Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-10-15

their ways in this country, where
none come except those who are ever
eager for pelts?
"Had he told me the truth il
would not have mattered, for knew
nothing and deemed that man was
master of the country he would live
In and the woman he would love.
But why did he tell me these other
things and show me another world,
and teach me that which he called
goodness, only to let me find that he
had none of it and deemed me
thing to laugh at and mock ?"
"Other white men are not rs he,'
said Curran loftily. 81 could have
loved thee truly. Nay, l love thee
now, as l have done for long time.
/ would that thou couldst become my
wife and learn what true man is"
Ameou looked at him, but the
words he spoke made no impression
on her. She hardly seemed to un-
derstand them, and looked neither
offended nor pleased.
"I am but IN Indian woman now"
she said, "as | was before-a thing
to be sold to the one who will give
most blankets and guns for her and
for the land that was her mothers. I
no longer care anything for that
which may befall me. l will work as
our women do, and. like them, soon
grow very old with toll, and eat after
the men have had their fill of food,
and set snares for rabbits and work
at shoepacks and the stringing of
snow-shoes. What care l for men,
for the goodness that is lie, the
love that is but jest, or the child
that was sired by a liar?"
"She was about to leave the room,
quiet, stately, dignified picture of
outraged womanhood; but her old
father, who had been silent during
all this talk, grimly bade her stop a
moment.
"As to the child" he said, "the
whole of day has not passed yet
since he was taken awav. and he
may be living yet. This man, Cur
ran, says that he is willing to take
thee for wife and care for the
child, if it is found, and for thee and
thy people"
~ said to him that if any one
should bring it back to me all that
l could give would belong to the
finder" she answered DULY. "Let
him bring me bac,, the child and I
will be his woman if he wants me.
"Yet l care no longer whether it
be dead or living, for it was a part
of a happiness that is all gone-a
happiness which woman could only
purchase with suffering. l have paid
too great a price for the days that
have gone.
"I am thy daughter, for thee to
barter away if thou hast a mind.
would I knew might be curse on
any man that took me to wife. Then
they would leave me alone"
She was growing excited again,
for her arms were trembling and her
breath came in short gasps.
"I tell you / care nothing! Moth
ing for the dead man who was a liar
nothing for the whelp Of liar!
care nothing for any man-for all
ara liars. Let me alone! Talk to me
no more! Arrange all things be-
tween yourselves! Give me peace
for a time, or I also will seek the
deep water! What care l whether I
am with the windegos of hell or with
the men that make hell here? Leave
me aloneW
She went out of the room with de-
fiant head held upright, her finger
nails driven into the palms of her
hands and teeth clenched, trying to
control herself, for she had long
ing to rush to the river and seek So
lace in its dark flood.
When she reached her fathers tent
she threw herself upon the blankets,
exhausted by excess Of suffering.
The wife Of old Nimissuts gently
stroked Ameou's forehead without
saying a word, for even the women
of savage people have ways such as
some of their white sisters may
think belong to themselves ex-
clusively.
Her gentleness had some effect,
and by and by the younger woman
was pouring out to her the story OF
the last bitter moments she had gone
through.
"There be liars in all places, Anne
ou," said the elder women ."But
I.orimer Yellow Hair was surely one
whom all must believe. Be not toe
ready to trust one against the other
What other lie has Yellow Hair ever
told thee or any one?"
"This one that he is deemed to
have told comes to thee from the
mouth Of Curran To me it is like
the defiling of cache by the filth OF
a wolverine. Is not he the man who
sells drink that takes mems speech
away or gives them foul talk? How
did Scarface get that which drove
him crazy? Has there not been talk
of the pelts he keeps to his own uses
yet pays for with the company's
goods? 2"
Ameou rose on her elbow. A ray
of hope had entered her heart. She
stared at the woman.
"Did Yellow Hair ever do any o1
these things 2" continued the wife Of
Nimissuts excitedly. "Oh, Ameou
What kind of woman art thou tt
believe all that a man like CurraI
says because dead man can no lon
ger speak for himself? Have care
child, lest thy baby be still living
and the spirits of the Manitous ma!
deem thee unworthy of it and let 1
perish instead of bringing it back t.
theew
"But / saw the writing Of the wo
man who spoke of child that mus