The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-01-02

of his ~wigwam."
"All the same, ] wish he'd come"
Jack laughed.
Say. Ben," he called, sis wants
visitors SO badly. she even wishes a
Coinanche would call"
Il do" persisted Lillian. 81 wish a
whole trih- would come
Harry stormed into the sitting-room,
in search of his heavy leather gloves.
Where are you going, Harry"
asked Lillian, eagerly.
Out on business. he answered.
Are you ready, JACKIE"
Are you all going off," cried Lillian,
in alarm. lest she should lose even the
doubtful pleasure of her brothers
company.
Were going On the ponies, to look
up some stray cattle for Uncle Abner. "
But mamma said you wonld take
me for a drive"
Can't this morning-too busy
We're all To go this evening. You
know" comforted Jamie.
This evening. What am | to do
alone all day??"
4 food of tears again threatened.
"Oh, entertain your callers. said
Harry. with scant sympathy.
Lillian watched the four boys on their
ponies &c down the poplar-lined lane
to the highway. and then, too desperate
for reading or study, or even helping
her mother, she flung herself on 4 sofa
and hidlar face.
The day was a dazzling one. The
rolling prairie on every side looked
like. a white ocean. with great, sweep
ing pillows of snow as far As eye could
see.
The widely separated ~farmhouses.
with their windbreaks of Lombardy
poplars and intersperSing clusters of
evergreens. looked like ships on this
endless, shining. cold sea.
One needed a happy heart and busy
hands not to be affected by the vast
ness and isolation.
Neither of these did Lillian have. and
it took her nearly the entire forenoon
to get through her bitter struggle with
| self.
When she finally reused herself she
found her mother had put the rooms to
rights, and besides her own work. had
done all the little tasks Lillian had been
used to III
This made her remorseful. She got
her books and began to study. But
somehow the brilliant sunshine kept
drawing her to the window tolook out
The sky was of an intense blue that
,-.. 1,- ,,- The hfr,a 1.-E
were fitting and calling. 4 few stray
crows lowered over a distant corn.
subtle these were all the signs oi
life she saw.
She stood tapping a tune on the win
low pancs. Presently she noticed. on
the far crest of one of the snow bill
lows, some moving black figures.
They were mere speckS against the
intense blue beyond, but they fixed her
attention. Almost a. soon as h saw
them. however, they disappeared in an
intervening valley.
That is on the Hardin road," sh,
said. trying to fix the direction. III
can't be tine boys. for Unclo Abner's
road is to the south"
-tllilOSl lluuIfllsiAtlN ht tuiAoSlNN "a-
stimulated again by the temperance
of the figures on the next rise. Sh,
could not distinguish numbers. mt she
felt certain it was horsemen.
Again they vanished from the crest
into the lower lying space between the
land pillows. And so she watched
them until they were near enough fol
her to see il was indeed hursemen.
Mother" she called, come here
There's somebody coming along The
Hardin road"
Her mother came.
'Who can it be-"
..One, two, three. four. five. six
seven.r counted Lillian. fThere arr
seven of them. Perhaps they will turn
at the Climbing Hill corners They
can't be coming here"
Get the glass" said Mrs Wyman
See if we can make them ont before
they strike the valley"
Lillian ran after the glass She ad
iusted it and raIs,i it to her eyes. She
had only one glimpse, however, before
the descending riders were az ain hid
den by an intervening ridge.
They ride so wildly. mother" She
SAID, in a kind Of breathless wonder.
They must De skirting that hill
along the creek" said Mrs. Wyman
Well see in a minute if they come NJ
from the Corners.
1t seemed a long time before they
came again in sight Lillian had just
said: They've turned on the Climbing
Hill road" when they burst into full
view on a not distant summit and
halted.
Lillian could distinctly see them
pointing. as if discussing the way tC
take. Then. of N accord, they 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 seer
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 a tremor in hel
voice.
Probably over at the sheep Sheds
faltered Lillian. Hes always there
near noon. | wish-I wish the boy:
were here"
They'll be coming directly. Loci
again, now, Lillian They are approach
ing very fast"
Indeed. the Indians were coming OF
fast. They were now in plain sight OF
the long incline and were riding at
full gallop. g~esticulating and pressing
forward with what looked to Lillian
like savage fierceness
They will go by, no doubt SAT-
Mrs. Wyman. her native courage re
asserting itself. They are probabl,
out in search of lost ponies or"
"Look, mother! Sea- They ere no