Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-06-09

luz VI HSl@duu liuu VI liz.
have loved this girl because you
loved her. l have hated your enemies
because you hated them, and now !
remember, while you forget"
Forget! What do you mean?"
Stark"
! The man paused 81 did almost for
get him-and after fifteen years."
| "Let us kill him tonight; then we
will go to the soldier together, side by |
side. l am your woman. Necia will |
look after the little ones.
Gale stared at her, and as he gazed |
the red pigment underneath her skin, |
the straight hanging, manelike hair, |
the gaudy shawl she never went with |
out, the shapeless, skin shod feet, the |
slovenly, i'll fitting garb of miscast
woman vanished, and he saw her as
she was on Il day long past, slim,
shy, silent creature, with great, watch
full, trusting eyes and soul unspolled.
| No woman had ever been SO loyal, so
accomplishing. lie had robbed her Of
her people and her gods. He had
shifted hither and yon at the call of
his uncertain fortune or at n sign of
that lurking fear that always logged
| him, and she had never left his side
never questioned, never doubted, but
always served him like slave, with
out asking for a part in that other
love, without sharing in the caresses
he had conseerated to a woman she
had never seen.
by heaven. you're game, Alluna,
but there's limit even to what can
take from you," he said ut last. II
don't ever seem to have noticed it be-
fore, but there Is. No. I've got to do
this thing alone tonight, all Of 1t, for
you have no place in it, and can't let
the little girl go on like this. The
sooner that soldier knows the better"
He leaned down and touched her
brown mouth with his grizzled lips
'.Thank you, Alluna, for making man
of me when I'd nearly forgotten. Now,
you stay here" He Knew he could
count on her obedience, and SO he left
her. When he had gone she drew the
shawl up over her face and crouched
in the doorway, straining her eyes aft
er him through the dark. In time she
began to rock and sway and then to
chant until the night moaned with the
death song of her people.
Necia had no idea whittier she went.
Fer only thought was to flee from her
kin, who could not understand; to hide
under cover in some solitary place; to
let the darkness swallow her up, so
that she might give way to her grief
and be just poor weak woman. On
she stumbled blindly through the murk
like some fair creature Of light cast
out and banished.
She had not succeeded in thoroughly
isolating herself, however, for n man
who was steering his course by the
sense of feel and the winds direction
heard her and paused. His steps were
muffled in the soft footing, so that
she had no warning of his presence
until he was near enough to distin-
guish her dimly whore she leaned
against the log wall of half complet-
ed cabin.
To his question, Whats the trouble
here?" she made no answer, but moved
away, whereupon he detained her.
There's something wrong. Who are
, you anyhow"
a Its only Necia, Mr.. Stark" said
the girl, ut which lie advanced and
. took her by the arm.
what ails you, child? What in the
world are you doing here? Come,
It's only step to my cabin. You
must come in and rest awhile, and
/, you'll soon be all right Why, you'll
| l,raDly f,,1 I,f Il. .,
She hung back, but lie compelled her
to so with him in spite of her unwill-
ingness.
"Now, now," he admonished, with
unusual kindness for him; "you
know you're my little friend, and l
can't let you go on this way. It's scan
dalous. l won't stand for it. / like
you too much"
He led her inside his cabin and
closed the door in The face of the night
wind before he struck light.
II can't stand to see you cry" he re-
peated as he adjusted the wick. Now,
as soon as He stopped in astonish-
ment, for he had turned to behold in
stead of the little half breed girl this
slender, sorrowful stranger in her
amazingly wonderful raiment
BY He checked himself insensi-
bly, and stood motionless for n long
time.
"I-I-hope you'll excuse me for act
ing this way" she smiled at him pite-
ously; then, observing his strange fea-
lures: why, what is the matter, Mr..
Stark? Are you angry?'
His hawklike face was strained and
colorless, his black eyes fierce and
eager, his body bent as if to pounce
upon victim. In truth he was now
the predatory animal
No." he replied as if her question
carried no meaning; then, coming to
himself. NO. no; of course not. But
; you gave me start You reminded
me of some one. How do you come
to be dressed like that? never knew
you had such Clothes"
"Polcon brought them from Dawson.
They are the first ever had.''
He shook his head in a slow; puzzled
fashion.
"You look just like white girl
meant don't know what I mean"
This time he reused himself fully, the
effort being more like Il shudder
so have always thought she
said, and her eyes filled again.
lie showed forward big chair with
a wolfskin flung over 1t, into which
!, she sank dejectedly, while he stepped
to the shelves beside the Yukon stove
and took down bottle and some
glasses.
I'm not fixed up very well yet" he
apologized. "Pve been too busy at the
saloon to waste time on living quar-
tiers. But it's comfortable enough for
an old roadster like me-"
He was talking to give her leeway
and when lie had concocted. weak
toddy insisted that she must drink 1t,
which she did listlessly. while he ram
i )lcd on: