The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-02-22
nAllY SnoRT sToRY
Miss Red Rooster Feather
ny Stuart b. Stone.

When Stanton received the ap-
|pointment to assume charge of the
Mik-nee-ho Indian agency at
Thunder Hill, he Immediately set
about the task of westernizing
himself. He purchased a set of
wild west books, sombrero, three
grim revolyers and pair Of khaki
leggins.
When he arrived at the little
isolated agency, however. the feel
ing of exalted heroism gave way
to one of depressing loneliness.
There. were but two buildings
within sight of the agency. One of
these was the crazy abode of Pete
shovelfoot; the other big, white
house nesting in the Thunder
Hills half a mile away. The saw
age red men Stanton had almost
dreaded shaded from dingy cop
permitting to an equally dingy
white, and they were far too tired
to be savage. So that the second
might In his new work Stanton lost
interest In "Three-fingered Steve"
and read ''LaIIa Rookh" for COM
pany's sake.
A week after hts arrival Pete
Shovelfoot waddled by on his way
to Buckskfn Bend.
Red Rooster Feather coming"
he grunted. Get money"
Red Rooster Feather?" asked
Stanton.
'1njun GAL" explained Pete.
Want for money. Better have"
Sure" said Stanton. Don't
think / want to be scalped, do
your. And he turned to find Miss
Red Rooster Feather on the rolls
of the Mik-nee-ho people.
Before he could get the cumber-
some books down, a light step
sounded behind him. He turned
quickly and faced a young woman.
She wore hat as big as anything
on Broadway and her gray suit
was the acme of tailoring. Her
eyes were big, dark and slumber-
Gus, as Cleopatra's might have
been-only they laughed. There
were loads of wavy black hair un-
der the big, cherry-trimmed hat.
I'm here" she announced, with
a ripping laugh.
"Why, yes," stammered Stan
ton. "Sit down."
"I'm not tired, thank you. I'll
look around the agency and see
the changes. What's this?" She
indicated the gaudy "Three-fin-
gered Steve" series.
"Ah-ah-only a little
"Guide book?" she helped him.
"For the assimilation of informa-
ton pertaining to us lowly abor-
|igines?"-
Stanton actually blushed. She
found the three grim revolvers
next.
!. Expecting an attack soon?"
she asked. demurely. pete Show
elfoot sometimes imbibes at Buck
skin Bend. I'll send some of the
men over when he comes home to-
might II you're afraid"
mo, thanks" faltered Stanton
white and red in spots.
Then the lady stumbled upon
Browning. "Oh, dear!" she bub-
bled. "Do you love Browning?
Let's read Evelyn Hope together
Stanton was recovering. Lets, y
he assented with enthusiasm, but
first, who are your"
WHO am II" echoed the girl
surprised in turn. I'm Miss Pat
ton-Leila Patton. Didn't Pete
tell your"
'He said something about a
Mik-nee-ho girl named Red Roos-
ter Feather" said Stanton.
The girl broke into bell-like
laughter. "Why, of course, Pete
would put it that way. That's my
Indian name. I'm on your rolls
lsixty-fourth blood, but enough to
be a full-fledged governmental
ward"
"Well. I'll be -" began
Stanton.
Don't" said the girl. And they
read Browning and "LaIla Rookh'
and finally the stage holdup scene
in "Three-fingered Steve" to-
gether.
Then Miss Red Rooster Feather
drew her governmental stipend
and prepared to depart.
ooh, say" stammered Stanton
whereof I might ask-where
is
"My tent-my tepee?" she ask.
ed gravely.
"Oh, no." answered Stanton
l"YOur house - your home the
place where you keep your grand
lpianos and sectional bookcases and
fashion magazines, which 1t seems
Indian maids have now. I'm lonely
here-you can't know how lonely
Miss Patton!"
The girl smiled sympathetically
II am very lonely also, Mr.. Stan
ton---after Vassar and the light
of broadway. / live in the whit,
house over there. You mus
come. I won't hang your scall
In my belt"
| I'm not so sure about that,
murmured young Stanton, aftel
she had gone. II think it's al
most there now"