Evening star., 1897-04-17

to lose her heart to McAlaster. that she
came to know the sound even of the bell
and the rattle of the spring hangers on the
old work engine. Jim was McAlasters real
name; we called him Slide because he
could never set brake, Il he used both
hands. without twisting 1t UP so tight that
the wheels would slide, so marvelousy Y
strong were his long. sinewy arms. When
we were coming Into the Platte on a sum-
mer' 3 evening Slide used to jump off the
engine. where he always rode, open the
switch. close II behind the caboose and
then stroll over into the little cornfield
where Wakalona worked. ..s. b, 49,
Now, she always knew he was coming,
tut, like her white sisters she liked to play
that she didn't. and when he would steal up
behind her and catch her in his arms Hf
no one was looking) she would start and
shudder as naturally as a country school
ma am.
I'VE went in the ditch one day. Slide had
his ankle sprained and was obliged to ride
IN that evening in the caboose. I whistled.
as usual. for the station, and in the twi-
light saw the Indian girl still working In
the field and waiting for the sweet sur
prise for which she had learned to wait.
AS We pulled in over the switc hes / glanced
out into the field again. feeling sorry for
Slide and for his sweetheart as we'll. but
now she was nowhere to be seen. When
We had made the big brakeman comfort
able in the hospital tent he signaled me
ahead, and when l bent over him he
pulled me down and whispered 'Wakalona,'
ana L knew what he meant. 1 found her
father. and told him that the brakeman
had been hurt. and asked him to allow his
daughter to see the sufferer in the sur
geons tent Red Fox was much surprised
We had been an hour late coming in that
evening; it was now dark. and Wakalona
had not been seen by any Of her people
since the setting of the sun. I told the war
rior that l had seen her working In the
neld as We were nearing the station and
how, when l looked again q moment later
she was gone.
With a start the brave cnieftain threw
up his hands. and then controlling himself
with a great effort. he signed to me- and I
followed him out into the field. The Indian
put his face close to the ground, and when
ne Strengthened up he looked all about him
ana SAID: Sioux L brought a white light
from the locomotive. and by the light of it
the willy Indian made out that two of the
mated tribe had slipped up behind the help
less girl and seized her and carried her
away Presently he brought blade of
corn 10 me, and upon it there was a tiny
crop or blood. and yet he insisted that his
daughter had not been killed Later he as
sured me that she had not been carried.
put mad walked away. taking differen.
Now l saw it all Sine had heard our
whistle and while she waited for her lover
the panther-like Sioux had stolen upon her.
what mental anguish must have been
fers when she realized that instead of the
protecting arms of her fair god. the arms
OF murderers We're around her Love like
the locomotive, is great civilizer: waka-
iona had tasted the joy of love, and life
mad become dear to her. The past to her
was Veiled in dark mystery. the future was
Httie better. but already she had begun to
ieel that beyond it all there must be a
brighter and better world. Once she had
asked McAlaster about the future. and he.
,ouched by the earnestness of her nature.
mad told her in his own way a story his
mother had told to him many a time-the
story Of Christ Think of big. awkward
clown like me- said Slide. trying to un-