The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-17

dance.
When the schoolmarm made her de.
mand this story came to Stag-Hounds
mind. 1t seemed the quickest way to
earn $1,000 of which he knew, and he
determined to make the attempt. He
went into the north and traded his
trinkets with the Canadian Indians for
all the priced trophies with which they
would part, and when they would sell
no more he went into the mountains
and hunted. The tusks he got there
represented hardships which would
have killed most men: but the hard
ships were past; Stag Hound thought
smilingly of the future He counted
the teeth again and his eyes shone
Then he crept into his blanket.
Sleep would not come to Stag
Hounds eyes, and he wondered at his
wakefulness. He was not hungry, he
was not cold, and what besides could
keep man awake? The wind brought
cry, and he sat up, alert. 1t was
only the plaintive whine of the cat in
, the canyon, and he lay down impa.
tiently.
An hour passed. and still he had not
closed his eyes, Suddenly the horses
lifted their heads and snorted He
heard the laundering of some animal
upon the frozen crust-perhaps hun
cry mountain lion coming to investi-
gate.
Stag-Hound's hand slipped to his
rifle. and he waited for the smiling of
the brute at the door
My Gar, Oh. my GAR" 1t was a
human voice gasping in agony. Stag
Hound sprang from his bunk and
hurled aside the log which propped the
door. A man fumbling at the side of
the cabin gave thick, inarticulate cry
and dropped unconscious
Stag Hound carried him to his bunk
and covered him with blankets To re
kindle the fire was a moments work
When the dried brush lighted the
cabin he went to look at the man in
| the bunk
Percy Dubois, the horse-thief!" An
expression of dislike followed Stag,
| Hounds exclamation of amazement
| Percy Dubois, the French-and-Indian
breed who stole mems wives with
| his suave tongue and handsome eyes
and sold their horses across the line ="
Percy Dubois had robbed his cache
once upon a time. But Stag, Hound cut
| the boots from Dubois feet and rubbed
| the narble-like face with snow till he
| opened his eyes and screamed with
| the pain of returning circulation. Percy
Dubois would rustic no more horses;
his feet and hands were dead.
Il 80 for hunt mountain sheep,
! he said Il get off trail on re pass.
Pack-horse, saddle-horse, slip off re
mountain and slip to pieces on re rock
tree, four hundred feet down, by Gar,
No grub, no blanket. walk walk and
freeze" in his pain the half.breed went
at the recollection of his susfe"ings.
Never mind. pard." said Stag.
Hound, gently. Tomorrow III fix YOU
UP comfortably here and strike out to
the Agency for help. Wen fetch you
out easy. Just keep a stiff upper
lip"
With the first faint light OF morning
Stag-llound rode from The cabin There
was one blanket tied behind his sad,
die and n bit of jerked meat in his
pocket. He forced his horse down the
dangerous mountain trail and out upon
the trackless prairie. That night he
shivered beneath clump of willows
in coulee which already sheltered
two or three half-starved cattle.
On the third day the sun was down
when Stag Hounds exhausted horse
staggered over the slushy road which
led into the Agency. The chinook had
come at last
There were lights and laughter in
Sharpe's, the Indian traders, store
which, in the absence of saloons. was
the general gathering place for the
Indians, breeds. and whites OF the
reservation. When Stag Hound threw
the reins over his horses head. he
could have cried at hearing the voices
OF his kind again. He opened the door
and stood before them. gaunt haggard,
his clothes in rags.
There was a moments silence, then
a great shout went up. They dragged
him forward and crowded about him.
Even the faces of the Indians about
the stove wore looks of friendliness.
All, ii was good to be home again.
The welcome, the warmth, the com
radeship made the blood run fast In
his veins. 1t was good, all good; but
he trembled in his eagerness to hear
of Her. He was vaguely surprised
that her name was not on every
tongue, as II was ever in his heart.
They told him the news eagerly: of
Dad Symonds. who froze on the Koot-
mai pass; of Hen" Barnes, sent over
the road again for rustling; OF the
parties from st. Paul, who had bond.
ed the Bridal Chamber mine; Of Pete
McDevitt. who married the squaw and
came 10 the Agency each Thursday
with her grub" ticket; and the school.
marin from Cut Bank
Stag-Hound could not breathe: his
very heart stood still-"She married
Percy Dubois. the -, and they live
In the shack on the Greasewood
Flats"
The blood left Stag Hounds face and
the world went roUnd. He grasped the
counter hard to steady himself He
drew Subbing breath that hurt him.
then the blood came in a crimson flood.
Where have you been?" asked
Sharpe, the trader, first to break the
surprised silence
"Rcen?" cried StagH Hound, hoarsely.
I've been maxim fool of my