The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-31


him. Don't worry. Only when Jack
comes back, you must tell him."
Her voice broke little, and Put saw
there were tears in the eyes that looked
westward, where he had told her Jack
had gone. He looked at his watch.
There were two minutes of the truce
limit left.
"Dolliei"
Something in his tone made her start
slightly. He had never called her by
her name before, and no one but Jack
ever said Dollie.
Don't be angry. You're brave, you
know. You're awful bravei" Put dash
ed ahead recklessly. He wished they
had told her that first day. He wished
she would not look at him so frighten-
ed. "He-he won't come back"
Jack"
"He died week before you came"
She was white now. The color that
had defied the Indians fled at his
words and her hands closed on each
other tightly. When she spoke her
voice was trembling.
90, why, why. didn't you tell me.
It wasn't kind all these weeks What
did ne die of?'
Put closed his eyes a moment and
prayed for the gift of Beelzebub. as
he remembered the death of Jack Ray
mond. The fight at headquarters tent,
the quick shot that settled it all. and
Jacks face upturned on the floor
among the scattered cards and broken
glasses. 1t had been very white, as
white as the Angels now, and the two
were much alike. AS he looked at her
the strength to lie came to him and he
knew all Piety Flat would stand by
him.
1T was fever. He had a chum, and
nursed him first. then took it himself
and died. The chum went away after
wards"
He stopped. That last was true! At
ter he had fired the shot, Rogers had
made tracks for the Mexican border.
There was no danger of pursuit,
though. No one blamed him.
Tile Angel drew a long, deep breath.
There was an uneasy movement among
the Indians, and Broken Arrow held
up his hand, palm upward. Put raised
his IN answer and turned his horses
head towards them.
But the house, and the mine and
thing"-faltered the Angel.
"They were Jacks and NINE" said
little Put. "They are yours now" He
caught a glimpse of her face, and put
his arm around her. Don't, dear;
don't feel like that. He died-like
hero"
The ride to the tepees was hot and
tiresome. Put rode on one of the IN
dian ponies, beside Broken Arrow.
The Angel was on the bay the other
side. Her face was sad. Not for fear
of the future, but for grief over Sa-
mantha, left to Gle within sight of the
river. Some way the other news SEEM
ed like the half-forgotten memory of
a dream. Put argued and threatened.
The chiefs face never changed its ex-
preston.
Just before you reach the Indian
camp there is the zig-za bed of
driedup creek to cross. The ground
is yellow and oozy like quicksand, and
strange, shy snakes and lizards slip
swiftly out of sight as the horses
slide and scramble UP the soft, slip
perry sides.
Put stopped midway on the slope,
and swung off his pony to examine a
mark in the clay. 1t was a slight.
little impression. Five small toes and
a heel, as if young ape had stepped
there. Put stood upright and called to
Broken Arrow. and showed him the
marks.
at points east to the desert" he
said 1.-THE child has wandered. 1t is
no witchcraft. If you lose a young
coyote, and it runs away, is it black
devils?"
The Chief spread out his hands.
w mere Is ne
Put pointed to the east, where the
great desert spread out under the hot
sunshine.
"If follow and bring him back, will
you believer"
Broken Arrow nodded slowly.
IF he still lives"
Put hesitated. He pushed his hat
back restlessly on his head, put his
hands in his pockets, and stared at
fro
II want until sunrise" he said. "I'I
come back then, unless I'm lying
around dead out yonder somewhere.
And. say, we've been friends. you
know. That day a year ago, when
four of your boys stole our horses,
and we caught them. Remember? Big
Tom was going to swing them up on
the road on the dead cottonwood, and
let you know we objected, and L fixed
things up for you, and one was your
own boy. Remember"
The old man looked at the warm,
eager. boyish face. and nodded grimly.
Then l ought to have some kind of
a pull with you, don't you know. You
owe me for that yet, and I'm going
to call you now. Just be good and
fair to her until suntise Don't let
them devil her yonder in the camp ali
night. Wait until sunrise.
Broken Arrow put out his hand.
Until sunrise" he said, and add
ed: "Your squaw?"
Put flushed crimson.
mot yet, old man. Some day, please
Cod" and under his breath as he
sprang to the saddle. IF live to see
the sunrise"
And all night the Angel sat there,
sleepless and waiting, with only the
crackle of the watch fire to break the
stiffness or the sudden sharp wall of
a mother mourning for her lost baby
boy, in the next tepee.
The moonlight slipped through the
rift where the flap of the skins closed
the entrance. She watched it with a
kind of fascination, and when it faded
and turned gray and she could trace
the outlines of the tent poles over her
head, she drew out the revolver and
laid her head back on the blanket of
the couch and tried to think of some
thing beside the kiss of Little Put
Broken Arrow played fair and true
Not until the sun had risen a mans
hight above the jagged horizon line Of
the desert did he order the watch fires
trampled out and the tepee opened
And at the threshold he paused. for
witch woman to greet him, but a girl
who slept in peace as a child and
smiled, and he thought of Puts last
words ana turned back to the east
again for d last look.
And there was great stiffness among
the group of gaunt, half-nude figures
standing in the red glow of the sun
rise. fer something moved like a