The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1905-05-12

| not"
| Paul gave utterance to groan
sank upon large stone at the side OF
the road and bowed his head in his
hands. One more hope, and, in fact
aoout the last hope he had. was gone
Paul remained two weeks longer
with the Metlakahtias. and then de
cided to leave his dusky friends and
start for the klondyke.
Father Duncan selected four stout
young Indians to. accompany him.
The Indians We're we'll supplied with
provisions suitable for crossing the
mountains, and he and his escort
We're provided with dried meat and
compressed bread and bareback.
The four Indians selected for Paul S
party were stout young fellows, in
ured to hardship and danger. They
were strong, brave and faithful. The
instructions given them by the old
missionary We're carefully listened 10
and they promised to carry them out
to the letter.
There is always something en-
chanting in q great. deep forest, with
its tall trees clothed in moss and
solemn depths which seem to speak
of divinity. AT night in the forest
adds TO the gloom, the solemnity and
awfuness OF the scene. A camp fire
in the great northern woods, with its
rocks and cliffs, its moss covered
trees, has something grand in it,
Gathered about a camp fire built
at the base of the mountain range
were five persons-Paul Miller and
his four Christian Indians.
1t had been a long, hard days
travel, and the poor fellows were
almost exhausted. 1t was only Pauls
indomitable will driving him on to
more than super-human energies that
kept him on his feet. He had aban-
doned all hope of finding the men
who had robbed him, and now he
longed to get back to the klondyke,
take another fortune from the frozen
mother
The faces which ever seemed to
smile at him from the smoke and
darkness gave him courage and hope.
1t has been a long time since |
wrote to them,' he thought. They
How sad to cause them grief and all
through mischievous yet truthful
message itten in fit of delirium!"
He was suddenly reused from his
painful reverie by the falling and roll
ing OF a great stone down upon
and across the camp fire, scat
tering the burning brands in every
direction The great, round bowlder
passed within a few inches of where
Paul sat and between two of the In
dams, but fortunately did not touch
any one. The stone was heavy
enough to crush out life or break
bones had it struck one
Paul leaped to his feet and the In
dians started UP with EXPLANATIONS
Of fear
From whence came that stone?"
cried an Indian
Paul's first suspicion that some con-
vulsion Of the earth had shaken the
stone loose from the mountain side
and sent it laundering down the cliff
upon them, but there had been no
perceptible quaking.
While he was still trying to dis
cover the cause, there came another
object rolling down the steep descent
mingled with dirt, fine stones and
snow. 1t semed a great dark ball,
from which there issued a human cry.
1t rolled to Pauls feet and stopped.
He seized one of the burning brands
and held it so the flame threw the
light upon the face of the stunned
and half-insensible man, who sat
stupidity gazing about him. The sud-
den and unexpected advent of this
stranger was enough to startle the
campers and disturb their wits. The
Indians, starting to their feet, stared
at him in amazement. Paul was
first to recover his speech.
He cried:
Throw the wood on the fire."
They obeyed, and the light flashed
up, throwing out broad red glare on
the scene which illumined the dirt
be-grimmed face of the man who
had tumbled down the cliff Paul.
starting back, SAID:
''It is the escaped prisoner, the alb
robber-and perhaps
murderer" He seized one of the In
dams muskets and raised it to brain
the scoundrel, but two stout Meta.
kahtlas seized him and said
Nay brother, Thou shalt not
kill"
The man who had so suddenly fall.
en- into their midst was rapidly re-
gaining his faculties and by this
time able to speak. He growled an
oath and rubbed the side of his head.
Where did you come from?" ask.
ed Paul.
Prom alott on the cliff" he an
swered.
What were you doing up there?"
"Tryin' TO cross. Was any harm in
that?"
Il recognize you as one of the men
who robbed me-"
Mate, yer off yer course when We
accuse me o. dom that"
You are one of the two men who