Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-08-30
3 THE RED .
~ G v T We
. 7 R A I L y


so nobiy endured. This man, in short,
ere he fell so low, must have been great,
either in virtue or in vice; but assuredly
there was nothing common about him
and mighty heart beat in his BOSOM
There was a rather long silence, during
which the two men INDUCED in thought.
The wind howled fiercely over their heads,
the eddying snow was piling up around
them and the echoes of the canyons seem
ed to utter notes of complaint. 1t was a
horrible. night. Beyond the circle of
light produced by the Pickering fame of
the watch fire all was buried in dense
gloom.
Now that the ice Is broken between
u.s." the traveller said in friendly voice,
for we have been sitting at the same
fire and have eaten together-the moment
has arrived, l fancy, for us to become
thoroughly acquainted"
The stranger nodded his head silently
1t was a gesture that could be inter
preted affirmatively or negatively, at
pleasure.
For twenty years ! have been trav-
ersing the prairies and great savannahs
in every direction, and | shall probably
continue to do SO till an Indian, bullet
comes from some thicket to stop my wan
derinss forever. Towns are hateful 10
me. And now, mate, you know me as
well as l do myself. l will merely add
in conclusion, that my name among the
white men, my countrymen, is Valentine
Guillois. and among the redskins, my
adopted fathers, Koutenepi."
The speech, which the hunter had COM
menced in that clear voice and with that
careless accent habitual to him, terminat-
ed invountarily, under the pressure of the
flood of saddened memories that rose from
his heart, and when he concluded he let
his head fall sadly on his chest with a
sigh that resembled sob. The stranger
regarded him for a moment with an ex-
preston of gentle commiseration.
You have suffered" he said: "suf-
fered in your love, suffered in your friend
ship. Your history is that of all men in
this world: who Of us but at a given
hour has felt his courage yield beneath
the weight of grief? You are alone,
friendless. abandoned by all, a voluntary
exile, far from the men who only inspire
you with hatred and contempt, you prefer
the society of wild beasts less ferocious
than they, but at any rate you live, while
| am dead man.
The hunter started and looked In
amazement at the speaker.
Il suppose you think me mad?" he con-
tinued with a melancholy smile; ''reas.
sure yourself, it is not so. l am in full
possession of my senses, and my thoughts
are clear and lucid. For all that though
| repeat to you, am dead. dead in the
sight of my relations and friends dead to
the whole world in fine. Mine is a
strange story, and one that you would
recognize through one word, were you a
Mexican or had travelled in certain re.
gions of Mexico"
"Did 1 not tell you that for twenty
years l have been travelling over every
part OF American" the traveller replied
What is the word? Can you tell it me?'
why not? l am alluding to, the name
| bore while was still living man."
What is that name?"
1T had acquired a certain celebrity
but doubt whether it has remained in
your memory.
who knows? Perhaps you are mis-
taken"
well, since you insist, learn, then
that l was called Martial ell Tigrero.'
Your" the astonished hunter exclaim.
ed. why, that is impossible ~
"Of course so. since l am dead" the
stranger answered, bitterly.