Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-12-22
prefer until the halfbreed should join

less way and remarked ina casual
tone: with the tribe SO uneasy, |
suppose you will want me to stay here
and look after Marie
/ Marie objected: II am member Of
the tribe. If Pcre is going Tito the
mountains, am going with him.
.'Eo.'' cried Vandervyn.
II cannot permit that" declared
Hardy.
"Oh, yes, you can and WILL" conf
IDENTIFY replied the girl. Il shall be in
no danger. If anyone is attacked, it
will be you only
Unobservant of Vzndervyn's look,
Dupont paused with knifeful of food
halfway to his mouth to agree with his
daughter: .sAin't none of EN- what
wants to lift her scalp. She'd be safer
N ME and you, Nj. van-which is
good as saying dead safe
yet if / should be attacked?" said
Hardy
IF you are it won't be no general
outbreak, Cap. 1t will be few young
| bloods a-laying for you, or mabbe
just one, like the buck done down at
the coulee."
you see.' argued Marie. You are
the only one in danger of attack. If
Reggie and go. as we'll as Pere, there
will be that much less chance Of d
small party firing at YOU
"Very well" acquiesced Hardy. II
rely on your fathers Judgment. II
there IS the slightest chance Of danger
to .roil. he should know 1t. But as you
| are TO be With the party, shat take
! along a squad of police. Mr.. Yander'
vyn, you may remain in charge Of the
agency, if YOU prefer"
"No, thanks" snapped Vandervyn.
eff you intend to let Marie run the
! risk of getting into massacre, / most
lscertainly shall go along"
The girl was unusually gracious to
Hardy at supper. AT breakfast she oil.
4 vided her smiles between the two with
strict impartiality. But when, shortly
before sunrise, the party started off up
! the valley, Hardy began talking about
tribal customs with Dupont and be-
! came so engrossed in the discussion
that he failed to give his usual court
eous attention to Marie. Vandervyn
was quick to make the most of the
/ girls pique. The half-dozen Indian po-
/ lice of the escort We're strung out in
| front with the pack horses. He sug-
gested that it would be we'll to avoid
/ - Nv in hn
When Hardy saw the couple ride
ahead, he would have ordered them
i back had not Dupont again assured
him that the girl would not be in the
slightest danger at any time during
the trip.
"You We're not so certain of the
friendliness Of the Indians toward her
the other day." remarked Hardy.
Dupont scratched his head. "Well,
no, / wasn't, Cap; that's no lie. That
there, though, was different. I'm going
now by what Mr.. Van says about the
feeling in the camps. Wisht l felt as
sure about you.''
"Never mind about me. If your
daughter is safe, that is quite sufli.
! cient. You say this mine is centrally
located with relation to the various
camps. We will go to it first and en-.
deavor to get the tribe to meet us there
In council"
TAT the mine?' mumbled Dupont.
"Me-e-ll, you're the boss"
The party now entered Sioux Creek
canyon and followed the narrow path
alongside the torrent until they came
to the first small Indian camp. The
Indians met Marie and Vandervyn
with friendly greetings, but looked at
+. Hardy with a stolid concealment OF
Ill feeling that, according to Dupont,
BODIED Ill for the new agents recep.
ton in the larger camps. Hardy set
his jaw, and ordered the party to start
on into the mountains.
Noon found the party over twenty
miles from the agency by trail, though
less than half that distance in an air
line. They had come upon no more In,
dian camps and had seen no more In
/ dams. Late afternoon found them far
in among the mountains, with snowy
peaks on every side. Yet they were
| still long ten miles by trail from
their destination. Upon learning from
j Dupont that there was no desirable
camp-site nearer than the mine, Hardy
asked his companion to ride forward
and urge all to q faster pace.
The rest of the party had rounded a
heap Of rock that lowered up like a
1 ruined castle at the ridge summit, and
Vandervyn was about to follow them
out of sight, when the thoroughbred
came to a full stop, thirty yards down
the trail, at the foot of the steepest
part of the climb. Considerable of the
fact that his tall mount was at dis
advantage in such situation as COM
pared with the 1oWer-set ponies, Hardy
did not urge the mare to carry him up
the ascent.
i He paused moment, waiting to see
If she would make the attempt v0lun,
tarily. She stood notionless. He pat
ted her neck and dropped down out
of the saddle. The suddenness of the