The Holly chieftain., 1901-08-16
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
In the sage brush wigwam the sum-
mer waned to autumn With dreary
stiffness. Grey already, the stretch OF
brush. relieved alone by the willow
fringe of the wandering creek, was
cheerless. dreary and oppressive to the
girl, She sat alone. while the chilling
wind was ,fantonly ripping the leaves
from the branches. her head dropped
low In hopeless despair.
shadow. thrown by the setting
sun, betrayed presence. Dumbly she
raised her eyes to look.
Ugh said tall, grunting washoe
buck.
She turned away her head again.
Mahala. do you wait for Mingo?"
said the man. Johnny Shag is big
ger chief. Mingo shall never come"
She looked in silence on the ashes Of
the wood burned the day before.
"Mahala." he added. zone, two moons
Jonny Shag come to take you the trail
to my wigwam. Why not any talk?
Too long, you sabbee? Mahala waits
for Mingo. Better look out Mahaia; !
Jonny ShAg Is warrior. To-day YOU
better talk"
"One moon. let me think" she
wearily answered. LET me wait one
moon"
"one moon. yet. Jonny shag viii
wait. Many things come uefore the
'moon again" He giided away, and
again her head sank wearily down.
Hingo. the Washoe, stealthily re-
turning to Chloride hill. kept cautious
ears and eyes awide. to learn the re-
suit Of the murder at the mine. Susie
he rightly conjectured. would have
guessed the truth. He avoided the
wikiup, but remained in the town. Pa
thence with many an Indian is a virtue,
On crisp, cool day. while Mingo
talked with group of bucks on cor
ner, Shag, on pony and armed with
rihe. rode up behind. Raising his
gun. he deliberately shot Mingo
through the body. and escaped to the
hills.
The thoroughly astounded camp Of
hcials promptly gave pursuit, but all
In vain. Friends and relations Of the
dead man assisting, the country was
secured, skillfully. cunningly. Canyons.
valleys, the shoulders of the noun.
tains, were traversed and searched,
but nothing avsiled. shag enjoyed ey-
cry advantage.
Three indian trailers. mounted, came
at length to where the fugitive was
lying in ambush. One Of these escaped
with his life and rode like Z demon
to tell Of the two. lying grfsly and
stark, struck in the back by the bull
lets Of Shag. their faces now twisted
in the sun.
A STOPPING. stricken Washoe, the old
Red Wolf, whose boys they were that
had died In the sand, departed in sill
ence. alone, ON the path Of war. The
fued was his. In the night he found
the man he sought, found him asleep
left him asleep-his knife standing
firm, erect. buried to the hilt in tho
breast Of shag the warrior.
The year grew old; its days. like
the hours Of waking OF an old and
passing man, were dim and short; its
nights long sleeps, that made 1t none
the stronger.
And yet there came day that was
like an echo OF what had been before
the year began to age. Susie, wan. but
wistful Of face, went from the hope
less wigwam and hurried away up the
moaning creek. She went to a copse
Of alder trees. entered and was lost to
| view.
An hour later she slowly emerged
and In her arms she carried child, q
little boy with fairest hair and the
bluest OF eyes. She seated herself in
the sunlight and shivered as she nos
tied the infant and cooed 1t softly with
Indian words. She was faint and
weary, but strangely happy. Her baby
resembled its father, young as 1t was.
Her heart went leaping to it-erhbrac-
ed it-owned it! Her pain, her suffer-
ing, everything was forgotten.
All the afternoon she sat by tie