The National tribune., 1902-11-27

he Will go to his people. We will meet
again, perhaps, soon."
| II can ne'er previcate the truth, Chief.
We shall. 1t III be on the war trail, too,
where the tomahawk and the scalping
knife will run mad with the signs o the
times"
With simple words of parting they saw
| the Chief keep on his way, while they re-
sumed their journey, slipping past the set
| Element at st. Francis under cover of
night. Though it was sometime before
either of the men of the party again met
Philip, the friendly Sokokis, they found
him Mt last, when he was one of the most
faithful and sagacious of Rogerss Rangers
during the Seven Years. War.
1t was now the FOrester's plan to take
n more circuitous but safer route home
than that which led through the Indian
country about st. Francis. But as no par
ticular misadventure occurred to hinder
their progress, it will not be necessary to
follow them from day to day. Before
they reached one of those outpOsts oc-
cupied by the English on the northern
| frontier, a severe snOw-stOrm had set in,
so the women, at least, of the party were
glad to stop. 1t was finally thought best
for them to remain here until Spring; or
some more favorable opportunity came for
them to start. Eden Harwood decided to
stay with them, which left the Forester
and Christie Craig to perform a journey
which they did not complete until Midwin-
| ter
One of the surprises awaiting them here
was felt more deeply by the latter, who
found, in the person of that singular man
whom the Forester and John Stark had
rescued from the Indians. his old-time
enemy. But he had no occasion to fear
him now, for jamie Clair was dying from
| the wounds he had received on the war
| trail, his only wish being that he might
| live to meet his rival once more. But
his experiences had softened his heart, so
| with spirit seeking forgiveness rather
than that of malice he longed to meet his
| cousin.
His speech had returned to him, if he
had ever lost it, which was always
mooted question with those who knew him,
but his words were few. He held out
his wasted hand, which Craig silently
| clasped, and the couple united thus his
spirit took its fight within half an hour
after the coming of the other. So the bit
ter feud of long lasting ended, and the sur
vivor saw that the last sad rites were per-
formed over the dead.
With what joy the mother learned of
the rescue of her daughter may be
imagined, while this was doubled by the
presence of the father, who had escaped
the Indians, though not until he mad been
driven fugitive far from his broken
home. Both were now anxious to have
Mary return to them, but it was deemed
advisable to wait month before starting
on the long trip, as both Mr.. and Mrs
Shepley were determined to accompany
the others, and to go as far as Sagarac,
Wild with the hope of finding their son.
During this interval of waiting the
Forester and Christie Craig went to the
home of the Stark brothers to find the
child William Stark had taken home with
him. The greeting accorded the scout
here, where he was so well known, was
of the most hearty sort, but, true to his
nature, he stopped only long enough to
perform his errand, having found the lit
tie one hale and we'll
The father recognized the child as his
own, but he concluded to leave it with the
kind Mrs. Stark until he should be able
to return with the mother to get it.
With the coming of Spring the long,
anxious journey was undertaken, result
ing In complete joy over the reunion of the
ter and his companion had reached the
fort where Eden Harwood and the wo-
men were stopping, great happiness had
fallen on one of the four. This was Marie,
who was overjoyed to have her father, on
another almost hopeless journey to find
her, meet her there by what truly seemed
a providential accident, if affairs happen
in that way. At any rate, happier re-
union was never known in all of the check
cred history of frontier life, where separa-
tions and reunions were of such frequent
occurrence. Her mother was living, and
nothing could keep the reunited father and
daughter from starting at once to 60 to
her.
IF you are. only as fortunate as have
been," murmured Marie, whose name, by
the way, was really Frances johnson, as
she parted with Mary.
Sometimes a matter of persecution
proves for the best, and brings a happy
contamination which might not have been
gained otherwise. This seemed to be the
case in regard to the fortunes of the Shop
ley family. The son, who had lived so
long with the Indians as to become a
faithful subject, and who saw his sister
leave him with little or no evidence of
emotion, was believed by the French to
have been an assistant in getting away
the captives from Beaumanoir, and he was
thus put under the ban of the power at
Quebec. He was in fact seized, and would
have been put to death, had not friend
rescued him. From that hour his bitter
ness against French power grew stronger,
and as this increased he wondered more
and more if what the white maiden, who
had once been his captive, had said was
true. He had long known he was not a
full-blooded Indian.
He was in this state of mind when the
Forester, who went ahead to see him be-
fore his mother Should make the ardous
journey, found him and it required far
less persuasion than the astute scout had
anticipated to get him to go back with
him.
l need not attempt to picture that re-
union, any more than have tried to paint
the joy which had come to all of those
who had been restored to the arms of
friends. They had suffered, and their re-
jOicing was commensurate with what they
had endured. Were there no trials there
certainly would be no triumphs in life. |
So were there no sufferings little, if any,
happiness would fall to mortal lot.
The return to their respective homes |
was made in safety, and with that pecu-
liar and abiding faith in better things |
these frontier families went about restor-
ing their shattered fortunes, unmindful of |
the stern threatenings of further trouble |
with that race which became such plant |
tools in the hands Of the French.
Eden HarwoOd and Mary Shepley were
married soon after their return, to set |
about housekeeping and forest-clearing at |
once. A few years later Robert Shepley,
who had become good citizen, married |
Frances johnson, and they found home
close by their relatives. 1t is needless,
perhaps, to say that two little worn, wood
en- ladies', which had been SO instrumental |
in bringing about this good fortune, were |
kept in the families as precious heirlooms
One of these that which tho IN ntiya how |