The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18

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her. and then she started up suddenly. pu tting
her hand 20 her head and the recollection OF
her misfortune made her heart sud. and soon
abe slept again.
when she awake the sun was high in the
heavens. She was hungry and thirsty. The
blood had dri d, and now she went do wn tn the
river to drink and battle her fevered face. Then
she sat by the river for q long time, trying to
make MP her mind to die, but she could not.
she knew that ahe was counted amonL the
dead by Y her mr, PPeSSp p and 4 she returned to
tho sun went down. Late in tho afternoon she
came 10 a little station wlere there was n lone
operator and a water tank: Tho station agent
shook her head. and asked him where the river
lay. The spectacle Of q woman wandering
was n sad one. and the operator, feeling his
own uttor loneliness, tried to persuade her TO
stay. Pointing to the west che began to chant:
when the great red sun 10 half In the aky
And haif In the earth. the dead must die.
Then che barred her bowed head. he saw
the little round spot where the skin had been
however. caused ths agent to redou bio his
efforts TO save, the hapless maiden from herself.
,o rA n to IN much SIi, eoG lnn,g he 70 succeeded ,ms e N getting
graph office, where she soon fell asleep. The
sun went down and still she slept and he knew
darkness d~eepened on the desert, the evening
wore away. tho operator got Good night from
chair. Presently no was awakened by a sound
as Of Q door closing. softly. He stole into the
I bsa so hack E ESo sI,S onlS d to isnsn md th i,s, h,s guest st
save for the doleful CRY Of a one wolf. the
night was voiceless. and he returned to his mar.
Next day. when the aun was falling away
In the west. the OPERATOR. sitting at his little
Ing up be held the sad Ia e OF the Indian maiden
xaunter and .sorrier than before. Again he
gave her food. and from his medicine cheat.
and. conductors by the company. he brought
indicated bandeges. which he bound about her
torn ankles. aud ointment which he put upon
her wounded head. After that she continued
to come to him. every day. to accept o meagrs
the prairie with only the stars above her. AT
the end OF a fortnight she was almost well
again. Now, the w,olian. that was In her. ma
ture caused her to long for some ono to whom
sho might tell her story. in whom she might
conide, and she told It. as we'll as she could. to
so rs to hide the hateful scar At the top Of her
head. and. persuaded her to return to her peo-
love you ali: the more now and viii save you
from your peonle IL they try TO modest you.'
vas the agents encouraging advice, and she
''Slide McAlaster's severely sprained ankle
had become strong. and he was at work again:
by the Indians. tor to them she was dead. 1t
was never mentioned by the whites wien 1t
o S%,al s Ssor Svo 70 e. f 6roF no one cared ARE y. to tie tell 1.-THE the
from day to day. expecting her TO come home.
His was the only cheerful face in tho camp dur.
morning. hoping that the day would bring her
back. and happy again at Might. for there was
One uhy le~b Oh WHltlNR lOI neT return. Anu
she did come back. One night when the rain
was pouring down she opened tho door of her
.ather,'s tent and waited to be welcomed home:
The old scout was pacing his tent. for he had
no: ceased to Rreve for. his, da u9hter. but now
that she had returned TO him. as one from the
misery. At sight Of her he had taken a step
or two toward the tent door. and then pausine
grew grave as he. pointed a long arm Town The
cminous words: The shadows lie noon The
spairing look the princess turned back into the
,ain.swept night. and now a new danger con-
tent door. by the dim light Of a grease lamp.
and now they seized: and bound her. Her
the guards had sh ) W less pity. And while
she sat. bound and guarded. in a dimly lighted
tent. her lover slept aud dreamed Of her com:
grudginGly. the darkness seemed reluctant
TO leave the earth. the sun remained behind
ued to fall in torrents. t noon the rain
ceased. the sun cane out. meadow larks car
S Msa,1 free in the ss,, blue g 81 $ "a but the sa naples" ,le,
The story OF her ca otrse was Eept IL profound
secret. for the Indians knew that the United
death. In the darkness of their Ignorance
ASSon Account "f the rain we had not gone su out.
came from the DISPATCHER for us to run light
to Omaha 70 bring out a train OF steel. AS We
pulled out over tho switches l noticed n great
crowd OF Pawnees down By the river near the
sec that they HetSS We're waving VII r eheir hands ~ and ip putt
ting up weird signals. Now as the engine.
san Creeping along. working the water out OF
her cylinders. neared the bridge. McAlaster
the engine; stopped the engine. and. looking
over. saw Wakalona.seated In q canoe with her
head bowed down almost to her knees. A
stalwart Panwee sat In one end of tho canoe.
holding O single oar. while antther Indian.
equally we'll proportional. sat near the girl.
whose feet were fettered and whose hands were
bound behind her back. Now the whole band
began TO chant:
1.-THE shadows lie upon the shore,
The dead shall walE the earth no more.
T sun sat like a great rod wheel that had
sunk hub-deep In the sand. and when half the
rim was below and half above the earth the
second stanza Of the death chant arose from
the river as tho boat was pushed out into tho
stream:
when the great red sun is half in the sky
And hair in the earth the dead must die.
Now for the frat time WakalonA lifted her
yes. and she beheld her lover leapinR from the
shore. A few strokes brought him within
The Indian at the oar stood up and faced him.
The big brakeman swung his long right arm.
caught the Pawnee under the ear. and over he
went. Reaching down he lifted the other Indian
bodily. turned him half over. and with all his
might drove hil. head first into the sand at tho
bottom Of the rive.
while this was going on the little bark
A~laster cut the cord that bound the woman.
seized the oar and made the land lust below
the engine. Lifting the girl in his arms, he
ran up the dump: placed her IN tho caboose:
the bridge looked back and saw the bafiied
hand swarming I'm from the west. but even as
they ran the sun went down. the death hour
had passed, and they turned back to their tents"
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