The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-28
A HEROINE.


When Floyd Gardner and his wife de
cided to leave home for a few days, for
tine purpose of making some necessary
purchases, they did it with many mis-
giVings. Little Crow and his band had
been committing some recent depTeda-
tions several miles away, but had been
followed by two regiments of govern
nnent troops and driven over the Dakota
border. There was really no cause for
alarm, they said, but neighbor had
kindly offered 90 send his coIoreG woman
servant, lately brought from Kentucky,
to look after household matters and stay
with the children, and Mr.. Gardner told
his wife that they could not leave the
house In better care. The family con
sisted Of Katherine, girl of II; Harvey,
aged 8, and Bruce, the baby. years old.
With many injunctions as to the care
of the colt In the stable, TO look out for
prairie fires and to keep the children
from straying too far away ON the prai-
RE, Mrs. Gardner departed, feeling that
she was very unreasonable TO entertain
for q moment the vague fear that filed
her mind and made her pause with her
foot ON the wagon step, uncertain wheth-
er even at this last minute it would not
be better TO abandon the journey.
At last, however, they were off, and
once out of sight of the house she felt
her misgivings grow weaker.
A few hours after they went away a
strange sultriness was apparent in the
atmosphere.
what makes the light so queer, sis
terri asked Harvey, standing in the open
door.
Katherine went to the door and looked
around. Twelve or fifteen miles to the
north belt of wooded country-the
Great Wood of Minnesota-rose clear
against the horizon, while in every other
direction the prairies stretched away i'm
undulating slopes, yellow with golden
rod. No clouds were to be seen in the
sky, which hung above them, dull and
murky, like q, copper dome. The sun
looked like brassy sphere suspended i'm
midsir.
A close, sultry atmosphere surrounded
them. dead calm. only relieved by an
occasional puff of hot wind that passed
by and left the same dead calm as be
fore
Beulah. the colored woman, came to
the door and stood looking off to the
west. her hand shading her blinking
eyes.
"Lawsi Miss Katherine, dat ar colt
arm whinnyin right smart. KANT be he
gwine to die ON us, honey Yer paw TUX
good look at him las ting fo' he lit
out. shuahf
She waddled along slowly, for the day
was warm and Beulsh was fat. toward
the lumber shop, or stable, where the
colt was kept mt night. being tethered on
the open prairie during the day in sight
of the house. Katherine, more swift of
foot, flew on before and quickly gained
the summit of the gradual ascent ON
which the barn was built.
Her hand was on the latch and she
was about TO enter. when ON the distant
horizon she saw n sight that held her
motionless with sudden terror.
The Indians were comingi
Away to the northwest an irregular
line of horsemen were riding directly
down upon them, and though at that dis
lance she could not distinguish clearly
she knew by their peculiar mode of rid
ing that they were not white men. For
one moment her heart sank in terror. the
next her resolute spirit asserted itself.
Save themselves they must, but how?
Poor, foolish old Beulah, clever enough
at concocting choice dishes over the litch-
en- range, was an added burden i'm this
emergency. Could Katherine take the
children with her ON the colts back and
ride with them TO the nearest cabin
What in such a case would become of
Beulah?
She and her brothers might gain the
sides of the ravine near by unobserved
and hide securely in the caves along the
sides, but there was Beulah.
IF papa were only here" she thought,
and with the thought came. like an in
spiration, a suggestion of hiding place.
She turned to Beulah. who had just
wsddled up to the stable. Unite the
colt and turn him loose. Beulah'-she
spoke rapidly and with authority-'and
then hurry back TO the house and help
me put the children and some things we
shall need down In the cistern. The In
dams are coming"
"Great day II de mawninT exclaimed
Beulah, turning sickly gray and sink
ing, mass Of quivering flesh, TO the
ground.
Sect up; they'll catch YOU" screamed
Katherine in Beulah's ear, but she
might have talked to stone as well, 50
stupehed was the poor creature with