Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1903-06-19
BEYOND the
DESERT :.
! BY Curron
, Ricbord CrssnIsy
Copyright, 1909, by T. c. Mcclure



Nadula clinched the shuttle tightly
In her brown fingers and wove the
scarlet thread in and out. scarce seeing
for the angry tears that rained from
under the black curtain OF her lashes.
Wanna. always Wanna! Truly. there
was never a thought OF her but the
weaving OF blankets and the baking OF
the tortilla.
A Jingle OF beads and the rattsr OF
moccasined feet. Al Wanna parted the
skins that hung at the doo' OF the
chiefs tent. Well might they call her
Princess Wanna. the Moon Maiden
tall and slight with a mouth like the
pomegranate flower and n voice like
the farof chime OF tue mission bells.
Nadula lifted her head and shot a
contemptuous glance yer the girls
slight Hgure. gay with wampum, elk
teeth and the glistening beads from the
white traders. with which Neras loved
10 decorate his best loved child. Idle.
always idle" she muttered To herself.
But she smiled and called out cneorily
as Wanna came toward her. Hail.
daughter OF the great chief. How does
our father since the morning.
Wahna's delicate face was grave and
sorrowful. The medicine man hath
been with him. and the evil spirits will
not depart. though they have made the
white smoke OF the fire anger 10 rise
until our father could bear II no longer.
He is feeble, and the breath ONE
slowly. He calls for thee"
Nadula arose To her full height and
let the unfinished blanket fall TO the
ground, where IL lay, a CLEAN or gor-
geous color in the setting sun. Inside
the hut Of skins lay the chief, CHASTITY
In the shifting shadows OF the eagle
plumes in the great war bonnet that
hung above his head. The massive tig-
ure stretched helplessly upon its couch
OF buffalo skins was pitifully wasted
with disease. He reached out his arms
TO Wanna ana. holding her encircled,
said to Nadula. who stood proudly
aloof in the uncertain light:
Daughter, it is not our custom 10
show auGht of feeling. AS the quiet
river runneth deeply. 50 we OF the OF
tawaf have kept q love and our
vengeance. But thou knOwest what
the Moon Maiden hath been to me,
child of the paleface mother, and II
hath seemed wise that the maid should
know a gentler life than the women OF
the Ottawas. Thou knowest how she
has been taught in their schools and IL
promised to the young captainT"
Nadula laughed. Short and bitter, 1t
reused the dying man. and he raised
upon one elbow to peer into her face.
Nadula bent over him. my father, as
the shadows gather thou art a child
again! The white man hath sought
our Wanna for a moon perhaps, but
when there Is talk OF wedding be Will
return to his own again. When has the
paleface dealt otherwise with the
daughters OF the forest?' The mock
Ing voice paused for the answer.
Something OF his strength came back
to the old chief as he half raised him
self and pointed to the doorway. Go,
serpent. The black finger is upon thy
heart. Go. and when l ride down the
west remember l leave Wanna In thy
keeping and do thou see the right OF II.
else thou knowest what has been, what
will be. when thy tribe shsl hold the
traitor"
There was a gasp and a choking sigh.
and Neras. the last chief OF a once
powerful tribe. had passed. All night
the wailing women rem the air with
their cries, all night the men went to
and fro. with angry slashes Of the
sinewy breasts whence the blood fell in
slow drops. At set OF the .morrow's sun
they buried him, shroudet IN his blan-
ket. the eagle feathers waving over the
dark race and at his feet the slaugh-
tered pony that was to bear him safe
and far.
No more OF weaving, no more Of bak-
ing the tortilla. Nadula grasped the
empty scepter. Day after day Wanna
crept TO the door Of the tent and shad-
ed her level brows in vain watching for
her lover. Had Nadula spoken truly?
For a time Nadula was too busy with
the Importance of her new authority
to take thought of Wanna, but she had
not forgotten. In the long summer
days Of the year before, when the
young captain had CHANGED TO visit the
Ottawas through mere curiosity and
the visit had been repeated again and
again for the sake of the brown flower
OF the wilderness. Nadula, too, had
learned to love the bonny face. And
In her hot. unschooled heart sprang up
the terrible hatred of Wanna.
1t had commenced years before when
Neras had ent Wanna away from the
tribe. and from time TO time she had
made them short visits from her mis-
sion school with always a newer grace,
a newer beauty and the spirit OF the
white mother shining IN her soft eyes.
Neras had loved her with the after
math OF the great passion he had felt
for the white captive that had hated
him. who died with her despairing face
turned away from the child of her sor-
row and shame.