The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-08-15

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well a for Annette, but the darkness
soon put an end to their search and
they galloped back to the house hop
ing to find her there. Before they
reached the house they saw Mrs.
Laselle coming to meet them. She
was wringing her hands wildly cry
ing out between her means for them
to save her child.
"But wait, MOTHER" said Mr..
Laselle, "she may yet come. She
may be following the deer. You
know how brave she is and how we'll
she can take care Of herself"
ooh, you brought us out here to
be killed in this wild country and
now my child is gone and you don't
care. I did not want to come. I
knew how it would be-"
"Mother," he said kindly, laying
his hand on her shoulder, "don't
cry. The dear child will be found 1
am sure. We must not lose hope
nor forget that Gods protecting caro-
can be with us even in this wild
country"
But she pushed his hand away and
went on reproducing him until the
tall WAGNER, Mr.. Penn, growing
short of patience, tapped her on the
arm and said, "Look here, missis, I
think IL yer want yer gal found yer
better stop that ere talk, and let yer
man go look for her fore you run
him crazy. Pm ready to go now to
look for her."
$50 am l." piped In the German,
as he felt for his pistol and heaved a
deep sigh at the thought of the dan
ger ahead. But Mr.. Laselle was at a
loss what to do. How could he 90
away and leave his wife to the
mercy of the Indians, and yet
Annette must be found. The
thought that his darling child, the
light of his home, his bright, helpful,
loving, little Annette, was in the
hands of cruel savages, was almost
more than he could bear.
"Can't you go with us?" he asked
of his wife. "You are a good rider,
and you will feel better to be with us
on the search"
"Go!" she exclaimed, "no, rll
not. TIl stay here, my child is gone
and l don't care what becomes of
me-"
"she will have her way" said LIr.
Laselle, mildly, land l will have
to beg one of you," he added, look
ing at Mr.. Penn, ''to ride to the fort
and ask them to help us to find my
poor child" A sob stopped his
speech, and he bowed the gray head
while the tears ran down his fur
rowed n-browned cheeks. The
two men felt their own eyes filling
to see his tears, but Mr.. Penn would
not for the world have been guilty of
showing such feeling. He was alto.
gether above any such "womanish
Weakness" as he considered crying.
A few back handed strokes with his
knuckles cleared his eyes.
"You can go Hess" he said to the
German.
81 can't, Mr.. Penn, Pm a leetle
sick, an the way ees too bad for me
to find"
"Well, I'll go myself, but you III
have to take keer of the wagin and
stuff, but l 'spect the Injuns III get
you fore l git back"
MI. Hess looked as If he expected
it, too. His contortions Of counten-
ance were pitiful to see. So excited
and unstrung he had allowed himself
to become, that the usual serenity of
his beaming red face had given place
to a very wild scared look, that
tickled Mr.. Penn very much. If an
Indian had jumped out in front If
Mr.. Hess at that instant Mr.. Penn
would have had 30 little feeling as to
enjoy it's effect upon him.
But 10 Indian appeared, and Mr..
Hess quaked in his boots unnecessa-
riiy, and all to no purpose.
Mr.. Laselle was pacing the floor in
an agony of suspense and uneasiness.
He had started Mr.. Penn to the fort,
and now what could he do, but try
to bear the torture of waiting. How
could he wait while his hearts idol
was exposed to such danger!
Taking his rifle, he said to Mr..
Hess:
"Please stay in the house and pro-
tect my wife, while I 60 out and
listen and look around"
Mrs. Laselle was still wringing her
hands in an agony Of grief and walk
ing from the house to the yard,
peering in the darkness and listen
ing and trembling at every sound.
Mr.. Hess sat by the hearth his
rudy round cheeks glowing in the
bright fire. slight. He was tired and
only a few minutes quiet in a soft
chair made a soothing feeling come
over him, his eyelids closed, his head
dropped, and he was asleep. He
did not hear the steps in the house,
for they were stealthy steps, and he
was sound asleep.
Mrs. Laselle was cropping around