Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-01-02
(Contlnued)
CHAPTER XIV.
VIRTUE IN A LoCRET.


mony in conveying to Beverley
the information that he was to
run the gantlet. The prepara-
tions were simple and quickly made.
Bach man armed himself with stick
three feet long and about three-quar-
teTs Of an inch in diameter. Rough
weapons they were, cut from boughs Of
scrub oak, knotty and tough as horn.
Long Hair unbound his body down to
the waist Then the lines formed, the
indians in each row standing about as
far apart as the width of the space In
which the prisoner was to run. This
arrangement gave them free use Of
their sticks and plenty of room for full
swing of their 1.-THE bodies.
In removing Beverley's clothes Long
Hair found Alice's locket hanging over
the young mans heart. He tore il
rudely of and grunted, glaring vicious
~ first at 1t, then at Beverley. He
seemed to be nightly wrought upon.
"White man thiefr' he growled deep
Ia his throat. "Stole from little girlr'
He put the locket in his pouch and
resumed his stupidity Indifferent express
sion.
When everything was ready for the
delightful entertainment to begin Long
Hair waved his tomahawlI three times
over Beverey's head and, pointing
down between the waiting lines, said:
"Ugh, runr'
But Beverley did not bulge. He was
standing erect, with his arms, deeply
creased where the thongs had sunk,
folded across his breast. A rush OF
thoughts and feelings had taken tu-
multuous possession of him, and he
could not move or decide what to do. A
mad desire to escape arose in his heart
the moment that he saw Long Hair
take the locket. 1t was as II Alice had
cried to him and hidden him make a
dash for liberty.
ugh, runP'
The order was accompanied with n
push of such violence from Long Hairs
left elbow that Beverley plunged and
fell, for his limbs, after their long and
painful confinement in the rawhide
bonds. were stiff and almost useless.
Long Hair in no gentle voice bade him
get up. The shock Of falling seemed to
awaken his dormant forces; n sudden
resolve leaped into his brain. He saw
that the Indians had put aside their
bows and guns. most OF which were
leaning against the boles of trees here
and yonder What II he could knock
Long Hair down and run away? This
might possibly be easy. considering the
Indians broken arm. His heart junlH-
ed at the possibility But the shrewd
savage was alert and saw the Thought
come into his face
"You try git way, kill deadW he
snarled, lifting his tomahawk readv
for a stroke. brains out"
Beverley glanced down the waiting
and eager lines. Swiftly he speculated
wondering what would be his chance
for escape were he TO break through.
But he did not take his own condition
into account
ugh, rum
Again the elbow Of Long Hairs hurt
Srm pushed him toward the eXpectant
rows of Indians, who eourished their
clubs and uttered impatieht grunts.
Beverley made direct dash for the
narrow lane between the braced and
watchful lines. Every warrior lifted
his club. Every copper face cleaned
steadily. a mask behind which burned
strangely utrocious spirit The two
savages standing at the end nearest
Beverley struck at him the Instant a
reached them, but they wore taken
quite by surprise when he checked him
self between them and. leaping this
way and that. swung out two powerful
blows. left and right, stretching one Of
them fiat and sending the other reeliIg;
and staggering half dozen PAGES
backward with the blood streaming
from his nose.
This done. Beverley turned 10 run
away, hut his breath was already short
and his strength rapidly going,
Long Hair. who was at his heels
leaped before him when he bad gone
a~@-1u-alu--~u-u-a.u-u-