Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-12-29

al belt. too. belize! They were mea
for my Mohawks had he met with a
rebuff here. Oh. ] know them, Michael,
I know them. A painted wal belt
dung between that Cayuga and the
sachems OF my Mohawks would have
set the whole Six Nations-save, per-
haps. the Notwithstanding up rife
and Ratchet for Cresap and his mem
Sir william struck the mahogany
table with clincbed fist.
Hang Cresap," he bawled, In one
Of his familiar dts Of fury, its which
were never witnessed outside his fam.
lily circle. Hang the fatuous fool to
go a-meddiing with the Cayugas In
their W. lands, held by them In sol
emn covenant forever %inviolate! What
does the sorry ass want? A border
war, with all this trouble betwixt king
and colonies Matching? Does Colonel
Cresap not know that a single scalp
taken from the Cayugas will set the
Six Nations on 6re-aye. the Lenape
toof'
Sir William slapped the table again
with the FIAT Of his hand.
"Look, Michael. mould war come be.
twixt king and colonies, neither king
nor colonies should forget that u
frontiers are crowded with thousands
Of savages who, IL adroitly treated.
viii remain neutral and i~noffensive-
Yet here 10 this mailman Cresap, on
the very eve Of a struggle with the
greatest power In the world, turning
the savages against the colonies by his
crazy pranks OIL the Obio"
"But." said, !, An his blindness and
folly Colonel Cresap Is throwing into
our arms these very savages as ~allies!'
Sir William stopped short and stared
at me with cold, steady eyes.
Michael" said he presently, when
this war comes---as surely Ii will come
choose which cause you will en-
brace and then stand by It to the end.
As for me, l cannot believe that God
would let me live to see such a war,
that he would leave me to choose be-
tween the king who has honored me
and mine own people In this dear land
Of mine!"
He raised his head and passed one
hand over his eyes.
"But should he In his wisdom de
mand that l choose, and IL the sorrow
kills me not, then. when the time
comes, l shall choose"
(which way, sirY' l said In a sort Of
gasp.
But he only answered, Wait"
Stupefed, l watched him. 1t had new
or entered my head that there could be
any course save unquestioned loyalty
to the king In all things; that there
could be any doubt or hesitation or
bordering or praying for light when 1t
came time to choose between king and
rebel.
i recalled what Sir William had said
with what he now said, or left unsaid,
together with his anger at Colonel
Cresap for endangering the peace be-
twixt the Indians and the colonies,
came to the frightened conclusion that
Sir Williams loyalty might be ques-
toned. But By whom? Who In Amer
lea was great enough to call Str VIII
liam to ACCOUNT Not Governor Tryon;
not Lord Dunmore; not General Gage.
Feeling as though the bottom had
fallen out Of something, i sat there.
my fascinated eyes never lea wing Sir
Williams somber face.
Later, still attired In my new uni
form, l met Silver Heels.
IL had not thought that you were
20 nearly a man to be appointed cornet
Of horse" said she.
And you." said ! magnanimously,
ARE almost q woman" But | said
II from courtesy, not because I beiiev-
ed 1t.
YES" she replied indifYerently
maids may wed at sixteen years"
"Wedr' repeated, laughing out
right.
AYE. Mother was a bride at six
teen"
was silent In my effort to digest
such an absurd idea. Silver Heels
marry In another year! looked at the
frail yet full arm, half barred. the slen-
der neck. the round, clear hazel eyes.
the family smiling mouth, which was
the mouth Of a child. Silver Heels
wed? The idea was g~rotesque. 1t was
also displeasing.
Not to rebuff her with scorn, / said:
Indeed, you are quite a woman. Per.
haps In a year you will be one! Who
knows? For a year is such a long.
long time, Silver Heels"
at Ia a very long time she admit
ted.
"And to love one must be quite old
said l
"Yes, that Is true" she conceded re
luctantly, but not always"
After a silence she said, michael.
have a secret"
The mere idea that Silver Heels pos
sessed a secret which she had not at
once revealed to me produced a compli-
Gated sensation In my breast. / was
conscious Of a sudden and wholly I'm.
voluntary respect for Silver Heels. q
hearty resentment. and a gnawing GU
nosity to learn the secret.