Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-10
By Julie Opp Faversham.

Adapted from the play by Edwin Milton Royle.

SalQ. MISS me, dear, and now run in
and help your mother" Jim followed
the boy to the cabin door.
Malcolm Petrie said, tentatively,
"And that Indian squaw-woman,
mean--is your"
But Jim stopped the word that he
felt Petrie was about to speak.
"My wife," he said. Petrie dropped
his glasses and turned sharply to Jim.
my wife" Jim said again. "You
don't suppose I'd let my boy come
into the world branded with illegiti
macy, do you?"
To this Petrie gave no answer
Under Jim's almost defiant gaze he
found 1t impossible to argue, but
there must be a solution to this pro
blem. He moved away as he almost
lightly said "An awkward situation.
Mr.. Carston-quite an awkward situa-
ton" but the words conveyed no idea
that he felt there was fnality about
the matter. His lawyers brain would
unravel the knot Jim could still have
his freedom. Then he said, "But these
| matters can be arranged. You will be
| in position to settle an income on
her which will make her comfortable
for life. and some good man will event
ually marry her"
Jim almost smiled. There was so
much of the conventional standard in
Petrie's speech.
WAIT bit. You don't understand
He motioned Petrie to be seated
again. He hesitated, then determin-
ed to tell his story 1t might as we'll
be done now: it would save further
discussion
81 first saw Nat-u-ritch at bear
dance at the agency. The Indians re-
verse ou' custom and the women ask
the men to dance. Nat-u-ritch chose
me for her partner. We met again at
Maverick where she killed desperate
to save my life" These words Jim FL
most whispered to Petrie. who leaned
forward to catch every syllable "The
next time I saw her-Oh we'll, why
tell Of the months that followed? One
day found myself lying in her wicky-
up. | had been at deaths door fight
ing a fever. Searching for strayed
cattle, had tumbled into Jackson s
Hole and had been abandoned for
dead. Nat-u-ritch went in alone, on
snow-shoes and dragged me back to
her village. 1t was deed no man
red or white, would have attempted to
do When grew we'll enough she
brought me here to my own ranch
where had RELAPSE. Again she
nursed me back to life"
j He paused. How should he tell
this man Of the days of binding temp
i tation the loneliness OF his life hac
brought with 1t? Petrie waited. jim
moved little closer to him as he
went no:
i When grew stronger, tried my
best to induce her to leave the ranch
but she would not go. She loved me
with devotion not to be reasoned
with. almost tried to ill-treat her
1t made no difference" Again the
despair that Petrie had noticed be
fore crept into Jim's voice. II was
mana lonely man-and she low
ed me- The inevitable happened
You see, I cannot 30 back home"
No, this was not the usual case
Malcolm Petrie told himself, Ever
he had been impressed by Jim's reel
tai of the story. 1t was this mans
attitude towards the woman that gave
him more cause for anxiety than the
squaw's position in the case, so he
said:
Don't you think you take rather
too serious q view of the case? 70,
can explain the situation to her an
she will be open to reason"
But Jim interrupted him. =
wouldn't desert dog that had beer
faithful to me. That wouldn't b,
English, would It? The man VIII,
!, tries to sneak out of the consequence
of his own folly"
Believe me-" the lawyer protested
"I would advise nothing unbecomins
g gentleman. But aren't you idealiz
ing Nat-u-ritch a little?"
Jim's answer was not reassuring
"On the contrary, we never do these
primitive races justice. knew thu
, grief of the ordinary woman. I
dosen't prevent her from looking int
the mirror to see If her bonnet Is OF
straight: but Nat-u-ritch would throy
herself into the river out there ant
I should be her murderer as much al
Iif pushed her in.'
Then Petrie devised new schem,
to test Jim's resolution.
), "Why not take her with you q
!, England" he asked.
Impossible" Jim answered. "we',
: both be much happier here. Ever
here am squaw man-that mean
) socially ostracized" A bitter laugl
broke from him. "You see, we hav,
J. social distinctions out here"
!. "How absurd!"
Social distinction usually are" an,
Jim laid his arm on Petrie's. H
9 was growing tired Of the discussion
Petrie felt that Jim wished to dis
2 miss it, so he determined to play hi
: trump card. The sacrifice of splen
. did fellow was madness. Years iron
S now, Jim would thank him that h
$ had urged him to abandon this life t.
which he chung with his mistaken
sense of right.
81 think am justified in violatin,
: my Instructions" Petrie began, "Yo
were not to know that Lady Kerhi
: accompanied me to this country"
Jim's hands frightened on Petrit
= Diana here?" Furtively he locke
: about him. as though feaful Of seeiu
her. In American" He waited to b
!, quickly treasured that there was n