The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16

| signs OF spring the Crows packed up and started
back TO the Yellowstone, all but two or Three
near US, trapping beaver and hunting, deer
and antelope. Among those who remained with
US were the two children, George and Lucy-so
Lee had named them-and their mother.
"One day the boy came into the trade room
and said Good Heart-Lee's Crow name
see this poor bow and arrows. my mother IL
hungry for the meat Of the buffalo. but | cannot
XIII such a great animal with thls, weak weapon.
Lend me your good gun and ! will go out on the
Zee smiled az the little fellows earnestness.
60 back and tell your mother h, replied. that
VIII go out on the plains and KIN some meat
sister may saddle your horses and come, too; I
An hour later they started out, Lee and the
children riding ahead and followed by their
mother and several old women who also wanted
bottom. ont to the prairie, a distance OF, three
miles. followed a, steep and knlfe-like ridge on
learned afrerwa Tdi"fT from r1 The qbs oy, the little party
had arrived at he end of the ridge and were Just
riding out, on the plain beyond when a war
down, on them. Turn back with the women
and ride for your lives 70 the post, Lee aid to
devils In check until you have a good long start
and than IN follow You
We'll, I saw the women and the boy come
flying back down the steep hill nt a pace no
sane person would attempt, and I surmisel at
once that something was wrong. Presently,
c coTG u maEs d ,mto h .he ss2ct sSeir s ahH as 9n 5oG tsrT ns !
49, 49, 80 49,
stricken cries what was up. ] had my employees
r%esaddle their horses and we hurried up the hills
start that we were too late. And so we were.
When we got to the top Of the hlll The Sioux
S mao G long since TSSro h n $ he'd r s3Gi1 co oy Sa work work
trail we found the remains Of poor Lee, naked,
mutilated. covered with blood and dust, and
pierced In q dozen places with arrows and rifle
balls. Well, 1 had seen many such tragedies
before, men. and even women. suddenly cut
down by the fendish redskins, but this, COM
nlntnlU nnnaFynl ma for 4 had mara thnD n
passing regard for Ice. 1t was terrible 10 see
him lying there, hacked and cut almost beyond
been so fuii OF hopeful life. the pleasant COM
rade and unselnsh friend.
Il sent a man down to camp for n Crow
upon II and slowly wendell our way back TO the
post. We buried him as decently rs we could
Il the edge OF g cottonwood grove. and when
upon the little mound about him I returned to
the little room we had so long occupied together
fairly overcome by my loneliness. AZ / sat
there my wandering gaze, fell unon his trunks
and other belongings and suddenly realized
that must try TO get word to his relatives OF
mind that I did not know who or where his
people were, that beyond the bare mention Of g
them 10 m me" Tbere.was nothins TO show t5VS whe re
they resided unless I could find some clue In
the trunks, for the Sioux had taken the clothing
the nearest OF the trunks and examined II.
but found only some clothing and q few books.
The other trunk. a solid iron;bGpnd affair. was
more clothing. %jewelry. odds and ends, but be
low them. was a set 81 peculiar looking. tools.
files. slender saws. drills, Z, lot Of keys and more
Of strange shane and character.
] thought they looked like burglars tools vet
/ said e myself. That cant be; he would have
of would be 10 ply such n trade az that
y was about to give up the search when
side Of the trunk lid. and found these letters
IN II. ] will read two Of them to you. Here
Is The npst one I rcpccned at the time addressed
70 VI, RSrinald Gordon; Boston, II reads;
DEAR RrdGr: How could you have done ~
You have broken mothers heart and mine. too.
sur. we can never look people in the face
again. You had better come home and Try 10
up the checks and you are safe from the law.
Your loving and Borrowing sister,
We'll. ! couldn't make out that his letter
nv friend. so | turned TO the next
one. Here IT. +. dated from Philadelphia a year
"DEAR RFddY: It's lucky you few, for the
night, watchman, crooked the next, day YOU
'n them West S2S and and Law l owns Name lam " got t the sw go
You sent her, and says she'll keep it safe for
you. She wants you TO send for her as soon rs
and LET me know your movements, II
vog find anything worth cracking III go out
"w PS,p Y I finished reading this I presume nruE 7
'airly gasned for breath. The man 7 had
ynown ms Charles q r. lee was really Reginald
?. Gordon. forRer. murderer and thief! The
nan whom ] had treated like a brother, whom
had believed was the personihcation OF all
hat was good and honest and gentlemsnly
vas n social outCast. n common criminal. I
'ould scarcely credit nv eyes and understand
ne. ! read the letters over and over, trying to
wist some other meaning out OF them. but IL
'ould not he done.
"Mv story comes 10 n close: I did not know
Reginald Gordon; he ntust have been a cold
Hooded fend: but for Charles Lee. the man who
ived with me and ate my bread. l have always
lad n kindly remembrance"