The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-03-25
CHAPTER ~.
1 FACE q ReoueSt.


came to q sudden halt, my heart
throbbing wildly. Most certainly,
mademoiselle," stammered in sur
prise, although l have little time to
spare"
'T know" she returned; you voy-
age into the north-you, and the great
hunter"
you know that! How?"
She smiled, yet with eyes on mine
in frank confidence.
Have 1 not ears. monsieur" she
asked swiftly. did you think me old
and deaf when we met before? Per-
haps the light was poor. and you saw
i'll; IL so look at me again, now, mon
sieur."
You mean you overheard" and
stepped back, tantalixed by her witch
cry.
How could l help? 1t was but 4
word now and then, but that American
general he talk so loud. like he speak
to AN army. I did not catch your
voice, monsieur, not one word Yet
I knew well what eet was you say: l
know from my own heart, how eet
beat; an from your face. SO strong, so
like the face Of a man. You would
60 back to the north, back to my
people"
ITO your people!" 1 echoed incredu-
lously. Good God! Are you In
dian?"
Does monsieur care what / am -
she questioned more gravely. And
does he not already know? We are
alone here in the night" her eyes de-
sorting mine to sweep a swift glance
about her over the bare level Of pa.
| rade. Need there longer be deceit
between us? Why you not trust me? ?"
Il do trust you," l returned impetu.
ously, intoxicated by her presence, by
the pressure of her fingers on my arm
In spite of all that is strange 1 can.
not pretend otherwise. But I do not
know you, as you would pretend"
She stared into my face, her dark
eyes wide open. Then she laughed
| softly
You think to fool me! All right;
laugh, an I pretend, but I never
| believe what you tell. Have | not eyes
! to see your face? ears to hear your
voice? 'Tiss not long ago, only six
moons since then. Why all this / not
understand, maybe; why you English
officer today an Americana officer to
morrow. You not tell; l not ask any
more. We be friends just the same.
| Ees that so?"
with all my heart I replied, re
lievd at the sudden change in hel
manner, and .grasping the hand held
out. But you are wrong in thinking
I assume two characters"
yes; well, did not say l laugh
an pretend? VOLTA! eet was to me
nothing. Yet there is danger, mon
sieur, danger. Indian never forgive
nevaire forget. You go as hunter, a.
scout?"
mo. as an officer; my uniform /,
in this bag"
ITO the Miamis?"
/ shook my head, wondering at he1
swift questioning.
THE Wyandots"
"Ah! That then IL not SO bad. The
chiefs will not know: they will be
lieve. But It's most odd why you will
do all this-this, what you call mas
querade?"
mo more odd surely than your own
mademoiselle."
why is eet you say that7 You ash
the general about met"
"Of course"
"You care enough then? You inter
est enough to ask heem who / was
Where l come? You try learn all abou
me? All, bien; an what he say, nor
sieur?"
That you were from the Illinoi
country-Kaskaskia your ia
Their, voyageur with Vigo, from tow
to town"
l. She laughed again, her hands ma
king an eloquent gesture.
The poor man. Eet was quite sac
monsieur. l know not l toll eet S
well. Non, non, eet not l who toll
heem; eet was the voyageurs wit
whom | came | tell nothing. Eet wa
hard to tell nothin', monsieur, whe
he want to know so much; when b
ask question, an roar in hees lou
voice. But eet was fun, too; | laugh
an talk about oZZer things, an he &c
so mad, re American general. Fl
put me in re guardhouse, only l wa
: a girl. You are angry?"
mo. But l am a soldier on duty
under orders to the north
ITO my people"
so you said before. What does
mean? You are not Indian?"
Il am of quarter blood; my fathe
was officer of France who died in ba
, tie. I was born in an Indian tepee."
But not brought up an Indian? Yo
possess education; you have know
civilized life"
Il have been at Montreal and Gus
bee, monsieur. l was three years q
the convent OF the Ursulines."