Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-03-19


was q strange one. and that night ho
prayed long and ferycntly, hut be dared
not lot his wife know all his prayer.
CHAPTER XII.
On the very evening that White Hand
reached the village OF the White Apple
n party OF Chlckasawa stepped upon the
northern shore of Lake Pontchartra u.
They were ten In number, and with them
was prisoner who now recllned against
a small hickory tree. Her silken gown IL
torn and soiled by the thorns aud 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 a hard one.
aud many sharp bramblc has bestrewn
the path. But she rests now. The flames
dart M from n fire near at hand. Sick
and faint. she sinks down upon the soft
m0Ssy bed at the foot OF the tree. and
ere long all her dangers and troubles ars
forgotten In sleep.
The fair prisoner ever and anon starts
up with frightful dreams, until at length.
when the night Ia 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 gaEes around. and she secs
iuen In conference about her. with weap.
ons drawn, and voices raised as IL In an
ger. She moves only 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, aud
Louise looks up into the moon-lit face OF
Simon Lohols!
"Har he cries. with well-assumed as.
tonishment, 'and was my suspicion cor
recti Have ] found my beloved thus
dragged away by ruthless sayagesl Ear'y
| this morning q runner brought the news
| 70 New Orleans that n white girl was be-
dng carried on by the Chickasaws. and
that their trail bent towards the great
| lake. A mystic voice whispered thy name
In my ear. Why II was | know not: but
started. aud ! have found thee. Look
mp. sweet Louise, for thou art safe. Thou
art rescued
The malden's first emotion seemed 10
be 10 shrink from the white man. but In
a moment more she gave him her hand.
"And am | free from these savagesy"
she asked. gazing first into Simon's face
and then upon the motley crew about her.
"Ay, thou art, Louise. DO you not see
that they are all quelled2 Heaven must
have directed me 70 this spot Fear no
more, for thou shalt be safe with mo-"
Under any other circumstances 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
wounded, nor did any one appear to be
hurt. To be sure. there had been the
sound Of strife, but II may have only been
mock battle after all. At any rate, sc
ran the malden's thoughts, though she
kept them to herself,
"Come," continued Simon. after wait
ing some moments for an answer thai
he did not receive-"come with me now
The savages will not dare to harm vol
more. nor viii they dare molest us"
Louise suffered herself to be led to th'
shore of the lake. and there she foun(
two boats inwaiting. She had been seat
cd in enc Of them when the chief of tn,
Chickasaw party came down and callet
Simon back. A bitter smile stole owe
the maiden's face as she saw this, ant
her suspicious were well confirmed wheI
she saw Lobois follow the red man III
the bank. But the cousin returned in
few moments, and having seated himsel
, by the side OF Louise. the boats wer
, manned and showed OF.
''The red dog wanted me to promis
that would not expose his crime to tn
. Governor" said Simon. after the boat
had got we'll into the lake. Il woul
I have made them all prisoners. only tina
| I feared you might be harmed In tn
melee. You did not notice how we cam
: upon them, and what first occurred, di
/ your" Simon gazed sharply, into hi
! companions face as he thus spoke a
. though he would read any suspicion sh
4 might hold.
q 81 saw nothing until was grasped b
. the shoulder" she truthfully replied, 80
. was sound asleep when you cames"
$50 l thought But will explain: On
of the men who accompanied me kneV
the various trails that lead to the LAKE
!. and he guided us here. We, landed, an
i we found the Indians asleep, all say
4 one; but they were upon their feet b
!. the time we were up with them, and
saw that some Of them had guns. A
Q that moment l espled you asleep upo
: the ground. In an instant l forbade m
l men to fire. for feared you might b
q hit. told the leader Of the Indians thg
4 he was discovered, and that IL he did nC
Q give up his prisoner, would have til
8 whole French force down upon his pei
/ pie before another sun had set And
Y furthermore told him that II he woul
d quietly deliver up the maiden, we woul
|, not harm him. A scuffle ensued betwee
i some Of the red men and two OF my con
a panions, but we quickly stopped It, an
n the Indians agreed to give you up If "
I would let them depart In peace. / col
a sented, and--you know the rest. Was
not fortunate that / heard the report tn
d morning land was It not very fortunat
/ that heaven whispered to me that yC
Q might be the prisonerr
e a ut was very fortunate" returned Io1
Q ise.
4 "And perhaps you think It We
! strange" added Simon. ''But yet ha
some ground for the fear. The RUINS