Evening star., 1897-04-17

on and on. The sun poured its pitiless rays
upon her wounded head. her soiled mantle
were torn and bleeding, and yet to all these
Ills she gave no thought. Vaguely now
she remembered that she had a fixed pur-
pose, certain duty to perform. and that
as to be the end OF all. She must not lose
sight Of the river, but even now when she
hooked for It the river WIS not to be seen.
Her lips were parched: her throat seemed
to be burning. The wide waste Ger which
she wandered lay quivering in the white
glare of the MONDAY sun. Away at the
outer edge of this shipless sea the gray air
trembled. her brain whirled, she swooned
and fell to the earth.
The cool night wind was about her when
she came to herself again. but she could
remember but dimly the events of the past,
ana so. half dazed she wandered on Late
IN the afternoon she came to little station
Wnere fhere was a lone operator and a
water tank. The station agent gave her
food and offered her shelter, but she shook
ner head and asked him where the river
Iay: Inc spectacle of a woman wandering
ABOUT half crazed half starved and alone,
was sad one, and the operator, feeling
has own utter loneliness, tried to persuade
her TO stay. Pointing to the west, she be-
gan to chant:
When the great red sun Is half i'm the sky
Ana half In the earth. the dead mast die.
Then she barred her bowed head he saw
the little round spot where the skin had
oeen cut away and understood. This reve-
double his efforts to save the hapless
maiden from herself.
After much coaxing he succeeded in get
ting her into his little room in the rear of
tne telegraph office. where she soon fell
asleep. The sun went down and still she
slept and he knew she was safe, at least
1or another day. The darkness deepened
on the desert waste, the evening wore away,
the operator got Good night from the dis
patcher at Omaha and fell asleep in his
chair. Presently he was awakened by a
sound as of door closing softly He stole
INTO the little back room only to learn that
MS guest had gone He slipped outside and
listened but save for the doleful cry of
lone wolf. the night voiceless and he
returned to his narrow room.
Next day, when the sun was railing
away in the west, the operator sitting at
his little table. noticed a shadow in the
door and looking up beheld the sad face of
the Indian maiden, gaunter and sorrier
tnan before Again he gave her food. and
from MS medicine chest, which in those
days was furnished by the company to all
agents and conductors, he brought medi-
Gated bandages. which he bound alou: her
torn ankles, and ointment, which he put
upon her wounded head. After that she
continued to come to him every day to ac-
cept meager meal. and at night 10 steal
away and sleep upon the prairie with only
the stars above her. At the end of a fCrt-
night she was almost well again. Now the
woman that was in her nature caused her
TO long for some one to whom she might
tell her story; in whom she might cor fiGe;
and she told it. as well as she could, to the
agent. He helped her to arrange her hair
so as to hide the hateful scar at the top of
her head and persuaded her 10 return to
her people. If the white man loved you
once. he will love you all the more now,
and will save you from your people # they
try to molest YOU was the agents eacour-
aging advice and she determined to return
Slide McAlaster's severely sprained an
kle had become strong and he was at work
again. The name of Wakalona was never