Evening times-Republican., 1903-09-16

0'HN'
Jazon, replacing his cap over the hair
less area of his crown.
The men who had been chasing Long
Hair presently came struggling back
with their stories-each had q distinct
one-of how the fugitive escaped. They
were wild looking fellows, most Of
them somewhat intoxicated, all pro-
turesque profanity. They represented
the toughest element of the well nigh
lawless post.
I'm positive that he's wounded
said one. Jacques and / shot at him
together, so that our pistols sounded
Just as if only one had been fired
bang. that way-and he leaped side
ways for all the world like bird
with broken leg. thought he'd fall;
but We. he ran faster'n ever. and all at
once he was gone-just disappeared
well. tomorrow we'll get him. said
another. You and | and Jacques,
we'll take up his trail, the thief, and
follow him till we find him. He can't
get off so easy"
81 don't know so we'll about that"
said another. Its Long Hair, you must
remember, and Long Hair is no COM
mon buck that just anybody can find
asleep You know what Long Hair is.
Nobody's ever got even with i'm yet.
That's SO, amt 1t? Just ask Oncle
Jazon, if you don't believe 1t"
The next morning Long Hair was
tracked to the rivers edge. He had
been wounded, but whether seriously
or not could only be conjectured. A
sprinkle of blood, here and there quite
dash of 1t, reddened the grass and
clumps of weeds he had run through.
and ended close to the water. into
which 1t looked as If he had plunged
with a view to battling pursuit. In
deed pursuit WAS batiled. No further
trace could be found by which to fol
low the cunning fugitive. Some OF the
men consoled themselves by saying.
without believing, that Long Hair
was probably lying drowned at the bot
tom of the river.
"Pas du tout" observed Oncle JaZon,
his short pipe askew far over in the
corner of his mouth; mot Il bit of it is
that Indian drowned. He's jes' as
live as a fat cat this minute, and as
drunk as the devil. He'll get some O.
yer scalps yet after he's guzzled all
that brandy and slep' a week"
1t finally transpircd that Oncle Jazen
was partly right and partly wrong.
Long Hair was alive, even as fat
cat perhaps, but not drunk. for in try
ing to swim with the rotund little
dame Jeanne under his arm he lost
hold Of it and 1t went to the bottom
of the Wabash, where 1t may be lying
at this moment patiently waiting for
some one to fish it out of its bed deep
in the sand and mud and break the
ancient wax from its neck!
Rene de Ronville, after the chase OF
Long Hair had been given over. went
to tell Father Reret what had hap
pened, and, finding the priests hut
empty, turned into the path leading to
the Roussillon place, which was at the
head Of narrow street laid out In a
direction at right angles to the rivers
course. He passed two or three dimin-
utive cabins, all as much alike as bee
hives
As Rene passed along he spoke with
gay French freedom to the danes
and lasses who chanced to be visible.
His air would be regarded as violently
brigandish in our day. We might
even 80 50 far as to think his whole
fv
with a tail that wagged as he walked;
his short trousers and legglngs of buck
skin and his loose shirtlike tunic, drawn
In ut the waist with broad belt, gave
his strong figure Just the dash Of wild
ness suited to the armament with
which it was weighted. A heavy gsn
lay in the hollow Of his shoulder, un-
der which hung an otter skin bullet
pouch with its clear powder horn and
white bone charger. In his belt We're
two huge hintlock pistols and long
case knife.
Bon jour, Mile. Adrienne,' he cheerily
called" waving his free hand in greet
ing to small, dark lass standing on
the step Of a veranda and indolently
swinging q broom. comment allez-
vous au jourd 'hui?'
"Jm'porte tres bien, merci," M'sieu'
Rene" was the quick response. ''Et
vousr'
"Oh, I'm MS lively as cricket"
Going a-huntingT'
no, just up here httle way-Just
on business-up to M'sieu' Roussillon's
for a moment"
eyes," the girl responded In tone
indicative Of something very like
spleen. "Yes, undoubtedly, M'sieu' de
Ronville. Your business there seems
quite pressing Of late. have noticed
your industrious application to that
business
"Ta-ta, little one" he wheedled, low
ering his voice "You mustn't go to
making busbears out of nothing
"Bugbears!" she retorted. "You go
on about your business, and I'll attend
to NINE" and she f1irted into the house.
Rene laughed under his breath, stand
ing moment as If expecting her to
come out again, but she did not, and
he resumed his walk singing softly:
"Elle les joues vermeilles vermeilles.
Ma belle. ma belle petite"
But ten to one he was not thinking OF
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