The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-04-04

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lis her grunted Dave. We'll. Sis.
l don't admire your taste. I'll turn
few buckets of water over him
first" ia . .yesss g. .g. 2s5 - -.s.& 5;ssz.
''''Al will take him On. If you won't, I"
she said. tshe always trusted the cow
10y from Maine. Before Mona had
come, often he had sat out on the
stoop summer evenings. telling her Of
life back east, and his home way
up in the spruce hills. Sometimes he
would take out his violin and play for
her too, not the crazy dance tunes the
other men liked but dreamy stun she
had never heard Of before, things that
blended in with the strange silvery
nights of moonlit splendor There
had been no music this summer. She
knew he loved this girl who came
from his own eastern borders. Per.
haps they would marry before she
went back home. He was masterful.
Had he not kicked Lame Bear and
sent him about his business even
when he knew she wished the Indian
to stay7 -
Mona turned suddenly and saw tho
girl watching her from the rock above
She was lying down full length on it,
her chin on one palm, her eyes I'm,
wavering, like panther. for all the
world. Mona thought with SILVER.
Where have you been, Kit?" she
said, trying to be natural and pleas
ant. Come down here. won't you?"
Kit shook her head slowly. Her
wide hazel eyes looked sad and
shadowy. She looked down at the
corral where Sloane stood mending 4
broken strap on his saddle
Il watch to see Lame Bear get
his revenge" she said dreamily.
Pretty soon he will come He is just
behind the carriage sheds now, creep.
ing. creeping up like thunder cloud.
see?"
Kit" gasped the girl, too Mortified
to scream. She looked for Dave, but
he had disappeared the other way
down by the house.. Kit. you're not
in earnest. He isn't there
Kit turned to her as she scrambled
up to her side, and smiled gravely.
He is there I sent for him to
come back. / want to hear news of
my people. You know who my people
are?'
Mona reached for the girls shoul-
ders, and shook her as if to make her
human and sane. As she rolled over,
the long barrel of her rifle lay on the
rock like an uncoiled snake. straight
and cleaning.
Kit, don't be an IDIOT she said,
fercely you've set him on to kill
All"
Kit smiled up at her, close Tipped,
eyes wide. Il see him kiss you last
night, often and long. You can kiss
him again pretty soon. let you"
You Indian cat!" It came between
Mona's teeth. She struck blindly, try
ing to throw the girl to one side, and
suddenly Kit knew she wanted the
rifle. Mona's knee was on her breast,
her hands trying to grip her wrists.
Her thick chestnut hair slipped down
about her face. She gave cry OF
! anger as she felt Kits teeth sink in.
to her am. She dared not call for
help, dared not shout warning for
fear Lame Bear wotl1d be the first to
kill. But she loosened her grip on
the girl, and rose to her feet, the rifle
in her hand. ..es,
If you try to get UP, I'll shoot you
Kit, sure as anything" she said
breathlessly Il Wilt" Then she
leveled the rifle with steady fingers al
the crouching, creeping figure thai
stole along at the back of the sheds
hugging the shelving hillside. Dave
had taught her to shoot we'll her first
year at the ranch, but her fingers fell
numb, and her eyes were blurred o,
dazzled by the sunlight Still she
aimed, and shot, shot again and again
till the barrels were empty, desperate
ly, recklessly, at the stealing figure
Then she dropped the rife, and GOV
cred her face with her hands, sobbing
When she raised her head, Kit was
gone.
And it's just what l expected,
Aunt Nanette said when she came il
with bowl of broth to AL. IT
amt enough goings on for one day
at the Wolverine to have pa dis
tracted, and Dave plump daffy, ant
Kit run away to her own Indian folks
It amt enough, say, for that lazy
dirty Lame Bear to be getting of
with three bullets scattered promis
cuous like in his innards, and yo,
nth knife slit in your shoulder from
him, 1t amt enough, is it, but wha
we've got to have something else."
Sloane beamed at her over the rim
of the soup bowl. He remembered
little except the rapid shots, and thel
the swift plunge of the knife as LAM
Bear leaped at him, but he knew Wit
had fired the shots.
Can l see her, Aunt Nanette?"
Mrs. Rogers stepped outside tn
door and coughed Mona stepped pas
her like a slim shadow into the COO
darkened room. She had meant to b.
quiet and dignitied, but the bandaget
arm and shoulder, and AIS face start
led her.
J Hush, dear, hush," Aunt Nanett'
heard him say. "Bravest sweethear
that ever was. Wen be married il
| a week.
Didn't say something else was 60
| IN