Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-03-24
CHAPTER XII.

not let MS wife know all his prayer.
CHAPTER XII.
On the very evening that White Hand
reached the village Of the White Apple
a party of Chickasaws stepped upon the
northern shore of Lake Pontchartra n.
They were ten in number, and with them
was a prisoner, who now 'reclined against
small hickory tree. Her silken gown is
torn and soiled by the thorns and bushes
through which she has been led, and the
thin shoes are worn through till the feet
have become sore and bleeding; for the
way she has come has been hard one.
and many sharp bramble> has bestrewn
the path. But she rests now. The flames
dart UP from a fire near at hand. Sick
and faint. she sinks down upon the soft
mossy bed at the foot of the tree, and
ere long all her dangers and troubles are
forgotten in sleep.
The fair prisoner ever and anon starts
up with frightful dreams, until at length,
when the night is far spent, she is arous-
ed by strange sounds near at hand, amid
which she can distinguish the clash Of
arms and the hum of angry voices. The
idea Of escape breaks upon her mind. A
moment she gazes around, and she sees
men in conference about her, with weap-
ons drawn, and voices raised as if in an
ger. She moves only a step, and hand
is laid upon her shoulder. A stout Chick
asaw holds her fast and tells her she
cannot escape. In moment more the
Chickasaw is pushed rudely aside, and
Louise looks up into the moon-lit face of
Simon Lobois!
"Hap' he cries. with well-assumed as
tonishment, "and was my suspicion cor
rect? Have I found my beloved thus
dragged away by ruthless savages? Early
this morning runner brought the news
to New Orleans that a white girl was be-
ing carried off by the Chickasaws, and
that their trail bent towards the great
lake. a mystic voice whispered thy name
in my ear. Why it was I know not; but
I started. and 1 have found thee. Look
up, sweet Louise, for thou art SAFE Thou
art rescuedP'
The maiden's first emotion seemed to
be to shrink from the white man, but in
a moment more she gave him her hand.
"And am 1 free from these savages 2"
she asked. gazing first into Simon's face
and then upon the motley crew about her.
cay, thou art, Louise: Do you not see
that they are all quelled? Heaven must
have directed me to this spot Fear no
more, for thou shalt be safe with me-
Under any other circumsta noes, Louise
might have been frantic with joy at such
salutation, but now she was moved by so
many conflicting doubts that the coming
of the rescuers seemed to move her but
little. By the bright moonlight she could
see the crew about her, and they did not
look like deadly enemies. No one was
nor did anE one appear to be
hurt. To be sure. there had been the
sound of strife, but it may have only been
a mock battle after all. At any rate, so
ran the maiden's thoughts, though she
kept them to herself.
Come" continued Simon. after wait
ing some moments for an answer that
he did not receive-"come with me now.
The savages will not dare to harm you
more, nor will they dare molest u.s.
Louise suffered herself to be led to the
shore of the lake. and there she found
two boats in waiting. She had been seat
ed in one of them when the chief of the
Chickasaw party came down and called
Simon back A bitter smile stole over
the maiden's face as she saw this, and
her suspicious were well confirmed when
she saw Lobois follow the red man up
the bank. But the cousin returned in
few moments, and having seated himself
by the side Of Louise. the boats were
manned and showed off.
''The red dog wanted me to promise
that would not expose his crime to the
Governor" said Simon. after the boats
had got we'll into the lake. 81 would
have made them all prisoners, only that
I feared you might be harmed in the
melee. You did not notice how we came
upon them. and what first occurred, did
your Simon gazed sharply into his
companions face as he thus spoke, as
though he would read any suspicion she
might hold.
81 saw nothing until I was grasped by
the shoulder she truthfully replied, ''for
I was sound asleep when you came"
$50 thought. But will explain: One
of the men who accompanied me knew
the various trails that lead to the lake,
and he guided us here. We landed, and
we found the Indians asleep, all save
one; but they were upon their feet by
the time we were up with them, and /
saw that some Of them had guns. At
that moment I espied you asleep upon
the ground. In an instant forbade my
men to fire. for 1 feared you might be
hit. told the leader of the Indians that
he was discovered, and that if he did net
give up his prisoner, 1 would have the
whole French force down upon his peo-
pie before another sun had set. And /
furthermore told him that if he would
quietly deliver up the maiden, we would
not harm him. A scuff1e ensued between
some of the red men and two Of my COM
panions, but we quickly stopped it, and
the Indians agreed to give you up IL we
would let them depart In peace. 1 con-
sented, and-you know the rest. Was it
not fortunate that heard the report this
land was 1t not very fortunate
that heaven whispered to me that you
might be the prisonerT
Tt was very fortunate" returned Lou
Use.
''And perhaps you think it was
added Simon 'sBut vet | had