The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-08-28
MONTAGUE
The Life of a WiIlful Boy
Who Set Upon Himself the
Responsibility Of AveDging
His Fathers Murder : 4:

made many people Shuuder with de-
preston. had never succeeded in crush
ing out tire v~ivacity of her spirit. In
all the little that life had brought her
she had been strongly, keenly alive; in
her love for Amabel, in her hate for
Anderson Cree: and now, in the hour
of her death. she was still the same in
dcmitable personality. wildly alive, in
spite of the fact that her eyes, as they
opened, looked into Mary's face with
the bright aloofness of delirium.
".Ammy-honey!!' she cried, and a
wave Of surprise swept over the watch
ing women. for there vas not one
among them who had ever heard just
that note of broken tenderness in the
old voice. Mary took the hard, fever
burnt hand in hers and pressed it
softly.
'"Don't yer know me. Ant Marthy? ?"
she said. Its Mary-Mary Reddin. l
promised Yer Id come eff Yer sent fer
me-
The old woman looked at her a mo-
ment in perplexity, as though her be-
wildered brain CROPPED for enlighten-
ment in remote places.
Mary Reddin-Mary Reddin,' she
murmured, turning the name over.
Mary Reddin.' Then suddenly light
leaped into her eyes and cleared them
of their lost look.
Mary Reddin-David Cree-Alder-
son Cree-Amabel L.amtire.." she cried
quite loudly and very quickly, as
though her strayed senses fled breath
lessly along the stepping stones of the
names and came home at last to that
familiar treasured one which no
amount of delirium could blot from
her mind. There she paused, and for
a little space she lay whispering the
name.
".Amabel, Army. Amabel Lamfire,"
over Il over, as a mother tries owe
her baby's lame to take the strange
ness from it. But all at once the sibi-
liant tenderness of the whispering ceas-
ed, and she spoke out loud, a harsh sur
prise in her voice:
/ Anderson Cree" she cried. 80 Lord!
. Anderson Cree The words came with
l a startled rush of establishment. Then
with the same %quickness her mind
swept her on, and all at ono the little
> withered figure, which scarcely wrin-
killed. the b~clclothes. was shaken by
gust after gust of low witch laughter
laughter which shook her all over, vet
scarcely altered the brilliant, strange
1 look of her face. Once as she laughed
Mary wondered as she caught the NUT
. tered words, ".A-ha, Judy Lester
Mary took both her hands in hers
and spoke with low insistence, for the
laughter and brilliant face togethe.
9 were terrible.
ANT Marthy, Ant Marthy," she said
t firmly. don't yer know me? I'm Mary
Reddin-Mary Reddin,' she repeated
e i've come ter set up with yer like
promised. Don't yer know HE, Amt
X Marthy:'
e Gradually the old woman's scattered
II senses returned, and, looking into the
girls face attentively she spoke slowly
Mary Reddin''- she said-and Mar!
1 saw that at last she knew her-"Mary
L. lieldin. promise me yerll stay by mt
n till l die; promise me yer won't leave
II m~e-promiSc,'' she cried feverishly.
L. But Mary drew back Il little. Il don
knows l kin. Ant Marthy. Dave
1t may She faltcrcd and broke off.
9 Girl Martha cried with sudden
d fierce strength. 'ef Yer don't stay by
a me ycr'll be sorry fer hit ter Yer dyin
II day-ycs, ter yer dyin' day an after
II Ward.'
II Mary shrnnk away from the awfu
n face ana from the passion of the voice
he but. as the eyes still threatened her. Il
length she gave her promise to stay
II though she did it %fearfully and reluc
family.
\ whisper of argument II dissen
II, group began to di>integrate.
O. "Et yerll stay tcrnight, Mary, Mis-
l Cooper says she'll stay with yer an
II watch. an some Of uS'l be over soon il
y ther mornin'." Mrs. Snyder said. Shak
to ing ont her ample figure and reachin,
for her sunbonnet.
er "Ther doctor said ther want nothil
Il. we could do fer Ant Marthy, an the
4, rest of us hes ter go now, secin' hit
u most dark, an er powerful big StOrI
comin-an' anyhow | bet my baby
ne been cryin' fer me fer Their last hour @
W, more. III take Their word ter You
Il folks that yer won't be home ternight,
ut SHE went on to Mrs. Cooper, AN IL
IL drop in myself Their very first thing II
thcr mornin'."
~ vt the scrape of their chairs ana til
.,>l, r <hntr lin .jl \IntI, H..
I'd her eyes determinedly ana lay motion
in less and Indifferent. though more tina,
one woman bent over her With Il fore
lg bodiny shake Of the head and Il wills
pcred, "po' soul. po' old SOUL" Their
with low spoken ~"goodbys" and lin
~ gcring Chances, they emerged into tn
or relief Of the spring air and turned tc