The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-11

The young man on horseback be-
hind threw up his right palm in
answer. Peace" he answered,
in the Shawnee tongue, smilingly.
| But as he spoke Alagwa saw the
white man on the box throw up
his rifle with meaning not to be
mistaken. The rifle spoke and
| Wilwiloway reeled backward,
clinching at the air. Alagwa saw
red. With a scream she snatched
her hunting knife from her belt
and dashed to his side.
The man in the road saw her
coming and fired. AS she reeled,
she saw the young man on the
horse squirting forward.
| Wilwiloway was still clinging to
tree. He saw the girl totter and
the sight seemed to give him
strength. With a yell of fury he
leaped upon the man in the road,
tore from his hands the yet smok-
ing rifle, and struck with it once.
Wilwiloway did not pause. over
the dead form of his enemy he
sprang leaping upward at the
man on the box, to meet a crash
ing blow that hurled him back
ward and downward into the dust
of the road.
| With a whoop the man on the
box sprang to the ground, knife
in hand, An instant later he was
up, waving a bloody trophy. He
saw the girl still clutching at the
air and rushed toward her. Dim
ly she saw the white man with the
hunting knife and behind him the
young white chief on his horse
coming like a thunderbolt. She did
not heed them. Round her cool
green waves were rising.
Then came a shock. The young
white chief had driven his horse
against the man, hurting him
backward. stop, you butcher
he yelled. Don't you see it's a
white BOY" He leaped from his
horse and caught the girl as she
fell.
Slowly the girl came back to
life. Even after she regained con-
seriousness she lay with closed eye
lids, conscious only of a dull pain
that throbbed up and down her
right leg. Weakly she turned her
head and saw that she was lying
on a rough bed in a wagon that
was piled high with boxes and
bales.
AS she lay, overwhelmed, a dry
branch cracked outside the wagon
and a clustering voice broke the
silence.
Here! What the HI are you
trying to do" demanded the
voice. Gimme back that rifle. !"
For a moment silence reigned.
Then another voice-a voice, cool
and deligerate = made answer.
Alagwa had heard that voice only
once. but she knew 1t instantly
for that of the young white chief.
Mo-" he said. Il won't give 1t
back to you. You are under ar
rest. You have committed a bru-
tai murder which may arouse all
the friendly Indians against us
and may cost lives of hundreds
of white men, women and chill
dren. If your errand were not so
urgent I'd take you back to Piqua
and turn you over to Col. jack
son. But the men at Fort Wayne
| need our ammunition. SO m
going to take you to Fort Wayne
and turn y,u over to the author
tiles there to be dealt with ac-
cording to law
The man laughed scornfully
| You think you're right much OF
a much, don't your" he sneered.
Take me to Fort Wayne, Will
you? All right! That's where
I'm bound for. But II you
reckon anybody there's going to
do anything about my shootin'
an Injun, you're ALFRED wrong
Do anything? Lord! Yes! They'll
do somethin'. They'll give me a
prize"
Very well! Now listen. We IL
probably meet the friends OF the
Shawnee you murdered. If l told
them the truth you'd never get
through alive. SO I'm going to
throw all the blame on your dead
friend. Understand"
The man muttered something
that Alagwa could not hear.
But the answer came quick.
"Thatu dol" ordered the chill
young voice. You're a prisoner.
You don't give advice, you OBEY
orders. You'll do as l say till we
get to Fort Wayne and your 90
| 1t quick. Moreover, / don't pro-
| pose to carry you as passenger.
! You'll do your work right along.
Now climb on that box and start. :
The man snarled, but climbed
upon the box. -.
With a jerk and a jolt the
wagon rolled off. The motion
sent little thrills of pain through
the girls bullet-pierced leg, put
the turmoil in her mind prevent
ed her needing them. f.
A thudding of hoofs came from
behind the wagon, and a morse
thrust his head beneath the arch
ed top. Behind 1t appeared the
face of the young white CHIEF.
peering into the shadowy depths
of the wagon. -.5Is
A moment later he drew back,
but his voice came distinctly to
the girls ears. "He hasn't moved,
Cato" he said. II don't wonder.