Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-12-26

las nuu / At Ia tItf Aut.tti l.J,, ..
planted the United states troopa e.
three sides OF the Indian campgrorr
ana moved them forward to the n
tack
Adroitly he Unanswered the oppo.
ing forces. with advancing here an,
retreatlng there, groans when I'll,
white men felt the fight too kcenli
low whoops to picture an Indian gain
little puffs of the breath to betokci
flying bullets. The onlookers saw the
battle MS 1t ragged about the tepees,
And the Pickering lantern. as Squaw
Charley moved it in n semlclrcle told
them that the firing began at day
break and continued until dark.
All at once he changed the picture.
Twelve beans were rapidly counted out
and laid in rows. and he mourned soft
ly over these to show that they were
slain warriors. Five kernels of corn
Il line Of pale faced dead were placed
beside the bean rows. This done, he
covered the lantern with the grain
sack and leaned back against the logs.
AYE, aye" cried David Bond sadly,
twelve braves and five troopers per-
ished. Seventeen souls went to their
Maker to mark the greed of the white
man and the yearning TO harry Off the
red! Why do the Indians not stay in
peace and quiet upon the lands set
apart for them and not go abroad
stealing and Strengthening? why do my
own people not give back to their
brothers The country that is rightly
theirsT'
Once more Squaw Charley stopped
forward and, resting his weight on one
hand, traced the return march of the
troopers to a crossing of the Missouri,
where the command had buried its
dead; from there he drew the route
southwark to the ferry and Fort Bran
non. Here he stuck the spllnters in a
circle to picture the stockade below the
barracks. At last, rising, he drew his
blanket close about him. put the grain
sack over his tangled hair and, with q
parting look toward Dallas and the
evangelist, went slowly out.
Perfect quiet followed the pariah's
going. His recital of the conflict, dumb
though it was, had powerfully stirred
the little audience. for as he had pro-
ceedcd with his crude minicry the i'm
agination of the others had filed in
the scenes he could not sketch.
The section boss spoke first. Not in
capable OF feeling yet disliking 70
show emotion because Il might be
counted weakness, he FASTENED to
clear the air. Say, Dallas" he dra WI
ed, with survey Of the battlefield, "he
ought t. had some red Mexican beans
fer his Injuns." But the remark failed
to appeal
David Bond made a shakedown for
himself beside Lancaster's bunk, using
an armful of hay and the robes and
quilts from his pung. However, the
fact that he needed rest or that his
couch was ready did not tempt him
from the fire. Long after his host dis
appeared behind the swinging Navajo
blankets he sat by the hearth. And
Dallas stayed with him. Marylyn's
sleepy head plllowed in her lap.
The elder girl felt strangely drawn
to him. He returned the interest he in
spired. Like Lounsbury. he marked
the unusual character of this woman
of the far frontier. But he saw further
than had the younger man: With her
father and sister she was all hrnness
and strength, rs If she held herself to
be the mainstay of the family, yet
now and then unwittlngly she betray-
ed qualities that were distinctly oppo-
site. Like Lounsbury too, when he
1t was to inquire If she had spent any
Of its years in a town. He felt certain
that she had not; at the same time his
belief was curlously contradicted by
her bearing.
IN always live on the plains" she
said, having told him of the mesa and
their migration north. "lf | left EN-
know now, and when | came back
maybe l wouldn't be satisfied with tho
shack or with dad and Marylyn."
Child, where did you get that
.kought?' he asked, astonished.
Il don't know-only my mother
would "a been happy In Texas II she'd
been born there. But she wasn't. and
She wanted her old home TIL she
dcd-it was only sentence, yet the
quiet pathOs Of 1t barred to him the
tragedy Of that mothers exile.
Never great city, daughter" he
advised. Stay here. menaced by In.
dams. among rough men and women,
with storms and toll besetting you. but
never 60 to great city. 1t is CLOSE
and dirty and paved, and In it no man
may All his lungs with pure air or
touch his feet to Gods green earth"
an cities" questioned Dallas, but in
low tone, as If she wished no one to
overhear-"in cities do-do the women
dress like me-" She raised herself a
little, though without disturbing Mary
Ign. so that he might see her plain,
collarlcss waist and straight. scant
skirt.
He gave her a smile-a smile as rare
and transforming as her own. She
had allowed him a glimpse OF her sup
pressed girlshness. Would that they
did, my daughter" he answered.
Il mean In cities ike-like-Bis-
marck.' she said. a trihe consciously.
"Perhaps-s ome-eh-let me see" He
was perplexed He saw the eager light
in her face, saw that for some reason
she was striving to compare herself
with the women of the settled districts
and to learn from him the very things
she had feared might bring dissatisfac-