The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-08-20

clothes. an those fearless eyes "a Ms Inv
IA lions"
How came he here. though, on the
sands. by himsrlf:" was 4 very general
question, ana the query was one which
was easier to ask than to reply to.
what is your name, little master:
asked the tall captain.
Don answered the boy readily. but
with a grave sort of wonder. as II 1t
were surprising that a man of Obadiah
.Jedson's stature should be ignorant OF so
rudimcntary a fact.
do they call you nothing but Don, my
DEAR" inquired the captain. softly and
patiently-'no other name, | mean.' he
explained.
The child shook his beautiful head. on
which the brown curls -listened silkcn.
Always Don" he made answer.
But is it a Christian name. or else a
surname?' asked the woman with the
yellow kcrchief twisted round her sleek
head.
"Somctimcs Master Dom he answered,
half pctulantly. Nurse says that: papa
never. | want 10 60 home" And then he
began TO sob, and il was necessary 10
soothe and comfort him.
Then he seemed to be tired. and hun
CRY. perhaps: and Kcziah, the woman
with the yellow handkerchief tied urban
wise around her head. drew him under
meath the rough screen of tarpaulin. and
brought on a platter some Of the steaminS
food from the gypsy caldron. md, with
some trouble, cooked him To eat; after
which he grew drowsy. and lay on The
rush-covrred side of the sand-hill asleep.
while "A council was held to deliberate
about his fate.
Many and wild were the guesses that
We're hazarded as TO the manner in which
this little waif Of the Yorkshire sea beach
had come to be in the neighborhood Of
the bivouac. Shipwrcck was more than
once suggested; but this was laughed 10
Scorn.
THE boy hadn't a wet thread upon
him." said one of the most experienced of
the gang NO, no: there's been cutlery
here"
''Guilery!" echoed the I'M Mortified,
but with Il pleasant sort Of horror. What
sort Of CUTLERY. when it's about "A lad
BARN like this, Mcastcr Saunders"
Meastcr saunders. who was esteemed
among the hunters of je: as an oracle
second only TO the captain. nodded his
head solemnly. "Thcrc's chcatcry o more
sorts thau one" was his mysterious YER
diet; and its not the first time babies
have got Sm0thcrcd in Towers o London;
nor yet young innoccnts that stood be-
tween somebody and broad lands and gold
guineas been put out o the way like this,
comrades"
After this oracular remark the sleeping
child was eyed, especially hy the women.
with even more of wondering interest and
of respectful curiosity than before. Bat
still no progress was made toward solv-
ing the knotty point Of his immediate dis
posal.> At last Obadiah Jedson knocked
out the ashes of his pipe. rose to his feet,
and stretched out his lengthy arm. with
much the air and bearing of some grim.
preaching corporal of CromWclls scarlet
cuirassicrs.
Lads and l~nssicS." commenced the cap
tain. "many's the time and Oft that il has
been borne in upon me to chidc the speak
er Of idle words concerning the thing that
in your simplicity, call luck; and
mainly when. in your good will toward
old leader. you linked it with mem
ton of mc-of ne. as If a poor. miserable.
blinded worm, that is less than the least.
had power to heal or hurt. or could insure
GOOD seasons and il wcll-stocked cupboard.
But one thing do know. that when what
You call lack, and what the Romans of old
time knew by the grander name of the
Diva Fortuna. knocks ut the door, il bodies
i'll for those who lingcr TO lift the latch
and fling open the house TO the guest. We
IN ~ -: ~ .:l $500. HIN -.
of our bread and drink of our cup: and SO.
with heavens help. shall never the meal
of meat nor the horn Of ale fail us. Here's
my niece, kezia, that's Il widow, as You
know, and has had BARNS of her own, and
knows the ways of children. 10 care for
the lost little one when these hands are
busy with pick and shovel: and in the long
winter evenings | can teach him a bit of
the bookcraft that helps u lad far on the
uphill road Of life. So now, mates. get
ready. and northward ho!'
They set forth on their northward
march. climbing in Indian file the steep
and difficult path which ascendel the cliff,
with the sureness of foot which practice
affords. Obadiah. their captain. brought
up the rear. heedfully carrying the boy in
his huge arms. half sheltered from the
rain by the loose jacket of coarse blue
Guernsey cloth that the jet hunter wore.
Little Don was still slumbering. Once
he had awakened from his sleep. but see
ing Obadiah looking smilingly down upon
him. he had yielded again to lassitudc,
n was soon t%ruStfully unconscious
whittier his new and strange protector
was bearing him along the storm-lashej
shore.
(To be continuel)