The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-09-20

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1t we'll suited the young blacksmith
to halt In the darkness, run to the shop
for harmless bottle of volatile oils
which would smell loud and look we'll
Then, STOPPING, he took the slim pastern
In his hands. The foot was hot and
throbhing Those deft digits, warned
where to seek, cleyerly Intercepted the
hair about the smallest portion of the
| joint. All, 1t was there! He snapped
full nose toward his shoulder. Then
with skilled movements Hochaska rub
bed and kneaded the member to hasten
the impeded circulation.
For an hour he worked thus; the dra-
matte values must be preserved. DC
casionally he walked the pony about,
and its owner could see the lameness
decreasing At the end OF that time he
Strengthened up and said:
Burnt Bear, your horse is sound.
Shall name my price,"
The old man grunted, felt the foot,
saw that the fever was all out of IL,
then, taking the bride rein into his
hand, led the pony back and forth till
he was certain there was no limping in
that gait. 1T is magic indeedw he de-
clared, with proud generosity, then
turned, pecred over his shoulder into
the darkness OF the trail and lifted his
hand sharply.
From where she had stood an hour or
more. motionless as the stems OF the
young birch trees about her, there
slipped silently forward and approach
ed him slim, light footed Indian girl.
Impassvely he motioned toward Ho-
chaska, and she fed TO her lover.
But following her, so that one might
almost have thought 1t her shadow, the
form of a man entered the circle of
light.
This Is the way you keep your bar
gains, you old renegade, is itT' Mallock
snarled, pointing to where the lovers
stood hand in hand.
81 make n new bargain" returned
Burnt Bear imperturbably. 81 make
any bargain when my pony go lame"
Mallock's loosely hanging hands
clinched themselves into fists. Rage
Seemed to Overpower caution. mine
Spot lame? Who famed him?" Look
ing about and receiving no answer, he
went on in louder more confident
tone: "Who famed Nine SpotT" he In
quired holly. I'm here TO prove that
Hochaska slipped in and famed the
beast to get even with you about Ally,
and now you give him your daughter
to cure It, Burnt Bear, you're nine
sorts of foolr'
II is not courteous or even safe to tell
a Sioux chief that he is as much as
one sort of plain, unqualified fool.
Burnt Bear started for Mallock, and
the Englishman began TO explain how
he had seen Hochaska tying n horse
hair around Nine Spots pastern to pro
duce the lameness.
Burnt Bear halted uncertainty. II
was apparent that he had been tricked
by some one, and when he felt sure
ing.
Matters hung thus in the balance for
moment Hochaska frightened his
arm about the girl and decided to as
sumo the responsibility OF anything
Billy had done, but to keep Altamaha
now he had her.
Hold on, hold on, my noble red
er galloped up to the smlthy
Its all right to eat Mallock, Burnt
Bear" the cowboy explained as he
leaped from saddle, but you want to
know just what you're eatin' i'm for"
The Englishman drew back Don't
CO." urged Billy, laying a constrain-
ing hand upon his arm. 1--WE can't
spare you"
He turned to the three Indians, who
stood regarding the white man GU
riously.
Burnt Bear" he began, you know
what I've bet on Nine Spot I've been
watchin' that cayuse most as close as
you have. Tonight, before you got
around to him, l was up on the knob
where he grazes. You thought it was
light enough so you could see the
hawse from where you was down at
the camp-settin' by the door of your
wicky-up. But there was a great big
snake In the grass that you couldn't
see, worming itself along to Nine
Spots heels, md | thinks to myself,
Does the Teller want to have his
brains kicked outP Then as l watches
i'm he nooses up a long, stout hawse-
hair, so fash, and slips it around the
pony's hook"
Let go Of me-" growled Mallock
under bis breath.
AN that there snake in the grass
warn't Hochaska," explained Billy
genially. lie suppressed the further
information that there was a rubber
band In his own pocket prepared to
do n like service at the time he dis
covered Mallock playing the trick
ahead of him.
Here's your pony lamer, Burnt Bear
take him." And with a sudden un-
expected jerk the cowboy flung Nal
lock almost into Burnt Bears arms.
Bless you, my children" he con-
cluded, turning TO Hochaska and the
girl. "Pll skip down to Casey's and
/ take some GOOD bets On the nOnv Nal