Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-12-30
|0RN BRECKENRIDGE ELLIS

Lahoma's next letter came in a few
days c%onfirmatory Of his worst fears.
Gust read it aloud, Wilfred," said
Brick, as all gathered about the lantern
in the retreat at the mountain top:
Dear Brick and Bill-An exciting affair
has happened. I was sitting at my win
dow because I couldn't sleep, not that !
expected to see anything unusual. There's
a big summer house at the far end Of the
lawn, all covered with vines, and there's
a walk between dense %shrubbery, leading
to it from the house. The first thing /
saw was Red Kimball come out and slip
through a little side gate and hurry along
the country road. AS soon as I saw him
1 guessed that he and Mr.. Gledware had
been conspiring in the summer house.
But 1t seemed no use to go Town after
Red Kimbal had left. If Mr.. Gledware
was still in the summer house, I knew he
was alone, and If he'd returned to the
house all was over for the night. I was
wondering what new plot they had form
ed and how I was to find out about 1t.
when my eye was caught by a move
ment in the hedge that runs down to the
side gate. The movement was as slight
as possible, but as there wasn't any
breeze it made me SILVER a little, for 1
knew somebody was skulking there. Pretty
socn something passed through the gate.
quick and stealthily. In the flash of
moonlight I saw it was our old friend
Red Feather.
Almost as soon as I recognized him he
had disappeared behind a large lilac bush,
but I had seen what he held in the hand
behind his back-it was a long, unsheath-
ed knife. The lilac bush stood close to
the summer house. He fell fiat to the
ground and wriggled his way around the
bush. You would have been ashamed of
me for a minute or two, for I kept sitting
beside the window as if I had been turn
ed to a statue of ice.
But maybe I didn't stay there as long
rs it seemed. First thing I knew. I was
running downstairs as lightly and swift
ly as I could and out through the door
at the end Of the side hall that had been
left wide open. and I was at the summer
house door like a flash. There was a
wide path Of moonlight across the con-
crete floor and right in that glare was a
sight never to be forgotten-Red Feather
about to stab Mr.. Gledware to the heart!
He held Mr.. Gledware by the throat with
one hand. and his other hand held the
knife up for the blow. Mr.. Gledware lay
on his back, and Red Feather had one
knee pressed upon his breast.
When I reached the doorway 1 blotted
out most of the moonlight, and I drew
back so Red Feather could see who I was.
He looked up and let go of Mr.. Gledware's
throat, but didn't move otherwise. Red
Feather" I said. give me that knife!"
Mr.. Gledware. recognizing my voice,
tried to entreat me to save him, but he
was half strangled. and only made sounds
that turned me faint, to know that the
man my mother had married was such a
coward.
Red Feather told me that if 1 came any
nearer. or if I cried for help. he would
murder that man and escape, but that if
would step into the shadow and listen
he'd give his reason for doing 1t before
it was done. So l went across the room
from him to save time, hoping l could
persuade him to change his mind. I beg
ged for Mr.. Gledware's life.
Red Feather shook his head. No, he
said, I could not save him, for he would
DO dead In two or three minutes. And
then he bent over Mr.. Gledware, who all
this time was afraid to move or to make a
sound. I hurried to remind him that he
hadn't told me his reason for wanting to
kill the man.
Then Red Feather said that when that
man rode with me among the Indians
Red Feathers daughter had taken a fan
cy to him, and Mr.. Gledware had mar
ried her, and 1 had been kept away from
him SO he'd forget me and not turn his
thoughts toward his own people; and they
had taught me that my name was Wilcox,
because they were going to take me to
you, Brick. Isn't it wonderful? That day
you found the deserted wagon and buried
my mother Red Feather was watching you
from the mountain, and he wouldn't kill
you because you made that grave and
knelt down to talk to the Great Spirit.
Afterward, when he rode home and found
that his daughter and Mr.. Gledware were
to be married, he made up his mind that
| if c1roao11l g., o~@;~ SIlo- 49,
Red kimball and his band you would be
the one to take care Of me. And when
two years had passed and you were still
safe he brought me to you! What a glad
day that was!
When Red Feathers daughter wanted
Mr.. Gledware's life saved it was so. And
Red Feather ave them a great stretch
of land, and Mr.. Gledware got to be i'm
portant in the tribe; he made himself one
Of them, and they thought him greater
than their own chief. At the end of a
few years there was the great agitation
over the boomers coming to the Oklahoma
country and much talk Of the land being
thrown open. The indians didn't want it
done, and they joined together to send
some one to Washington to address con-
gress on the subject. Mr.. Gledware was
such an orator that they thought him ir-
resistible, SO they selected him and. for
his fee. they collected over $50, 00O. Think
Of it!
OF course he didn't go near Washing
ton. 1t was the time Of Kansas City's
great boom. He went there and bought
up city lots and sold out at the right
time, and that's why he's rich today. In
the meantime. the Indians didn't know
what had become Of him. and Red Feath-
er's daughter died from shame over her
desertion-just pined away and hid herself
from her people till she was starved to
death. That's why Red Feather meant to
kill Mr.. Gledware.
When he had finished Red Feather bent
over Mr.. Gledware and said to him: me
speak all true? Tell Lahoma-me speak
all true?"
And the man whispered feebly: ut Is
all true. Don't kill me! For Gods sake,
don't kill me! Save me. Lahoma, my
chIld!"
/ begged him not to kill the man. Red
Feather said to me: you hear how he
treat my daughter! You my friend. La
homa. You know all that and yet you
tell me not kill him!"
ar Ia, $40 LIN li,. -