The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-03-20


ladine Of the wagons.
n Joe had known In what direction
20 pursue thc cowardly and blood
thirsty Indians, he would certainly
have followed them single-handed and
alone, but. fortunately for himself,
perhaps, he hud no skill or experience
In following blind trails, and was COM
PEELED TO abandon the pursuit. Grief
stricken, almost heartbroken. he made
his way back To the nearest settle
ment. where he told the tragic story
Of his loss, and vainly endcavored to
raise party To accompany him In an
attempt To rescue his abducted love.
and take revenge on the murderers
Of her relatives. The settlement could
not spare men enough to venture
safely upon such an crrnnd.
As the last atroc;iy was. however,
but one OF n long series of such fcnd-
ish deeds, the government. after some
delay. sent n detachment to punish
the guilty tribe, md Joe found means
To join IL as a volunteer scout. But
his opportunities for revenge were
scanty. and he was unable TO get
any tidings of Millic. when the saw
ages sued for peace, and obtained H.,
on the usual favorable terms.
For some time he continued to
make researches. hut without avail.
Al the Indians with whom he was
able to converse, denied that there
were any white women cnptivcs In
s..l fus thn,,
Determined to remain near the spot
where the massacre occurred. In the
hope Of eventually succeeding in his
quest. he secured the contract to
carry the mails To and from Ioscvale.
| then newly founded. and In this occu-
patton he had made himself so useful
| to the inhabitants OF the village that
| they felt almost ms anxious for him
as for their letters and newspapers,
and would have regarded his loss
| from any cause of an almost irrcpar-
able calamity. He was wont also To
act as cxpressman and general pur-
chasing agent for the village, and
many n much-needcd article, unpur-
chasablc at the village store. was
brought by his trusty hands from
afar. On nearly every trip he had a
number of commissions TO execute,
and many Of the village matrons were
ready to aver that they could not
keep house without his assistance
thus rendered.
On the evening mentioned at the
CONNER cncement OF our story, Joe did
not keep his patrons long In sus.
pensc. The more tardy ones had
barely reached the post Office when
n cloud Of dust In the enstern hori-
zon gave the signal Of his approach,
and ere long he was unstrnpping his
mail bags. and at the same time ex'
chnnging greetings with his friends.
whats the news, Joe?" asked an
inquisitivc citizen.
Indians" answered Joe, briefly
81 did not see them. but ! saw plenty
~ their signs"
"Are they ON the warpathV'
That's the report, and think II IL
true"
"Arc we In danger hcre?"
"Not ut present, think. They
haven't masscd their forces, and foi
"a few weeks. at least. will content
themselves with rnidiDg outlying
ranches and waylayine small trains o'
emigrants and travellers, and perhaps
mail carriers
"You'rc not afraid, are you, Jo"?"
"No, indeed: but ! shall be much
disappointed IL the red rascals permit
me To make any more trips In peace
and quietncss. ! think ! should rather
EN- Joy n brush with them II they gave
: me fair show; but there are n goot
many places ON the road where the,
might ambush and kill me before
had chance to make any defense"
: Don't you think, joe" said II stou
= mntror, "you had better lay OFT for |
trip ar two, til we see what the In
dams are going To do? We hnd bette
! miss our mails for "A while than los
you"
: "rimc enough for me to lay oi
when ann dead or disabled" reptile,
! Joe. dryly. "rhe post Office depar,
mcnt expects inc To do my duty, an
, ! shan't disappoint H."
e And he started with his wear
= horses To secure the refrcshmcnt an
] rest which he and they So much need
: ed. BY his side walked Mabel Stevens
\ n young lady whom everybody sal
r would make n good match for Jo'
h II he would only R,,c up his futil
I search for Millle Stacey, and max
!. the best Of what chance and mi
q chance had thrown IN his way.
G Joe boarded with her father whc
u In the village, and Mabel, an unusunll
= well-bred and intelligent girl, was Ia
> dearest friend. She sympathizcd decI
II ~ with his misfortune, and was, pc
= haps, the only one who continued
d encourage him in his efforts to r
:, cover the lost. She entertained gre;
IL admiration and esteem for Joe, M
l. unminglcd with affection, which, HOY
Y ever, was Of an unselfish nnd rath'
u sistcrly character. She devoted mut
II time and care In making him cor
n Portable, and diyerting,his mind fro
the grief that might otherwise ha
l. consumed him, and he was not u
A. grateful. He returned her sister
" tenderness with n brothers though
a. full kindness; and neither OF them III
~ any expectation of u closer rclatio