The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-06-30

sent the pirogue with a mighty thrust be-
yond the Zone OF fire light.
AT that. though all the sense was beat
en- Cut Of me.gIrwas alive enough to hear
the savage wells of disappointed rage be-
hind us;.thAse ard the splitting ,,crackle
darkness.. But afterward all sounds. 4
the rhythmic dip aid drip OF Jennifer's
paddle, faded on the sense of hearing TIL.
as It would seem, this gentle monody Of
clipping blade and tinklingAdrops became
a grooming lullaby to blot out all the
years that lay between, and make me
once again a little child sinking; asleep in
my young mothers arms.
XVI.
HOW JENNIFER THREW A MAIN
WITH DEATH.
IT'S a sure mark OF healthful sleep that
1t never makes account OF time. No odd
how loVs the night, tits but q moment
from the lapse of consciousness to its re-
covery in the morning. But this deep
sleep that crept upon me as I lay III the
pirogue, listening to the tinkling Grip
from %Jennifer's paddle, was not Of heallk-
ful WEAKNESS; and when I came awake
from 1t there was a dim and roubled
vista OF vague and broken dreams to
measure of the longest night I could ever
remember.
The place OF this awakening was a bur-
row in the earth. My bed Of bearskins
over fragrant pine tufts was spread Upon
the ground, and by the fickering light Of
a handful OF fire I could see the earth
walls Of the burrow, which were worn
smooth as II the place had been the we'll
used den Of some wild creature. But over
head there was the mark Of human oc-
cupancy, since the earth-arch was sooted
and ~blackened. with the reek Of many
fires.
When I stirred there was another stir
beyond the handful OF fire, and Jennifer
came to kneel beside me, taking my hand
and chatting 1t as a te~nder-hearted woman
might, and asking II / knew him.
Know you? Why shout I not?" I
said, wondering why the words took so
many breaths between.
20 jack" was all I had in answer; but
when he had found a tongue to babble out
his JOY, I learned the why and where
fore. Once more grim death had reached
for me-, lying await in the twirled toma-
hawk that set me dreaming of my moth
lain here upon the bed Of pine'tufts, poised
upon the brink OF the death pit with only
my dear lad to hold and draw me back.
"A week?" I queried, when he had
named the interval. And % have been
here all the time?"
1--WE never left you. save to forage for
the pot" he admitted. II dared not leave
you, Jack"
But where are we7'' I would ask.
I'm a den on the rivers edge, a mile or
more above you sacked cabin. IT'S some
dodge-hole followed cut by the Catawbas
long ago and shared since by them and the
bears, judging from the sinking reek of
1t. Uncanoola steered me hither the night
of the raid
Then the chief came of safely?" I
said, falling into a dumb and impotent
rage that the saying Of two words should
scant me so OF strength to say a third.
Right as a t~rivet-scalps and ALL"
laughed Jennifer. He'll be the envy Of
every warrior In the tribe when he vaunts
himself at the Catawbas' council fire.
I let 1t rest a while at that, casting about
for words to shape a hungrier question.
Have you no news?" I asked, at length.
Little CT none" he answered shortly.
But you ave had some word-some
Applcby Hundred7" I stam-
mered feebly.
Nothing you'd care to hear he re-
Joined. evasively, I thought. "'Tis as you
left 1t, save that Tarleton whipped away
to the south again as suddenly az he
came, and our cursing baronet has made
the manor house his headquarters in fact,
lodging himself n all his troop on Mr..
Stair. From his lying quiet n keeping
the Cherokees in tow, there will be some
deviltry afoot, I'll warrant"
I knew that.Falconnets was waiting for
the powde: cargo. but another matter
crowded this aside.
"But-but Margery?" I queried, on
sharpest tenter-hooks to know how much
or little he had heard.
I thought his brow darkened at the Ques-
ton, but mayhap 1t was only a shadow
cast by h fiickcrine fire. At any rate.
he laughed hardly.
"she is well-and well content. I dare
swear. Twas only yesterday I saw her
taking the air on the river road with
Falconnet for an escort. You told me once
he had a sure hand with the women and
1t made me mad; but, truly, I have come
70 think you drew 1t mild, Jack"
Now though l could ply a decent ready
blade, or, keep q firing line from lurching
at q pinch. I had not learned to put Z
snafhe on q laundering tongue. an I have
said before.
Damn him as you please, Dick, and
he'll warrant 1t. But you must not Judge
the lady over. harshly. o always by ap-
~pearances. h may have 'ftouted you a
a boyish lover, and yet I think-"
I stopped in sheer bewilderment. shot
through and through with keenest agon-
les OF remorseful recollection. For at the
moment I had clean forgot the gulf im-
passable I had set between these two.
80 I would have lapsed INTO shamed o.
lence. but Jennifer would not suffer it.
We'll. what is 1t that you think?', he
demanded.
II think-nay, I may say I know that
she thinks well Of you, Dick" / blundcred
on, seeing no way to put him on.
He gripped my hand, and in his eyes
there was the light Of the old love re-
awakening.
Don't Mt me up to fling me down
again, Jack! How can you know what
she thinks OF meg" he broke in, eagerly.
I should have told him then all there
was to tell. He had been trice my savior,
and his heart was soft and malleable on
the side OF friendship. / knew it-knew
that the pregnant momen for full confess
sion had arrived; and vet I could not force
my tongue to shape the words. Indeed.
I saw more clearly than before that never
any word of mine could make him uhder-
STAINS that I wal not a fa!thless traitor in
~tnteatioa. So ! psltered with the irwin.
like any wretched coward of them all.
You forget that I have come TO know
her we'll" I said. Fl was q month OF
more under the same rcd With her. ana
in that time she told me many thingn.'.