The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-04-04
INDIANS REVENGE.
Old Lame Bear and a HaIf-Breed
Squaw Start Lots of Trouble.
Nv LOUISE MERRlFiELp.

Squaw Start Lots of Trouble.
BY LOUISE MERRlFiELD.
1.-THE only thing is this: When Al
worked at the Wolverine ranch last
year. this Indian used to drift around
every so often after odd jobs to see
him through a spree up at Sundance.
One day he struck a pony on the nose
with his fist, and AL kicked him out
of the corral
well, he deserved 1t, didn't he?'
asked Mona, Indignantly.
The tall young rancher grinned
doubtfully, "That amt the point. He'll
shoot AL on sight. They all do. An
Indian never forgives an insult"
Mona stood on the same spot after
he had ridden of. Behind her the
rough sandstone buttes rose in jagged
outline. She loved the little squat
scrub pine trees scattered here and
there over them. Far below rolled the
river, its current parted here and
there by huge submerged trunks Of
trees. Sometimes a few bare limbs
stuck out of the water like protesting
hands. The rambling row Of ranch
buildings in the valley looked like
single houses built by children at
this distance. Through the clear
morning air came sound of whistling.
Nobody but AL would whistle the
'Nocturne in e Flat" at seven a. m.
on a Wyoming ranch. She closed
her eyes and smiled, biting her lip.
He had whistled it last night, all the
long dreamy ride home together, when
the two ponies almost touched TANKS
so near they were.
She had spent two years at the
Wolverine ranch, making it her head
quarters. 1t had been such a home
like place to a city bred girl. She
had grow: to care for every member
o. the happy homesteader family, big
Bucky Rogers and Aunt Nanette, his
pretty, middle aged wife, and Dave,
their only son. There was one more,
shy eyed, dimpling girl of seventeen,
and someway Mona never could get
acquainted with her: She had told
Aunt Nanette of it once, and was told
not to mind bit.
Her own pa nor me don't under
stand her, child, so you certainly
can't. She's always been like a half
tanned panther, I tell her pa. Once
Davey he brought one of the creeturs
down to tame, and he tied it up out
yonder, and it seemed mild enough.
Good deal like an over-grown kitten,
you know, and one day it gave jump
onto Davey's shoulder, and chawed a
chunk right out Course, Kit amt
my own child, or I'd have more to
say"
why, l thought" began Mona,
then stopped.
AL Sloane stopped just outside the
kitchen door, smiling, his foot on the
SILL And Aunt Nanette rambled
straight ahead without seeing him.
Land, no, should hope not. She
amt got drop of Wilkinson blood in
her, Her pa used to work over to-
wards the mission school above the
reservation, ears ago, and there was
q 0OAV VI 4A-O1 CCA gu IAC4 ILL., AC
married her ell right enough, and she
was good girl and knew a lot too.
Meant to be a teacher to her own
folks some day, I guess, only pa stop.
ped that. He terribly persuasive, you
| know"
And do you mean that Kits half
Indian, Aunt Nanette?" Mona leaned
forward so interested she forgot the
figure In the doorway.
More like a quarter, l guess. Her
mas pa was white too Besides, child
our Indians aren't like some folkses
They's got their regular home grants
and all settled down respectable and
Christian as can be. Only pa says
she'd never stay satisfied She wanted
to go back to her OWL folks, and she
died little after the baby came
was working at the post then, house
keeper for Mrs. Captain Frisbee, and
pa had to come over now and then
He'd bring his little blue-eyed pap
poose along, and it just pulled my
heart strings seeing him try to take
care of her. We was married about 3
year after. Amt never been sorry
a single day, neither
Does Kit know?" asked Sloane
II never heard all that yarn before
Aunt Nanette"
Then you go and forget it, boy
Aunt Nanette's tone was serious
mo, she don't know. and her pa dom
want her to- But, land, can see the
1njun coming out il her stronger
every day, can't you, Alp"
Mona remembered how AL hat
shifted ground, and lodged the ques
ton. That had happened her frs,
year at the ranch. Often then, whe1
she had gone for her rides alone, OF
for long walks up over the range, she
had seen the two together, and she hat
seen, too, the look on Kits face whe1
she thought no one was near. as she
stared after Sloane, swinging ava,
from the house with his easy, loose
gait. Mona knew she loveC him.
1t was partly Kits fault too. tha
Lame Bear had even been allowed
around the Wolverine outfit. She hat
brought in the Indian one day
mounted on miserable, ugly-eyed pie
bald pony, bound from nowhere.
Give him work." she aad tolt
Dave. He is my friend"
Matter Properly Arranged.