The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1903-06-03

o,tavas through mere Curiosity ana
tho visit had been repeated again anu
again for the sake of the brown hover
of the wilderness, Nadula, too, hau
learned to love the bonny face Ana
in her hot. unschooled heart spranG up
the terrible hatred of Wanna.
IT had commenced years before when
Nerns had sent Wanna away from the
tribe. and from time TO time she had
made them short visits from her mis-
sion school with always newer grace,
newer beauty and the spirit of the
white mother shining In her soft eyes.
Neras had loved her with the after
meth of the great passion he had reit
for the white captive that had hateo
him who died with her despairing face
turned away from the child of her sor-
row and shame.
Nadula had understood. She had not
wanted for the telling when the wom'
en- crouched together over the cooking
DO at evening What wonder that she
hated Wanna with all the force of u
saSage nature.
In the midst of the lull came ap
aw lkening, for despite all Nadulas
sn ering taunts Malcolm Davenr
err ssed the strip of desert to the coun'
try of the Ottawas to claim his bride.
Ma lula received him in the council
teIt with the head men grouped
around her. 1t was her hand that held
ont the pipe and babe him sit beside
her, contriving to hold him there with
one pretext and another. DaNent lis
tened absently as the silken sweet
voice murmured to him. Then, ere she
could detain him, he broke away, and,
springing to the center of the tent,
called upon the Ottawas for the pledge
of Neras-W Wanna BY the spoken word
of Neras in solemn council had the girl
been given to him; and as Nadula
would have interfered, one by one the
elders of the tribe arose to bear wit
ness to the bond.
Then Wanna, her face alight with
10Y, came from the shadows where she
had hidden in her despair. There was
no gainsaying the word that had
passed Nadula watched, her heart al
host stilled. as the men and women
parted to either side. The old medi-
cine man drew his circle around the
two, while the red flame from the fire
leaped and threw its golden light on the
faces of Malcolm Davent and Wanna.
That night the Ottawas Toasted. and
there was great rejoicing, for at the
rising of the moon the Princess Wanna
would ride away from them forever.
And when the feast was ended Nadula
brought forth bottle of musty hued
wine to pledge them after the man
ner of the paleface,' as she said, and
smiled into Davents eyes. She was
quick as thought, but the eye of love
is swifter. Wanna sprang from Da-
vents SIDE and grasped the slender
wrist. Poison. Poison" And low
murmur of horror ran around the great
tent.
Nadula drew her. slender form to its
full height and glanced proudly from
one face to another. what say We,
my people? Am l guilty?" The def
ance rang clear as Il clarion note, and
no man answered. Again: what say
We, my people? Judge we between US
the white serpent or the true daughter
of the Ottawas" The wind in the
mesquite was the only answer. Wanna
still clasped the slender wrist in her
tense fingers, while the glare of the
torches threw red waves of light on
the swart faces as the ring drew ever
closer
The old medicine man parted the
crowd to either side. Daughters Of
the great Chief Neras, hailv' And the
elk teeth ratified on his shrunken chest
as he knelt. spreading out his clawlike
hands. 'Hearken to the voice of one
old in council. Hear, accuser and ac-
cused. If there be poison in the cup,
as the Lady Wanna hath said, then let
the Lady Nadula drink that which she
hath prepared for another, but if there
be no poison then shall she drink 10
prove the blackness of a lie. l have
spoken"
a shudder ran along the surge of
faces that gathered around Nadula.
Wahna's hand fell away, and she cow
cred against Davents shoulder.
Nadula's proud eyes swept the mass
before her, hostile and grim. There
was not an answering eye. Drink,
Nadulap' the old voice commanded,
and Nadula drained the wine. Then
she gathered her robes around her and
went out from among them.
Miles away to the westward rode Da.
vent, with Wanna close at his side, the
sturdy cayuse keeping uneven stride
with the Kentucky thoroughbred, on tc
where the white tower of the mission
shone above the olive groves, out to the
west, to her mothers people. But be-
yond the fringe of the desert, In the
land of the Ottawas, there are shroud
ed faces among the older men, and the
ponies are laden for "a long march
awaV tn tbn south Tn tho h,,t - 49,