Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-05-20
THE RECOGNITION
OF JESSE BADL[[GH
BY II. II. GREEN

| IN low tones, until at length aroused
by the querulous voice of the old
squaw, who petulantly reminded
them that the night was passing,
they arose and stretching them
selves on bed of the skins of ami
mails, were soon lost to the world
and all its cares and pains. Mean
while Niger Godfrey had written
his letter to John Armstrong, and
the following night deposited it at
that gentleman's front door as re-
lated in the last chapter, leaving his
accomplice to watch the movements
of their prisoner and see that she did
not make her escape from the camp
during his absence. In due time
the reply of John Armstrong con-
tanning the proposal of meeting
between himself and the writer of
the letter was received by the half
breed.
Jesse had conveyed it to the place
designated and had returned to De-
corah, meeting with no incident of
sufficient importance to warrant fur
Their mention.
The reply of Mr.. Armstrong was
not to the liking of his dusky CORE
spondent, who, at first raved and
stormed, making dire threats OF
what should be done Immediately
upon his return to the Indian camp;
but upon reflection he saw clearly
how impossible it would be for John
? Armstrong to obtain the gold he de-
manded, whereupon, he began al
once to cast about for another so.
luton Of the problem; for, bad as
2 he was, he had no thought of doing
r injury to the person of his captive
e he had none of the feelings of re.
2 venge that actuated his accomplice
all the interest he had in the abduc
4 ton was in the sum of the ransom
e he hoped to procure from her faith.
er, therefore he was quite ready tC
e ised what he considered a reasonable
return for the trouble and the risks
: involved; nevertheless, he could MOI
bring himself to consent to meet
ing with John Armstrong under any
I circumstances, fearing that the out
: RACED father might in an unguardeC
i moment take his life for the fluid O.
u black that coursed through his vein!
had in it faint that the Indian
e blood could never quite overcome.
He therefore decided to write an.
other letter to the storekeeper, in
!. which he moderated his proposals SC
, far as to yield the demand for gold
and substitute in lieu thereof, thir.
ty head of cattle or an equivalent in
horses, which were to be delivered
at certain time and place to be
: named later
Now, while these one-sided nego-
tiations were pending, JESSIE Fad
, leigh and Frank Inness had quietly
taken their departure unknown to
all save Jesse's mother, armed with
rifles and fully prepared for
an absence of several days if
necessary. Proceeding in a northerly
direction they remained togther un-
til they had reached Canoe creek,
when they separated, one bearing to
the northeast, the other to the
northwest
In the meantime, Eilly Christie
pher who was near Jesse's height
and not unlike him in general ap-
pearance, volunteered to convey
John Armstrong; reply to Niger
: odfrey's last letter.
Soon after the departure Of Jesse
and Inness, the preacher arrived in
town with the intelligence that he
had just returned from one of his
visits to southern Minnesota and had
heard of an Indian camp up on
Root river, where white girl had
been seen in the company of an In
dian girl, and it was whispered
about that she might be a captive
among them. Mr.. Crawling said he
had made all haste to the camp
hoping to get an interview with the
girl, but his purpose had been
frustrated by some one who kept
; her carfully concealed, and he was
obliged reluctantly to depart with
out being able to see her.
This was important news as tend
ing to clear the mystery of Frances
whereabouts, assuming that she was
the white girl in the camp of the
Sioux.
CHAPTER Xxx.
\ 1t becomes necessary now to
leave, for the present, Niger God
rrey and John Armstrong to con-
tinue their negotiations, while we
follow the fortunes of Jesse Bad
leigh.
That young gentleman, after Sc
parating from his friend Inness, pro-
ceeded in the direction he had map