The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-12

bnt as the faint canile-licht pierced the
darkness we saw IN one corner Pile OF
buffalo robes. and uDon this couch, gagged
and bound, lay al Indian boy.
The mystery was deepening.
Only half inch of candle was left.
Without staying even to loose the prisoner,
We carried him through the passage toward
the front room.
Young Eastlake. wild with excitement.
was the hrst To spring out of the tunnel.
Then he drew the captive M after him.
and prepared to unbuekle the straps con-
timing his legs and arms. He had. how
ever, scarcely knelt for this purpose when
he shouted: "Oh, father: it a w hite bowl
It's white bOyw
An instant later we all stood by Dicks
side The straps and gag were quickly re-
moved, ana tho prisoner set upon his feet.
For one brief moment he looked around as
If bcwildered. then fixed his eyes upon
Brooke and cried out: "Oh, Charlie
CharlieW
The scene which followed beggaIs all
description.
Charlie Brooke at first taggered back in
sheer amazement. pale as death and trem-
bling as from the sight of O spirit. Then
he rushed forward with cry of rupture.
caught hisrecovered treasure to his breast,
laughed and wept over him by turns,
Rugged and kissed him In O delirium of
JOY. and showered upon him every endear-
mont which mother might bestow upon
her tirst-born child received back from the
grave; while over and over again he MUIR
INJURED: "Oh, Fredi my darling Fred
Thank God for this dayp
TO the astounded party-all except nv
self in the dark he then told the story of
his bereavement But, Fred" he con-
cluded, who could have supposed that
you would know me after these six long
yearsf You were only four when we
parted
said the happy boy. Il remember that
morning when you rode away from the
door just as plain as can be-"
Now that We could see him clearly, We
found Fred to be handsome. we'll grown
little fellow. HIS face. hands and arms
had been stained dark as those of an
'lndian. but every other part of his skin
was fair and White ever.
And have these people abused you,
Fredf' asked Brooke, looking threaten
ingly at the glowering family.
mo. they've been real good to me; but
they always shut me ND W hen there's white
hunters any where round here. Wa-ga. ma
tah-thats the girls Indian name but |
call her Waggee-eets track of them, some-
how, and then she goes to the top of the hill
and watches. The old woman have To
call her 'Mam'-stands at { be edge of the
bush, and when Waggee makes signs that
white folks Is comm she hides me right off
and fixes mo SO | can't speak nor move.
They don't ever let me go anywhere by
myself"
While this conversation was going on,
the Mexican and his wife seemed In deadly
terror.
They were, doubtless, most agreeably
surprised when we unbound and set them
and their daughter free.
On being assured OF perfect immunity for
all past OffrDses the old woman, who spoke
tolerable English. told the story of Fred's
abduction, | reduce her narrative to q
few words of necessary explanation.
When Brooke's ranch buildings were
burned and his servants murdered. this
wv MS huQ ha nd hoH l.aan Ind
by adoption. and 1t WAS the squaw said,
solely owing to his influence that the boy
was not killed with the others. The couple
having only one child, and that one girl,
of making an Apache warrior of
him. Both they and their daugh-
ter quickly became much attached to
the little white stranger. but when
found that. to avoid danger to himself and
his band, the sub-chief had determined TO
kill him. SO, only ten days after his sd-
duction, tho whole family stole away
from their tribe made OFT to the East, and
after nearly year of fearful hardship and
wandering finally settled down in the
secluded spot where we had so strangely
found them-by chance, does the reader
Think All, no! But even then, though so
many hundreds of miles removed from
their former baunts, they lived, the old
creature said, IN n state of constant terror
lest their adopted son should he taken
from them. and nil those SIX years be
had never been for one hour beyond their
control.
1t rs q curious, perhaps creditable, COM
mentary upon human nature that not
withdrawing the great wrong he had
suffered ut the hands of these people
Charlie Brooke was so deeply moved by
the frantic grief of the girl and the genuine
sorrow of her parents on parting with Fred
that he actually headed n liberal su bscrip-
ton. to which we all contributed. and left
with them larger sum in hard cash than
they had ever before seen.
Poor creatures" he compassionarely
said; "they acted according TO their lights
The money will somewhat console them.
and is a small thank offering, indeed for us
to make.n
copyright, 1892, by TiIlotson ts Son.J