Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-03-31
Copyright. 1900. by tn. BowEN-nERRlLL COMPANY
CONTINUED
BY MAURICE THOMPSON

savage WHO at pest Oul felenleu at Tue
last tllolnent for Alices sake and con-
cluded not to sell him to Hamilton. 1t
is due to the British commander to
record here that he most positively and
with what appeared to be high SINGER
ity denied tie charge of having offered
rewards for the taking of human
scalps. He declared that his purposes
and practices We're humane, and that,
while lie did use the Indians as militia
~ allies, his orders to them were that
they must forego cruel modes of war-
fare and refrain from savage outrage
upon prisoners. Certainly the weight
Of contemporary testimony seems over
whelmingly against him, but we enter
his denial. Long Hair himself, how
ever, taunted him with accusations of
unfaithfulness in carrying out some
very inhuman contracts, and, to add a
terrible sting, volunteered the state
ment that poor Barlow's scalp had
served in his turn in the place Of Bev-
erley's.
With conditions so hideous to con-
tend against, Beverley, of course, had
no possible means of succoring the con-
demned savage.
"Him a-kickin' yer ribs clean inter
We, an a-makin' We run the gauntlet, an
here We air a-tryin' to save is life!"
whined Oncle Jazon. IVY man,
thought ye he'd some senterments! Dast
lis Injin liver, l kin feel them kicks
what he guv me till yit. Ventrebleu!
Que diable voulez-vous?"
Clark simply pushed Bcverley's
pleadings aside as not worth a mo-
ment's consideration. He easily felt
the fine bit of gratitude at the bottom
Of it all, but there was too much in
the other side Of the balance. Justice.
the discipline I'D confidence of his lit
tie army and the claim of the women
and children on the frontier demanded
flrmness in dealing with case like
Long Hairs.
"No, no." lac said to Beverley, Il
would do anything in the world for
you, Fitz, except to swerve an inch
from duty to nay country and the de-
fenseless people down yonder in Ken
lucky. l can't do it. There's no use to
press the matter further. The die is
cast. That brute's got to be killed and
killed dead. Look at hi1n-look at that
scalp! I'd have him killed if dropped
dead for it the next instant"
Beverley shuddered. The argument
was horribly convincing, and yet, some
how, the desire to save Long Hair
overbore everything else in his mind.
He could not cease his efforts. It seem
ed to him as if he were pleading for
Alice herself. Captain Farnsworth,
strange to say, was the only man in the
fort who leaned to Beverley's side, but
he was reticent, doubtless feeling that
his position as British prisoner gave
him no right to speak, especially when
every lip around him was muttering
something about Infamous scalp buy
ers and Indian partisans," with whom
he was prominently counted by the
speakers.
AS Clark had said, the die was cast.
Long Hair, bound to stake, the scalp
still dangling at his side, grimly faced
his eXecutioners, who were eager to
fire. He appeared to be proud of the
fact that he was going to be killed.
Zone thing can say of him." Helm
remarked to Beverley-"he's the grand
est specimen of the ANIMAL might
say the brute-man that ever saw,
red, white or black. Just look at his
body and limbs! Those muscles are
perfectly marvellous
HE saved my life, and must stand
here and see him murdered" the young
man replied with intense bitterness.
It was all that he could think, all that
he could say. He felt inefficient and
detected, almost desperate.
Clark himself, not willing to cast re-
sponsibility upon subordinate, made
ready to give the fatal order. Turning
to Long Hair first, he demanded of
him as well as he could in the Indian
dialect, of which he had smattering,
what he had to say at his last moment.
The Indian Strengthened his already
upright form and by strong bullying
Of his muscles snapped the thongs that
bound him. Evidently he had not tried
t0u0 " AIcS uAAubcA ~ W0S IdlucK q
spasmodic expression Of savage digni-
ty and pride. One arm and both his
legs still were partially confined by the
bonds, but his right hand he lifted,
with gesture Of immense self salts
faction, and pointed at Hamilton.
"Indian brave; white man coward"
he said, scowling scornfully. Long
Hair tell truth; white man liev'
Hamilton's countenance did not
change its calm, cold expression. Long
Hair gazed at him fixedly for a long
moment, his eyes flashing most concen-
hated hate and contempt. Then he
tore the scalp from his belt and flung
It with great force straight toward the
captive governors face. It fell short,
but the look that went with It did not,
and Hamilton reeodlsd.
At that moment Alice arrived. Her
SEEMING was inst n time to interrupt
Ozark, who had turned to the waiting
Daatoon with the oes5sr Of death ON his
NJ. ebe made no noise. save the nut
l6eing C her SHIRTS and be- load and
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