The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-01-26

llOFO yOu dIO Ofcll a DIS kolOuA' DioNO
chiefs do not beg, or try to scare boys
and girls, either!"
"We shall seew said White Bear in
cultural voice.
He struck his pony with piece of
shingle that he held in his left hand,
and rode away without looking back
but Alice and Elmer watched him out
of sight with some uneasiness.
81 am sorry" said the girl, "but in
deed cannot help it. To give to one
Indian is to open the door through
which twenty more will file into your
castle. And we cannot spare any
thing from our winters allowance
without putting ourselves in danger
of starvation"
"Are you afraid of White Bear?"
the boy asked.
II am little troubled by his
threats" said his sister.
"Well, l believe l had better go up
to Jack Williams's cabin and tell him
about it, and see what he thinks we
should do to protect ourselves"
Alice blushed prettily.
eve are always appealing to Jack
Williams for help" she said depre-
catingly. II am afraid he thinks we
are very troublesome"
mo, he doesn't, Alice! Only yes
terday he told me if anything hap
pened to you to let him know, and he
is always offering to help us, as if it
was the pleasantest and most natural
thing in the world"
"He is very kind" and Alice Max
on's face grew still more rosy. "Per-
haps it would be well to consult him;
and you should lose no time in 60
ing, Elmer, for you must be back be-
fore dark"
Elmer did not wait for second
bidding. but mounted the only horse
they possessed and rode away to-
ward the Williams homestead.
The two buildings were, in pioneer
phrase, 'handy to each other" being
only a mile apart; and when the boy
reached Jacks home, he found that
sturdy fellow on his knees in front of
the cabin, oiling and polishing a
Columbia bicycle with industrious
care.
"Hilloa, Elmer!" he called out
cheerily. 81 was just getting ready
for a flying trip to your house. |
have been to Sherwood, and as to-
morrow happens to be your sisters
birthday, l bought her little pres
ent and l was going to bring it over
on my wheel"
Elmer was alive with interest now,
and White Bear was forgotten till
after Jack had brought from the
kitchen table handsome plush toilet
case, carefully wrapped in several
papers.
isn't that daisyp the young man
cried, warmly. 81 can imagine how
Alice's blue eyes will shine when she
sees it."
Didn't it cost a mint of money!"
the boy asked reproachfully.
"Only five dollars, Elmer. | will
own that to be good sum for Da-
kota farmer to spend on thing of
beauty; but it is my first gift to your
sister, and nothing seems too extrav-
agant for Alice"
Miss Williams, Jacks elder sister
and housekeeper, looked up from her
sewing and smiled shrewdly at this
transparent speech; but Elmer saw
nothing significant in it, and went on
with his errand in rapid way.
Jacks brow clouded in a moment.
"The impudent beggar!" he ex-
claimed angrily.
Miss Williams shook her head
gravely.
81 am afraid he will carry out his
threat. Indians are so vindictive! i
wish Alice would break up house
keeping and spend the winter with
u.s."
A cry from Elmer brought the
others quickly to the door. Beyond
the dug-out of the Maxons a puff Of
smoke was ascending toward the sky
and the wind was behind it, blowing
a gale. Jack caught the situation in
an instant
Sarah, he cried, excitedly, "White
Bears work has begun. We are al
in the pathway of that fire, and il
will strike Alice first"
"But there is plowed safety line
about the house." said Miss vii
liams.
"Of no more value than tow string
when those masses of burning tum
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