Omaha daily bee., 1891-01-11

THE INDIAN RUNNER,


| other hubitation to be found in that remote
| locality, showing that its proprietor must
| have been man OF superior taste and abund-
ant means Notwithstanding the striking
| appearance of this frontier mansion, 1t was
built of plain lumber, though neatly painted
| and otherwise cmbellishcd. 1t had but two
| entrances, one III front and the other in the
| rear of the building, constructed of such
| stout and substantial timber as would render
| 1t difficult matter to force au entrance
| Numerous small shuttered windows we're
| visible in tho upper story, and a glance
| would have shown any person that the hand
| which had erected this dwelling had not been
! nsensiblc to the dangers which might menace
| it, There had been additions and i'm prove
ments made to It, off and on, while the
| premises and outbuildings had kept pace
| with the growth of the house itself.
This was the ranch of Robert Barrett who
had removed from Omaha to this distant
| point four years ago and permanently estab-
| lshed here in the stock raising business AL
| though good many miles intervened be-
| tween the ranChcrs abode and the nearest
| agency, he apprehonded no danger from the
| Indians, who still occupied great portion of
that country, but for years had been on the
! most inviolable terms of good will with the
! farmers along the border. Notwithstanding
| the lmprooablllty OF trouble from this source,
| the farmer had provided Il number of trusty
| servants for the protection of his family when
| business necessitated trips to Chicago or this
| city.
| On the aftern Don when my story has COM
| men cement we will dropm on the Barrett fam
| lily and make the acquaintance of the family
! IN the first place, it included five members
| Mr.. Barrett and his comcly wife, two girls one
| an adopted daughter, a lovely girl named Nell
Browning, ana Bob. the only son, an exem-
plary young man of two-and-tlyenty
| The hour was just ubsequent to the MONDAY
| meal, and the entire family had seated them
| selves on the long, shady porch, and were
engaged in conversation on topic which had
| recently become Of the most absorbing inter
est TO ALL and on which shall descant more
| explicitly as soon as through with the intro
| duction of characters. Young Robert Bar
rctt had Just finished his second term at
| Harvard, and on his return home tor the holi-
| days had brought with him an old collegiate
! confrere, one George Cameron, whose visit
| had already occupied Il week or more, and
period of greater felicity to the Young New
| Gorkcr-for his home was in Gotham-had
probably never occurred.
| Naucy Barrett could hardly be called a
| woman, except in the grace and dignity of
| her character, She was probably sixteen or
| seventeen years of age, but entirely free from
the restraints the conventcnalities of life are
| apt to impose upon those of her age. She
| was and is yet for that matter a more than
| ordinarily pretty girl, with brown hair and
| expressive brown eyes. she was the baby of
the family and consequently the pet and idol
| OF all the rest.
OF course George Cameron found her at
that deliciousuge when the feminine mind is
most susceptible to the greatest passion of
| our nature. in its most exaggerated and ro-
mantle phase, His ingenious bearing gen
| tenanly demeanor, and more than all the
| countless encomiums lavished upon him by
| Bob, jr, conspired to Immediately enlist the
| witching Nan in his favor.
They had scarcely been thrown into each
| others society before the natural though
| sometimes tardy, results of the virtues | have
mentioned were seen, and it soon became q
| palpable fact that they were a very compati-
| be couple and Il vast deal more than merely
| pleased with each other.
The deep-d drawn sgh-the tell-tale blush
| the uuconsciouSly modulated voice-the ten
der glances, the thousand and one acts, little
airy nothinEs, and the inexpressible con tent
ment and happiness beamlng in their faces
when near each other, bore irreragable testi-
tnony that Cupid had begun an assault upon
their hearts.
The conversation to which alluded in the
opening of this chapter, in which
the Barretts were engaged, and
which had suddenly become so in
tensely interesting to them, related to the
rumors of trouble among the Sioux.
More than one report of a probable out
break had reached the farmer ard his family
directly and indirectly. during the plst few
weeks, causing them an endless amount of
uneasineSs and apprehension. However
their fearful forebodings were TO an extent
allayed by Pierre Baptste, the government
scout who bad called upon them some two
plans for visiting the Indian country and
ascertaining the foundation for these REPORTS
He promised to return and aid them if neces-
sary, and this had dssipated much of the fear
that would have otherwise possessed them
"Do you really think, father,n pursued
Bob, ir., THAT that there is really any truth
IN these hoating reports of an outbreak among
the Siouxf'
81 should be glad to think differently, nv
son, could 1 have reasonable cause for so
doing, but the stories that are coming in so
frequently cannot be wholly erroneous
and If the Indians are really at their ghost
dance again I'VE can prepare for the
worst. What alarms me more than all is our
Isolated situation, and think we had better
adopt some means for warding off any posi-
BILE danger without further delay. For the
last three or four days things have worn
suspicious look, and Scipio-you know ne is
no fool, Bob-informed me this morning that
he saw strange Indian, one he had never
seen in this nelghborhood before, lurking
back of the cOrntield last night Yes, my
childl en-, think there is good cause to appre-
hend danger.n
But, papa,n interected Nan, with wide
open and wondering eyes, "will not the kind
and generous treatment we have invariably
shown the red people prove guaranty for
our safetyf' ~
"Well, yes, 1t may to some extent; but YOU
must recollect, little daughter, that In the
up-country there are hundreds of savages
who have never seen or heard Of us, and in
case or an uprising would not hesitate TO
tomahawk and scalp US no more than they
would any other white people. If they once
take to the warpath, which / feel al
most convinced that they will, our situa-
tion will be perlOus indeed" and the
old ancher looked solicltously upon the little
group about him.
"Mr Barrett" ventured young Cameron,
removing for gle moment his admiring
gaze from Mans sweet face, ~ know that
am little conversant with the characteristics
OF the noble red man. but must say that
do not share in any degree, the feelings you
entertain The day of merciless, bloodloving
Indians, believe, has been gone for quar-,
ter OF century; the idea Of massacre oc.
cnrring in Nebraska, with Jim Boyd lust
elected governor and prohibition smashed;
In Nebraska, say, one of the immovable
states of the union, seems to me like an i'm
possible absurdty, at least with Captain
Mulford and the Omaha guards so near at
hand, However, it may be fortunate that
brought my Winchester along; may have q
chance TO use 1t on digger game than either
coyote or antelope"
"lndeed, ! am sadly afraid you will, George.
~ You get back to New York without hear.
ing agenuine war whoop, viii admit that
you have drawn finer conception
OF the vagabonds than have;
but do wish Pierre Baptiste
would come, his prolonged absence. fear, is