The Cairo bulletin., 1909-07-12


earn 81 900 OF which he knew, and he
determined 10 make the attempt. He
went into the north aud traded his
trinkets with the Canadian Indians for
all the priced trophies with which they
would part, and when they would sell
no more he went into the mountains
and hunted. The tusks he got there
represented hardships which would
have killed most men; but the hard
ships were past; Stag-Hound thought
smiingly of the future. He counted
the teeth again and his eyes shone.
Then he crept into his blanket
Sleep would not come to Stag.
Hounds eyes. and he wondered at his
wakefulness. He was not hungry. he
was not cold, and what besides could
keep man awake? The wind brought
a cry and he sat up, alert. 1t was
only the plaintive whine of the cat in
the canyon, and he lay down impa-
tiently.
An hour passed, and still he had not
! closed his eyes. Suddenly the horses
lifted their heads and snorted He
heard the floundering of some animal
upon the frozen crust--perhaps a hun
CRY mountain lion coming TO investi
| gate.
Stag Hounds hand slipped to his
| rifle, and he waited for the shifting of
| the brute at the door.
My Gar Oh, my GAR" Il was
/ human voira paqDiug in ooapv G.,g
| Hound sprang from his bunk and
| hurled aside the log which propped the
door, A man fumbing at the side of
| the cabin gave thick, inarticulate cry
and dropped unconscious
Stag Hound carried him 10 his bunk
and covered him with blankets. To re-
kindle the fire was a moments work
When the dried brush lighted the
cabin he went to look at the man In
the BUNK
Percy Dubois, the horse-thief!" An
expression of dislike followed Stag
Hounds exclamation of amagement
Percy Dubois, the French-and.Indian
breed" who stole mems wives with
his suave tongue and handsome eyes,
and sold their horses across the line
Percy Dubois had robbed his cache
once upon time, But Stag Hound cut
the boots from Dubois feet and rubbed
the marble-like face with snow till he
opened his eyes and screamed with
the pain of returning circulation Percy
Dubois would rustic no more horses;
his feet and hands were dead.
Il go for hunt mountain sheep
he said Il get off trail on re pass
Pack-horse saddle-horse. slip off 70
mountain and slip 10 pieces on r. rock
tree, tour hundred feet down. by Gar,
No grub, no blanket. walk walk and
freeze IN his pain the halfbreed wept
at the recollection OF his .sufferings
Never mind. pard,' said Stag
Hound, gently. Tomorrow I'll fix YOU
up comfortably here and strike out to
the Agency for help. Wen fetch you
out easy. Just keep a stiff upper
lip"
With the first faint light Of morning
StagHound rode from the cabin There
was one blanket tied behind his sad.
die and a bit of ierked meat in his
pocket. He forced his horse down the
dangerous mountain trail and out upon
the trackless prairie That night he
shivered beneath clump of willows
in a coulee which already sheltered
two or three haIfstaved cattle
On the third dag the sun was down /
when Stag Hounds exhausted horse
staggered over the slushy road which
led into the Agency. The chinook had
come at last
There were lights and laughter in
Shapes. the Indian traders, store
which. i'm the absence of saloons. was /
the general gathering place for the
Indians breeds and whites Of the
reservation. When Stag Hound threw
The reins over his horses head. he
could have cried al hearing the voices
Of his kind again. He opened the door
and stood before them, gaunt, haggard,
his clothes in rags
There was a moments silence. then
a great shout went up. They dragged
him forward and crowded about him.
@f'h 'ii' iH''o VI 'IiF iilhidiiH dDDHI
he stove wore looks OF friendliness.
All, it was good 10 be home again
The welcome. the warmth. the com.
made the blood run fast in
bis veins. It was good. all good: but
le trembled in his eagerness 10 hear
lf Her He was vaguely surprised
hat her name was not on every
ongue, as II was ever in his heart.
They told him the news eagerly; Of
Dad Symonds. who froze on the Koot-
lai pass: of Hen" Barnes, sent over
he road again for rustling: Of the
parties from ST Paul. who had bond
II the Bridal Chamber mine: Of Pete
dcDevitt. who married the squaw and
anne TO the Agency each Thursday
With her grub" ticket; and the school
narm from Cut Bank
Stag Hound could not breathe: his
'ery heart stood still-"She married
Percy Dubois. the -. and they live
n the shack - the Greasewood
flats"
The blood left Stag Hounds face and J
he world went rou"d. He grasped the I
ounter hard 10 steady himself. He
rev "A sobbing breath that hurt him. I
hen the blood came in a crimson food
'tANhprn have Won hopn - asked I