Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-12-09

the edge Of the wood, men were strains
ing their eyes upon the spot where the
strong man had fallen. There seemed
some traces of struggle, or
that tho horse had fallen throw
Ing his rider hut neither could
be clearly determined. Near
the fatal place little stream like molt-
en- glass came lcaping down into the
valley through leafy notch in the hill
side. and some small loose stones were
scattered about, green with slight
moss, and damp from the humid earth
and summer-long sl.ade, but these were
undisturbed save where they had found
him. Perhaps the mortal hurt had
come Of falling on one of thcscl II so,
why had he been rined Of tho goldP
Something resembling n human foot
print was discovered in the soft and
mossy soil at the streams edge, but II
Il were that, the foot had evidently
been unbootcd. Then old Jade, look
ing narrowly among the trees, found a
strange oircling abrasion in the bark of
one of them; these were the only traces,
the battling hints, that rewarded the
scrutiny Of n score of curious, earnest
eyes. Then the horse was brought,
but this one dumb witness reared and
trcmblcd and refused TO pass the
place of mysterious horror.
With wido eyes and nostrils dis
tended, the fine beast that bore
John Earling TO his death, when urged
upon the fatal spot, snorted and
plunged with terror and dragged his
attendant from the wood. Many at
this shook their heads with dark and
ominous looks, for tho rein too had
been found in the dead mans grasp
torn clean from the bride bit. So the
day passed and ended in fruitless rum
ora; the morrow dawned, and all the
region babbled with the mystery. But
neither the whispering wood, FLASHED
with the summers blood, nor the sol
emn river flankcd by the quiet mead
ows, nor yet the unpolluted rill that
came ACROSS the place Of death as clear
az stream of sounding air, gave up
the dreadful secret. When the sun
hung midway between noon and night,
they buried John Earling under the
three oaks upon the grassy ridge, look
ing downward TO the dwelling, and
away over the billowing hills, the riv-
er and the rolling meads. This was
the wife's request; and it seemed in
some degree fitting, since as
old Jade growled in home
ly phrase. with something like
gathering rain beneath his shaggy eve
brows, "He lived above 'em all; he
wus white, sur, plumb to the heart
Up there's where he belongsr True,
too, and surprising indeed, Il was, with
what celerity and energy his virtues
were exhumed by the whole communi-
ty directly upon the event of his own
intermont Perhaps the pitiful man.
ner of his taking off in some sense ef-
fected this unusual flow Of charity-as
in truth IL seems upon second consider
alton, the reputation Of every man is
largely corrected and purified through
the same chanuel-yet, being fairly
scrutinized his honor seemed without
flaw, and the manner of his life emil
nently upright and decent. virtues in
deed impossible to overrate in the
cOmmendation of mortal graces.
That Elizabeth Earling should notice
a human yisage among all the faces
that crowded the hillside, or that she
should hear aught of The burial service,
save the falling earth upon her hus-
bands coffin, or even that she should
feel the kind hands that led her
homeward was not strange. so grief
benumbed were all her faculties. Her
fine life seemed wholly wrecked, with
such a shock had this measureless sor-
row fallen among its tender cords.
The heart, so sweet a harp, and that
infinitely delicate instrument. her
mind, seemed Jared from their exquis-
ite poise by this awful stroke, and rem
dered incapable of their old-time har-
monies. Next morn she lay among
her pillows too weak to rise, and wan
as marsh yapor. When they brought
the leaping child faint flame lit up
her face, much as the gray light of the
sky, falling through cloud-rift, feets
across the world but does not move il.
Some inward impulse it seemed that
surged into the pale face, but was all
too weak to ripple it with a smile; or
mayhap. a memory, seeming old TO
her and long forgotten, but which in
truth was Of the child's face but three
days previous, such an eternity had
sorrow pressed into this narrow gulf
Of time. Through a score of days
she lay quite motionless and spent;
the physician came and went. old Jade
and Grandam Eric watched, the quick
feet Of Hettie went to and fro. and out
under the apple-trees the perspiring Alb
SALON. in perpetual hush played har-
lequin TO the Growing babe. Then on
a morning in the mallow October
weather, when the late larks and rob
ins were calling about the fields, and
the wind came out of the woods
like a bath of some ethereal liquor, she
opened her eyes with a glimmering
look Of reason in them, and they
brought the child. At sight of him a
tilmy smile went over her face, and she
essayed TO stretch out her hands, but
her strength was insufficient. What is
itP" she whispered. And the doctor
said very gently; "You have been i'll,
do not mind. and laid the child be-
side her, cheek to check. She turned
her head little and kissed the child.
and feebly lifted her eyes and whis-
pered again: "Where is John?"
''lle has gone away" said the doctor.
''Will he come soon?" she queried.
mot soon," answered he.
Then can not 90 to him?''
"Yes. tomorrow, perhaps" and he
turned MS face away. Then the thin
blue eyelids closed and she murmurcd,
contentedly: yes. | will go to-mor-
row. know he will want me" And
when the morrow came, the spirit that
made her beautiful had gone softly ont
the gateway Of this vast schooling
place, and john Earrings history had
begun.
CHAPTER III.
A great and sincere pity stirred the
noighborhood with this second sad yis-
itation of misfortune, which. after she
poor lady was buried very tenderly by