Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-12-12
I -r*;.I ~. !, 49,,
Lavender 7
E'C',,r;l|:'ei9lltOn's
h !. !. Lovers.
( Copyright, 1905, BY Olivia B. strohml
BY: OLIVIA b. sTROHM
:. :, II, -
! >HAPTER XXIV.-CoNr1NuED.

$$a -
@.s IT, Copyright. 1905. BY Olivia B. strohml
/ s5..., >HAPTER xxIv.-CoNr1NuEp.
r. AT last, with the wind swaying the
trees, the water kissing the pebbles as
accompaniment to her words, she
7 spoke: To-day, tonight, the doubt is
( gone; trust you utterly. But-and I
give you fair warning-I may change
again"
She nodded her head merrily! her
mood was, on sudden, strangely light
almost hysterical. Then, more Sc.
riously: II don't trust my moods late.
.1y, they vary SO. may have been
right then---or I may be right now,
but want to be honest tonight hon
est with my heart-and you. And to-
night, for the present, all's WELL"
1.And, sweet one, for so much.
thanks. You know the wisest man has
said: There Is time to love and a
time to- hate Let us be happy now in
the time to trust, the time to love-
:. Owatoga returned, and at his sug'
;, gestion Boone rose. "You are right,
We must press on" he said. and tho
Indian advanced to Lavender. IOWA
toga will carry the white maid over the
water; the ford is Deep"
Lifting her as though she were no
greater burden than the CULVER that
swung over one shoulder, he raised her
to the other and plunged into the river.
The others followed, but, the oppo-
site side regained, the old pioneer stag.
gered and fell, half fainting, in Wins
lows arms.
"You are i'll, sir? Quick, Owatoga!
The brandy" And they worked hard
to revive the old man who lay in a
stupor on the sand.
IL have felt only tolerable we'll
for few days, and-and the walk
the walk has-has tired me- The wa
ter was cold-cold." And he shiv.
ered..
So all night they camped there, Owa-
toga guarding against surprise while
Winslow and Lavender, too anxious
for sleep, watched the pioneer, who lay
helpless with fatigue and sudden cold.
With early dawn he rallied bit, and
they pushed on until, at noon, they
paused in beautiful, sheltered grove.
Boone smiled like a pleased, tired
child. II shall rest here" he said. II
think we are secure; they have prob.
ably abandoned the trail. At any rate,
need go no further. st. Charles is
but a few miles due east. You can
easily reach it tonight. Good-by."
In vain they insisted upon remain.
ing with him until he was stronger.
mo; for the sake of the girls anx.
ious father-for her sick mother, she
must be brought home at once. Lose
no time. lean soon have cabin here
as good as the one we left"
They set to work, and in small "a
vine, with palisade of poplars pro-
tecting it, and a hedge Of pawpaw
bushes all about, they put up a tiny
shelter which the rugged woodsman
declared was fit for a kings chamber.
When the time for farewells was
come, Owatoga surprised Winslow by
extending ruddy hand. "Good-by,"
: he said.
Daniel Boone, too, looked up
amazed. why, how is th1s?"
! But the Indian sturdily retorted:
"Owatoga stays; he will not leave the
old man of the woods"
3, In vain Boone protested.
"He is right Winslow declared;
"the main road lies just beyond that
ridge. We can easily find it, and the
journey is short. Our one, regret, sir,
is leaving you"
And there were tears in Lavender's
eyes when she bent over and rever-
emily kissed the high forehead and
i smoothed the long, white hair.
I God bless you, girl" he said, weak
". 1T you never see Daniel Boone
again, think Of him sometimes. And
think of him as the old man of the
woods"
: He added this proudly, as though he
wished no nobler title. Owatoga went
with them until in sight Of the road
/ a narrow hall in the green pavilion of
nature. weed-grown gap in the wilder.
) ness. With few terse directions, and
a .gruff farewell, the guide left them to
{ complete the journey together.
--,rHrs~." CHAPTER XIV.
Il: ~ 'sThe Kings Highway Is a.little I'm.
!, certain Winslow laughed as they
I. trudged over the trail where only the
faintnSf mark If wheels chownd troooe