The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-02-27

slowly up the hillside, and crept down
| towards the corn field On they moved,
like specters in the moonlight, until they
neared the high barricade, and then set
tied lower down and erept on like huge
cats approaching their prey. Straight
they moved towards the postern, and
there they lay, beneath the wooden wall,
and listened to the merry voices from
within. Soon one Of them arose to his
feet. He was in the shade of the wall,
but yet the many colored paint upon his
| dark skin could be seen, and the dusky-
browed warrior was no more concealed.
They were ALA score of them-painted
in the same fantastic manner, and the
same dusky hue marked the brow Of
each. He who had arisen to his feet pro-
duced something from his pouch, and
applied II to the lock OF the heavy post
ern. 1t was keyI And how came that
child of the forest by the key Of st. Ju-
liens gate?
The shouts now come from the garden.
Hark! Yes--they are all there upon the
other side of the house. They have just
found Goupart, and are now dragging
him forth from his hiding place.
Carefully the Indian turns the key In
the lock, but the gate is fastened within.
The heavy bolt has been surely thrown
back, and yet the gate opens not. But
there is no time to be lost. The red men
whispered together a moment, and then
one OF them bends upon his knees, and
when a second has mounted upon his
Il n L hnfb fol
men, but he who stands upon his com.
panion's shoulders cannot quite reach the
tops of the stout pickets. Another man
stands firmly by the side of the lower one
and then he above places one foot upon
the second shoulder thus offered him.
Now a third man springs nimbly up, and
having mounted upon the shoulders OF
him who stands thus elevated he gains
the top of the barricade, and in a mo-
ment more he drops upon the ground
within. Soon the postern Is opened and
six men enter, leaving the remaining ones
without, and then the gate Is almost
closed, and thus held, so that 1t can be
opened when need comes.
Away towards the stable these specters
glide, and soon they are hidden; for they,
too, will play at the game that the pale
faces have set on foot.
Many times had Goupart hidden. and
as many times had he been easily found.
And now he and the marquis chose to
hide together, and after a deal of shout
ing the brother and sister pull them out
from behind the thick cluster Of vines
that grow against the garden fence. Next
Louis and Louise scamper away, laugh
ing and clapping their hands, for the
utter delight of the father, when they
purposely let him find them, has warmed
them into almost a frenzy Of joy.
"Stop-stopw cried the marquis. as his
children start. isn't 1t becoming too
damp for you LouiseT
20, mol Never fear for me-"
But the dew is now fairly wet upon
the grass, and l fear you'll take cold
"No-no, fatherF' cries the joyous girl.
Don't let the first chill frighten you"
"Well--go this once, and then wen
go In. I'm growing chill and cold"
"Ay-you shall have job before you
find us. Now watch for the word"
Away they went towards the barn,
and as they turned the angla Of the
house. and were thus lost to sight, Gou-
part remarked:
1T is growing cold"
"Ay," returned the old man. "This dew
is falling fast, for can feel the damp
ness on my feet. While we were excited
| did not feel 1t. But | can stand it,
only l feared that Louise might take
some cold; and you know that would not
be pleasant"
NO" said Goupart-and the tone OF
bis voice showed that he, too, had enter
tained some fears. "Harkp he added.
II think heard them CALL All, they've
got some deep hiding place this time, for
| heard the voice as though 1t were
stifled. But we'lI find them. Gomez
And away they ran towards the point
from which the voice had proceeded.
They searched all around the barn, under
the cart, in the straw, behind the doors;
and then they went to the stable, and
here, too. they overhauled everything
they could move, the old man even mov-
ing board that lay against the fence.
"They must have slipped around into
the garden" said Goupart.
And so back to the garden they turned.
They hunted and hunted, but the hiders
could not be found.
"It's getting too late" said the mar
quis, at length. 81 think l must call
them"
an give up In welcome" returned
Goupart ''for I'm sure l should never
find them. Shall l call to themT
"Yes."
So Goupart shouted that he gave up
the game.
II give up!' he cried, at the top of his
voice. "Come, Louisr
He waited few moments, expecting to |
be assailed with burst Of joking at his |
want Of success. The smile was already |
on his face, and the exclamation with |
which to meet the hidden ones was upon
his lips all ready for utterance. But no
one came.
"They could not heve heard" suggested
st. Julien.
"Ah," uttered Goupart, "they must
have gone into the house."
$50 they have" said the father. "rhats
hardly fair. They ought to have spoken
to us. But Wen find some way to pun
ish them"
They then went into the house, but
neither was there.
why, it's funny-isn't 1t. GOupartT
"It Is, surely"
III start up some Of the boys"
And accordingly, half dozen Of the
men were sent out in different parts Of
the enclosure to inform the hiders that
the game was up. But they returned
bootless. 1t was old Tony who announc-
ed that they couldn't be found. The
marquis gazed upon Goupart, and Gou-
part gazed upon the marquis. and thus
they stood for some moments.
do You think any danger can have
befallen them" whispered the youth,
with trembling lip.
Il don't think there could" returned
the old man. nervously. "But we must
search"
In a very few moments the whole
was IN alarm. The startling
adventure with the Indians some time
before had prepared the minds OF the