Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-25

S5St the squaw, the troopers. He followed those moccasin prints that came across the draw and went again He found the last behind the lean-to, along the side nearest the coulee, on the back fire strip in front, and declar- ed they had been made by white man.
 Two circumstances pointed strongly to the truth of this-the body had been carried away in the direction of Shan ty Town; white man would have taken so much trouble not an Indian, who would have left his handiwork for all to see. And again, when Shan ty Town was searched one of the huts was found to contain evidence of late occupancy-scraps of food that were not yet stale and in q rusty stove fresh coals. But though the coulee, the road, the prairie and the timber edglng the river were all faithfully scanned one thing concerning the murderer's doings the traces of him began and ended. But how had he reached Shanty Town?
 Old Michael furnished the clew of time. He related how he had heard the crack of a gun to the eastward the previous evening, about tn ind av tn furst dog watch"
 Captain Oliver stayed uutil the last rod had been travelled and the last stone turned. Then he was ferried to Brannon. On landing he went at once to the wife of his colonel who had va cated her home when the command left and was now living with Mrs. Martin at Major Appleton's.
 Mfrs. Cummings" he said. "the old man on the bend is missing. It looks like murder. His two girls are left. orphaned and heartbroken. They need a woman's comfort. ma'am. Will you not go to them, and will you find wo- man to stay with them for a few niGhtsf''
 ''Oh, how very sad!" exclaimed that lady. then turned away ns if suddenly perplexed. "I-I-rcaliy don't care to go myself" she went on, when she had given his request a moments thought "I know these country peo- ple-so touchy and taciturn. always ready to think one is patronizins them"
 One usually is." retortPd the cap tain sharply. "Then I must ask some body else"
 "One of the troopers wives would probably be glad to gO."
 You are evidently quite mistaken regarding these young women" de- claTed Oliver. with some heat. Mrs Oliver will think differently"
 Really. I haven't thought of them" she answered pPtulantly. But why, may ask, don't they come to the pOSt?"
 They prefer to stay fin their own little home. In their present trouble and grief 1t is particularly dear to them. Would be to any One.''
 ''I think it odd. captain. that they should choose to stay over there alone Ca1-can they be-eh-quite nice?'
 Madam" replied Oliver sternly. ''they wish 10 do what would please their father. They wish to he inde- pendent
 -Ah." Mrs. Cummings threw up her head
 And let ne say that heartily con- mend them" Oliver fairly rOared. They are made of the stur of our fOrefathers. who pushed their way in- to the wilderness. Their spirit is the spirit of the frontier With whkh- lowing and fumIng- the captain stamp ed out
 Mrs. Oliver. a m0theriy chunk of a woman. thought very differently Work and babies she consigned to thrifty troopers wife and in a jfHv pinned n a bonnet that had stood va rfous seasons I'll bp hack in the morning she said. with a kiss for each of the sewen- Then StufTng ffdbsf CT two into ttBe wide pockets of a fuSfsr. she hzSteaesi away
 Captain Oliver meanwhile had clear ed the front room Of his progeny and summoned the Surzeon. Lieztenznt Fraser and Matthews
 Matthew's cane at last As he en-