Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1915-11-12

personnel of a frontier drama, car
ried the very poor res of the daily
tent entertainment.
She had been toasted and cheered
and made owe to by the rude rustlers
and miners, but she was as stone, as
ice to fulsome praise, and in her for
bidding eyes there was ever a far
away glow, as though her thoughts
were with some dusky lover she could
not forget.
Arden sketched Ziatina, unnoticed,
in one of her most graceful poses.
He made a studio for two days of his
little, obscure room at the settlement
tavern. The canvas finished, was a
somewhat ford, but very r~ecogniza-
BILE portrait of the star of the circus.
Arden went after Jim. He had not
mounted the canvas, but carried it
on a roller. He sought out Jim at
his usual haunts.
He's gone," was the report he got
from the proprietor of the principal
gaming place of the settlement.
Gone, when? Where?" questioned
the disappointed Arden.
Last night-cleaned out, and made
for the mines to get a new stake"
Arden took the portrait back to his
room, and showed it in his kit, and for
got all about it.
He had money enough as it was to
buy a horse, but he made the mistake
Of starting off on the trail alone and
unguided. He Numbered in following
it, got lost in a desolate wilderness.
For six days he had no sight of habi-
tation or human being. The morning
, of the seventh he was awakened from
a sound sleep on a bed of green in a
ravine to the accompaniment of saw
, age yells.
, Half-a-dozen dusky warriors sur
rounded him. Their f~ierceness was
!. emphasized by the way in which they
brandished knives, rifles and toma-
hawks al him. His horse had been
T appropriated by n savage, another
, was ~ransacking his travelling kit.
His despoiler passed around to his
+ comrades article after article. Final
ly he came to the rolled-up portrait.
It came loose in his hand, and he
4 stared agape at the picture of the half
breed circus star.
Arden had noticed a stalwart young
brave who seemed to be the leader of
the party. He had a certain princely
and dignified mien and took no part
in the pilfering going on. Just at
this juncture, however, as two of the
savages, in turn, with hooking laugh
ter drew each a knife and poised it
for a fling, as if to see how near they
could Craze the ear of the bound and
helpless Arden, this young Indian
; rushed forward with a tumultuous
cry.
He halted the two sanguinary
braves with a gesture. He snatched
y the portrait from the hand of the man
q who held it. He stared at it, his face
. b%etraying the most sentient emotions
He waved his companions away, he
\ relaxed the bonds securing Arden
= Then in IN animated pantomime he
a pointed at the portrait, he crossed his
hands upon his heart as though seek
. ing to express a mute vivid alteration
for the fair half-breed girl it counter
feited.
- 4N0 WIN Va hAo J6A IVA ~ AA
den understand, but he guessed on
:. the riddle from the expressive pantC
- mime of the young brave. Ziatina hal
~ been his love, they had %quarreled, b
" had sought her vainly.
=. If Arden could lead him to the val
. ished girl he should be enriched, an
the young chief led him from the spo
into a deep cave and showed him
vast treasure house of gold gathere'
AZ up by the tribe for their leader. H
- summoned a member of his tribe.
horse was brought. Two stout buck
" skin bags were filled with gold an,
slung cross the back of the animal
. "Ziatina,' he said simply, indicating
that If Arden should lead him to hi
lost love the gold should be his.
Arden Wales eyes brightened-the,
:, expressed more than hope and coul
age-assurance positive. For to fin
Ziatina was an easy task, and the re
ward for the same meant the star
of a fortune, and, therefore, Bettina.