The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-10-21

had taken it away. After . while. in
their distracted wanderings, they could
not even find the stream, though it
seemed to be roaring in every direction
around them.
Now they were In the depths Of the
forest. wandering about. tired. hungry
and frightened. For two nights they
had cried themselves to sleep in each
others arms under the black trees;
and - the wind m0aned through the
branches, Winnie had prayed God to
save them from the wolves, and little
Nat had screamed: "Papa! Mammar'
sobbing as If his heart would break.
All they had found to eat was . few
sweet red berries that grew close to the
ground. Every hour the poor children
grew fainter and fainter. and, at last,
Nat couldn't walk at all
"l'm too tired and sick" he said.
"and my feets all tut My toos and
'tockies is in the boat o Winnie!
Winnie" he would cry, with great
sob, "why don't mamma m papa
come? Oh, If mamma ID only come
and bring me some bread!'
'Don't cry, dear-don't cry" Win
ME would say. over and over again.
''rll find some more red berries soon;
and God will show us the way home. I
k,sos0 He will. Only don't cry, Nat, be-
cause it takes away all my courage.
"All your what?'' asked Nat, look
ing wildly at her, as if he thought
courage was something they could eat.
"All my courage. Nat" And then.
after searching in vain for more red
berries, she would throw herself upon
her knees and moan: "Dear Father in
Heaven, I can't find anything more for
Nat to eat. Oh, please show us the
way homer
What was that quick sound coming
toward them? The underbrr1sh was so
thick Winnie could not see what caused
it, but she held her breath in terror,
thinking of wolves and Indians, for
there were plenty of both, she knew,
lurking about in these great forests.
The sound ceased for q moment
Selling Nat in her arms, she made one
more frantic effort to find her way to
the stream. then, seeing strange look
in the poor little face when she put
him down to take q better hold. she
screamed:
MAT! Nat! Don't look SO! Kiss
WINNER
HELLO, therer' shouted q voice
through the underbrush, and in another
instant great, stout man came stamp
ing and breaking his way through the
bushes.
Hello, there! What on airth's up
now? Eff old Joe ha'n't come upon
queer game this time. Two sick young
sters-an' eff they amt a-starvlng!
Here, you younguns, eat some NV this
ERE. and give an account Nv your
selves.'
With these words, he drew from
somewhere among the heavy folds of
his hunting-dress couple of crackers.
The children grabbed at them fran
tically.
"Hold up! Not SO sharp he said;
"you must have little at time for
an hour yet. Here, sis, give me the
babby-pn feed him; and as for you,
Jest see that you don't more'n .ssb6ie"'
"Oh. give me q drinkr' cried Win
ME, swallowing the cracker in two
bites, and for an instant even forgetting
Nat.
The man pulled canteen or fiat tin
flask from his belt and gave her swal-
low of water; then he fastened to moist
en- Mats lips and feed him crumb after |
crumb of the broken cracker.
Another hour" he muttered to
himself, as he gently fed the boy and |
smoothed back the tangled yellow hair
from the pale little face" another
hour and he d'a' been past mendin'."
Winnie looked up quickly.
.. Is he going top she asked.
"Not he," said the man; he'll come
through right end up yet. He's got a
fever on him, but we II soon knock that
uuder. How'd you get here, little
galp"
Winnie told her story, all the while
feeling a glad certainty at her heart
that their troubles were over. The
strange man carried gun, and he had
q big pistol, and an ak, and knife in
his belt. He looked very fierce, too,
yet she knew he would not harm her.
She had seen many trapper before,
since she came to the West, and, be-
sides, she felt almost sure he was the
very trapper who had been at her ia
theirs cabin q few weeks before, and
taken supper, and warmed himself be-
fore the fire. while he told wonderful
stories about Indians and furs, and
about having many time had "fifty
mile o traps out on one stretch"
She remembered. too, that her father
had told her the next day that trap
pers lived by catching with traps all
sorts of wild animals, and selling their
furs to the traders. and that this par
ticular trapper had been very success
full. and had great influence among the
[ndians-in fact, that he was one of
The big men of that region. as he said.
These thoughts running through ner
mind now as she told how they had
been lost for two whole DAYS and two
nights, and the sight of Nat falling
peacefully asleep on the trappers
shoulder, made her feel so happy that
,he suddenly broke forth with: 20 Mr..
rrapper! lean run now. Let's 60 right
homer
The stars came out one by one that
night, and winked and blinked at q
strange figure stalking through the for
sst. He had q sleeping child on each
arm and vet carried his oun ready tn