Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-11-07

]
had been deprived for half a year.
Hardy said little. but his eye was busy
taking in the natural features of the
beautiful valley.
| When they came to the slope of the
| bench, or terrace, Vandervyn noticed
the intent look of his companion, and
inquired: "Well, what do you think
of it? Talk about Siberian exile! That
is the Dupont place over here"
Hardy glanced at the large double
cabin hundred yards off to the right
of the road. The broad front porch
gave it a homelike appearance. The
two cabins before him were very small.
Beyond them stood the big agency
warehouse. Its overhanging upper
story showed that it had been built for
use as a blockhOuse, but the many
windows had rendered it less defens-
ible than one of the cabins. The only
persons in sight were the two Indian
police who had been left in charge by
| Redbear.
"Well?" repeated Vandervyn.
mot an easy place to defend" said
Hardy. Where is the office and the
| guardhouse?"
1.-The office is in the near front cor
ner of the warehouse. The police quar-
! tiers are in the other end. You see the
white tepees over there across the
creek? Most of the relations of the
police camp near the agency. This
first cabin is Nogen's-yours, should
say The second is mine"
"Your quarters? May 1 ask you for
bite of lunch as soon as 1 have
rubbed down my mare?"
81 board with the Duponts, but can
scare up a cold lunch" said Vandervyn.
AS they dismounted, Redbear came
up and successfully curried favor with
the new agent by offering to curry his
mare. He led her away to the low
brush stable beyond the warehouse.
After lunch, though still weary from
his long ride, Hardy put in the rest of
the day inspecting the agency property
and examining the accounts of the two
clerks. With the exception of two or
|
everything checked accurately.
Vandervyn brought bacon, coffee,
crackers and canned food, and the new
agent cooked supper with the skill of
an old campaigner. After they had
eaten, the chief clerk prodSSs6 cigars
in anticipation of a social evening. But
Hardy was so drowsy that he asked to
be excused. The moment he was alone,
he laid his rifle and automatic pistol
| in the bunk, blew out the candle, and
troubling to close either the door or
| the one small window.
The next morning Hardy and Van
dervyn were seated in the agency of
fee when Redbear came in and started
to shuttle around to his desk, on the
other side of the Office partition.
"Wait!" said Hardy. 81, wish the
chiefs and headmen of The tribe sum-
moned to meet me in council as soon
as possible"
st is a days ride to the camps
l u
marked Vandervyn.
Hardy considered, and looked up at
Redbear
Does not this tribe use smoke sig
nals?'
mot for a long time, not since was
g, boy, sir. l never learned how to do
it,"
"That old sergeant of police will
know" predicted Hardy. "Come"
! Vandervyn fingered behind the 9th
ers, and followed them only to the
rear corner of the warehouse. When
he had seen them ride off across Sioux
creek towards the highest of the noun
tains that encircled the valley, he went
back into the Office. opened the safe,
and carefully sorted over its con-
tents. All letters addressed TO the late
agent and to himself he took out and
locked in his desk.
Meantime Hardy and Redbear with
the police sergeant passed through the
camp of the families of the police
where they added two old bucks to
their party. A pony trail led up through
the pines on the mountainSide to the
bare granite crag of the summit. Mid
afternoon found the Indians standing
around a greenwood fire, alternately
covering it with blanket and permit
ting puffs of the dense smoke to rise
in the still air,
In less than half an hour Eardy's
glasses showed him an answering
smoke on a peak fifteen or twenty
miles distant. When he called attention
TO it, the police Sergeant pointed out
still another smoke signal off to the
left of the first and several miles far.
Their away. The old bucks turned from
the fire and started down to where the
mare and ponies had been left.
''The chiefs will come tomorrow. -
Redbear interpreted their answer to
Hardy's inquiry.
The jaded blackboard ponies were
Juggling their load up the slope of the
terrace when Hardy came down the
line of agency building at a GALLON
Marie Dupont was driving; but on the
seat beside her was brown-eyed
olive-skinned girl, who averted her
handsome face with childish shyneSs
as Hardy wheeled his mare and refined
up alongside.
Marie flushed under the officers d.
rect gaze. though, unlike her compan.
ion, she did not seek to avoid it, He
raised his hat with punctiliouS polite
ness. She bowed. and. gazing back 8.
him with a level glance, quietly re-
marked: ''Goo1 afternoon, Captain
Hardy. have brought your luggage"
THAT wss very kind of you" said
Hardy as f,ss glanced at the other girl
Marie sr.i.ed in instant appreciation
of the f,scJ that he had spoken TO her
/ as TO a0 equal. She patted her com
4 TT. ,..,.i- ,.,>.ls1a,,o5 bona xx-;th hov