The Lamar register., 1915-01-20
LOVE AND INDIANS
BY MYRA e. TERHuNE.

1t was so cold that the catchup
jars in the cellar OF the Alden farm
house were popping like champagne
corks
For all that. Roger Blaine was pre-
pairing to go forth and brave the
chilly blasts. sixty miles ON horseback
and through a barren and uninhabited
district. Love impelled him, however,
deep and sincere and that impetus
kept his spirits far above freezing
point
Bound to go. are you?" demanded
Farmer Alden, aud Roger glanced
with soft admiring eye at Gladys,
his daughter and answered careless
ly:
Just little exercise for my horse
| expect to make it and return in
three days"
Il wish | could dissuade YOU" here
spoke Gladys. corcerued and tremu-
lous Please do not risk it, Mr..
Blainei"
But what about those saddle bags.
Mss Alden" proposed Roger.
oh. they will be safe, II they were
ever safe a week rom now. Then
the weather will let up and it will
not be so dangerous
You don't know the average In
dian" declared Roger shaking his
head sapiently "1ils fellow. Vaka,
who brought back your horse, said
he had left the saddle in his home
dugout Perhaps and perhaps not.
Even II SO. his wife his children, his
neighbors may take occasion to rife
IT, Vaka has promised every day for
week that he would go after them
Which he won't do until the last
cent OF that hundred dollars is squan
dered." pre- lcted MIR Alden
1t was Gladys who accompanied
Roger to the door and stood there
while he mounted his horse, She,
too, stood at the window looking
after him til he was out of sight.
Was he mistaken. or did she really
lift her hands TO her lips, as If send
ing after him good luck kiss
Roger loved Gladys Alden. She had
many sUltors and he was not entirely
sure OF his ground Since he had an
nounced his present journey, however.
Roger had fancied new depth OF eI'
preston to her sweet eyes.
1t seemed that a month before,
while out for gallop. Gladys had
left her fayorlte horse beside the trail
to gather some wild flowers When
she returned he was gone, Wandered
on OF stolen nothing was heard Of
the missing steed until about three
weeks later. reward OF one hun
dFed dollars had been offered for the
return of the horse. Vaka had ap-
peared but bareback. He had for
gotten the saddle. he said In one
of its pockets Gladys had placed .
small hand bag. 1t contained some
valued trinkets, once belonging to her
dead mother. She had mourned their
loss, Hence the chiyalric foray Of
Roger. looking to their restitution.
Roger found his calculation as to q
speedy journey at fault. The trail
was forty inches under snow the ra.
vines clogged. the horse worn out
before half the journey was accom-
plished. On the evening of the sec
NHQ nay. however ne aii4ftu "coiS
and half frozen at the wretched dug
out that Vaka called home. His
squaw with her five children greeted
him Roger made out that he was
at the right place, but the Indian
woman could not speak English. She
made q motion as II intent on gsing
for q neighbor to act as interpreter
About to depart. her eyes glittered'
her breath came rapidly. she stared
hard at the leggings which Roger
wore. Then. a lowering expression
on her dusky face she left the hut
Roger was so exhausted that he
threw himself on pile of skins to
recuperate while the woman was
away. Before he realized It drowsi
ness oVercame him. He was aroused
by finding himself bounced upon Wig
orously The squaw had lurked out
side the hut. had stealthily returned
had bound him hand and foot.
you kill vaka!" she shrieked
frenzied. and she pointed at the leg
gings and poised a knife ready t..
plunge It into his yitals.
mo! mo-" asserted Roger strenu
ausly. comurehendinE her dark sus