River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-08-02

reckless effrontery. "Mebbe you're
reckonin' on a war dance? I'm not
the one to spoil fun Go ahead"
They went ahead in a most I'M
| pleasant manner. Barney was dragged
to the post, and tied to il with deer
skin thongs in a sitting posture. The
Indians resumed their seats around
the fire. Barney took out his pipe,
and began to smoke. grunt of APP
prevail went mp from the grisly forms
by the fire.
Il kin wait if you kin, gentlemen, :"
said Barney. his blue eyes dancing
! with fun. ''Mebbe you'll make up
yOur minds what you're goin' to do
| with me-
The squaw appeared with little
birch basket. and each Indian cast a
black bean into it.
Il don't seem TO take a hand in this
yere game" said Barney, with un-
abated good humOr.
SAY him prayer 20 Manitou.'' said
Injun Joe, him come heap soon" lie
touched the handle of his tomahawk
in sufficiently grim manner to be I'M
/ pleasant.
1t suddenly occurred to Barney that
il wasn't joke, and a cold shiver ran
down his spine.
Injun Joe watched him keenly.
''Where French Lefebre?" he said.
''Got him scalp" He produced hand
full of black hair, clotted with blood.
IL was incredible. Barney remem-
bered that French Lefebre had sud
dapl,- dssanDaara1 con,a raopthS orc
but as everyone supposed he had gone
into the lumber camps no one but his
creditors took any interest in the mat
ter. or associated his departure with
/ the half dozen or so of miserable In
dams who fingered out their lives in
; holes and corners of the OF ,av val
I ley. Barney had of .en bought bas-
| kets from the sqUaw. and once when
the boys tried to stone her. he had COW
cred her body with his own. There
was still a scar on his cheek from the
blow of a stone which one young r.ls-
cal had flung at him. French Lefebre
had once struck this very woman, who
was still young and good-looking.
Was il possible that the Sc remnants of
their race had met to avenge their
wrongs? No one would even dream of
such thing. They would doff their
paint and go sloucI ing about in their
usual noiseless manner. and ensnare
fresh victims. And there was the
judges daughter, too!
Got To- say, say him quick" said In
jun Joe. lingering his knife with an
artistic precision which was not nice
to witness
Il reckon If you've made up your
minds. gentlemen" said Barney, Its
no use my spoilin' this yere funeral"
Injun Joe sprang at him with the
knife, and Barney thought of the
judges daughter and said a little
prayer IL he had to 90 under To avenge
the wrongs of this last remnant of
their race il was no use attempting to
argue the matter when they held all
tho cards.
Injun Joe made slight cash in Bar
ney's arm and drew back. The other
four Indians did the same. Then. the
woman came forward, bound up his
arm and cut him loose.
Barney continued smoking with I'M
disturbed gravity. 1t had all flashed
upon MIN in a second. This was the
Indian method OF showing apprecia-
tion of the way in which he had saved
the squaw. He had become a blood
brother of the last of the IrOquois. lie
wondered if they would expect him to
sell Indian toys in Moose valley or to
shoot at The was sure to miss them
five cent pieces with arrows.
Him heap brave" said Injun Joe,
with a painful disregard of Fenimore
Cooper's studied and grammatical
phrases. '.IIim heap brave. Him
white man"
An the show is over?" asked Bar
ney, stretching himself. The others
had disappeared. Only Indian Joe ard
the squaw remained. They fell into
Indian file and marched down to the
beach, through the long sOmber ranks
of the pines Then they entered into
the little canoe and padded up TO the
Point.
Barney met Injun Joe in the village
next day. That worthy was loafing
round with a string of fish. Barney
thought he must have been dreaming
and that il would be better to avoid
Davis pain killer as a stimulant in flu
ture. Ii was little too powerful in
its after effects But as he sat on the
veranda that evening with the judges
daughter. she gave little Shrek and
turned white.
Seen a mOuse?" asked Barney, try
ing to reassure her.
Your sleeve is slashed. and there is
blood on it," size said. Barney,
Barney. you have been quarreling
again
Il sorter remember fallin' off the
wOodpile, said Barney, with unblush-
ing meudacity. II reckon it shook me
up, an I'll go early tonight"
Curious folk. wimmen are" unused
Barney. as he wendell his way in the
direction of the Point shed never
believe I'm an Iroquois brave il |
talked for month. Shed say it was
ali that Painkiller."
Injun Joe was sitting by his fire.
making nets. why does my red
brother toll for the paleface?" said
Barney. calling up recollections of
Deerslayer. etc lie is a squaw- a
ca;fish. UghT'
Injun JOe's sphinx-like face gleamed
family for a moment at the word
brother. Then lac went on quietly
making his nets But French Lefebre
was never seen again.-G- Il. Burgin,
in Detroit Free Press.
THE AMPHI8IOUS SWINE
She Ped Her Own offspring and a Desti-
tute Family of Nine Children.