Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-02-20

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
fritsad's home to depart for his camp,
that evening, strange CLEAN of saw
age joy radiated from his fierce, dark
eyes. His step was lighter than when
he came. Grooming little Indian
lullaby as he mounted his famous spot
ted pony, he was picture to tempt IN
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 stranger to Rain-in-the-
Face that night, for he was planning
his journey to the lower agency. Six
weeks had scarcely passed, when he
was ready to start. He had been in
formed as to the locality of the tent in
which his truant. wife and Koska slept.
He knew the direction from which to
enter IN ord er to avoid arousing the
camp. The morning for his departure
having arrived, 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 he
disappeared beyond the hills. He had
long journey ahead of him, but he
did not spare the pony. He knew the
metal 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-
Face halting twenty miles from camp,
that he might travel the remaining
distance in the dark. AS soon as the
shadows gathered he saddled his pony
and started cautiously for the camp.
He peered nervously here and there,
to guard against meeting any one who
might betray him. Every object
doomed up before him like an ap-
preaching enemy; every shrub that
trembled in the darkness seemed
like a 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 clear and cloudless sky.
Rain'in-the-Face. dismounted hurried
ly, and hitching his pony, he crouched
behind friendly bush to make hur-
ried survey of the camp. He saw the
tent which had been described to him
as that of his wife and child, and no.
ticed 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 Koska slumbered. He saw
in imagination the interior of the tent,
and Toasted his eyes on the little slum-
berer without whom the world to him
was chaos and life was death.
There was no one about. Even the
watchful 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-in -the-Face crept lowly to the
tent Pausing outside and placing his
ear near the opening in the canvas, he
heard the low breathing of the Sleep
ers. 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 a
door, and drew forth his knife. He
was armed, for he knew not what he
might encounter 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 uucon-
scious of his presence. In another
moment he was looking on the face of
her whom he had once loved, but his
gaze rested not there. It was a
glance, but he recognized
the face in the moonlight which
streamed through the openings in the
tent. He was STOPPING for Koska. when
he discovered that the object which he
mistook for the budding boy was
simply a bundle of clothes. He made
a careful survey of the interior of the
tent, but no Koska was there. Again
had he met with sore and terrible dis
appointment. Had the little one rolled
out the tent in his sleepp 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 an
other tent For moment he
suspected that he had been BETRAYED.
but the success with which he reached
the tent dispeled this suspicion, and he