Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-12-15

Lne WlHQOW, OF TalucT tuc HOic NHelc
the window had been, for the power |
full hound had in bis leap dashed out |
the entire frame, and shattered it to |
pieces. When this was finished, |
Susan dug a grave, and in it laid the !.
little Indian boy. She made it close |
to the hut, for she could not bear
that wolves devour those delicate
limbs. and she knew that there it
would be safe. The next day Tom
returned. He had been very unsuc-
cessful, and intended setting out
again in few days in different di-
rection.
ssSusan," he said, when he had
heard her sad story, 81 wish you'd
lef' the child where the dog killed
him. The squaw's high sartin to
come back a-seekin' for the body,
anaSl is a pity the poorcritter should
be disapinted. Besides, the Ingins
will be high sartin to put it down to
us; whereas if so be as they'd found
the body 'pon the spot, maybe they'd
understand as twas an accident like,
for they're unkimmon cunning war
mint, though they ant got sense like
Christians
"Why do you think the poor wo-
man came here?" said Susan. 81
never knew an Indian squaw so near
the hut before
She fancied dark shadow fitted
across her husbands brow. He made
no reply; and on her repeating the
question, said angrilY, how should he
know? "'Twas as we'll to ask for
bears reasons as an Ingin's.''
Tom only stayed at home long
enough to mend the broken window,
and plant a small spot of Indian
corn, and then again set out, telling
Susan not to expect him home in less
than a month. eff that squaw comes
this way agin," he said, 'as maybe
she will. jist put out any broken
victuals you've a-got for the poor
critter; though maybe she won't
come, for the Ingins be onkimmon
skeary."
Susan wondered at his taking an
interest in the woman, and often
thought of that dark look she had
noticed, and of Toms unwillingness
to speak on the subject. She never
knew that on his last hunting expe-
dition. when hiding some skins which
he intended to fetch on his return, he
had observed an Indian watching
him, and had shot him with as little
mercy as he would have shown a
wolf.
On Toms return to the spot, the
body was gone; and in the soft,
damp soil was the mark of an Indian
squaw' S foot, and by its side little
child's. He was sorry then for the
deed he had done he thought of the
grief of the poor widow, and how it
would be possible for her to live un-
til she could reach her tribe, who
were far, far distant, at the foot of
the Rocky Mountains; and now to
feel that through his means, too, she
had lost her child, put thoughts into
his mind that had never before found
place there. He thought that one
God had formed the red man as well
as the white, of the souls of the many
Indians hurried into eternity by his
unerring rife; and they perhaps
were more fitted for their "happy
hunting grounds" than he for the
white mans heaven. In this state of
mind, every word his wife had said
to him seemed reproach, and he
was glad again to be alone in the
forest with his rifle and his hounds.
The afternoon of the third day af-
ter Toms departure, as Susan was
sitting at work, she heard something
scratching and whining at the door.
Nero, who was by her side, evinced
no signs of anger, but ran to the door,
showing his white teeth, as was his
custom when pleased. Susan unbar-
red it, when to her astonishment the
the two deerhounds her husband had
taken with him walked into the hut,
looking weary and soiled.
At first she thought Tom might
have killed deer not far from home,
, and had brought her fresh supply
of venison; but no one was there
, She rushed from the hut, and soon,
breathless and terrified reached the
squatter's cabin. John Wilton and
his three sons had just returned from
the clearings, when Susan ran into
T their comfortable kitchen. Her long
black hair streamed from her shoul
ders, and her wild and bloodshot
! eyes gave her the appearance of {
, maniac. In few unconnected words
she explained to them the cause oil
her terror, and lmplored them to sci
: off Immediately in seach of her hus
band. 1t was in vain they told hel
! Of the uselessness of going at thai
, time, of the impossibility of follow
ing a trail in the dark. She said sht
4 would go herself she felt sure sht
could find him; and at last they were
obliged to use force to prevent he
from leaving the house.
The next morning, at daybreak
| Wilton and his two sons were mount
? ed, and ready to set out, intending tt
l take Nero with them; but nothing
I could induce him to leave his mis-