The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-03-13


droop, the words grow confused and
weary. AS the moon sank and the chill
increased, the shivcring child covered
Rose with her own skirt, and then to
keep warm and awake walked up and
down beside heH
What was it, that low, tramplins
sound, coming louder and nearer so fast?
Janet caught up Rose and ran back to the
hill; the horse followed, trembling in
every limb. Just beyond the hill in
furious gallop came 4 mass of horses, and
dimly amid the fog of dust about them
Janet saw the forms of their Indian
riders.
"Joe said Injuns was wuss'n wolves"
sobbcd Janet. Dear Lord, let them go
on an not find u.s.
The indians passed on their path,
marked by clouds of sand that helped
the darkness mercifully to hide the chill
dren.
They're gone" cried Janet; but
hardly were the words uttered when
there came another louder tranpling, the
click of arms against saddles, and more
horses-hundreds of them it seemed to
Janet-and then, bringing joy to her
heart, an American voice calling: "For-
ward" as the cavalrymen pressed on af.
ter the Indians.
The danger having passed, the tired
child fell asleep with Rose in her arms.
When she woke it was bright sunlight.
Her dazed eyes saw Nance feeding near
by, Rose running toward her, and an oldish
man, with a gray beard and bronzed
face, looking at her kindly. By his side
was the lean wolf Rosy had called dog.
81 knew it was tame one!" cried
Janet.
"In course you did," smiled the old
man. "Me an my gal, Ann Reed, fell
out twenty odd year ago cause owned
tame bar. She went ter Bosting,
turned schoolmarm, an I emigrated to
Iewy."
Janet, very wide-eyed, told him about
Miss Reed, who was one of their wagon
party. Gaining courage, she also gave
her own history and Roses as far as she
knew.
oval, you be a powerful talker!"
cried the old man. ''Now come eat, an
then we'll ketch up with the caravan.
Say, though, sis, would you say, lowin'
fur age an my whiskers, Ann Reed amt
no better-lookin' then men'
"You're both nice for old folks" said
Janet, politely.
He led them to dugout in the hills,
where they found plenty to eat, and then
they set out for the wagons, Janet with
Rose on Nance, the wolf following the
old mans bronco.
"The row last night, sis" he said,
twas Uncle Sans sojers arter Injuns,
same as has been hangin' round yer train.
Wonder how them serious ways of Ann
Reeds would "a took with Injuns9"
At night they reached the camping
place of the wagons, where there was
great rejoicing-Chase, especially, COM
ing often to stroke Janet's curls, land NUT.
ter: ''Ef you amt borned hero, l never
khowed one! The stuff of pioneer"
Jancts only sadness was that one little
grave where the youngest "Pike' lay;
the child had died the night before.
How many nameless graves, some pathetic,
tiny ones, there used to be on that great
pathway to the West!
When Janet, with Rose in her arms,
climbed into her wagon, the hermit ap
preached and said, mysteriously: "It's
the same Ann Reed, sis, an she's there
a-pettin' that wolf like he were poodle
dog. Aint set agin 'em no more"
Two miles from Denver they met a
horseman so pale and anxious they knew
VINO he was even before he called
hoarsely:
''Is my baby with youl"
AYE, she be-" answered Chase, "but
we'd met ye with blank faces an sorrer-
full hearts but for Janet here"
Then he told the story, and the father
got down from his horse to kiss her first
before his own child.
''I'm we'll on, Joe," he said, brokenly.
81 can do we'll for her, and you say she
has no one will have two daughters
instead of one"
''You amt a Maverick no more, Janet,
cried Joe, something shining in his honest
eyes, San there aint one of us but will
bid ye God-speed. Eff ever lone little
child was worth fathers love an care,
you be, an the blessin' of all us thai
knowed ye goes with ye." T
And as she, wiitthh-4eoye and her father,
parted from the companions of the long
wagon journey, they followed her with
loving, fearful eyes, that little Maverick
who had found u happy nome.-Nouths