Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-04-30
|WhitGHand|
"a Tale Of The Early Settlers ;
E Of Louisiana. +;
BY AUSTIN G. BuRDIcK +;
CuApTER XTX.-lcontlnued.I !

and having sazed into his face few mo.
tnentn. ha ghid.
white Iiand. you once gave me an
oath, but from all oaths you have ever
given me ! now absolve you, C0qualla
has told me all, She has told me, how
true you are In heart, and how yet you
long for the home Of your childhood. |
do not think your father has fallen Ia
this general massacre, for his place IL
strong. and the red men owe him no
grudge, Yet he may have fallen with
the rest if he has, YOU may sometime
find opportunity TO reach your native
land. But you are under no oath now.
or what has now happened ! viii not
speak, only 10 say that you cannat see
nor understand oil that has led lis TO this
fearful work. The story OF the white
mans fuie Is everywhere the same.
Where tribe. or people, have made
peace aud accepted the friendship OF the
French. they have become weak and
puny. White Hand, | have strange
love for thee, but hate thy people. And
that thy father almost hates them too
has drawn my heart towards him. Bnt
we could not see our people being grad.
ually swept away. and our homes torn
from Us, without striking this blow. Yet
Stung Serpent has fallen. The bullet OF
the white man has found his life. But
hc dies content. The white man has fall
On, too"
The old chiefiaIn sank back exhausted
as he ceased speaking, and for some mo-
mcnts he remained with his eyes closed.
When he opened them again. White
Hand spoke.
''My father" he said. ''ere the hand or
death has done It's work upon thee, wilt
thou not tell me why | was taken from
my fathers housel Surely you cannot
object TO tell me all nowY'
mo, my child, ! have no objections.
for | never promised not 20 tell. And
when I seat for thee now, | meant 20
tell thee all DO you remember when
your father met me in the woods near
his dwellingT'
Yes" returned White Hand, bending
over with enger interest.
We'll, had then been to see Simon
L0b0ls by some means he learned that
] was down the river, and he sent for
me. He had heard that was savage
chieftaln, and lover of gold met him
in the woods, and he proposed TO me
that ! should seize 81. Julicn's son and
slay him, and for this he offered to pay
me hundred pieces OF gold. But
spurned the offer aud left him. ] came
home. and told my brother what Lobois
had said to ME, and he ponderGd upon
the subject In new light. You know
the Natehcz often send messengers to
he 4 Anta nh fha hoA
wished to send white messenger TO the
white mans God, even as we told you
when you first came here, At length |
fell In with his views, and knew OF no
one whose spirit would be .surer cf al.
mission to your Sod than the spirit OF
Louis st. Julien, for knew him to be Il
good youth. So returned TO your faith
er's house and saw Lobois Agan, and he
told me he had hired party of Chicka-
saws to kill you, but that you and your
companion had killed them all-six OF
them. then offered to do what he wish
ed. But this time his wants had receiv-
ed an addition. He not only wanted the
son killed, hut he wanted the daughter
captured and carried off towards New
Orleans. ! agreed to this; but ! made
him give me written promise to pay
me the money when the work should be
done He hesitated at first, but at length
he wrote the pledge and signed Il; an
then 1t was arranged that Louise should
be left upon the bank OF Lake Pontchar-
train, at the end of the middle trail, and
pledged myself to take You with me and
kill you, for you know this had been my
purpose In seeking you.'
"But the paper-the pledge-you had
of Lobois--where Is it?" uttered White
Hand.
1T is safe. Coqualla, go to my closet,
and you will find II In the oaken casket."
The princess went, and in the box she
found the paper, which she handed to
her father. He took 1t, and having open
ed It, he handed 1t to White Hand, say
ing, as he did so:
'Here-it Is yours, And now all ask
is pardon"
For all that you have done to me-"
murmured the youth, IT pardon you
from the bottom of my soul; for you may
have been an instrument In the hands OF
heaven for saving my life. Had you not
taken me, another would, and should
not have lived. So l shall, after all, re-
member Stung Serpent with more of
gratitude than of complaint or anger"
"Do you mean thatT
II do"
Stung Serpent raised himself upon his
elbow, and caught the youth by the hand.
"CoQualIa," he whispered, where art
thoup
Here, my father"
"I have been kind to thee If it lays
in thy power, help White Hand to his
people. Is 1t Coqualla see"
"Yes. Are you faintT"
"Faint? Stung Serpent faint2 No!
Up, warriors of the Natchez, and strike
for your homes! Who shall fear the das-
tards now2 My braves, remember the
trophies you have won under Stung Ser
pent's lead. Strike-strike, now, for your
honor, your homes, and for the tombs of
your ancestors! Sink your blades to the
pole, and leave not man of them all to
tell their king the tale! Now! Onto
the deathp
One long, loud warcry followed this
paroxysm, and as 1t ended in a low, gurg-
ling sound, the ohieftain sank back. Co
qualla moved to his side and knelt over
him, and in moment more the loud cfles
of the women rent the air, for Stung Ser,
pent was dead!
CHAPTER Xxx.
There was CONSERVATION for a while in
the village of the White Apple when 1t
was known that Stung Serpent was
dead, for he had been an important man
amnnU the Nntcl AZ Al the and Of four