Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-17

And now it was "single-footer'' coming
| the only one in Sandy. OF course, 1T might
be Hart, not Blakely, and yet Blakely had
| seen her as she rode away. 1t was Blake
! ly's voice-how seldom she had heard, yet
1 how we'll she knew it-answerfng the joyous
! welcome of the hounds. 1t was Blakely
! who came riding straight in among the will
! lows. radiance in his thin and lately pal
| lid face-Blakely who quickly, yet awk-
| wardly, dismounted, for 1t still caused him
| pain. and then, forgetful of his horse, came
! yet tremulous. The hand that sought hers
| fairly shook, but that, said Angela, though
| she well knew better, might have been from
| weakness or from riding. For moment he
| did not speak. 1t was she who began. She
| thought he should know at once.
Did you-hear her singing-too?' she
| hazarded
| "Hear-who?" ne replied, grudgingly let
| such determination.
''Why-Natzie, 1 suppose. At least-I
! haven't seen her." she stammered, her
| cheeks all crimson now.
Matte, indeed!' he answered, in sur
! prise, turning slowly and studying the OPP
posite willows. 1T is only a day or two
since they came in. I thought she'd soon
be down." Obviously her coming caused
him neither embarrassment nor concern.
She still has note case of mine I sup
pose you heard?" And his clear blue eyes
were fastened on her lovely, downcast face.
Something. Not much" she answered,
to her she could have heard the beating of
his heart-but for her own. All was silence
over there in the opposite willows, but so
1t was the day Matte had so suddenly ap-
ried glance she sent across the pool.
Has she worried your he began. has
she been-?'-spying, he was going to say
and she knew 1t. and grew redder still
with vexation. Matte could cle ~, at least
that she was not without shining exam
pie had she come there to spy, but Blakely
had that to say to her that deserved I'M
divided attention, and there is time when
even ones preserver and greatest bene-
factor may be de trop.
'Will you wait-one moment?" he sud
denly asked. TN go to the rocks yonder
and call her." and then. almost as sudden
ly, the voice was again uplifted in the
same weird. barbaric song, and the singer
had gone from the depths Of the opposite
thicket and was somewhere farther up
stream. still hidden from their gaze-still.
possibly. ignorant of Angela's presence.
The brown eyes were at the moment fol-
lowing the tall, white form, moving slowly
through the winding. faintly-worn pathway
toward the upper shadows where, like
stepping stones, the big rocks stretched
from shore to shore, and she was startled
to note that the moment the song began
he stopped short a second or two, listened
intently, then almost Sprang forward in his
haste to reach the crossing. Another minute
and he was out of sight among the shrub
berry. Another, and she heard the single
shot of a revolver, and there he stood at
the rocky point, smoking pistol in his
hand. Instantly the song ceased, and then
his voice was uplffted, calling, Matte!
Natzie" With GREATNESS interest Angela
gaZed and. presently parting the shrubbery
with her little brown hands, the Indian
girl stepped forth into the light and stood
in silence. her great black eyes fixed
mournfully upon him. Could this be their
the commanding? Could this be the fierce
lissome. pantherlike creature before whose
blow two of their stoutest men had fallen?
There was detection inexpressible in her
very attitude. There was no longer bravery
or adornment in her dress. There was no
more of aueen-of chieftain's daughterLin
this downcast child Of the desert.
He called again. ''Natzie," and held forth
his hand. Her head had dropped upon her
breast, but once again, she looked upon
him. and then. with one slow, hesitant.
backward glance about her. stepped for
ward her little, moccasined feet fitting
from rock to rock across the murmuring
shadows until she stood before him. Then
he spoke. but she only shook her head and
let 1T droop again. her hands passively
clasping. He knew too little of her tongue
to plead with her. He knew, perhaps, too
little of womankind to appreciate what he
was doing. Finding words useless, he gent
ly took her hand and drew her with him,
and passively she obeyed, and for a mo-
ment they disappeared from Angela's view.
Then presently the TALL white form came
again in sight. slowly leading the unresist
Ing child. until in another moment. they
stepped within the little open space among
the willows At the same instant Angela
arose and the daughter of the soldier and
the daughter of the savage, the one with
timid yet hopeful welcome and greeting in
her lovely face. the other with sudden amaze.
scorn, passion and Jealous fury in her burn
ing eyes. stood a breathless moment con-
fronted. Then all in a second, with one
half stihed inaxticuiate cry. Matte wrench
ed her hand from that of Blakely, and, with
the spring Of tigress, bounded away. just