Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-06-25

anXietes.
Her thoughts came back suddenly
to the present at more uproarlous
shout than usual from the children,
and she saw Trottie cantsring toward
her astride of stick, while half the
pleats of his killed shirt trailed be-
hind him. "Oh, what boy.' she
cried. rising to catch him as he passed.
"Not boy; Trottie a horse. Lis
ten, mamma And with most life
like neigh and final prance of the
scarlet stockings, he paused before
her
Naughty, naughty Trottie," she
said, quite declining to give his per-
formance the smile its realism deserv-
ed. "See this great rip, which man,
ma only mended last night"
"Trottie sorry," be cried. looking
up in her troubled face, and then with
spring he clasped both arms about
her neck as she bent over him to gath
er up the torn pleats, and gave her
such hug as small arms know how
to give. "Trottie big bear now," he
laughed between two ferocious grunts.
As she freed herself. smiling and
frowning and holding the little cling
ing hands in hers, somsbody close be-
side them sighed so heavily that Ma
bel turned, rather startled.
An Indian woman, with basketful
OF bead work strapped to her back,
stood gazing at the mother and child
with a look of yearning sorrow in her
eyes which half-touched, half-fright-
ened Mabel. what do you WANT
.he asked quickly.
Me want nothing white mother
can give the squaw answered grave
", laying one brown hand on Trottie's
bright hair. "Him pretty boy" she
said slowly. hard breath between
each sentence. Me have pretty boy
- big. White mother very happy;
she keep her boy. Great Spirit take
nv boy" Then. with Il gesture OF de-
spair which all her wonderful savage
endurance could not ubdue. she clasp
ed both hands before her face aud
sank on her knees. shaking with sobs
which she still shrugged to silence.
The tears filled Mable's eyes, but
she stood hesitating what to do. her
aversion 10 Indians, which was the
natural result of four years spent in
their near neighborhood, striving with
compassion for the grief which most
appeals to a woman's sympathy
But no doub's troubled Trottie
Grief was evident in every line of the
bent, trembling figure, and for every
grief in his experience there WAS one
remedy sure and unfailing. He ap
piled it at once.
Not cry any more" he said in his
cheeafui little voice, and kissed the
only bit OF brown cheek which her
clasped hans left vi,ible.
She turned rs though she would
have flung her arms about him, but
Mabel had clxsped her boy fast, with
:udden terror. sharp though indefin-
able.
The lndi,n arose slowly. her face
recovering its usual calm AS she did so.
pretty boy very good to me white
mother not be afraid me hurt him."
she said, and walked away with q
grave dignity which brought shamed
color to Mabel's face.
She stepped forward with an i'm
pulse TO say something kind. but
paused with smile at herself, half
shy, half amused. What could she
say of consolation tha, an Indian wo-
man could understand, whose r.ligi-
Gus faith was probably even more
vague than her knowledge of English:
And she shrank from Offering grief
that was so real and SO dignifed the
usual aud very substantial cure Of
squaw troubles No. Trottie. had
done all that could be done to show
their sympathy. Poor soul. whatever
else she might fail to comprehend, she
had understood the touch of those
baby lips.
With kiss that was even more ten
der than usual, Mabel Heriot took her
boy on her knees and told him fairy
stories until dinner time. to the utter
neglect Of the undarned stockings and
the torn skirt.
All that day Mabel felt strangely
anxious and restless whenever Trottie
was out Of her sight. But by the
next day common sense had got the
better of Imagination, and, absorbed
in her every day duties, she allowed
him to play with the other children
On the parade ground. At two O'Clock
the maid was sent TO bring him in to
dinner, he having failed to appear as
hungrily prompt rs usual. In quar-
ter of an hour she returned, full Of
mingled excitement and fright, and
and said that not finding Trottie on
the parade ground, she had gone to
the houses Of the officers children
only to be told that Trottie was not
with any of them nor had he been
seen for some time. Then Mabel-a
terrible certainty stabbing her heart
with pang that made her face look
suddenly gray and aged-cried sharp
ly:
That Indian woman has taken
him! My baby! nay baby!''
In vain Tom Heriot assured her
that their naughty boy, who was a
great pet in the regiment, would be
found in one OF the soldiers quarters,
feasting his eyes and ears with strange
sights and sounds.
$50 and see," she said hoarsely;
''but you will not find him unless you
find her.
When he came back presently, very
white and quiet, from this useless
search, the alarm had spread, but
there were kind faces and anxious
suggestions and offers of assistance in
Mabel's pretty little drawing. room
which suddenly looked so desolate.