The southern argus., 1891-12-31

Mother" she called, "come here
There's somebody coming along th
Hardin road"
Her mother came.
"Who can it be?"
"One, two. three, four, five, six
seven" counted Lillian There ar,
seven of them! Perhaps they viii turr
at the Climbing Hill corners They
can't be coming here"
Get the glass;" said Mrs Wyman
"See If we can make them out before
they strike the valley"
Lillian ran after the glass. She ad.
justed it and raised it to her eyes. She
had only one glimpse, however, before
the descending riders were again hid
den by an intervening ridge.
| They ride SO wildly, motherr' she
said, in kind of breathless wonder.
They must be skirting that hill
along the creek" said Mrs. Wyman.
Wen see in minute if they come up
| from the Corners
1t seemed long time before they
came again in sight Lillian had lust
said: 'They've turned on the Climbing
Hill road, when they burst into full
view on not distant summit and
halted.
Lillian could distinctly see them
pointing, as if discussing the way to
take. Then, of one accord, thev put
spurs to their ponies and came wildly
dashing down the slope.
Lillian turned deadly pale.
"Mother! she gasped, ''they are In
dians!"
Mrs Wyman grew pale also. During
her short life in the west she had seen
only one or two isolated Indians, and
those always at railway stations
dull, commonplace creatures enough.
and with nothing suggestive of the
warrior about them.
Where is your father?" she asked.
with something of tremor in her
voice.
probably over at the sheep Sheds
faltered Lillian. He's always there
near noon. 1 wish-I wish the bows
were here"
They'll be coming directly. Look
again, now, Lillian. They are approach
ing very fast"
Indeed, the Indians were coming on
fast. They were now in plain sight on
the long incline and were riding at
full gallop, gesticulating and pressing
forward with what looked to Lillian
like savage ferceness.
"They will go by, no doubt" said
Mrs. Wyman, her native courage re-
asserting itself. They are probably
'ut in search of lost ponies or"
Look, mother! See! They are not
going by. They have halted and are
pointing at the house. See! They are
urning III at the lane. Oh, mother!"
''Never mind, dear. They want to
inquire, perhaps
But while she was speaking the In ,
ians had wheeled into the gateway
nd swept up with headlong pace to
he very door.
They swung themselves from their !
tethered their ponies to the
itching rails and came quickly up on
he porch.
Mrs. Wyman had thrown off her
lomentary fears. She stepped to the !
OOr and opened it. Lillian treun bled .
1 every muscle.
The leader cf the party was huge
elbow, much taller than his followers. Il
le was more fantastic in his dress,
20, and had streaks of paint on his {"
neeks. The rest had turkey feathers ,
'uck into the bands of their SLOUGH .
ats, and all had blankets over their
The chief uttered a surly Chow" IL
I'd made motion of his hand to his
outh that he would like something 81
eat e
Mrs. Wyman smiled cordially and ii
i'd: "Come in." u!
He obeyed directly, the rest stalking W
ter him in perfect silence They
ent at once through the sitting-room
the kitchen stove and held out their "
nds to warm. sd
This done, they squatted on the
'or with various low cultural sounds L.
each other, as if exchanging views =.
ley apparently approved of the COM q
rt, for stolid silence ensued dS
Lillian was absolutely spellbound w
tn terror and could not move. Mrs. III III
yman went to the pantry to prepare VI
en- food.
The chief was restless. He kept his
es rowing over verything. Finally