The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-10-24

did not return ill the spring. News came
down to the settlement of their return, and
with it also thu news that the hunt bad
been comparative failure. The whites
were driving Of the game. This, together
with the fact tiat the government was nor
keeping its pledge with the Indians, mad
! the prospect anything but pleasant for Iii.
settlement. As the spring wtned The
ominous news rrived that the more wes
erly bands had begun the war dance, an.
then that actlal hostilities had beqr
But the -uulors were -guc, and there was
not the slighteS movement 10 inf cate a
disposition to 81 on the warp;.ah by Gray
Offers band. al was quiet.
AS may be weil supposed, Dorr was not
long in re-estahshing his secret meetings
with White Hwn, safe from the eye of
any providing savage, the trysting place
being chosen By the combined cunning of
those memberof the white and the red
race.
On the occasion of one of these meetings
and in the ealy summer, White Fawn
startled him with the information that the
Indians would go upon the warpath, and
on his return b quietly gave this informa-
tion to the peoIe of the village. But sew
eral weeks elapsed, and the people allowed
themselves 10 ignore the precautions
which they had begun so actively. Mean
time DORIS iBatuation drew him back
upon his freqnat visits, though he knew
the agitation mong the whites had put
the Indians upm the alert, and that scout
ing parties wer out. Indeed, his last visit
was upon the night when Gray Otter's
band held Their remarkable war dance,
after which began those scenes of horror
and devastation in the outlying settle
ments with witch all who are familiar
with the counry's history will we'll re-
member, but with which it is not the in
tention in thisbrief sketch to deal with,
save thus to nation.
Dorr on the right in question had left
his canoe halfa mile above, screened by
overhangng behes, and with true hunt
er's instinct entered the woods deep enough
to screen himself from any canoe prowler
on the river, bui near enough to catch the
simmer of the starlit stream to serve as
his guide to the well known spot. eau
tiousy advancing, now creeping where the
trees were thinly set, now stepping quickly
from tree to treeand now pausing to catch
the least sound All was still as death.
But at point mar TO his haven of love,
lit space, his ems were saluted with the
frightful yells ofthe war dance, appalling
to ears far more accustomed to the demon
ism than those Of Dorr
Coming in the midst of Il profound ST.
lence, startled and terrified, Dorr arose and
uttered an Involuntary exclamation. In
stantly realizinghis error, he dropped TO
the ground againand attempted to reach
the dark shade of the underground. 1t
was too late. Two stalwart Sioux scouts
glided forward, threw themselves upon
him, and in a moment lie was a pinioned
prisoner. There was but little struggle,
but so elose4So gbe trystiug place did the
scene occur that the cry reached White
Fawn's quick ears, and knowing from the
sounds Of the struggle that her lover was
captured she vanished TO the camp.
The war dance was interrupted by the
entrance Of the prisoner and his captors,
and Dorr was led into the circle Of the fire
before the chief. Gray Otter looked MP
quietly at Dorr and then glanced inquir-
ingly at one Of his captors. The latter with
some natural savage exaggeration related
the facts Of DORIS capture. The other
scout corrobOrated the statement
1t was evident that here was spy caught
in the act Of crawling in upon the camp
with no explanation to make, for Dorr had
hung his head when the chief, with the jus
tice that always characterized his dealings
with the whites asked the question, "What
were you doing thereY0 Grunts of salts
faction went the rapid round of the paint
Ell warriors as they reveled in imagination
over the pro- pect Of foe roasted by slow
fire and tortured with savage ingenuity
, before they took the cOnquering war path
1t was an omen sent by the Manitou. But
the end was not yet. White Fawn listened
IN the shadow unable to control her terror
until the chiefs question was asked, and
seeing Doris head bowed to his own death
sentence, leaped into the circle of light and
confronted her father Love had tri-
umphed
With an unmOyed face Gray Otter heard
his question TO Dorr answered by his
daughter, who looked unhinchingly into
his face. In the Sioux tongue she said, II
asked him 10 come 1t was loves sacri-
flee, for White Eawn had pleaded guilty.
The old chief glanced keenly into the faces
of his warriors as his hand sought the
buckhorn handle Of the heavy knife at his
side, but the faces showed no traces Of Il
sneer, only an expression of wonderment.
Then his eyes sought his daughters face
and settled on itwith deathly look. lie
rose with his hand still on the buckhorn
handle and took step toward her, and She
did not stir. But before the chief could
take another step Dorr sprang before the
chief with pnioaed arms and yelled ''The
girl lies. came here us a spy"
Gray Otter paused, irresolute, as with a
purpose unfulflled, and his face changed
as he said sio@ly after the pause, "Unbind
him and ste him safe to the settlement"
Quick as the cords were cut, Dorr was
quicker in his cap to the side of White
fawn. SEEING Der hand he turned to the
chief and wondering warriors and said:
Wills is my wife | will stay with her