The National tribune., 1902-10-09

CHING FOR THE FRIGHTENED LITTLE ONE.
he was that clus-mouthed tha' all could
learn was he had seen Jamie that day,
an he had ne'er been DER civil.
'Twa e'ens later Christie did ma COON
hame at his usual hour. an l had to
been full an hour Ger the village steeple,
an then he ne'er seemed like himself.
| When COON to question him he suddenly
! said, as il the thought had just COON to
him that he thought we might mind our
fortune by goin' to Ameriky. He said
| many were goin', and they were sending
back word for others to follow. This
scenes had always known made me for
get tn worry in my heart. Christie did
not speak o this ag in, though it kept COM
in into my min, for / could see he was
thinkin' O. it. Ane cen, when Christie
was ag'in late-oh, SO late that my heart
was ready to break--Jamie Clair COON
to the cot. He was sac changed and
| wild-loOkin' that was frightened. When
1 asked him wha' he wanted. he scowled
at me, and muttered that had brought
| it all on him! Then he asked me for
Christie. l ne'er answered yea nor nay,
but asked him what he wanted O. him.
HE has kilt my darling sister, Berta,'
| he said in tone 1 have ne'er forgot, and
| then he cried like a cheel. Then, in SYM
pathy for him, took his hand, an kindly
asked him what he meant. When he had
grown calmer, he told me that Christie,
my husband, had killed his sister at their
hame under the mountains.
1T was more n l could believe, an
tellin' him Christie was coomin' hame by
tn auld path on the bank O. tn burn,
when l knew he generally COON by the
heathwood-God forgi' me for the lie, il
| it was such-I see him gang his way in
mood which meant harm to my husband
if he met him. Then, throwing on my
hood an kirtle, l sped as fast as my feet
could take me to meet Christie. He was
frightened at my appearance, an when
COON to tell what Jamie had said, he
was dumb. But when fell OH my knees,
with clasped hands, begged him to tell
me the truth, he found his speech enough
| to say it was true! But it was done with
ne'er evil in the heart. jamie who had
driven him to bitterness wi his taunts.
tried to shoot him, an in firing in self
defense tn shot killed puir Berta, who
had rushed ateen tn mad couple Just s
my Christie fired. l ne'er blamed him
now, for l knew only too weeI o. Jamie's
headstrong will, but I could see only ell
would come out O. tn affair sadder in that
which had COON: Then l thought o. what
had been said o. coOmin' to Ameriky, and
said we had better gang alang. .
1T was late when We got back to our
iestle hame that night, and it ne'er had
looked sa sweet twa me, but Christie an
had decided to leave it forever. We
ne'er felt like sleepin', so while we plan
ned we picked up tn few things we had to
take wi US, an in tn mornin' we bade
adieu to father an mither, an VII sich
sorrer Mt my heart as 1 had ne'er felt
| l could know, We twa' started alone on
our lang journey. ..
"On reachin' tn new country we fell
in wi some o our countrymen, an in
,sr -
we Jared better than we'd expected. But
it was hard times wi us. iva children
were given us, and then ta'en away. Ane
Summer day jamie, who we had hoped
had forgot US, COON! He looked darker
uglier n e'er before, showin' he had been
nursing his wrong all the years. Christie
did not meet him, and to save himself
frae sich a meeting he hid away, till Onr
inemy had gone. Christie had seemed to
lose all his old-time bauldness an to
please him l consinted to move ag'in. So
we COON this way, where we ha' lived
for twa years. Baby came, the clearin'
began to look more cheerful an hame-
like, an l was gettin' to think my .sorrer
was Der. But tn very afternoon We COON,
few minutes before, Christie COON into
the cabin, an takin' his gun frae its neg.
said he was gOin' out to meet him who
had hunted him sa lang. Christie had
grown to be Of few words. an said moth
ing. lie canHd Know now anxious !
hearkened and waited. There was ma re-
port O tn weapon, an then Christie COON
back for another gun. He'd jess TUX this
an started for tn woods ag'in, when the
injuns give their cries, ye COON, an know
tn rest as well as 1. What has ta'en
place aiming tn Injuns nowY
The question was caused BY the sud.
den awakening Of the Indians, who sprang
to their feet instantaneously. The next
moment runner appeared on the scene.
though what his coming would have to
do with their fate was matter of specu-
lation for the captives.
CHAPTER XIII.
LIFE AT STAKE
The Indian runner, it was evident to
the listening captives. had some important
message TO deliver, though all they could
| catch Of his terse speech were the words
wolf deYil.n which had NO meaning 10