The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-26
AGAIN ,, tbat oshe appeared anxious tc


At all these he whistled little to
himself and smiled bitterly. Then, all
at once, he got up and straightway
burned them all. He again tried to put
the matter behind him for the present,
knowing that he must face it one day,
and staving off its reality as long as
possible. He did his utmost to be philo-
sophical and say his quid refert, but it
was easier tried than done, for Jacques
Pontiac's words kept ranking in his
mind, and he found himself carrying
round a vague load which made him
distracted occasionally and often lit
tie reckless in action and speech. In
hunting bear and moose he had proved
himself more daring than the Oldest
hunter and proportionately successful.
He paid his servants well, but was
sharp with them. He made long, hard
expeditions, defying the weather as the
hardest of prairie and mountain men
mostly hesitate to defy it. He bought
up much land, then, dissatisfied, sold
it again at loss, but subsequently
made final arrangements for establish
ing very large farm.
When he once became actually inter-
ested in this, he shook off something Of
his.moodiness and settled himself to de-
velop the thing. He had good talent for
initiative and administration and at
last, in the time when his wife was a
feature of the London season, he found
his scheme in working order, and the
necessity Of going to England was forced
upon him.
Actually he wished that the absolute
necessity had presented itself before.
There was always the moral necessity,
of course-but then! Here now was a
business need, and he must go. Yet he
did not fix day or make definite ar
rangements. He could hardly have be-
lieved himself such a coward. With
liberal emphasis he called himself a
sneak, and one day at Fort Charles sat
down to write to his solicitor in Mont
real to say that he would come on at
once. Still be hesitated. AS he sat there
thinking Eye-of- Moon, his father
in-law, opened the door quietly and en-
tered. He had avoided the chief ever
since he had come back to Fort Charles
and practically had not spoken to him
for year. Armour flushed slightly
with annoyance. But presently, with a
touch of his old humor, he rose, held
out his hand and said ironically: "Well,
father r-in-law, it's about time we had q
big talk, isn't it? We are not very in
innate for such close relatives"
The old Indian did not fully under
stand the meaning or the tone of Ar
mour's speech, but he said, "HowW
and reaching out his hand for the pipe
offered him lighted it and sat down,
smoking in silence. Armour waited;
but, seeing that the other was not yet
moved to talk, he turned to his letter
again. After time Eye-of the Moon
said gravely, getting to his feet,
"Brotherl"
Armour looked up; then rose also.
The Indian bowed to him courteously;
then sat down again. Armour threw a
leg over the corner of the table and
waited.
Brother" said the Indian present
", "you are of the great race that con-
quers u.s. You come and take our land
and our game, and we have to beg Of
you for food and shelter. Then you take
our daughters, and we know not where
they go. They are gone, like the down
from the thistle. We see them not, but
you remain. And men say evil things.
There are bad words abroad. Brother,
what have you done with my daugh-
ter?'
Had the Indian come and stormed,
begged money Of him, sponged on him
or abused him he had taken it very
salmly. He, in fact, had been superior.
But there was dignity in the chiefs
manner; there was solemnity in his
speech; his voice conveyed resoluteness
and earnestness, which the stole calm
of his face might not have suggested,
and Armour felt that he had no advan-
tage at all. Beside, Armour had con-
science, though he had played some rare
tricks with it of late, and it needed
more hardihood than he possessed to
face this old man down. And~why face
him down? .Lali was his daughter,
blood of his blood, the chieftainess of
one branch of his people, honored at
least among these nool avages, and the
old man had a right to ask, as asked
another more famous, where is my
daughter?"
His hands in his pockets, Armour sat
silent for minute, eying his boot as he
swung his leg to and fro. Presently he
said: "Eye-of the Moon, l don't think
| can talk as POLITICALLY as you, even in
my own language, and l shall not try,
but l should like to ask you this, Do
you believe any harm has come to your
daughter-to my wifef"
The old Indian forgot to blow the to-
bacco smoke from his mouth, and as he
sat debating, lips slightly apart, it came
leaking out in little trailing clouds and
gave a strange appearance to his iron
featured face. He looked steadily at
Armour and said: "You are of those
who rule in your land"-here Armour
protested-"you have much gold to buy
and sell. am chief'--he drew him
self up-'T am poor. We speak with
the straight tongue. It is towards who
lie. Speak deep, as from the heart my
brother, and tell me where my daugh-
ter is. !"
Armour could not but respect the
chief for the way this request was put,
but still it CALLED him to think that he
was under suspicion Of having done any
bodily injury to his wife, SO he quietly
persisted, "Do you think l have done
Lali any harm?"
1.-THE thing is strange" replied the
other. "You arc of those who are great
. =