The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-03-20
CHAPTER XII.

was a prisoner, who now reclined against
small hickory tree. Her silken gown Is
torn and soiled by the thorns and bushes
through which she has been led, and the
thin shoes are worn through till the feet
have become sore and bleeding; for the
way she has come has been a hard one.
and many sharp bramble has bestrewn
the path. But she rests now. The flames
dart up from fire near at hand. Sick
and faint. she sinks down upon the soft
messy bed at the foot OF the tree, and
ere long all her dangers and troubles are
forgotten In sleep.
The fair prisoner ever and anon starts
up with frightful dreams, until at length,
when the night is far spent, she is arous-
ed by strange SQUADS near at hand, amid
which she can distinguish the clash Of
arms and the hum Of angry voices. The
Idea OF escape breaks upon her mind. A
moment she gazes around, and she secs
men in conference about her. with weap-
ons drawn, and voices raised as II in am
ger She moves only a step, and a hand
Is laid upon her shoulder. A stout Chick
asaw holds her fast and tells her she
cannot escape. In a moment more the
Chickasaw is pushed rudely aside, and
Louise looks up into the moon-lit face of
Simon Loboisl
"Hap he cries. with well-assumed as.
tonishment, "and was my suspicion cor
rect? Have | found my beloved thus
dragged away by ruthless savages? Early
this morning a runner brought the news
to New Orleans that white girl was be-
ing carried off by the Chickasaws, and
that their trail bent towards the great
lake. A mystic voice whispered thy name
in my ear. Why it was know not; but
| started, and have found thee. Look
up, sweet Louise, for thou art safe. Thou
art rescuedV
The maden's first emotion seemed to
be to shrink from the white man, but in
q moment more she gave him her hand
And am l free from these savages?"
she asked. gazing first into Simon's face
and then upon the motley crew about her.
"Ay, thou art, Louise. Do you not see
that they are all quelled? Heaven must
have directed me to this spot. Fear no
more, for thou shalt be safe with me-"
Under any other circumstances, Louise
might have been frantic with Joy at such
salutation, but now she was moved by so
many conflicting doubts that the coming
Of the rescuers seemed to move her but
little. BY the bright moonlight she could
see the crew about her, and they did not
look like deadly enemies. No one was
wounded, nor did any one appear to be
hurt. To be sure. there had been the
sound Of strife, but it may have only been
a mock battle after all. At any rate, so
ran the maiden's thoughts, though she
kept them to herself.
Come" continued Simon, after wait
ing some moments for an answer that
he did not receive-"come with me now.
The savages will not dare to harm you
more, nor will they dare molest u.s."
Louise suffered herself to be led to the
shore Of the lake. and there she found
two boats In waiting. She had been seat
ed In one of them when the chief of the
Chickasaw party came down and called
Simon back. A bitter smile stole over
the maiden's face as she saw this, and
her suspicious were well confirmed when
she saw Lobois follow the red man up
the bank. But the cousin returned in
few moments, and having seated himself
by the side OF Louise, the boats were
manned and showed off.
"The red dog wanted me to promise
that would not expose his crime to the
Governor" said Simon. after the boats
had got we'll into the lake. Il would
have made them all prisoners, only that
/ feared you might be harmed in the
melee. You did not notice how we came
upon them. and what first occurred, did
youT" Simon gazed sharply into his
companions face as he thus spoke. as
though he would read any Suspicion she
might hold.
''i saw nothing until was grasped by
the shoulder" she truthfully replied, ''for
| was sound asleep when you came.p
80 thought. But will explain: One
Of the men who accompanied me knew
the various trails that lead to the lake,
and he guided us here. We landed, and
we found the Indians asleep, all save
one; but they were upon their feet by
the time we were up with them, and |
saw that some of them had guns. At
that moment | espied you asleep upon
the ground. In an instant forbade my
men to fire. for | feared you might be
hit. | told the leader of the Indians that
he was discovered, and that If he did not
give up his prisoner, would have the
whole French force down upon his peo-
pie before another sun had set. And |
furthermore told him that il he would
quietly deliver up the maiden, we would
not harm him. A scuffle ensued between
some Of the red men and two Of my COM
panlons, but we quickly stopped it, and
the Indians agreed to give you up If we
would let them depart in peace. l con-
sented, and-you know the rest. Was it
not fortunate that heard the report this
morning g2-and was 1t not very fortunate
that heaven whispered to me that you
might be the prisonerT
ut was very fortunate" returned Lou
Use.
"And perhaps you think It was
strange" added Simon. But yet had
some ground for the fear. The runner
told me that the Indians were on the
Tickfah trail. and | could think of no
place from whence they could have
brought a young white maiden captive
In that direction save from the estate of
our father. | say our father, for surely
he has been a father to me. The more
| thought Of the matter, the more con-
hrmed my fears became. A French ship
lay in the river, and | easily hired some
Of her men to come with me. o, Louise,
do you realize how great is the blessing
thus fallen upon youi What must have
been your fate had not found you as
didT
But the maiden did not reply. She
was thinking how fimsy and improbable
was the story her companion had told.
and she wondered IL he thought her such
a slmpleton as TO believe all he said.
DO you realize what fate must have
been yoursT' Simon urged. "a death
OF torture, or a life OF misery"
Il know the Indians are sometimes re-
vengeful, but / do not think they would
have murdered a defenseless girl" said
Louise.
"Ah, you do not know them. You do
not know these Chickasaws. They are
monsters Of crueltYr'
And yet they have been very hind IN