The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-11-07
THE LEGEND OF
BONNIE M
A Story of Early Days in
Missouri.
BY SIDNEY e. POWELL
Notp First Published.
Noio First Published.
BY SIDNEY e. POWELL
CHAPTER XIV.

! duce Lon1t TO come With her and have
! the protection and care she could moi
have In her old home.
, ooh, my child" said her mother,
; "it will kill me IL the Indians should
cal ture you again"
"The woods are full Of them YETI
, said Mr.. Hess, "and to my mind she
ought to have seen enough trouble
with 'em without running any more
risk"
"But Capt. Harmon will be along,''
said Miss Vinton, as though he could
ward off any peril.
"Let-h her go,n said har-tather, II
want to go too, TO see the places
where che has suffered 80 much and
been in such danger. Mr.. Bernard,
too, is going"
Mrs. Laselle, remembering the
broken ankle, felt that she could rely
on her husbands judg nent. "Never
again." she said, twill I set up my
judgment against yours. 1 want you
to have your way"
1t was well for Mrs. LaselleI that
her husband was M OF the gentlest
and tenderest of rulers, modelling his
actions after the pattern of the
golden rule, instead of being an
exacting arbitrary tyrant, as many
of his sex would have been. AS it
was, her "giving it up" whatever it
was, did not come very hard. Her
way was generally his way, and there
were no more collisions.
But he had his way this time, and
Annette went, mounted not on Glossy
(would she eve see him again2), but
on the sure-footed pony che rode to
the fort, and along the came path
they had SO recently travelled before
the battle. The troops were still
searching for the fugitives In every
direction, and had captured several,
but the greater part of the survivors
had doubtless long reached the river
and crossed over, and were, perhaps,
on the march for a home in some far
off unexplored wilderness, where, for
q little while, they could rest from
the pale faces.
AS the squad of troops, commanded
by Capt. Harmon, reached the creek,
Mr.. Laselle asked: s'Was it there,
my daughter, that you stood?" point
ing to a high bank on the creek.
eyes sir" che answered, "and my
heart was almost breaking at the
thought that l couldn't get to the
settlement in time to save them from
the sc7lping knife"
"Good little woman" exclaimed a
settler among them, and he spoke 1t
in French; tive will call this creek
for you always" he added, "for you
saved US all from a horrible DEATH"
eyes, let 1t be Bonnie Femme now
and always, and every time we say
it we'll pray for your happiness"
said Mr.. Bernard.
In an instant the name ran down
the line of men, and '"Hurrah! for
Bonnie Femme!" rang out till the
woods rang again with the echoes.
AS the sound died away Annette
said, looking gratefully towards
Capt. Harmon her eyes moist with
tears, SHUT l could never have told
IL If Capt. Harmon had not come up
when he did,"
"No, If l had been q moment
later" he answered, "the Bonnie
Femme would have taken her to its
cold bosom and it's name would never
have been found, but I fortunately,
no, providentially came up at the
right time, and she was the chosen
heroine to give safety to the settlers
and this willow shaded creek q sig
ulncanb udme.' -
He spoke playfully but so earn.
estly that now Annette Was crying,
and Capt. Harmon turned his face
away for his tears were falling too.
The party rode on ahead of them
and it was pleasant to these two,
now that the danger was passed, to
go over in conversation the scenes
they had been through.
81 am happy to know that you are
safe again and restored to your par
ents," Capt. Harmon said, but I feel
sad-how selfish ] am-that the dam
ger is all over and I "a do no more
for you. Gladly would | go over 1t
all again If it were not for your suf.
ferings.
"But your own DANGER" said An
nette show miserab Q l was thinking
perhaps you and Haba might lose
your lives on my account"
"Always Haha," thought Capt.
Harmon.
"But Hahs, 1t seems, forgot to rev
turn to your rescue" he said hesita-
tingly.
"oh, no,'' she answered, her eyes
again filling with tears, che may be
dead almost know he is. He
gave me to understand once that he
was not an Indian but he did not
want them to know it as they might
kill him. l never spoke of it to any
one, but now since he never came
back, I think they must have sus-
pected him and have killed him"
Sand what do you think he was II
unk an TnIfau9yt oaLad Giant ua--