The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-10-30
he sidled towards her and presently they

the Indian girl, to his delight, spoke i
also. She had, in fact, on this accoun
been brought with the warriors as al
interpreter.
The two children sat down upon tn,
grassy bank, and Heinrich confided {,
his companion the hopes of victory a
the fest.
You go then ~ inquired the girl
looking sideways at his eager little fac,
i'll it, fluff of yellow curls.
'Oh, yes, my father, SO many of the
men and their wives and children and
myself are going. The prince, alas
goes not. He stays to sign the treaty
with Gomalta."
Think you he will sign it?''
"Why not ?' replied Heinrich.
HE has taken much land that be
longed to our forefathers," said the In
dian girl, "and his big stone tepee
stands on the topmost hill on our reser.
vatiOn.r
'Truly, but he will pay for it. Ger
mans do not steal.r
Perhaps" replied the girl, "he may
consider the price overmuch. Gomalta
is proud aud naughty, and our war
riors are brave and strong"
"The prince is proud and naughty
also" retorted Heinrich, "and his men,
alarms are brave and strong. Why,
they are the fighting men of the king"
He stood up and took off his cap.
"Much good may that do them. 4"
said the girl, with their king over the
great water"
Heinrich was troubled by her words,
but his father called, and he said good
bye and ran off
In theevening he slipped down to the
tepees by himself to inquire of Luala
the meaning of her dark sayings, ana
found her lying on the rivers edge
moaning with pain.
He helped her to her feet and into
her tepee, brought water for her to
drink, then, bidding her wait few
minutes, ran home to return with his
own pillow and bottle of Bertalda's
cordial filched from the pantry shelf.
With the pillow he eased her aching
head, and a generous dose of the cor
dial, whose merits he had learned by
experience, warmed her chilly body.
He covered her up with her blanket,
and held her hand while he sung soft
ly until she fell asleep.
In an hour or so the encampment
was invaded by Raymond and Bertalda
in anxious search for the missing boy.
GOmalta led them to the tepee and
held up torch. The two heads were
on one ujlloW-: hath were sound asleep.
Heinrich brought hi I4uala was better,
and when she had devoured the last
drumstick of chicken and bit of cOrn-
cake he said: al must say goodbye
now, for we shall start for Fredericks-
burg in little while"
"Why do you go?' she murmured,
taking his hands, as if to detain him.
IL am the Princes Troubadour and |
must win the myrtle wreath for the
Sophienburg."
She only half understood him and
looked wistfully after him as he went
away humming the Lorelei TO himself.
As the wagons were filing in slow
procession out of the town in the after
noon they passed the kiOwa tepees.
Luala came out and walked beside the
Bloch wagon. Heinrich scrambled
out to join her.
"Does Bertalda go, to?" inquired
Luala.
"Yes," said the boy, laughing, "but
only TO take care of me. The good
Berta is no singer. She says herself
she has voice like a rain-crow's."
81 am 50 glad you are all going"
said Luala, gravely.
''Glad We are going? Why?"
Because, thou stupid little boy"
whispered the girl, "Gomalta and his
braves do not come to sign treaty,
but 10 recover their own, and although
we are few now we shall soon be
many"
Heinrich's puzzled expression made
her whisper again i'm his ear.
"When all the wagons are gone well
on their way. Golmalta and his war
riors will take the castle. When you
behold flare of light from the hilltop
urge the wagons onward, for doubtless
you will be pursued. | cannot tell you
more. You must save yourselves. You
must not stop on the way. Those that
stay behind will surely die. / cannot
help you. Icannot help you. Hasten,
for Gomalta is going now to the castle" +"
Heinrich stood staring AT the girl,
who glided away into the thick bushes
that lined the roadside. His heart was
beating to suffocation. Go with ths
wagons and leave his prince and the
village to perish? Never.
Nor did he wish to alarm the people
in the wagons. He must. see the prince
first. Then everybody would BE- safe.
Yes, il would be better to tell the prince
than anyone else, not even excepting
his father. He climbed into the wagon,
wrote little note, tucked it into Ber-
| talda's hand rs she nodded, and slipped
out of the wagon again.
He concealed himself i'm the bushes
as LIala had done, and hurried eau
tiously back TO the village, avoiding
the neighborhood of the tepees, with
their barking curs, and keeping along
the outskirts of the silent town. The
sun was almost setting as he toll
ed up the Sophienberg.
The sentry allowed him to pass, and
he made his way as fast as he could tC
the audience hall, where the prince
was in consultation with his gentle
men-in-waiting. Heinrich slip ped be
hind the curtain of window and peer
ed into the room. Gomalta and doz.
en- braves, splendid with paint and
eagle plumes and covered with Orna
ments of rough silver, stood near tht
centre of the hall. L1ala was stand.
ing near them. She had twined q
wreath of pomegranate flowers in hel
long black hair and was wrapped in
brilliant scarlet cape trimmed with