Evening star., 1903-08-13

picious tribes to listen to reason and to re-
turn to their reservations. This for long
days, however, seemed impossible. The
tragic death of Raven Shield. most popular
of the young chiefs. struck down. as they
claimed. when he was striving only to de-
fend NatZie, daughter of a revered leader,
had stirred the savages to furious reprisals,
and nothing but the instant action of the
troops in covering the valley had saved
the scattered settlers from universal mas
sacre. Enough had been done by one band
alone to thrill the west with horror. but
these had fled southwark into Mexico and
were safe beyond the border. The settlers
were slowly creeping back now to their
abandoned homes. and one after another
the little field detachments were marching
to their accustomed stations. Sandy was
filling up again with something besides the
broken down and wounded
First to some IN was StOuts triumphant
half hundred. the happiest family of horse
and foot, commingled, ever seen upon the
to reach and rescue Angela, beloved daugh-
ter Of the regiment. and Blakely who had
well-nigh sacrificed himself In the effort to
find and save her Stout and his thirty
"doughboys," Brewster. the sergeant. with
his twenty troopers. had been welcomed
by the entire community as the heroes Of
the brief campaign. but Stout would none
Of their adulation
There is the one you should thank and
bless. said he, bis eyes turning to where
stood Natzie. sad and silent, watching the
attendants who were lifting Neil Blakely
from the litter to the porch of the COM
They had brought her in with them. Lola
and Alchisay as well-the last two scowl-
ing ana suffen. but ruled by the chieftatn's
daughter. They had loaded her with praise
and thanks, but she paid no heed Two
hours after Stout and his troopers had
reached the cliff and driven away the mur-
darous band OF renegades-Tontos and
Apache Yumas-bent on stealing her cap
fNAr hnd
own kindred in answer to her signals. but
these would have been much too late.
Blakely would have been butchered. An
geia and her benefactors. too. would prob
ably have been the Victims Of their cap
tors. Natzie could look for no mercy from
them now. Through Wales Arneld, the
captain and his men had little by little
learned the story Of Natzie's devotion. In
people. B1akely was greater even than the
famous big chief. Crook. the Gray Fox,
who had left them. ordered to other duties
but the year gone by. Blakely had quickly
agent. Biakeiy had given fair trial to and
saved the life Of Mariana. that fiery broth
er. who, ironed by the former agents
orders. had with HIS shackled hands struck
Blakely had won their undying gratitude.
and Stout and Arnold saw now why it was
that one young brave, at least. could not
share the love his people bore for Gran
NdPkt8u D1dACO-tudl Ot10 Wd8 @kuOnOtQaY-
the Chief Raven Shield. They saw now
why poor Natzie had no heart to give her
Indian lover.
They saw now why 1t was that Natzie
wandered from the agency and lowered for
some days before the outbreak there around
the post It was to be near the young white
chief whom she well-nigh worshiped, whom
she had been accustomed to see every day
OF her Life during his duties at the agency
They saw now why 1t was the savage giri
had dared the vengeance Of the Apaches
by the rescue Of Angela. She believed her
to be Blake1y's sister, yet she could not give
the reason why. They knew very little of
Nell BlakeIy. but what they did know made
them doubt that he could ever. have been
the one at fault. Over this problem both
ranchman and soldier. Arnold and Stout
looked grave indeed It was not like Blake
~ that he should make victim of this
young Indian girl. She was barely sixteen.
said Arnold. who knew her Veople WELL She
had never been alone with Biakely said
her kinsfolk. who came that night In an
swer to her signais. She had saved Angela,
believing her to be Blakely's own blood,