The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-15

With staring eyes Jack watched,
counting them as they came. Five
women and as many children,
then-then-last of all came AL
agwa.
Jack shouted abound - a great
shout that startled the sleepy
birds. He had found her. His
hour had come.
At Jacks shout, Brito looked
up. Then he, too, cried out and
settled himself back in the saddle.
Slowly the two rode toward
each other, sabers in hand. Jack
refined back; his horse reared,
striking with it's hoofs, and Brito's
black SHE'D to the left and rushed
by, Brito blade singing harmlessly
in the air as he passed.
The two men wheeled.
The two horses crashed, rearing
and biting, and over their heads
the swords Of the riders clashed.
Neither spoke.
At last Jack began to tire. His
arms dropped and he began to
fight on the defensive. Then sud
denly, when Jack thought he
could sustain no more, the attack
slackened. Brito's arm tagged
for a second, perhaps in order to
deceive; then he thrust again, up
ward, for the throat. Jack, worn
out, took a desperate chance. He
did not parry with his blade: in
stead he threw up his hilt and
caught Brito's point squarely up
on the guard. A hairs breadth to
the right or TO the left and the
others sworn would have pierced
his throat. But that hair breadth
was not granted. Brito's blade
stopped short, bent almost double
and snapped short. Brito himself
swayed sideways, losing his bal.
ance for the moment. Before he
could recover, Jack rose in his
stirrups and brought his blfVe
down with a sweeping stroke
against the bare, brown neck that
for an instant lay exposed. Deep
the steel cut. Beneath it Brito
stiffened; his sword dropped from
his hand; blood spouted from the
severed veins; he swayed and top
pled-dead.
Jack scarcely saw him fall.
Half fainting he chung to his sad
die, while beneath him the bay
painted and wheeZed, worn out by
the stress of the fight.
Slowly the mists cleared. Out of
them shone Alagwa's face, white,
but glad with a great gladness.
Jack turned to Alagwa and
pointed to Brito's horse. Come"
he ordered. 1.-THE fight is done.
We must CO."
Silently Alagwa mounted and
silently the two rode up the slope,
across the moon-drenched woods
upon the crest. and down the long
backward trail to where the
British and Indian power had been
shattered.
Jack did not speak. He dared
not. A sudden wondering panic
had fallen upon him. He had won
his bride at last. He had won her
with his heart; he had earned her
with his sword. She was his; he
had only to put out his hand to
claim her.
But he did not dare. Love had
throned her UNNECESSARILY above
him. Scarcely he dared look at
her as she rode beside him in the
white moonlight.
Alagwa, too, was silent, wait
ing. This was her hour, and she
knew 1t. But he must tell her
tell her what she already knew.
AT last Jack found his tongue.
He spoke hurriedly, gaspingly;
trying to hide the ferment of his
soul. "The war here is over" he
said. Most of the army will go
home. And we will go to Ala
bama. Father is waiting to well
come you. You will like him and
you will like Alabama. Alabama!
l told you once what the word
meant. It's Creek. alabama.
here we rest. There we will rest.
Later we will go to France to see
your inheritance. II have read
that letter; there was nothing in
it-nothing. l tainted because of
my Illness and not because of any,
thing | read"
Jacks voice died. He had run
through his budget of news with
out broachipg the subject that lay
so near his heart. Alagwa did
not help him. Silently she waited.
The path grew narrow. The two
horses crowded into 1t, crushed
their riders together, and at the
touch Jacks surcharged heart
found vent. "Alagwa! Alagwa!"
he cried, brokenly; and again,
"Alagwa!"
The girl swayed toward him.
Her eyes, wet with unshedq tears,
cleaned into his from beneath the
dark masses of her tangled hair.
Then, in moment his arms were
round her and her head lay heavy
on his breast. The horses halted.
Jacks heart kindled i'm the
swimming darkness. "Alagwa!
Friend! Comrade! Wife! i love
you so! / love you SOL" 49,.
And I love you!" Like q great
organ note the girls voice echoed
the avowal. "Ah! But you know
1t. You know I left you for your
own sake-for your own sake"
Jack leaped from the saddle and
held uu hia arms for hfa hrido