The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-05-06

the camp.fres Of departed warriors
on the trail to the Spiritland. Then
he saw the dim, mystic trail itself
stretching across the sky. and he
believed that it was marked with
the footprints of his parents. White
Otter was overwhelmed by sense
of his weakness, and he opened his
heart to the Great Mystery. He
prayed for strength to complete his
task, for courage to face the peril.
and for wisdom to cope with his
enemies.
Then coyote. raised It's dismal
cry, The spell was broken. The
prairie-wolf had found the dead an
telope and was summoning it's fell
lows to the feast Answering walls
rose from all parts of the plain,
and the peace of the night was de-
stroyed, The Sioux returned to his
fire.
Soon after daylight White Otter
resumed his journey At midday
he was halted by river which the
spring rains and the snow-water
from the mountains had trans
formed into a raging yellow tor
rent. 1t was swift, and deep, and |
wide. and he looked upon it with |
gloomy misgivmgs, As he watched |
the water racing past he had grave /,
doubts of ever reaching the other |
shore. 1t seemed foolhardy to !
make the attempt AS he hesitated. |
however, he thought he heard |
challenge in the sullen kissing of |
the water II seemed as If the |
river were laughing at his caution |
and accusing him of cowardice. A |
great wrath entered his heart. He
asked himself if it was the part of |
a Sioux warrior to turn back at the /
first obstacle Then laughing |
scronfully, he dashed his trem- !
bling pony into the flood. 49,. i
Once in the water the gallant lit
tie piebald began valiant battle
against the current. White Otter
was swept from its back but he
saved himself by grasping it's
name. Farther down the river he
saw a seething whirlpool, and he
knew that, once in its grip, there
would be no escape. He tried to
guide the struggling pony from the
danger, but his efforts were futile.
He realized that he must depend
upon the piebald to save him. It
was making superb fight for its
life, but the odds against it were
terrific and White Otter had little
hope Each moment the game lit.
tie beast was being swept nearer
its doom. The Sioux turned its
head up the river, and urged it to
still greater efforts. He knew the
only chance was to reach the CEN
ter of the stream before they were
swept abreast of the whirlpool.
Then he heard the ominous hiss Of
swirling water, and he glanced
fearfully over his shoulder. His
heart failed him, for the pony was
almost upon the whirlpool, A mo-
ment later he felt the current
twisting them about and he cried
out In despair. The piebald was
swept swiftly around the edge Of
the great sucking pool. and the de-
spairing lad shuddered as he saw
the water boiling down into a
yawning funnel-shaped cavern.
Twice they were whirled dizZily
around the border of the death-trap
and then the pony fought it's way
from the clutches of the pool.
Having regained the main chan.
mel, they resumed their fight to
reach the opposite shore. The pie
bald had covered two-thirds of the
distance when 1t began to weaken.
White Otter again saw death star
ing him in the face, for he realized
that in such a crisis his own
was of no avail Believ-
ing himself lost, the lad determined
10 die as his. father had died, fight {
ing to the end. He exhausted him.
self urging the frantic pony to re-
double it's efforts. Several times
il carried him beneath the water as |
he endeavored to guide 1t to the {
shore. Then his own strength col {
Iapsed, and he chung helplessly to I
the laundering beast he had tried |
10 save. AS though It understood {