of it Nobody viii know it