Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-12-04

room. Then he Z&1 -
sank utterly ex- N%EAAH
hausted upon the Ha$fSHS
| floor.
'I'll-be all right in minute, moth
err" he gasped "I'm-tired out, that's
all. 1t was awful. never expected
to see home-again."
His mother bent over him. but he
motioned her away. Look after the
girl first" he expostulated; "she needs
it more than l. l found her on the
trail. She was lost, and had fallen In
the snow"
"Why didn't you leave herr" piped
shrill voice from overhead. John
looked up quickly. His little sister
Peggy's eyes we're staring at him
through the trap door.
"Oh. | couldn't do that, Peggy" he
said. rebukingly. 81 never thought OF
such a thing"
I'D "a left her." declared the child,
stoutly. "Injuns killed Uncle Tom and
stole our doggie. l wouldn't have
nothing to do with EN-"
Mrs. Holiness had been chatting the
girls hands, and now rose.
shes coming to-" in answer to
Johns inquiring look. It'll give her
something hot to drink, and then put
her to bed. l think she'll be all right
in few days"
It was late the next morning before
John akowe. When he went down the
ladder he found the Indian girl sit
ting by the fire. Instead Of being the
dark. angular featured Indian girl he
expected. she was fair and beautiful.
with blue eyes and golden hair.
me waiting to see you'll" she SAID
gravely. Want to tank you for last
night. Not many do like you. only
great warriors. Me Wachita, from big
river country. Panther Leap my Ia
Their"
Mrs. Holiness started. and invol
UNFAIRLY shrank away.
Panther Leap kill, burn, destroy
she said, coldly. Hate paleface. Me.
Wachita. only daughter. What you do
now? Better left in snow" to John.
Mrs. HOLINESS hesitation was but
momentary.
"You are not an Indian?" she said.
gently. your skin is whittier than
my own girls"
But Wachita threw out her hands in
quick dissent.
me Indian" she declared. proudly;
"all Indian. Panther Leap find me
when baby, take care Of me, good to
me all the time; now me Indian"
Placing her hand kindly upon the
girls shoulder, Mrs. HOLINESS gently
forced her back to her chair.
"You are sick and tired" she said.
soothingly. you mustn't think of
leaving here for a week or two. You
won't be able. And you amt to blame
for what your father does"
what you do when me get well?"
why, send you home, Of course"
Indignantly. you don't suppose we'd
harm you on account of somebody
else, do your"
me not know" she said. simply
me never see much Of paleface."
Three weeks later Wachita suddenly
announced her intention of returning
home.
Then / shall go with YOU" declared
John. "You are not strong enough to
go alone"
mo, no." she demonstrated, hastily;
you must not go. Me not want you
to go. Me plenty strong. You pale
face, me Indian. We two hate each
other. fight. burn. kill, destroy. No
good together"
"All talk. Wachita," he declared.
You're not an Indian-and II you
were 1t wouldn't matter; l should come
for you just the same. I'm willing for
you to go and see Panther Leap, for
he's been good to you; but within a
month ! shall come and ask him to let
me marry you. II he attempts to
kill me, all right, shall try to de-
fend myself; but l will come just the
same. don't believe you hate"
But Wachita had darted away with
an imperious motion for him to stay
behind.
Ten days later he was trailing a
bear through a thick underbrush when
he heard a sudden rustic at his side.
and turned TO see Wachita.
me come back to be your squaw.
John" she said. me fight hard. but
no use. When me sure. me tell Pan
Their Leap. He plenty mad; but he
been good 10 me all the time. be good
now. Two days mad. then he say II
will of Great Spirit. and he not war
on paleface any more"
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