St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-10-17
| THE RETURN OF
! * ALTOONAH. *
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS lVTlN1lJt5lN
BY LUCY BAKER JEROME.


4 STRETCH of barren sand, cactus
n barred, haze-blurred with heat
the faint blue simmer of foothills OF
the edge of the horizon, and abov,
them grim, gaunt ridges of the noun
tain lands, rising in giant chaos, stee]
on steep.
A solitary figure on the edge of tn,
vast salt basin of the desert dragged
itself YEARLY to where the mule team
lay painting in the dust, and drawing
his sheath knife, cut the traces clean
~ at the ends. The animals stared
duly at him with glazed eyes, and thu
Indian, rising to his superb height
scanned the lava sands from under
lowering brows. He had driven fas
and far across those burning sands, anl
the mules had paid the penalty of his
escape. Far to the left in a haze Of
blue steel rays lay the Indian reser.
walton, but only the white desolatior
of the salt depression broke the dead
level of the plain.
The pack wagon, left to itself, stood
motionless, an ominous portent to the
eye, and the Indian, with last sweep.
ing glance about him. plunged dog
gedly forward through the brilliant
glare.
Within the reservation was excite
ment, all the more felt because it was
suppressed. The older troopers were
grimly buckling on their saddles In
obedience to the curt order to company
A, while the less seasoned men and
raw recruits were swearing blindly at
a government which would send out
60 men for loose Indian on a day
like this.
Hell stop at Pascas all right,
vouchsafed Hinton, keen trailer and
sure shot, whose opinions were gen.
orally respected.
"Pascas be bowed" spoke up the
opposition man of the troop, Putnam,
who opposed on principle every state
ment that was made, and who spent
his time in endeavoring to catch up
with quicker minds.
HE WILL" persisted Hinton. THAT
girl-whats her name? Altoonah-
she's down there, and Eagle Wind
knows it. Mighty fine girl she was,
too; Eagle Winds just loco to see her, y
he added in lower tones.
''Who are you talking about? That
girl Altoonah?" gruf11y asked third
man, turning in his saddle as he can
tered easily by. "She's going to be
married Kirkham down at the post.
Know him, any Of you fellows?'
The men were in their saddles now,
and the mustangs were covering the
country with the long, easy lope of
the cavalry mount 1t was two in the
afternoon. and the hot, white sand was
unbearable.
"Jingo!" exclaimed one of the
troopers, slackening his rein as he
gazed woefully ahead, where for miles
and miles lay the interminable glisten-
ing sands. II wouldn't take this chase
again for the biggest Indian in the
country. Why not let him loose, any
how? What's the odds?"
"He'd make mischief" responded the
other CURLY. 1--WE won't find him any
way. He's had two days start. Neat,
wasn't it, the way he Unanswered to
get to the salt basin, and then walked
OFF,"
''He was A Number up to the
time he left" commented Hinton. rid
ing up alongside, "but when he gets to
Guaymas therell be the devil to pay.
Wouldn't care to cross Eagle Wind my
self just now" he ended, smiling grim
ly.
At seven the captain ordered halt.
Shading his eyes with his soft cavalry
hat, he looked long and searchingly In
every direction. Then he waved q
gauntleted hand toward the troop.
Back to the reservation, boys" he
said, gloomily.
The little town of Pascas lay quiet
in the clear moonlight, when shadow
emerged from one of its narrow, ILL
paved streets only to lose itself in the
deeper shadow of an archway. Feeling
its way cautiously along the rough,
adobe houses, the shadow reached
point where it wavered. hesitated,
stopped. The musical tinkle of gui-
tar was audible, and close at hand
the shadow, suddenly developed into
q muscular, brawny-limbed Indian,
heard voices. He melted into the
blackness of a projection as Kirkham
and the girl, supple half-breed with
haunting eyes Of Indian fire passed
him.
Kirkham's careless glance swept the
shadows on either side, but the girls
eyes sought his and he failed to see
the Indian standing like lone sentinel
of fate in the inner circle of the dark,
nor did he observe the backward glance
of the girl even while her hand trem-
bled in his. Altoonah suddenly
paused