Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-04-18

more than ordinary brillIancy-with
scarlet flowers woven In the heavy
brnids Of her intensely black hair, with
her eyes lighted at the sight Of him she
loved, and from whom she hoped so
much--with n smile upon her face and
sweet words OF welcome upon her red,
ripe lips. il would have beeu strange if
il had been otherwise. t.
The little island reached, they moored
their canoe. and wandering away from
the shore and completely out Of sight rs
we'll as hearing. seated themselves upon
the short and velvet like grass, mosaiced
by myr ads Of tiny flowers.
"How beautiful YOU look to-day!'
said Carlos, as he took her hand within
his own.
''Is the daughter Of the red man IS
falr IN the eyes Of the pale-face as those
Of his own people9' asked the girl.
raising her eyes so rs to look him fully
in the face.
There are few rs handsome as YOU
are. know thousands that would give
all they have for your figure aud eyes
and hair"
"But they are Ike snow. aud the
daughters Of the Aburanians arc as
brown "a the hillside when the Mani
tou Of the Frost has brcathed upon il. >"
"Pshaw! YOU are tho falrest OF all
your tribe. You know that / have often
told you Of Pocahontas. doubt II she
was as white AS YOU"
And yet was looked up to by the
pale-faccs?"
"Yes; went to England, married one,
and lived In such. splendor AS you never
dreamed Of
Never before had Esta'ez fully deter.
mined upon his plan of action. Now
he had made up bis mind TO win her at
all hazards, aud throwing his arms
around hor waist he drew her to his
side, whispered burning words of love,
and for the first time kissed her. And
thus they sat she loving and dazzled
by the splendor be promised should be
hers when he returned To civilization,
and he forgeiful of all but the passion
OF the hour. With the declining sun
they returned to the shore promised
man and wife. though as yet no time
had been fixed upon. That was n sweet
decision left for the future.
The old trapper. Pedro. saw them as
thcy landed-saw their parting. 1t was
such an one as lovers have INDUCED in
since Eden. and will until the end of
time. He saw the tender embrace,
could almost hear the kiss, and resolved
to be reticent no longer.
Il want you To tell me one thing,
Carlos he said. rs Trey sat by their
bright campfire, smoking. after late
supper.
"Well. Pedro, what Is ftp"
"Do you intend to marry that pretty
'berry-hunterP'
why? will II make any difference to
yoP"
Certainly not, but 1t will to you, II
| don't miss my reckoning, aud i am
not apt to do il when there is anything
ct the present nature about the matter.
I've lived too long among the Indians
not To know them thoroughly"
well, / intend to marry her."
| You had better not. She's Just "a
dangerous and treacherous as n pOis-
oned serpent. II she Is fooled with"
what makes you think SOP"
"Wbat would make me think there
was n snake around if / saw her glide,
or beaver II | saw her DAMP / al
ways know what kind of an animal Is
about the moment / see the tail"
"IOu are much mistaken about her,
Pedro. she loves me 20 distraction"
Every likely. now; but ! reckon IL
won't always be so. You don't expect
10 remain in these woods until you
dieg,'
NO. thank Heaven: another twelve
months will see me clear of them for
ever"
"And what are you going to do with
the Berry Hunter when YOU leave?"
/ "What makes you ask such ques-
tions"
80 know whether you arc going to
take her To your home when you leave
this locality"
"NO. don't intend TO. Hundreds
have married-the ceremony IL only a
nero farce married sluaws before and
left them whenever they pleased"
and yol intend 10 do the same by
Berry Hunter2'"
Certainly. DO you think l would
be fool enough to take home n wife like
Berry liunter'' Oh! no--not 10y any
means"
Then you had better change your
tactics and leave the Indian girl hon
Orably alone. That is all have got to
say. and what In the name of thunder
was that?'
His quick ear had heard n slight rust
ling IN the bushes, and in n moment af-
ter there was plunge in the lake.
1T was only n cussed otter" he con-
t'nucd, as he proceeded to arrange the
wood upon the fire.
An ottere How quickly he would have
changed bis mini II he had seen the
form of berry Hunter" rs she crawled
upon the shore at n little distance and
darted along the homeward trail, al
most as swift and noiseless as the wind.
She had listened To every word knew
that she was TO be made wife and then
desorted--knew that all the promises of
her white lover were lies. All IL there
ever was hell raging in n human
bosom ever n brow blacker than a
thunder-cloud it was hers, as she
rushel toward her Eigwam with her
fingers playing eonvulsivelv with her
long knife.
But the next day. when she met Esta-
lez. she was rs calm as q summer morn
ing. She yielded to his embraces-she
returned them with intcrest-she showed
her love so warmly that IL no had any
/ NSaeN hC way AAiOfC NnAAA uON.
| Come" he sad. tell me when you
will DO my wifep
"Let the paleeface be at yonder rock, ="
she replied. pointing to distant one.
before the sun has drank up the dew.
There let him reTuain until the Berry
Hunter comes. She win not be long.
Then she will answer"
| And so 1t was decided. and the gray
OF morning found the white man at the
trysting place. But the hours crept
along. and he was vet alone. -
The sun rose and began beating all
around him. Something must have do
tanned the Indian girl. he faucied, and
determined to wait Yet longer. Sud-
denly. however. he was aroused by n
startling hiss. He turned, and saw a
huge rattlesnake crawling up the side
OF the rock Che was Lnarmed, aud there
/ was nOt even n stick for defense near