Bisbee daily review., 1908-07-19
MI IS
SACRIFICE
ny MARVIN DANA
CcOpyright.)

now Mrs. StlaS French, had come Win
her husband from the east to settle in
Oregon. Ultimately, the restlessness
resulted in his turning from the Cali
fornia mining camps and taking the
trail to the north.
He had no fear in thus yielding to
his longing for a sight OF her face
after so many years. He fought his
fight. and he had won.
II was in the early SOS that Mason
took the trail to the north He had
been among the first to cross the con-
tinent to the Pacific slope. He had
successful beyond his needs, since
he had no zest for dissipation, and no
craving for the costly Injuries of town.
Moreover he loved most, after the
one woman. the solitudes of the wilder
ness.
On his journey Mason had the good
fortune to save the life of Modoc
chief. The red man had been cor
neTed by a great, shaggy bear. Mason
happened upon the scene and quick
" dispatched the brute with his rife.
His act gained for him the friendship
of the tribe, which was suspected of
being none too friendly toward the
whites. He camped with the Indians
on the night of the adventure.
Next morning Mason parted from
the Indians, and resumed again his
march across. the mountains. In two
days he reached the valley in which
Mrs. French lived and came at early
evening to her door.
Small use TO attempt the telling Of
all that this meeting meant to Mason.
The matron was more nobly, more
wonderfully beautiful than the girl
had been. In his glamoured eyes she
was indeed the very queen OF women.
She was strangely glad to see him,
and curiously kind to him-and tender,
too, for his eyes, all unknowing, told
her of his loyalty in love. The hus-
band also gave Mason hearty greeting.
, Mason passed a week OF happiness,
such happiness that it tortured him.
But at the end of seven days he babe
them farewell and returned to the
mountains. There, in fair natural
park overlooking the valley, he built
him a comfortable and strong cabin.
Thenceforth he lived the solitary life
he most esteemed. He went but rarely
to the valley.
The Modocs soon found him out;
they made much of him for his service
| to the chief, Leaping Bull. AS they
came to know him better their esteem
grew; finally he was adopted into the
tribe and was given the name White
| Bear.
When the Klamaths made an expedi-
| ton against the Modocs Mason fought
with his tribe, side by side with Leap.
ing Bull. His fighting qualities aided
! in the victory of the Modocs and en-.
deared him TO them.
While the Indians loved Mason him.
/ self they had no love for his race. Sc
| it came about that on descending to
the valley after long period Of iso'
! lation he was Mortified to learn that
a band of MosOcs had gone on the war
! path toward the south and had slain
half hundred settlers. Gen. Crosby
was to march against them with de
| tachment of troops the next day.
Mason returned to his cabin, his
mind made up. He would join the
troops in the morning and accompany
them as a guide. He, and he alone
could lead them to that secret place
| among the mountains that Leapine
| Bull had shown him. His intimacy
with the Indians could not for an in
slant release him from the duty he
owed to his own race. And, too, there
the woman he loved! She was in
peril, in deadly peril, as was every
man, woman and child in the valley
Night had drawn down over themoun
tains when the trained ears of MasoI
detected a slight noise at the cabiI
door. Instantly he was on the alert
He noiselessly put out the light ant
went to the peep-hole in the door.
One glance suficed. All the opel
place before the cabin was dotted witt
Indians; doubtless, the building wal
surrounded. From their stealth II
was obvious that they came with hos
tile purpose. In all probability the!
were Modocs, though he could not dis
tinguish their dress in the faint ligh
from the stars.
He hesitated, in doubt as to hi
course. The cabin was bullet-proof
there were shutters for the windows
and these were in place and secures
by bars of iron; the door, too, wa
barred. Thus, for the moment, he wa
safe enough. But he well knew tina
should the Indians besiege him the,
must win in the end. That their pun
pose was wholly hostile was mad
manifest by their presence in sucl
numbers and in silence. He had no
believed that the Modocs would me
lest him despite their war against tn
settlers. He had been wrong. H
realized too late that his intimat
knowledge of them was deemed dar
gerous to their safety at this time an
that they did not dare trust his faitl
TO them as against that to his ow
people.
In any event, he must have NOR
precise knowledge of their intention
before determining his own line c
conduct. He put his lips near tn
peep-hole and called peremptorily:
'Leaping Bull Leaping BULL"
There was a chorused grunt Of Al
constituent from the Indians; . md