Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-07-19
faded little souls, were faithful guard


seemed like some good old folks who
had lived out well rounded lives and
been translated back to earth to begin
over again.
To these children Janet's presence
was the one happiness of their day, nor
could she tell stories enough To satisfy
them. Once Janet, coming unobserved,
heard the youngest Pike telling baby
Rose, who was cross, one of her own
stories.
''You sorrerful little things" cried
Janet, cant you make 'em up your
selves of your own
For n week at night the sentry at the
stockade saw far of, black, moving
specks on the horizon, and weary and
anxious were the hours of darkness,
early the start, eager the hope TO get on
without the attack. Each man would
mutter in the gray dawn, as haggard
and white he harnessed his team,
Thank God, another night of peace;
no Indians yet"
''Janet," said Chase one morning,
when she came TO watch him harness
his team, "ef them lnjuns comes an
gifts the better O us you git on that ere
leetle gray pony, Nance, thor, an take
Rose an set out fer them low hills
cross thar"
"Nance likes me; I feed her my
bread"
"All of us like We, ye Maverick, ye're
so clipper allus," Chase said, admiring-
ly. THE lnjuns sha'n't git ye eff We
kin help it,"
That day a young wife was sick, and
all the long hours Janet tended the
wailing baby its mother was too III to
care for. She looked back at the line
Of wagons and thought of baby Rose,
that she loved best of all.
Those good little Pixies will see to
her" she thought, hopefully. But the
two little Pixies were weary that day
they hay in a strange stupor, those pa
thetic guardians-and no one noted
them. Locked in each others arms
they lay unheeded, and M was drift
ing away beyond earthly aid.
At the night halt Janet, freed from
her charge, ran for Rose. Then the news
flew from wagon to wagon. The child
was gone, and no one had seen her all
day. Miss Reed remembered seeing
her running among the sunflowers at
breakfast time.
saint nobody going for herr cried
Janet, In agony. She ran to each
wagon. to be met with the same an
swer, 1T cannot be done"
"You see, Janet" said Chase, a sob
in his voice, there's fifty women an
children here an only thirty men to
guard 'em; there may be hundreds of
Injuns out there. We daren't leave
camp or they'll know it, an we've
searched all the plains with a glass an
there's no sign of her."
But ter-morrer'- choked Janet.
Shell not be a-wanderin', missy
don't ask Inc to tell ye, but there's In
juns an perarie wolves"
I'VE must only tell her father she
died-never the whole truth" said Miss
Reed, coming to the wagon for her
rubbers. which she wore on the driest
nights.
Chase walked away and sat down by
the fire. mo, don't talk no more,
Janet" as the child went to him, '.it
aren't no use. I'm the only old Injun
fighter in camp. I've got ter take the
lead"
Janet went quietly to her wagon.
BY the light of a Pickering candle she
printed, in a round, childish hand, on
a bit of paper, these few words:
Mr.. Chase, | am goin' to find Rose an take
Nance, Iain't no good in nghtin' Injuns, anil
heard you say my folks was dead. Don't you
come for Inc cause they need you. They don't
me that Is only a Maverick. JANET.
She pinned this note to his blanket,
then went softly out in the starlight to
the corner where Nance stood. Fear
lessly she blanketed the animal, fas-
tened the surcingle, then led her quietly
out to an open space between two
wagons.
She looked back at the dying camp
fires, the group of men sleeping in the
light of them, their ms by their sides,
the silhouettes of the ON against
the wagon curtains, Miss Reeds prim
and queer with the funny curls. How
safe it was here, how lonely and dread
full outside! She climbed on the pony
and turned her head toward the east;
the animal, thinking Of her home,
struck into a run. The sentinel saw
Nance disappear in the darkness, but
did not note the little rider.
That emery gray pony rs amt been
worked all the way hev got loose an
gone" he said to the crowd of excited
men who ran out at the noise.
Every unusual rafting of gravel un.
der Nance's hoofs quickened the beat
ing Of Janet's heart every dark object
was TO her beast Of prey; every sound
the coming Of the red men. She thought
OF the old time stories Of Indian war
fare and cruelty her grandmother had
told her; Of the horrors of the plains
the men spoke Of by the camp fires.
GD-. H.. Al. IL. ... 4. al .I.k