Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-06-20

couple of shakes? 1t rifles me ter
think OF that little lost kitten-gct
along, yer old critter; git down ter yer
knittin'-ther pore little angel, all sad
an alone; why, l couldn't feel wuss II
the gal was my own. But l tell We,
young Teller, wen find her again, or
kill every Injun that runs on the
plain"
As near as / could learn from tho
old fellows broken sentences, which
seemed iumbled together more with an
eye to metre than cohcrency, Poetry
Dan had conceived and contemplated
executing n scheme, that was alike re-
markable for its wildness, and appar-
ont practicability.
Some five miles eastward, and hid
den in the recesses of n range of cedar
clad hills, now plainly visible, lay the
temporary camp OF migratory band
of Indians, headed by the well-known
chief, Featherfoot, whose hatred of the
whites had long been notrious. To
this camp the plainsman believed the
lost child had been conveyed, and there
we were to search for her, not cautious
ly and stealthily, as | had thought
TO suggest, but with bold effrontery,
which, in this case, seemed like court
ing destruction.
However, as | could not draw back
from the quest without showing the
white feather, and was, beside, willing
to run almost any risks to restore the
missing child TO its distracted mother,
| determined TO see the adventure
through TO the end. In few minutes,
as it seemed to me, our horses ironclad
hoOfs were striking fire from the rocky
soil Of the hills, and we allowed our
animals to slacken their gait.
"Now we've struck the sand an
gravel, curb yer boss ter slower travel.
Speed no longer can avail; courage
now must tell the tale"
There is great deal OF danger"
ventured TO suggest.
The border poet turned his face to-
ward me with sad smile that made
his harsh, rugged features, almost
handsome.
why should we hesitate because,
perchance, death lies in wait to hinder
our advance? Is life so sweet that
men, through fear, should fail to
follow on where duty marks the
trail?"
He rode up the narrow defile,
with his head bowed in meditation,
and | followed silently at his heels.
Suddenly he refined up beside a
cluster of stunted cedars, and dis
mounted, thrust his long barreled rifle
into the shrubbery out of sight,
and motioned me TO follow his eX-
ample.
LAY her in the shade, partner; lay
her in the shade" sang the scout as
he noted my momentary hesitation.
wen find 'em when we want 'em,
so don't yer be afraid. Fire arms will
not save We if any kick is made, so risk
yer cheek ter take yer through, an
lay her in the shaden
/ complied, with feeling of wonder
as TO what was coming next.
Poetry Dan did not keep me long in
suspense. Rummaging in his saddle
bags he produced couple of long
white garments, one Of which he hand
ed to me, DOMINIC the other himself
In an instant his identity was entirely
hidden, for the peaked head covering,
and ghostly white mask with its long,
flowing sepulchral gown, concealed his
clothing down to the tops of his
| Mexican riding boots, and the effect OF
the transformation was quite astoun-
| ding, reminding me strongly of a
| picture | had once seen wherein the
| ghost Of a murdered knight rode home
/ from the wars, in spectural garb TO
meet his love at the old trystlng
tree.
Inter yer rig, for the sun swings
| low, an danger is near at hand. Fear
| lessly ride close at my side; do as |
tell yer, an follow my guide, an sure
as shootin' the fust yer know"
! He halted, and held up his hand for
silence, for sudden sharp turn in the
ravine had revealed the Indian camp
before us. Merely dozen or so, wig
vans OF rawhides, around which a
score of redskins-men and squaws-
were lettering. Quite n picture
of wild home life, this little col
ony Of red men nestled down in this
sheltered spot in peaceful security; but
somehow / could not help being re-
minded of coy hornets nest, serene
| ly swinging in the wind with its myri-
ads of inmates ready to pour forth in
angry resistance to the innocent inves-
! gators footsteps; and, even as the
| Thought CrOSSeu my DfillI. COulu see
the quiet little village suddenly thrown
into feverish .commotion by our un-
expected appearance.
They see us, an know that it's
Poetry Dan, for yer see I'm a we'll
known an popular man. From Next
can Gulf ter Canadian line, every red
skin is onter this riggin' of mine; an
if yer'll take notice, yer'll easily see
that the, chief is quite anxious ter
stand in with me-"
He spurred his horse to trot, and
bending over, gave his final instruc-
items.
l was merely to ride by his side,
concealing rs far as possible, any trace
OF uneasiness or fear, and to keep up,
while in the presence of the Indians,
an unremitting flow of words-poems,
patriotic speeches, anything. in fact.
would do so that it was delivered in a
solemn and impressive manner; the
object in view being TO confuse the In
dams with "a display of eloquence that
they could not understand.
1t was strange programme, and
one that was hardly liable to succeed.