The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-06-04

seemed about to be torn from
her, It was Hal who had come to her
assistance. She, like the poor squaw,
had only this one son, the light of her
eyes. A troop OF such thoughts came
In sluggish train through Sikra's mind
as the suds few high. frightening the
canary from his perch by their rising |
tide; and she wondered II she could
have raised this boy for the purpose OF |
vengeance without this woman's help. |
The bonnie blue skies smiled blandly
on the summer world, ana the air hung |
heavy with a stiffness and peace that
brought certain lethargy to her de-
termination. Young Howe's voice.
whistling or singing, came floating
through the wool of her fancies and re-
called the hours he had sat patiently
IN her fever-ridden little hut In his eff
fort to save her son. For what?
AS Hal dashed out of the pantry. a
moment later, he caught look in her
eyes as guilty as his own, which
prompted him to count the pies to see
IL she had been stealing, too.
Here's one for you," he said. find
ing the number even and slipping her
a turn-ovec. AS he perched on the bin
to MUNICH his plumber, his hat fell back.
His face was very fair, and his hair
curled on his forehead like woman's.
But in his laughing blue eyes shone
the image of the elder Howe. The
hideous grin of Black Wings upturned
face Knocked her from the seething
suds. A stiHed groan seemed to rise
from the Kissing steam. The warA
stream that trickled down her arm was
only water. but the red, clotted pools
were still vivid in her memory. Howe
had killed Black Wing. Was she this
white woman's slave, or was she Black
Wings squaw? Before nightfall the
question was definitely settled in her
mind. The victuals always left for her
to take home to warm over were tied
into her apron, under which the rusted
knife still hung.
The Indian boy grew stronger each
day with the recuperative power of a
wild thing. Day in and day out he
loitered idly around the white house,
and sometimes a doubt arose in the
mind of the white house woman as to
| the effects of this ill-assorted friend
ship between the two boys. Once, as
she saw her son turn and fling his arm
across the broad shoulders Of the In
dian lad in evident affection, she
flinched instinctively. Since their baby
hood they had tumbled over the porch
together, squabbled, fought and played
| like brothers-this blue-eyed, rollick-
| ing young Saxon and the swart,, 1.-the
| aborigine.
| There were many new squirrel traps
devised, new schemes for spearing fish
and sharing small creatures in the
forest, and enthusiastic preparations
for deer hunt in the mountains be-
fore the young fellows vacation should
| end.
"Well leave all these things just as
they are till we get back from our trip
to Redwood creek" Hal said, one day,
as he planned his outing with the In
| dian, "and finish them when we have
more time" The Indian did not an
swer. The moon was bright, and the
young fellows blue eyes shone with
the light of future hopes and plans.
The hunting trip was prolonged from
one week 10 two; then three. At the
end of that time, Halls mother began
to grow uneasy. At the expiration OF
the fourth week, when the Indian re-
turned without young Howe, conster-
nation spread throughout the town.
Ragged, gaunt. barefooted, half
starved, the Indian had arrived In the
village. telling of fierce storm, sepa-
ration from his comrade, and weeks OF
search and danger to find him In the
impenetrable forest. Search-parties
were quickly formed. and the noun
tains and lagoons secured in the hope
of finding the boy.
81 can't believe anything has hap
pened to him." Halls mother repeated
day after day, when the searchers re-
ported failure at every turn. She
would not let her lips form the word
dead" IL can't. Oh, can't"
Sikra knew the pangs OF this wom-
. ans soul. She had learned that tone
and look when Black Wing lay dead
before her. But she regarded the
|, | Wn1te, StrlCkeu lace III otoiC ohchSS'
1t was now late in the summer. AL
, search for young Howe had proved
fruitless His mother, suddenly old
and feeble from grief and suspense
stood, one day, looking toward the bay
in a blind hope The Indian came
: swinging slowly toward her. The boy
had been found 1t was on Indian Is
, land. A knife-wound gaped In bi:
breast, his wide blue yes were up
: turned in hooking grin, and the gras:
I around him was clotted and red.
Again there was no swooning. ne
overt demonstration of grief. Weeks
of suspense had taught the family IL
the white house stole endurance.
; Sikra came every week to do INT
washing as usual, while her son loi
tered near the cedar trees. One even
ing he brought the heartbroken WON
an what he considered rare present
!, melon of prodigous size. The In
: dian sat down silently. and slowly AM
carefully he cut 1t. 1t was trifie over
ripe, the rich, red heart cleaning a
with blood. The knife with which h
! dextrously sliced the melon was ugi
: looking, broad and fiat, and the deer