Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-10

Bible, but he was not reading. His
head was uncovered. His beard was
lifted. His eyes closed in prayer. Be-
side him knelt Squaw Charley. with
hands pressed together. as if reverent,
with shoulders bent lower than their
wont, with shifting, downward look.
North of the barracks on the road
that led from the steamer landing the
two had met In the early hours to say
goodby.
Swift on the first hint of coming
trouble the evangelist had made ready
for his long journey TO the west. Shad-
rach was shod. his master fitting the
plates to the shaggy hoofs. The run
ners were taken from the green box
and replaced by the red wheels. Can
ned food, sailed meat, hard tack and
forage were boxed or sacked at the
suffers. The harness was creased. A
new nail was driven home through the
base of the sagging cross.
During these preparations the post
Joined in an effort to damp the aged
preachers hopes and to check his go
ing. He was needed ut Brannon. they
said, so that the regiment could be
rid of Matthews. His belief that he
could talk peace terms to the hoStiles
was ludicrouS. As for the Jameson
women. they were dead or they would
have been returned long since to save
the four condemned from hanging.
And his own life was to be useleSsly
endangered. Already out upon the
prairie Indian scouts We're keeping
watch. He might be able. though
alone and unarmed. to pass them and
reach the coulees beyond, but he would
only fall into the murderoUs clutches
of the savages swarming there.
David Bond smiled when they ar
gued. His faith was as firm as the
bluffs that ramparted the fort. and his
old heart was unafraid. With him
against the rest ranged two men
Robert Fraser and young Jameson.
They believed, as he did. that. know
ing the tongue and having friends
among the Sioux, he would be in no
peril; thai by now the captive mother
and daughter We're on American
ground again and would be given over
to his care more readily than to an
others; that the arrival of troops be-
fore the enGmy's camp would be
fraught with risk for the defenseless
two and that an attempt TO take them
by force would be their death signal.
Colonel Cummings was narrowed by
Jamieson's months of anguish and ILL
ness and angered by the Indifference
and dawdling of the captors in the
face of his demand and threat. His
heart was set upon punishment now.
not treaty. He felt that he was being
played with, and he longed to find the
red Sioux and thrash them sOundly.
A word about the evangelist's trip put
him out of patience. He regarded it
as futile and rash. Yet he did not for
bid 1t. He dared not, for there was
Jamieson's old-young face and winter
ing head and a hidden spark of hope
that would not die.
He owed it to his conscience and po-
sitiOn, however, to discourage David
Bond. There will be sharp fighting
this summer" he told him. "a hun
dred good men like you couldn't stop
1t. The cause lies too deep, and it is
too well founded. In the matter of
the women you will also fail. They
did not come as the price Of four
chiefs. VIII they come because you
ask for them politely? They won't
And you will be slaughtered
Then l shall die in a noble cause, y
answered the preacher simply. THE
Indians know me. | am their friend
/ have spent my life with them, taught
them, advised, converted. What is al
my labor worth, colonel, if cannot &C
among them in times of distress?"
Worth this said the colonel, that
you should know when to use you
common sense. l tell you, you vii
meet with treachery. Friend or nc
friend, this year the Indians are hunt
ing scalps."
II put my trust in Cod" murmuret
David Bond.
Don't put your trust in redskins,
retorted Cummings GROSSLY. Whereupor
he tramped away.
Waste of breath-nOthing else" HI
declared to his wife. I'm clean. pu
out with tie old fellow. Hes daft OF
going. Now, why doesn't he stay her
instead of sticking his throat to tn
knife? There's plenty to do; but, nc
off he must rush on a wild goose chase
Well, he'll have one, mark that! He
either ripe for an insane asylum or he
religious adyenturer-andI I'm hange,
If / know which,"
1t was the buster that covers Al
aching wound; that is vent for out
ragged helplessness. And David Bon,
understood.
When he asked leave to address TIL
stockade the commanding officer will
ingly consented. The attitude of tn
hostages on that occasion startled an,
disturbed the whole post. for the evan
gelist might as well have harangue,
the cottonwood grove across the river
He asked the braves for messages t
their brothers. BY way of reply the
got up one after the other from wher
he had found them grouped in the SUI
before the council tent and strolled in
solently to their lodges. Soon he wa
disG0ursing .to-empty. space and to