The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-04-10
CHAPTER III.
The Long Trail

For nearly a month Jack Teifafr
with black Cato At bis heels. IA,
been riding northwsrd thru ooun
try recently reclaimed from tn
wilderness.
Like all Indian pathways. tn
trail chung 10 tho highest ground
following tho route that was dries
in rain. cicarcst OF snow in winter
Beyond tho Ohio II followed tn
crest OF the divide between Grea
and Little Miami rivers 10 Dayton
Piqua and wapasoneta-
Thirty years before men ha
fought thar way over every inc
Of tina, trail. dying by scores nlon
II from tho arrow. the tomshawb
and tho bullet But that had bee
30 years before. For 20 years I'll
trail had been safe A. far a. III
Ohio; for 10 II had been meal
urably safe halfway MP the STATE
10 the edge OF the Indian country
But when Jack reached Dayto
that town was alive with the wa
fever. Tho whole state awaited
In apprehension. not from fear O
the British. but from terror OF the'
ruthless red allies.
Not q man or woman In an Obi
but knew what indian warsar
meant Not one but could remeu
ber the silent midnight attack O
tho sleeping farm house. the bla,
ing rooftrce. the stark. GAshe
forms that had once been msn an
women and little children. tn
wipinG out Of the labor Of years &
. single hour.
Ali Yssi Ohio knsv what In
dian war meant
A. last Jack came TO Piqus
Piqua stood cioee 10 the boundar
Of the Indian country. which the
spread over the whole northwesi
ern quarter of Ohio. North OF
lay the great Black swmp. thr
which roved thousands OF Indian'
nominaily peaceful. but potential
dangerous. Al Piqua. too. dwell
Col. John Johnson. tho Unite
States indian agent whose bus
ness II was 20 keep them quiet
As Jack rode Into the outskirt
OF the tiny scattered village. . mid
diessed man CAME up TO him.
Hello. stranEsr!' he bavlet
what's the newsT'
Jack refined In. Sorry. but
haven't any" he replied.
"Whar you from"
Prom Dayton and the south
shot Amt congress declare
war YETI"
Not that know OF. The las
news from Washington was tina
congress was still debating"
"Debatin'7 And here the Injun
are fIllin' up with firewnter an
sharpenin' their tomahawks."
What's the news from tn
north" Jack broke in.
bad. bad. mighty bad. stranger.
the man declared. That red devi
Tecumreh, has been a-travelin
about tho country but he's BAG
now and the Intuns are gettin
ready TO play thunder with ever,
body. How far north 10 10 Amir
to 70. stranger"
ITO Wapakoncta, I think"
Then reckon you'll have TO Sc
Colonel Johnson"
"where1l find Colonel Johr
SOM" demanded Jack.
We'll. now. that's mighty hard I
tell. Colonel Johnson sloshes roun
a whole lot"
BY this time a number OF othe
white men had come up. The oil
hunter insisted on making JAG
known 10 all OF them. Jack hear
the names OF Sam Hilliard. 10
Garrard. Andrew Dye, Joshua Rol
bins, Daniel Cor. and several otf
ers. All OF them were anxious 10
news In regard TO the coming wa,
and all shook their heads dubiousl
when they heard that Jack pre-
posed 10 10 further north.
The talk was interrupted by IN
appearance OF wagon drawn b
mules and driven by a man VIII
looked neither to the right nor {
the left.
Hey" one OF the men yelled
Whats tho newsf"
The driver paid no attention Z
the call. His companion on IN
box. however. leaned out. 90 I
h. you old grand-daddy-lonl
legs" no yelled out.
Tho mans cheek Redeemed. Blu
before he could retort n horsema
appeared I'm the road In front c
the wagon and threw up his hant
Hold on. boys" he called. "Hol
on want TO speak TO you"
The driver hesitated; then, con
PEELED by something In the eyes @
the man, he sulkily refined in.
I'm Tom Rich. deputy OF Colons
Johnson. the Indian agent up here,
tho horeeman was explaining. Go
onel Johnson's away Just now an
I've got TO see everybody that zoe
north 10 trade with the Intuns."
I'VE amt going TO trade with n
rniuns." said the man who appeare
TO be the leader. We're takln
supplies TO Fort Wayne for the Coz
eminent. reckon you amt got n
| call to stop us."