Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-19
By ELEANOR GATES,

Author of 1.-The Biography Of Prairie Girl. .

Indian up" he said, and raised MS
hand to his cap.
From the road he looked around.
Despite the distance he could see that
the girls were where he had left them,
and Martyrs head was once more
pressed against her sister. The sight
made him writhe in his saddle and
wish he were as old as the river bluffs
themselves, that he might go back
and protect them. AS he descended to
the ice their two faces rose before him.
One, pretty and pale, with the soft
roundness of child's, the blue eyes
filed with all q childs terror and en-
treaty; the other, pale, too. though
upon it there still fingered the brown
of the summer sun, but firm of out
line, its crown heavy coil of braids,
its center eyes that We're brave, stead
fast, compelling.
The first picture blurred in remem-
boring the second. God bless her!"
be murmured. ITO think she knew
all the time and never cheepedw
At the shack Dallas, too, was ponder
ing-over 4 strange contrariety. Their
home was in danger, perhaps their
very lives. Yet the day had fulfilled
its promise OF the morning-it was the
happiest in her life,
The ramshackle ferryboat was firm
ly wedged in drydock of ice on the
western side of the Missouri AS
LOunSbury passed 1t, with his horse
following pluckily III Spreadeagle fash
ion. he shouted for old Michael But
long before the river had flooded, when
it was edging and covering only In the
least swift places, the pilot had made
his final crossing, run the wheeZy
steamer noSe-on against the bank and
deserted her. So the storekeeper re-
| ceived no answering halloo. He was
disappointed. 1t was desirab BILE to EN-
broil as few as possible in the LancaS-
ter dispute. Old Michael, already a
| factor, was needed to act the picket
to fire Il warning signal If Matthews
left Shanty Town.
\ substitute was found at the sta
bles. The storekeeper as he rushed
away after disposing of his mount
came upon Lieutenant Fraser busily
reaching his own riding animal, Il
| flighty buckskin cayuse that no one
| else cared to handle and that was at
! fectionately known in barracks as the
| ''she devil" The men had met be
fore, around the billiard table at the
suffers, and Lounsbury had set the
| young officer down for a chivalrous
| but rather chicken hearted youngster,
who had chosen his profession unwise-
| ". So. his story told, the storekeeper
was altogether surprised at Frasers
, spirited enthusiasm and quick re-
/ Spouse.
"rve nothing to do, old man." he
said as they went toward the parade
| ground. Il can help as well as not
! SO just take your time. I'll watch
| for you
| Il hardly think our man II show his
nose before dark. But l can't leave
| the way OPEN
! Don't fret
They parted at the fiagpole, the Yves,
| Pointer going down to the river ant
Lounsbury hurrying off in the oppo
| rite direction.
Colonel Cummings entry and recep
ton rooms were crowded when the
| ;torekeeper entered. A score of OH
,ers were standing about in little
groups talking excitedly. But Louns
bury was too anxious and distraugh'
to notice anything unusual. He hur
ried up TO tall, sad faced man whose
| mustache, thin and coarse, dropped
sheer over his mouth, giving him the
look of martyred walrus.
Can l see the X. o., Captain Oil
ver?" he asked. Its important"
'Tll find out" answered the captain
But / don't believe you can He!
up to his ears He disappeared int,
the next room.
Lounsbury bowed to several officers
though he scarcely saw them. HI
/ heard divers low voice, evidently an
nouncing him, then the coloners.
Eyes, bring him in cried the latter
Maybe he'll know"
The storekeeper entered withou
waiting. Colonel Cummings stood ii
the center of the room. 1t was tn
room known as his library, in compli
ment to row of dog cared volume
that had somehow survived many
wet bivouac and rough march. But
resembled q museum. In the corners
on the walls beneath the bulky head
of buffalo and the branching antler
of elk, there were swords, tomahawk:
bows and arrows, strings of glas
wampum, cartridge belts, Indian boz
nets, drums and shields and a misce
lany of warlike odds and ends. Toda
the room was further Uttered by maps
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