The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-07-10

little alley-way next the hotel. I know
now how foolish / was, but then I
was reckless. 1t was dark and / saw
and heard nothing to warn me of IAN
ger. 1t was in my mind that my
father had been lured on to tho open
prairie behind the hotel. Suddenly
l was seized roughly, and a cloth
whipped over my face before l could
even scream. / heard a voice say:
Damned if 1t amt the girl! What
will we do with her?' and then Du-
points voice answered gruffly: Hell,
there amt anything to do, but take
the little hussy along. Shed queer
the whole gane, an we've got en- extra
horse They jerked me forward SO
roughly. and / was so frightened that
that / must have tainted. At any
rate 1 remembered nothing more dis
tinctly until we had crossed the river,
and | vas on horseback wrapped in q
blanket, ard tied 10 the saddle. Some
one was holding me erect; l could not
move my arms, but could see and
hear. 1t was dark, and we were NOV
ing slowly; there were two Indians
ahead, and a white man riding each
side of me. They thought me uncon-
scious still, and spoke occasionally;
little by little l recognized their voices
aAd understood their wards"
Her voice broke into a sob, but the
S%ergeant's eyes were still gazing vigil
laptly out over the snow-clad hills.
1T Is hard to tell the rest" she
said finally, but / learned that 1t was
not robbery, but the betrayal of trust
My father vas guilty, and yet at the
same time a victim. / only got the
truth In snatches, which 1 had to piece
together, although later / learned 9TH
er details. Mrs. Dupont had bled my
father through some knowledge she
had gained of his sisters family. !
cannot even imagine what this could
have been, but 1t was sufficient for
her purpose. He gave her all he
had, and then-then she heard Of this
government money being sent to Rip
ley. She had known about that for
several days through the Lieutenant,
and had ample time to arrange the
plot. My father must have been crazy
to have entered into the scheme, but
he did. he did. The woman compelled
him to It,"
II understand. Molly" broke In
Hamlin, anxious to spare her the de-
tails. They were to pretend robbery.
but with the Majors c~onnivance. An
officer impersonating him was des-i
patched to Ripley by stage. This
would prevent any immediate pursuit.
Later the Major was to be released
to return to Dodge with his story.
The projection of yourself into the
affair disarranged the entire plot, and
then a quarrel occurred, and your
father was killed"
Eyes; 1t was wei what should be
done with me; although l believe now
they intended to kill him, 30 as to re-
tain all the money. The older Indian
fired the shot treacherously."
And Connors?" ;
Dupont killed him; they were both
drunk, and the soldier fred first. but
missed"
And after that?"
she covered g race with nef
bands.
ut was all a dream of continuous
horror, yet through 1t all, / do not
recall consciousness of physical tor
ture. I seemed to be mentally numbed,i
my brain a blank. It was a realization
Of my fathers guilt more than my own
danger which affected me-that and
his death. They we're not unkind nor
brutal. Indeed l do not clearly re-
call that / was ever spoken to, except
when some necessary order was given.
One night l heard them discuss what
should be done with me; that l was
10 be hidden away In Black Kettles
camp. Generally Dupont spoke to the
indians in their own tongue, but that
night he thought me asleep. IL had,
no hope left-not eve faith that you.
could ever rescue me-"
Hamlin's hand clasped hers firmly.
out his eyes were riveted on some
| hing in the distance.
Wait" he said, checking his horse.
what is that? See; down in the val
ley OF the creek! ID 1t not a moving
body Of men?"