Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-05-13

people. And now, my friends, as to
this demand for a thousand dollars
in gold, / confess it staggers me; not
the amount, you understand, l am
not thinking about that, but the
gold, where can it be found? l doubt
if there is thousand dollars in gold
in all Winneshiek county at the
present moment, and / am at loss
to figure where / can obtain it?''
LAS long as the object of Frances
captors is to get money, you may be
sure they will be willing to do a
whole lot of writing before they lose
all hope of getting the ransom" said
Petrie. 1T seems Ito me the thing
to do is to put them off as long as
possible, till measures can be taken
to hunt them down, or till she can be
rescued; if l were in your place
John, l would send an ansewr to
the letter telling how impossible il
is to obtain the gold, and suggesting
a meeting Of the writer of the letter
with one of his friends, and yourself
with friend, at some place convent
ent for both parties; and in the
meantime an effort can be made to
find out where Frances is being
held"
That looks good to me, Steve,'
said Pettus.
Il had been meditating over some
such plan," responded Mr. Arm
strong, but all the time l am think
ing of the dangers to which my child
is exposed; what you say about their
holding her safely for the ransom
has great weight with me, Stephen /;
l confess l don't know what other
course to pursue; l will write the
letter at once and tomorrow NOR
ming it shall be dispatched"
And l will carry it, said Jesse.
moi" replied John Armstrong,
that would be unwise, and besides,
your mother would not like to have
you take the risk"
To the surprise of Mr.. Armstrong,
Mrs. Badleigh not only made no OBJ
jections but heartily approved of it,
having the utmost confidence in
Jesse's ability to take care of him
self So the reply was written and
Jesse carried it to the place designat-
ed in Niger Godfrey's letter.
CHAPTER XIX.
That reach of country lying west
of the great river and stretching
backward inland for many leagues
had for nearly century been known
as THE Wilds of the Mississippi" AT
the period referred to it was mostly
wild, rugged, irregular uncultivat-
ed region, covered with valuable tim
Der of different varities, rich also in
wild fruits of various kinds; while
! it abounded in animals of the chase
as we'll as in game birds of the varie
| ties usually found in northern lati
tudes during the summer months.
The country was also well watered
| by streams of greater or less impor,
lance which wendell their way to the
Mississippi. These streams teemed
with fish which when properly pre-.
! pard were toothsome to red men and
white men alike, and with the birds
and animals, made The Wilds of the
Mississippi attractive hunting and
| fishing grounds Aor the numerous
tribes of the red men as far west as
the Dakota country, beyond the RED
River of the North.
The Sioux, a race or collection OF
! tribes, or bands, consisting of the
Santees, Yanktons, Brules, Sissetons
Unkpapas and others who spoke the
same tongue, were confederated with
each other under the name Dakota
which in the language of that PEG.
pie, signifies 1.-The allied"
These people were, up to about
the middle of the last century, own.
ers of all the country from Dakota
to the Mississippi river, and was by
them coded to the United States.
On the banks of Root river, con.
siderable stream within this section
there was, at the period when the
events of which mention was made
in the last chapter were taking place
Ian encampment Of these Sioux, com.
posed of nearly two hundred persons
of both sexes, and of different ages
from the yearful father of the chief
to his small grand-child, a pappoose
of tender years.
/ These Sioux had come together a,
Root river on one of their annual
hunting and trapping excursions into
the ranges named, and were Just fin
ishing their evening meal of fish and
deer meat, when their attention was
arrested by the approach of Niger
Godfrey and Jim Cobb with their
captive, Frances Armstrong.
If the unlocked for appearance OF
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