San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-06

gard for Rain-in-the- Face, and knowing how
deeply he was aggrieved, consented
Rain-in-the- Face sprang to his feet In exul
tation- At last a ray of light pierced the
gloom which had enshrouded his life for
months Like a child who halts between
sobs and laughter, he paused and gazed at
the man who had given him the first kind
word-the first hope-that had cheered him
since the day he lost his boy. When he
stepped from the threshold OF his good
friends home to depart for his camp, that
evening, strange CLEAN of savage JOY radi-
ated from his fierce dark eyes His step was
lighter than when be come. Grooming q
little Indian lullaby as he mounted his "a
nous spotted pony, he was a picture TO
empt an artist. Far different was the home
ward ride from the sad, uncertain journey to
the agency. He came with fear, he returned
with hope.
Slumber was a stranger to Rain-in-the
Face that night, for he was planning bis
journey to the lower agency. Six weeks had
scarcely passed when he was ready to start
he had been Informed as to the locality of
the tent in which his truant wife and Koska
slept. He knew the direction from which to
enter in order to avoid arousing the camp
The morning for his departure having ar.
rived, Rain-in- the-Face rode into Standing
Rock and with words Of gratitude thanked
the man who had assisted him In perfecting
his plans. His breast swelled With emotion,
and his words were soft and low as he grasped
his friends hand and bid him adieu.
At the crack of his rawhide the pony
dashed away to the southwark, and ne disap-
peared beyond the hills He had long jour
ney ahead of him, but he did not spare the
pony. He knew the mettle Of the nervy
animal, and the pony, as If aware that he was
going to his dimpled master, needed no spurs
The long journey to the lower agency was
made in good time, Rain-in-the-F halting
twenty miles from camp, that he might
travel the remaining distance in the dark
AS soon the shadows gathered he
saddled his pony and started cautiously
for the camp He peered nervously here
and there, to guard against meet
ing one who might betray him Every OBJ
ject doomed up before him like an approaching
enemy; every shrub that trembled in the
darkness seemed like watching spy, yet
Rain-in- the Face pressed on. Like famished
lion nearing prey, he kept his course towards
the camp where Koska slept He had been
blessed by dense clouds that hid the moon
until he reached the outskirts Of the camp.
and then, as if bursting forth to betray him,
the moon appeared in a clear and cloudless
sky Rain-in-th Face dismounted hurriedly,
and hitching his pony, he crouched behind
friendly bush to make hurried survey of the
camp He saw the tent which had been de
scribed to him as that Of his wife and child,
and noticed that it was somewhat isolated
This was good The fates were with him.
He could hardly refrain from giving shout
Of Joy as he gazed at the tent where kosks
slumbered. He saw in imagination the in
terror Of the tent, and Toasted his eyes on the
little slumberer without whom the world to
him was chaos and life was death
There was no one about. Even the watch
full dogs were asleep, and the only sounds
were those Of the browsing beasts or Of the
rustling trees through which the balmy June
breeze played Rain-n-the-Fa Face crept slowly
to the tent. Pausing outside and placing his
ear near the opening in the canvas, he heard
the low breathing Of the sleepers He could
wait no longer, and after peering about the
camp to see If he had been discovered, he
pulled back the loose blanket which served as
door. and drew forth his knife He was
armed, for he knew not what he might en-.
counter in his desperate work, and he had
sworn that no power should cheat him of
success. He placed one foot within the tent,
and again glanced back to make sure that all
was unconscious of his presence. In another
moment he was looking on the face Of her
whom be had once loved, but his gaze rested
not there. 1t was momentary glance, but
he recognized the face in the moonlight which
Streamed through the openings in the tent,
He was STOPPING for Koska, when he discov
cred that the object which he mistook for
the budding boy was simply bundle OF
clothes He made careful survey of the
interior Of the tent, but no Koska was
there. Again had he met with sore and ter
rible disappointment Had the little one
rolled out of his tent in his sleeps He would
see. fastening out, he crept about the tent
only to intensity his disappointment He
could not understand the absence of koska,
unless the boy had been left with playmates
at another tent. For a moment he suspected
that he had been betrayed, but the success
with which he reached the tent dispelled this
suspicion, and he accepted the theory that
the boys absence was accidental Still con-
ident that he would succeed in stealing
Koska, he was happy, though disappointed
AS he was about to leave the tent he heard q
faint, startled cry, and in an instant the wife,
who had been aroused by his prowlings, ap
peared at the door of the tent The crisis had
arrived Rain-in-the-Face was discovered
Raising his knife and springing forward, he
whispered a threat that If she awoke the
camp she would pay the penalty, She knew
him and was silent. A few hurried words
passed between the couple, and Rain-in-the
Face demanded the restoration Of his boy.
The wife answered in lower tones than those
in which she was won't to speak, and as she
did so the knife dropped from the hand Of the
=. 4 : 4