The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-01
CHAPTER xv-Continued.

knew the girl was studying him.
CHANGING sideways, he fixed his serpent
eyes on her. for with the strange sub
tIety of his race he caught the meaning
of that plying stare from the door of
the cabin.
He was past master in the cunning of
his people. Still rigid, motionless and
mute. he heaved a sigh which spoke
more eloquently than words of his woe
and despair
This touching confession of grief fixed
the course of Agnes Altman. Without
shifting her position in the slightest she
reached her right hand backward and TO
one side to the obIong box, in which the
knives. forks and spoons of the emf
grants were kept when not in use.
Was it not the gentle directing power
of heaven that caused her fingers to rest
at the first cropping upon the short handle
of keen-edged knife, employed in cary
ing meat? 1t was a formidable imple-
ment and nothing could have served her
purpose better.
She hesitated. Where were Kenton,
her father. Mr.. Ashbridge and George?
The heavy breathing near at hand re-
for the moment she could not account
for the absence of the others.
1t must be that. wearied with the loss
of sleep and with the turmoil, they, too,
had lain down to rest
IF I set him free what will he do?"
was the query which checked Agnes
after she had partly left the cabin.
Surely he could do nothing except to
let himself over the side of the boat and
silently swim away.
Perhaps, if her friends learned what
she had done they would chide her. but
she could we'll afford to bear their tenn
pOrary displeasure for the sake of the
life of even wicked man.
Possibly, if spared, divine mercy would
bring the ShawanOe to repent Of his
misdeeds and find that favor which is
never refused the truly sorrowful.
But, if all the rest were asleep, how
could they learn what she had done?
Surely The Panther would lose no time
in seeking his OWE safety.
His captors would believe that in
some way he had removed his bonds and
worked himself over the gunwale and
had either drowned or fioated off in
safety
Again the cunning chieftain heaved a
sigh. Not once were his piercing eyes
removed from the willowy figure that
now emerged from the shelter and
slowly advanced in a crouching posture
coward him. He read the workings of the
maiden's brain as plainly as if they were
translated into his own tongue.
When barely a couple of feet sepa-
rated them The Panther suddenly turned
his cOuntenance toward her. 1t was as If
he had been awakened, not by any
ruStling sound, for there was none, but
by that inexplainable intuition which
often warns one person of the presence
of another.
Agnes started at the knowledge that
the Indian was looking at her. For mo-
ment she was on the point of withdraw
ing into the cabin.
She would have done so, frightened
by her own purpose. That hesitation
even was instantly comprehended by
The Panther, who knew the critical mo-
ment had come.
Bending his body slightly forward he
shifted the hands. bound at the wrist,
TO the left. so as to bring them from be-
girl.
"Hurt-hurt," he whispered, good
paleface cut. Wa-on-mon feel bad, cut.
good paleface; Wa-on-mon feel good
No more effective appeal could have
been made TO Agnes. but she was atrem-
bic and frightened over what she had
set out to do
Holding the sharp knife in her right
hand and raising her left, she uttered a
warning.
''Shr'
Strange act for a maiden to admonish
a veteran chieftain to remain silent, but
he nodded his head to signify he under
stood and would obey.
His face. now turned toward her, was
fully revealed in the moonlight. She
noted the white cross that had awak-
ened singular emotions in her heart
and the darker tracings were dimly
shown on nose, cheek and chin, all
framed in the border of luxuriant black,
coarse. dangling hair.
Agnes saw these, but from and
through the wealth Of hideousness one
emblem shone out as II with a beneficent
light Of its own: IL was the spotless
white cross in the middle of the dusky
forehead. It's mute but forceful appeal
could not pass unheeded.
She was now certain that no one was
awake on board beside herself and The
Panther. Her tumult of emotion pre-
vented her reasoning clearly, or she
would have known that such a condition
OF affairs was impossible.
'Wa-on-rnOn feed bad-much hurt -
Whispered the Shawanoe, fearing that she
would draw back when on the threshold
OF action.
II was a truly feminine instinct that
led Agnes, even while reaching her
trembling hand forward TO whisper In
lower tones than those Of the Indian:
''Wa-on-mon, you will not tell what
do?"
The grim, painted face shook quickly
from side to side, fiinging the enveloping
hair over IL I'm front, but IL instantly
settled about the shoulders again.
mo. no. ho. Wa-on-mon no tell: good
girl-much good girl"
The extended hand that had trembled
so much as 10 threaten the success of
what Agnes had In mind became as rigid
as iron. The bright blade. recently
sharpened, CLEANED In the moonlight, and
the razor-like edge was held poised over
the hempen thongs that inclosed and held
the wrists together.
brief downward cut, a slight drawing
back and forth. during which she took
care not 20 hurt him, and the cords fell
apart. Tie hands OF the captive were
freed.
The maiden glanced at the thongs
which were tightly wrapped about the
ankles. Her work remained unfinished
until they were severed.
Much good girl; Wa-on-mon be friend
ne cut dem"
And before she OWNED his purpose he
drew the knife from her hand and
liberated himself.
The Panther was now without tho