The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-08-03

would say twas the old bOrderer'S way
of swearing: that since he left out the
oaths in Common speech-as, truly, he
did-he would fetch up the arrears and
wipe out the score in one fell blast upon
his knees. Be this as it may, he was a
good man and a true, as ]
have said: and his warlike sup
phcation that our blades should
be as the sword of the Lord and OF
Gideon in the coming onfall was nc
whit out of place.
1t wanted yet a full hour OF midnight
when Richard began again to plead
~piteously for instant action. Yeates
thought II still o~Yer-early, but when
%jennifer pressed him hard the old Dor
derer left the casting vote to me.
what say ye, Cap'n John? Your'n
will be the next Oldest head, and I
reckon it hain't been turned plumb
foolish rampaging crazy by this here
purity gal O. Gilbert Stairs"
Now yod have read thus far in my
poor tale to little purpose If you have
not yet discovered the major weakness
of an old Campaigner, which is to weigh
and measure all the chances, holding 1t
10 the full as ~culpable to strike too
soon as too late. This weakness was
mine, and in hat evil moment l gave
my vote for further waiting, arguing
sapiently that my old field marshal
would never set a night assault afoot
till we'll on toward the dawn.
Jennifer heard me through and yield
ed, perforce, though with little good
will.
Il Cannot compass 1t alone. or by the
gods, I'd go!" he asserted, angrily.
Mark you. John Ireton, this delay is a
thing you'll rue whilst live. Your
enough, and I'm no soldier-lawyer to
| 1fP1la them down Rnt S0mathing bet
ter thar your damnable reasons tells
me that the hour has struCk-that
these very present seconds are price
less" Whereupon he flung himself
face down in the grass and would not
speak again until the waiting time was
fully over and Yeates gave the word to
fall in line for the advance.
Having learned the lay of the land
in his earlier reconnaissance, the old
borderer shortened the distance for us
by guiding US across the neck of a
horseshoe bend in the stream, and a
half hours blind cropping through the
forest fetched us out upon the river
bank again, this time precisely oppo-
site the Indians lodge fire on the other
side.
Here there was a little pause for
three Of us, while Ephralm Yeates
crept down the bank to try with his
sounding pole what chance We had Of
crossing.
Measured by what could be seen
from Il covert, the narrow width of
quick water seemed the last Of the
many obstacles.
Lulled to security, as we guessed, by
the apparent success of their ruse to
throw us off the scent, six of the Cher
okees We're lying feet to fire like the
spokes of a wheel for which the titful
blaze was the hub. The seventh man
was %squatted before a small tepee-
lodge of dressed skins, which, as we
took it, would be the sleeping quarters
Of the captives. Whilst all the others
lay stiff and stark as If wrapped in
%soundest sleep. this sentry guard, too,
1t seemed, was scarcely more han half
awake, for as we looked, his gun was
slipping from the hollow of his arm
and he was nodding to forgetfulness.
Richard vas a-crouch beside me in
this peeping reconnaissance, and I
could feel him trembling in impatient
eagerness.
1T should be easy enough-what
think your he whispered; n then,
with a sudden grasp upon my wrist:
You are cool and steady-nerved, John
%1reton; l swear you do not love her as
I do"
Nay, I grant o that, Dick" said I.
making sure that his excitement would
obscure the double meaning in the adj
mission. And then l added, sincerely
enough: She has never given me the
right to love her at ALL"
God help her at this pass!" he said,
more to himself thar to me; and then
he would go in a breath from blessing
Margery to cursing Ephraim Yeates
for this fresh delay.
1t was Uncanoola who broke in upon
the muttered malediction.
"Wah! Captain Jennif' cuss plenty
heap, like missionary medicine man.
Look-ee! Uncanoola no can find White
squaw horse yonder. Mebbe Captain
Jennif' see 'um, hey"
At his word we both looked for the
horses, marking now that they were
nowhere to be seen within the circle
lighted by the lodge fire. The Ca
tawba grunted his doubt that the en-
envy was as inalert as he appeared to
be; then he set the doubt in words.
"Chelakee heap slick. Sleep only one
eye, mebbe, hey? Injun warrior. no
hide horse and go sleep both y on
Warpath!"
Here our scout came gliding back, so
noiselessly that he was within arms
reach before we heard him. Dick had
said i was over cool, but the old mans
ghostlike temperance gave me such
q start as made me prinkle to my fin
gers ends.
.tHow will it be, Eph?' Dick queried,
hotly eager to be at work. we can
make It across? Never say we can't
pass that bit of still water, mani"
But Ephraim Yeates did say SO in
set terms.
II reckon e2 how we've got to cross,
but not jest here-away, Cap'n Dick.
She amt makink any fuss about it,
but she's slipping along like creased
lightning, deep and mighty powerful
I ain.t 4sassis we h Il t swim her
and come out somewheres thisSside q
Dan'l Boone's country, but we'll make
it a heap quicker by projecting round
till We find the ford where them var
minis made out to cross"
"God!" said Dick, deep in his throat,
more time to be killed. By
h old man IA parting the bushes
Ito have a better sight Of the encamp-
nent opposite, but at Dicks outbreak
he fell back quickly and clapped a hand
on the lips of cursing.
Hist. Lookee over yonder, will yet
he cut in. And then in a whisper
meant for no ear but mine: The Lord
be marciful to that little gal, Cap'n
John; We've fooled our chance away
the games afoot, and we amt in It'll"
I looked and saw nothing save tina,
the sentry guard had risen t o throw a
handful of dry branches on the dying
i fire. Rut on t~ha1juSfap nj fbaEdy1y n,anC