Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-03-06

been among the first to cross the con-
tinent to the Pacific slope. He had
been successful in his quest Of gold
successful beyond his needs, since
he had no zest for dissipation, and no
craving for the costly luxuries 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 a Modoc
chief. The red man had been cor
nered by great, shaggy bear. Mason
happened upon the scene and quick
ly dispatched the brute with his rifle.
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 h..s
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 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 a fair natural
park overlooking the valley, he built
him 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 linn to them.
While the Indians loved Mason him.
self they had no love for his race. So
it came about that on descending to
the valley after a long period of iso-
lation he was Mortified to learn that
band Of Modocs had gone on the war
path toward the south and had slain
half a 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 Leaping
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.
Nigh. had drawn down over the noun
tains when the trained ears Of Mason
detected slight noise at the cabin
door,. Instantly he was on the alert.
He noiselessly put out the light and
went to the peep-hole in the door.
One glance suficed. All the open
place before the cabin was dotted with
Indians; doubtless, the building was
surrounded. From their stealth it
was obvious that they came with hos.
tile purpose. In all probability they
were Modocs, though he could not dis
tinguish their dress in the faint light
from the stars.
He hesitated. in doubt as to his
course. The cabin was bullet-proof;
there were shutters for the windows,
and these were in place and secured
by bars of iron; the door. too, was
barred. Thus, for the moment, he was
safe enough. But he well knew that
should the Indians besiege him they
must win in the end. That their pur-
pose was wholly hostile was made
manifest by their presence in such