Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-08-23

that I was called Martial ell Tizrero."
"You?" the astonished hunter exclaim
ed. why. that is impossible
o. course SO. since l am dead" tn
stranger answered. bitterly.
CHAPTER II.
The Tigrero bad let his head fall or
his chest again, and seemed engaged will
gloomy thoughts. The hunter, somewhat
embarrassed by the turn the conversation
had taken. and anxious to continue it
mechanically stirred up the fire.
Stay" he said, presently, as he thrus;
hack With his FEC. a few eznbers that hat
rolled out pardon me, sir, any Insult
which nay exclamation may seem to have
contained. You have mistaken my mean.
ing. although we have never met, we are
not such strangers as you suppose.
have known you for a long time"
The Tigrero raised his head and looked
at the hunter incredulously.
Your he muttered.
Yes, l, and it will not be difficult tc
prove it to you"
What good will it do?' he murmured;
what interest can + have in the fact OF
your knowing me?"
Valentine reflected for a moment and
then went on as follows:
"Some months ago, in consequence of
circumstances unnecessary to remind you
of, burt which you doubtless bear in mind,
you met at the Colony of Guetzalli a
Frenchnan and q Canadian hunter, with
whom . eventually stood On NEST init
mate terns."
1T is true" the Tigrero replied, "the
Frenchman to whom you allude is the
Count de Prebois GRANGE. Oh! I shall
never be able to discharge the debt of
gratitude I ave contracted with him"
A sad smile curled the hunters lin.
You nd longer owe him anything" he
said.
"What do you mean?'' the Tigrero ex-
claimed eagerly surely the count can
not be dead!'
"He is dead, caballero. He was as
s~assinated on the shores of Guayamas.
his blood, so treacherously shed. cries for
vengeance"
The hunter hurriedlg wiped away the
tears he had been unable to repress while
speaking of the count, and went on in
a voice ehoked by the Internal emotion
which he strove in vain to conquer:
But let us, for the present, leave this
sad Renaissance to slumber in our hearts.
The count was my friend, my dearest
friend. more than a brother to me; he
often spoke about you to me, and several
times told me your gloomy history, which
Terminated in a frightful catastrophe"
The Tfgrero, in a few moments, began
his narrative as follows:
my friends must have fancied me
dead. You are aware that l was at
tackled by Black Bear just as l believed
I had saved friends. We fought on the
edge of a pit and I was just about to
finish him when the Comanche war cry
was heard. Startled, I let the Indian go,
he rushed at Dona Anita, a nember OF
the party, who, however, repulEed him.
He fell backward in the direction Of the
pit, cIutching me, end down we went to
gethcr."
go on the hunter said, II am listen.
ing to you with the greatest attention"
THE Indian was desperately wounded
and it was a corpse that dragged mi
down. The chief was the first to reach
the bottom. and I fell upon his body
| which deadened my fall. / cannot say
how long I remained in this state, but ]
fancy my faint must have lasted tive
hours. When I opened my eyes again,
found myself in utter darkness. That
did not trouble me greatly, as | had abou,
me everything necessary to light q fire
Within a few moments I had a light, anC
was enabled to ook about me. was
lying at the bottom Of q species of tun'
mel, for the pit grew narrower in its de
scent. When l reached the DOR of the
cavern, / lay for more than half an hour
on the sand. exhausted, painting, unable
to make the slightest movement. Fortu
nately for me this terrible condition die
not last long, for the refreshing air FROM
without, reaching me through the passages
of the cavern. recovered me. The groune
around me was covered with dead bodies
and there had, doubtless. been a terrible
struggle. I sought in vain for the corpse
OF Dona Anita and her father. l breath.
ed again. and hope re-entered my heart
Those for whom l had given my life were
saved. This thought restored my courage
and ! felt quite a different man. I rose
without any excessive difficulty, and, sup
porting myself on my ride, went toward
the mouth of the cavern, after removing
my stock Of provision. and taking two
powder hsrns from stores / had previous.
" cached. No words can describe the