The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-09-11

not believe we are never to meet
again"
"Yet that is not likely, monsieur.
IF ] seek you it might be-
ut will require more than peaceful
travel to do that" she replied sOberly.
There is going to be war"
War! The Indians of the north
west?"
Yes; the time has come-is here.
The council at Sandusky was for no
other purpose. Girty's message was
merely an excuse for the Wyandots
to join the other tribes He confessed
as much to me. 1t was because my
father realized his helplessness long
er to restrain British influence, that he
disappeared. 1t is war, monsieur"
But not between u.s." ! insisted,
shocked at the picture "Mademoiselle,
come with me. There is nothing left
to hold you to this life among saw
ages. With your father dead, why
should you continue to bury yourself
in these woods? You have education,
refinement, gentleness; why should
you not go now, before war breaks
along the border?"
And desert my people,"
But they are not your people; you
are white, not red. That small drop
of Indian blood in your veins does not
make you a Wyandot. You have moth
ing else in common with them. Why
not be yourself, choosing life among
those Of your own racer"
| thought she hesitated, and
grasped her hand more closely, the
hot blood leaping in my veins. In the
dim light | could see her lowered face,
the eyes downcast.
mo, monsieur" she said at last,
very low. 1T is good of you to think
thus of me, but-but cannot do that.
You must not urge. The Wyandots
need me-more now that my father is
gone than ever before. They are my
people; was born to them, and played
as child in their villages They love
me, trust me, and | help them by
teaching them the Christ. To desert
them would be to desert him. can
not do that, monsieur, merely to graft
fly myself"
But have no call upon you?" in
sisted in desperation.
mo, monsieur" and she was look
, ing at me now with some amazement
= "'T is scarce an hour since believed
= you murderer. We do not know eacE
, other. Let me trust, and believe il
j.. you; do not speak like that"
Il meant nothing wrong, mademol
- selle," broke in hastily, stung by he
words Of reproof. You have come t
me out of the woods like new life.
J. know it is strange, all strange, bu
y there is already something between
us that can never be severed"
rs there, MONSIEUR
Yes; race makes no difference.
= thought it did once. When you sal
- back there in the shadow of the stool
y ade that you were a Wyandot it wa
as if you struck me blow in the fac'
| swore then | would think of you n
more, yet, even that night, you were
my dreams, and ever since your fac
A has been in my memory"
felt her handclasp tighten on min
although her body remained motion
less
you do not believe me in earnest
81! How can l, monsieur? | thin
you jest, you amuse yourself. Let
stop it all now. You go back to you
people, | to mine, and we will bot
forget. No! Do not say more! wi
A not listen. Cople with me to the boat
| | followed her down the ban
4 words burning on my lips she gave n
4 no chance to speak, for she move
A with quick decision. The two mt
N had the canoe turned over, at the We
IN edge of the water, and the scout w
sM upon his knees in the sand. He look
a9 up hastily at our approach.
- q reckon we stay here, miss"
said soberly Somebody has smash
a hole through the bottom with
- stone"
She uttered a little cry of alar
leaning over his shoulder.
"a hole! How could that be? SUI
ly it was no accident"
n He arose to his feet, brushing off
IN knees.
r That's what / told the Dutchm;
though neither of us could find
rock. reckon the Englishef did II
Job; he had it all figured out, a
.c,. meant to keep us yere."
l saw her look up at the mans ia
and then about in bewilderment,
to "You think that-why?"
OTIS Cause it seems ter me nat'ral.
eed reckon it's bout what | would dc
in If | was in his fix. He had pr
| to against us, if he could get some
iuns along as witnesses. Nobt
IKE, would ever believe what we said,
even wait ter listen All he had to
was catch us yere, charge us W
wk- murder an turn them devils loo
tly, Thet would let him out slick az
whistle"