Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-09-18
a shawl arOand her, sec opened the door


Il was as she had feared. The Indians
were attacking the station. Already the
air rang with the shrieks Of the dying.
Sick with horrer, Amy turned to flee,
she scarcely knew WHITTIER when sud
denly from out the shadow of tall cot
tonwood tree near by, there sprang a
1.-THE tiguro-it was Gay Feather.
"Come, paleface lady, come with me
--quickw she painted, seizing Amy by
the arm,
For an instant the young wife hesita-
ted. Was this treachery9 she asked her
self. One glance atthc Icdian girls sim
cege though anxious face reassured her.
'Where are we goingg' she asked, as
they sped ulong in the darkness.
"Me not tell now-no time talk
HGmyw
Down among the willows by the creek
was found tho shaggy pony, tied, as Gay
Feather had evidently left him.
"Ilim little, but stlong," she said. He
carry us both"
They mounted the ANIMAL and guided
by the Indian gir's careful hand, she
stepped on briskly. Behind them the
sky was all ablazc with the burning sta
ton, Before them the dark cxpanse of
the plains stretched away till it met the
silver tipped gray of the horizon.
"You are very kind, Gay Feather,
said Amy, patting the dusky arm thrown
aIound her, "How came you to think
of saving mesn
"Me know Indians kill um at station.
Me no care for agent nor agents squaw
and all the rest bad, too. But you-you
give medicine for little papoose. lie get
well-laugh, crow. kick he's little foots.
Me not want you killed, so me come
Hist, what is thatW
Suddenly, like dark wind cloud, a
band OF warriors dashed by them, in mad
pursuit of fugitive soldier. The saw
ages were too intent ON overtaking their
victim to perceive the horse and its
riders, all Of which were in the shadows
of the willows. Instinctively, Gay
Feather leaned forward to screen Amy
from random Shots and as she did so a
stray bullet pierced her own side.
Without groan, she slipped from the
saddle and sank upon the grass. The
pony, as il conscious that some accident
had taken place, stood stil. AMY
alighted and knelt beside the Indian
girl,
Gay Feather, my poor friend! Are
you much hurtp she whispered.
Gay Feather looked up and smiled.
''Me hurt bad-think. But never
mind, pretty palefacel You take pony
and 60 on. Follow creek. Keep in
shadow-bc careful-let no Indians get
you. Hurrym
'sNo, mol | can't leave you sol Do
you hear, good girl9n
But the faithful Indian woman made
no response; she had sunk into state
of Inconsistencies.
Amy sat beside her and drearily waited.
As long rs she lives she will never forget
that night The distant yells died away
the laird CLEANS from the burning station
faded out of the sky; all was silent, save
the moan of the night-wind and the
murmur OF the waters, sharply broken
now and then by the yclp of prowling
coyote. After hours of agonizing sus-
pense, faint light began to tinge the
eastern sky. Fleecy clouds of rose and
gold fioaied towards the zenith; tho
dingy brown of the plains took on soft
amethyst, decpened here and thers ~
purple shadows; the white cones OF iaf
awav peaks seemed bathed in floating,
misty glory Thank God The morn
inr had come, With the rising OF tho
sun was seen in the distance party oI
horsemcn, and il was with feelings OF IN
tense relief that Amy recognized th'
familiar dark-blus uniforms of army
officers; and that relief was changed into
great Joy when she behcld, riding at the
head of the band, h'r own husband,
Lieutenant Armand. Mounting the pony
and waving her shawl TO attract atten-
ton, she dashed forward to meet him.
"Amy, You here! Thank God! We
heard that an attack was to be made,
and have been riding hard ever since
midnight. But how ceme you here, and
saved.
at was dear, kind Gay Feather, who
saved me, said Amy.
''Gay Featherm stammered her hus-
band, his face turning red and then
deathly pale.
In as few words as possible, Amy re-
lated the circumstances, at the same time
leading him to the place where lay the
Indian girl. She was till breathing, but
it was with much difficulty. As they
drew near, she opened her eyes and
smiled.
"Mc save your palefaccd squaw, Lieu
tenant Armand, She said, in her low,
musical voice. 'She good squaw; you
must be kind to her all your lifeH Here
she paused, and beckoned him to draw
nearer. Reaching up two slender,
brown arms, she drew his head down to
her face, and whispered Don't cry.
brave never cry-only squaw do that.
Ne forgive o."
Tho sentence was never finished, for
the dark eyes closed, aud poor Gay
Feather was gone Mary r. Brush.
Tenaclty Of Vegetable Life.