Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-12-11

dog that skulka at the door she IL or
dered from. a dog hat eats crumbs
from an cnemy's table. Yah! Yah!
Yah!"
Yous:s Bear face expressed admira-
ton.
Good suuaw, Wa.rna; fine Hquaw!"
he said, With a serv,ls smile which
filled me with rage, the light of Young
Bears eyes"
The discreet agent had me away
from the place In no time. His policy
was to keep on friendly terms with
this big Pete Dodge, the most influen-
tial Indian on the Ponoka rcserve.
1t was a sad case, yes, a sad case.
An case, too, for they were
a law-abiding lot on the reserve. Tho
man had evidently tired of wife num-
Der one, and divorced her according to
a fashion Of his own. He had turned
againskher on the death of their only
child, a bright youngster. Dodge was
off in a roundup when the child took
i'll. Gossips-squaws are inveterate
| gossips-told him that Lala had neg
lected It,. lie accused her OF causing
its death. Later he discarded her and
took up with Watona.
But why do you not in,erfcre?' l
demanded. Gould he not be pun
ished?"
He gave me a droll smile. Never
stir up a hornets nest unless you're
hunting trouble" he answered cyasive-
ly.
This was in early summer. when the
prairie grass was green and the wild
strawberries white with bloom. Tho
sequel to the story anne when the sky
was rose and turquoise above the har-
vest field, and the corn Haunting It's
tassels in the breeze.
An illness had broken out among tho
Indians at White Whale Lake, a dead
ly illness. First a chill seemed to
strike to the heart of the victim. then
a fever to burn and burn-then The
end. 1t was enough to alright the
PonOka reserve when the word went
abroad that Young Bear had been
stricken. The Indian Is almost %invari-
ably "a coward of disease. There was
a fitting. Young Bear laid him down
Oh HIS D'u VI DDup1S one sou HupnS
day when the sun was hot and tho
trees smelling Of pitch and balsam. He
woke after what seemed to him a long
sleep. He was lying fiat on the warm
earth, and about him reigncd "A great
stiffness. lie looked around languidly.
Where were the tepecs? Where wcro
his people? The corn, green when he
had soon II last tlnG fpnlbnn Tho pruCa
was sere n withered.
"Watona," he called weakly: WA
iona, the tall and feet footed"
The old medicine man sitting beside
him smiled grimly. sleep, my son.
he said; 'the iiect-footed does not
hear"
He slept, The gray and purple of the
autumn night was on the world when
he awohe. He was hungry, he was
thirsty. "Watona!" he called again.
Some n came to him in the dusk,
lifted him easily-as easily rs Lala
used to lift the little one-carricd him
to the lodge, laid him on his bed OF
bOughs. gave him to eat and drink.
"Thou art too good to him." he heard
the old medicine man say moOdily.
Twelve nights you have watched be-
side him, ~ days you have carried
him forth that the hot earth might
steal his fever, thought only of him,
the unfaithful. Go to you rest"
II Is my man" Patient was Lala's
face with the bitterness all faded, pa
ticnt her voice, but stubborn.
MY man, my place Is here"
Then the sick man spoke. "Lala's
place Is here. But why Is it so stiIl?
Where are the others"
A the word fever they fed" II
was the medicine man that answered.
All save Lala, Watona and myself.
This was at sunset. at daybreak Wa
tona followed in hot haste"
Send what was hers after her.
commanded Young Bear; she comes
not here again"
Never fear, She has taken all that
was her own, and most Of what wcs
thine The medicine man had no no.
ton Of sparinG Young Bear. Vas not
Lala the medicine mans own cousin?
she has robbed l.ala of all, all"
mot all" The sick man was fun
bling abou, his neck in search of some
thing. lie drew forth a string ON which
was suspended u great brass ring set
witt. I'D stones.
ut Is yours, Lala," he said Il put
It not on her finger. I thought to. but
| could not
III big. patient face softened into
positive beauty, She huddled close 10