The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-06-23
THE MASTER OF AT PPl LEBY|
BY Francis Lyndo.

1t was Gods mercy that by some
swift intuition knew him for the
friendly Catawba. 1t is an i'll thing to
take a frighted man
"C~ncanoola"' said L.
He nodded Where bouts Captain
Long-knife going"
told him briefly; whereat he shook
his head
No find Captain Jennif' this way;
find him that way" pointing back along
the path.
How does the chief know that? Has
he seen him." Though my long exile
had well-nigh cost me the trick of 1t,
l made shift to drop into the stately
Indian hyperbole.
WAN. Uncanoola has seen the
Great Water: that make him have long
eyes-see heap things"
Will the Catawba tell the friend
whose life he saved hat he has seem"
"Uncanooia see heap things" he re-
peated. See Captain Jennif so'-he
threw himself flat upon the ground and
pictured me a fugitive crawling snake
like through the underwood. "Bime-
in and paddle fas'; bime-by. gain. stop
padding and laugh and shake fist this
way. and say 'God-damn.'"
BY this knew that Jernifer had es-
capped; nay. mere: had somehow
learned of my escape and was seeking
me-,
is that all the thief saw" 1 asked.
Ugh. See heap more things: see
one thing white squaw net let him tell
Captain Long-knife. Maybe some i'm
tell. anyhow"
The white squaw?" said l.. Who
is she"!"
The Catawba laughed. an Indian
laugh, silent and suppressed: a mere
shaking of the ribs.
No can tell that. neither. too" he
said. Then. with a swift dart aside
from the subject: Captain Long
knife care much bout black logs yon-
der"
knew he meant the negroes at the
hunting lodge.
The white man cares for the black
as a kind master should" ! returned.
The Indian spat upon the ground in
token of his hatred and contempt for
all the black skins in his fatherland.
I never understood this bitter race an
tipatlly between the red and black. but
tbs a tale we'll written out in many a
bloody massacre of that earlier day.
The wolve will kill all the black
dogs and drink their blood before the
moon is awake. Uncanoola has spok-
en-"
1 sheathed my sword and turned to
take the backward trace.
Captain Long-knife will go and
fight for his black dogs with wool on
their headS?" he queried.
IF need be-" I asserted.
"Wah!" he calculated. and at the
word was one as ii the earth had
swallowed him.
l lost no time IL INDIGESTION. Since
Jennifer was abroad. 1 had no business
at the plantations: and If Tomas ~
the other refugees We're like to one
to harm, 1 could do no less than hasten
back to warn or help them.
So retr1ce1 NV stems hjlrrie51y nc
the business urged: and saw no more
shadows in the ancient wood-in truth,
had much d to see the single step
ahead, so thickly did the darkness
gather in those skyless depths.
l was breasting the last low hill, was
come so near that 1 could hear the
murnur of the river, when in the far
thest hazy vista of the tree-tops a soft
ened glow appeared. changing the black
to green and then to red. Twas like
the childish Africans, 1 said. to draw a
secret sentry line for safety's sake. and
then to build a fire to advertise 1t far
and wide Truly. the Catawba's wolves
might find an easy
A chattering scream OF agony sent
shrill and sharp upon the stiffness of
the night halted me and broke the glib
ing comment in the midst. l stood and
listened. The cry rang out again: then
I loosed the Andrea in its scabbard and
fell a-running. though the ~lalf-healed
woun d scanted me sorely Of the breath
l wanted.
The cabin clearing. or rather the
~thinned-out grove which stood in lieu
thereof, was but 4 niggard acre
hemmed in on every side. save that
toward the river, by the virgin forest.
For cover there We're holly thickets
here and there. and into one of these I
plunged. creeping on hands and knees
to gain a hidden viewpoint.
The scene in the little clearing was
one to brand itself in lasting shapes
upon the memory. a brush heap new
IL kindled gave out a dusky glow FLAIR
ing in waves of smoky red against the
over-arching foliage. The open space
around the cabin was alive with half
naked savages running to and fro: and
in the gloom beyond the fire I saw a
shadowy horseman backed by other
still more phantom-like.
There was no mystery about 1t. My
enemy had come with sleuth-hound In
dams at mis- back to run me down. The
savages We're, no doubt, that band Of
over-mountain Cherokees pledged by
their chief to pilot the powder V
and by their help the baronet had
tracked me.
This was the first thought, caught ut in
passing: but when I came to look again
saw what had been done. Sprawled on
the ground before the burning brush pile,
his wrinkled face a hideous mask Of suf-
fertng, with the eyeballs starting from
their sockets In the death-wrench, lay my
faithful Darius.
BY what inhuman fortunes they had
made him point the way. or how or why
they slew him at the last. ! know not,
but I made sure 1t was his death-scream
that had halted me and set the stiffness of
the forest alive with CHASTITY echoes.
At sight of the stitfening body of the
faithful slave you may suppose my blood
ran cold and hot by turns. and that his
blood cried out for vengeance from the sod
that soaked it up. With ten years more
of youth and less of age | might have
tried to hew my way to Falconnet's stir
rup, and SO to square accounts with him.
But had l been a-mind to rush upon the
stage without my cue. another climax in
the CHASTITY tragedy forbade 1t.
This climax turned upon the capture of
my horse boy. Tomas. The other blacks.
it seemed. had made good their escape:
but Tomas. tagging behind through fear
or foolishness. had given these copper col
ored devils leave TO run him dow! and
drag him back into the fire light, With
ye!ls OF savage triumph.
They flung him down upon his knees be-
side the captains horse, and though !