The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1915-05-06
LOVE AND INDIANS
.--
sy MvRA Z. rERHuME.


jars in the cellar Of the Alden farm
house were popping like champagne
corks
For all that, Roger Blaine was pre-
pairing to 60 forth and brave the
chilly blasts, sixty miles on horseback
and through 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, and Roger glanced
with soft admiring eye at Gladys,
his daughter, and answered careless.
":
"Just little exercise for my horse.
I expect to make it and return In
three days"
II wish l could dissuade you," here
spoke Gladys, concerned and tremu'
lous. please do not risk it, Mr..
Blaine"
But what about those saddle bags,
Miss Alden?' proposed Roger.
"Oh, they will be safe, II they were
ever safe. a week from 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. This fellow, Vaka,
who brought back your horse, said
he had left the saddle in his home
r1nr md
Even If so, his wife, his children, his
neighboIs may take occasion to rifle
it. Vaka has promised every day for
a week that he would go after them"
(Which he won't do until the last
cent OF that hundred dollars is squan'
dered," predicted Mr.. Alden.
It 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 till 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 suitors and he was not entirely
sure of his ground. Since he had an.
nounced his present journey, however.
Roger had fancied new depth Of ex'
preston to her sweet eyes.
It seemed that a month before.
while out for q gallop, Gladys had
left her favorite horse beside the trail
to gather some wild flowers. When
she returned he was gone. Wandered
of or stolen, nothing was heard OF
the missing steed until about three
weeks later. A reward of one hun
dred 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 it's pockets Gladys had placed a
small hand bag. 1t contained some
valued trinkets, once belonging to her
dead mother. She had incurred their
loss. Hence the chivalric 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.
ond day, however, he arrived weary
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 motion as if intent on going
for a 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, 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
1leu1leu, ana sne pointed at INC 1o8
gings and poised knife ready H.
plunge 1t into his vitals.
"No! MOI" asserted Roger strenu
ously, compromising her dark sus
picions-"alive! Pocket-pocket!"
The squaw half understood him.
She CROPPED past his helpless hands
and drew from his breast pocket q
wallet. She, scanned its contents
Then, snatching from among the pa
pers it contained the photograph Of
Vaka, she stood regarding it with
! distended eyes.
II kill herr" she screamed in wild
frenzy, drawing the knife in her HAND
through the smiling face Of the WON
an in the picture.
The determined squaw was the
companion Of Roger, mounted on hel
Indian pony, back to the town. She
had located the missing saddle among
some trappings and the little hand
bag had it's original contents intact