The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-09-20
On the Curn
Of a Dalr
By GRACE MACCOwAN COOKE
Copyright, 1905, by Ruby Douglas
Copyright, 1906, by Ruby Douglas

Suffering Moses! Hochaska, It's
heads l win. tails you LOSE playin'
poker with you these days. rung in
FIVE jacks on you that hand an you
never turned hair. What's up?'
The cowboy pushed back and regard
ed his silent companion quizzically.
The Indian glanced over his shout
der, laid fine, slender hand upon the
table and. leaning forward. whispered:
Burnt Bear runs his spotted pony in
the races next week"
The cowboy nodded. STOPPING to tight
en- spur leather.
keep your long green, pard," he
said, with bent head. II was just
a-foolin' them last three games. Well?
The old chief runs his spotted pony in
the races-and the gal is up here turnn'
Hochaska's heart to water-is that the
how of itP'
Again the Indian looked over his
shoulder before he nodded.
He has her up at the agency" he
burst out ficrcely. You know Nal
lock! 1t was Mallock before. What
chance has decent Indian girl as pref
ty as Ally with father like she's got
and that beast around?"
"Hochaska," began the cowboy.
you're a fool-hold on! Don't you git
gay, now! They whoOped you off to
the effete east and pumped good learn
In into you till you've got books whip
ped to a standstil and you can doctor
sick hawse to beat any man between
the Pecos and the Mississip-but com
mon sense you're short on
"The reasons plain nough, pardner.
The old mans out after the coin.
You've got TO bid up. You're sure a
good locker and you're a plumb gen
tleman Hochaska-jest the son-ln-law
I'd make a grab at if was a Sioux
chief with pretty daughter to marry
on"
II have offered him all have-and a
mortgage on my future. Nothing Will
do"
Somebody else is biddin' higher" re-
iterated the cowboy. "Or he thinks
they Will"
"Ally would come TO me-" said the
Indian desperately. 1T is not as il was
before. Mallock's wife was living then.
He may hold out hopes ofsa marriage
TO Burnt Bear"
The cowboy was up and ready 10 de-
part now. IF that there spo;te pony
should go Jane. Chaska." he remarked.
they hain't man but you that could
doctor it-and the race comm on next
week. If such should happen | reckon
! Won could name yOur urice"
An eager fire leaped into the Indians
somber eyes Il could" he answered
But no such thing will happen. Burnt
Bear sleeps with the pony's stake rope
to his wrist"
Don't you he too sure" demonstrated
the cowboy. I've got money up on
that cayuse. an I'm mighty uneasy
that he's about to get some sort o. COM
plant in his right hind foot The old
man knows I'm bettin' heavy on his
hawseflesh an him am me Is great pals
we're thicker'n thieves. So long,
Chaska."
He stepped to the front of the black
smith shop. swung into the saddle and
disappeared.
All day long the young Indian served
his customers and attended to his usual
duties with an air of preoccupation.
He guessed what simple trick his cow
puncher friend had in mind. II the
game went through successfully, would
the father pay the price?
Crowds were gathering for next
weeks races and business was brisk.
for this scientific blacksmith and vet
erinarian Of their own race who had
learned his trade among the white men
was prime favorite.
The forge fire had died down to a
smoldering red eye and the young
blacksmith sat half asleep before his
door when stealthy sound from the
steep slope behind his cabin reused
him. 1t differed not at all from a
hundred other small night sounds which
had preceded II, yet he was suddenly
broad awake and listening 1t came
again. He sprang to his feet. Once
more-and he was walking rapidly to-
ward the precipitous path which led up
to his spring.
Within ten PAGES Of the bushes which
concealed 1t he halted. Out of those
|
owy form Of man leading pony.
How dor" said the newcomer, and
Hochaska recognized the voice of Burnt
Bear.
In the tongue which was common to
them both the old chief stated with
the frankness of despair, that the spot
ted pony had gone suddenly lame.
II have watched him as though he
were my child" he declared "And
now tonight find his right hind foot
is lame. Have you quick cure? I
care not If I'm the end IL kills the pony,
so that he be not lame when the race
is run. for IL he does not win this race
l, Burnt Bear. must walk back to our
people stripped and destitute"
The young smith drew up and folded
his arms. lie saw that something melo-
dramatic was expected of him. lie
was 10 play the big medicine man. II
Billy had only done his part and not
n Il. n.