The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-15
him to the stake?"

uiul u tho stdhos
The girls lips parted; her eyes
widened with horror. Then she
dropped on her knees at Tecum-
seh's feet. mo! MOI" she gasped.
Not that! II ever Tecumseh low
ed Alagwa. let him hear her
prayer. Let the young white chief
go and send Alagwa to the stake
In his place"
But he wronged you."
HE wronged me not. Believe
me. great chief"
Relentlessly Teeumseh faced
her down. Why, then, did you
leave him." he demanded.
Because he loved me not. He
married me to save my good
name. IL" The girl gasped,
then went proudly on" | loved
him and | thought his heart was
free. So / married him. Then at
the moment came letter from
his home by the far Southern seas.
He read 1t, and he fell senseless.
As | bent over him a man stand
ing near caught up the letter and
read from 1t that the maid he
loved was free and was calling
for him. Then ! knew he had
not place for me In his life or his
heart. The surgeon at the fort
said he would soon recover. So
| left him to come to you. Moth
Ing else was left. But he did me
no wrong" The girls voice
died away in inarticulate muir
murs.
Crouching upon the ground
Alagwa waited, looking up at Te-
cumseh with beseeching eyes.
Slowly Tecumseh spoke. Alag
wa knew not the writing of the
white man." he said. Lately she
has learned 1t, but then she knew
II not How knows she that the
man read with true tongue?
How knows she that he did not
lie? Was he so great a friend of
hers?"
Alagwa sprang to her feet.
Friend" she gasped. He was
no friend. It was he who murder
ed Wilwiloway." She paused;
then-"Did-did he lie?"
Perhaps"
Tecumseh painted to a place on
his left. LET my daughter sit be-
side me and hide her face in her
blanket, and keep silence till Te-
cumseh bids her speak"
Alagwa sat down. Then she
Strengthened up with a gasp. Will
liams. under guard, had come
through the woods and stood be-
fore the great chief.
Long Tecumseh stared him in
the eyes. At last he stretched
out his hand, holding a soiled and
deeply creased letter. This was
taken from you when you were
captured" he said. Read 1t
aloud. And take care you read 1t
true"
Williams eyes narrowed. Fur
lively he looked around him, as II
fearing to see some accuser. Then
he took the letter and stared at IL.
Read Numbered the chief
tain. Read! And read truel"
Williams moistened his dry lips.
AS last he spoke. 81 don't know
how to read" he mumbled.
Chill as death came the great
chiefs voice. Surely the wh,tc
man errs," he said. "A year ago
he read from this very letter a
message from a maid dwelling in
the Far South"
Williams courage deserted him.
Clearly he remembered that the
Shawnees were Alagwa's friends.
II didn't read nothin'," he whin-
ed. II was only jokin'. That fell
low Jack done me a dirty trick.
and | wanted to get even. I
reckoned he had sweetheart
down South. and made up some
thing about her and let on that it
was In the letter. ! didn't mean
no harm. l reckoned he's get we'll
and read the letter and make 1t
'all right with the girl. How was
| to know she'd run off right
away?"
You curl" Needless of Te-
cumseh's possible wrath Jack
hurled himself at the trader. But
before his gripping fingers could
fasten upon the others throat the
two braves stepped between, fore
ing him backward. A second lat
er Alagwa slipped to his side and