Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-03-31
Hair and faced the platoon.


then to all those rough, stern back
woodsmen. During her fight her hair
had fallen down, and it glimmered like
soft sunlight around her face. Some
thing compelling flashed out of her
eyes. an expression between trium-
plant smile and a ray of irresistible
beseechment. 1t took Colonel Clark's
breath when he turned and saw her
standing there and heard her words.
''This man saved Lieutenant Bever
ley's life," she presently added, getting
better c. .utlcl of IL. ! =. : ..ill ss,nuins
into it - thrilling 1i...bGc. You shall
not harm him; you must not do it,
Beverley was astounded when he
saw her, the thing was so unexpected,
so daring and done with such high, i'm
perious force. Still it was but real
tzation of what he had imagined she
would he upon occasion. He stood gaz-
ing Mt her, as did all the rest, while she
faced Clark and the platoon Of rifle
men. To hear his own name pass her
Quivering lips in that tone and in that
connection seemed to him q consecra-
ton.
"Would you be more savage than
your Indian prisoner" she went on;
"less grateful than he for life saved?
I did him small-a very small-serv-
ice once, and in memory of that he
saved Lieutenant Beverley's life, be-
cause-because''- faltered for sim
gle breath, then added clearly and with
Magnetic sweetness-"because Lieuten-
ant Beverley loved me and because l
loved him. This Indian Long Hair
showed gratitude that could over
come his strongest passion. You white
mdh should be ashamed to fall below
his standard"
Her words went home. 1t WAS as if
the beauty of her face, the magnetism
of her lissome and symmetrical form.
the sweet fire of her eyes and the pas
sfonate appeal of her voice gave what
she said new and irresistible force of
truth. When she spoke of Beverley's
love for her and declared her love for
him there was not manly heart III all
the garrison that did not suddenly beat
quicker and feel a strange, sweet watt
of tenderness. A mother somewhere. a
wife, daughter, a sister, sweetheart.
called through that voice of absolute
womanhood.
Beverley, what can l do?" muttered
Clark, his bronze face as pale as it
could possibly become.
"Do!' Numbered Beverley. do! You
cannot murder that man. Hamilton is
the man you should shoot! He offered
large rewards, he inflamed the passions
and fed the love of rum and the cupidi-
ty of Che poor wild men like the one
standing yonder. Yet you take him
prisoner and treat him with distin-
guished consideration. Hamilton offer
ed large sum for me taken alive, a
smaller one for my scalp. Long Hair
saved me. You let Hamilton stand
yonder in perfect safety while you
shoot the Indian. Shame on you, Colo
mel Clark! Shame on you if you do it,
Alice stood looking at the stalwart
commander while Beverley was pour
ing forth his torrent of scathing refer
ence to Hamilton. and she quickly saw
was ripe for the finishing stroke. They
say it is genius that avails itself of OPP
portunity. Beverley knew the fight
was won when he saw what followed
Alice suddenly left Long Hair and ran
to Colonel Clark, who felt her warm
strong arms loop around him for sin
gle point of time never to be effaced
from his memory; then he saw her
kneeling at his feet, her hands up
her face glorious prayer,
while she pleaded the Indians cause
and won it.
Doubtless, while we all rather feel
that Clark was weak to be thus sway
ed by girl, we cannot quite blame
him. Alice's flag was over him. He
had heard her history from Beverley's
cunning lips. He actually believed that
Hamilton was the real culprit, and be-
sides he felt not a little nauseated With
executing Indians. A good excuse to
have an end Of 1t all did not go beg
ging.
But Long Hair was barely gone over
the horizon from the fort, as free and
40 villainous a savage as ever trod the
earth, when a discovery made by Oncle
Jazon caused Clark to hate himself for
what he had done.
The old scout picked up the scalp
which Long Hair had flung at Hamil.
Ton and examined it with odious curl
osity. He had fingered on the spot
with no other purpose than to get pos
session Of that CHASTITY relic. Since los
ing his own scalp the subject of crown
locks had grown upon his mind until
its fascination was irresistible. He
studied the hair OF every person he saw
~ physiognomist studies faces. He
held the grewsome thing up before him,
scrutinixing It with the expression Of
Q connoisseur who has discovered on q
srimy canvas the signature Of IN old
master.
''sac' bleuw be presently broke forth.
''Well, I'll be- Look'ee yer. George
Clark! Come yer an look. Ye've been
soh ag'in. Take q squint, ef 70 pleass!'
Colonel Clark, with his hands crossed