Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-01-25
CHAPTER xxlII.-continued.


She shrank away from his filthy
hand in unutterable loathing and
threw herself face downward in par
oxysm of weeping. The music of the
drums and flies had ceased. Outside,
the camp buzzed with activity. The
Prophet bent the red cup of his eye
less socket over a lapful of grotesque
amulets, muttering incantations to
himself.
Girty passed his hand soothingly
over the trembling shoulders sf the
girl, and patted the tangled, silken
cloud of her hair.
81 KANT blame We, my dear, fur not
takin' a likin' to sech a ugly ole crit
ter as / be, but I've he'd hard life,
my dear, hard life. l been ornery,
I'll grant We, been ornery, but 1 been
alleged to be. They's lot O. pesky
mean men in this world, my dear, an
I've he'd to fight hard agin 'em. I've
been waitin' fur a likely young gal
like you so es kin go into the settle
ments on the Canady side and live
quiet, like. king. I'm askin' ye quiet
to go with me, We Seew
Toipette only sobbed.
Saint tibet fair, es / put it to We?
What kin be fairer nor tibet? l kin
see tibet es pretty es picter-me an
you a-settin' in front of the fire, me
l.readin' in the Book about the bles-
sed Lamb o. God. Oh, We may know
1 was es good es any on 'em when I
was leetle devil. I he'd good old
motheri'
T0inette wondered to hear him name
mis- mother. She made no reply, and
he suddenly burst in a string of the
foulest oaths, cursing and blasphem-
ing. But he offered her no violence.
He still hoped to find some officer in
Maiden who would pay a rich price
COR her. And such purchaser would
demand her physically sound. For
this he had seen to it that no war
Tor had harmed her; and he meant
to claim his money in the end.
The drums had begun again, loud,
iefant; but instead of drawing nearer
heir music passed farther and farther
lway, fainter and fainter. Elkska-
ava stole cautiously from the tent.
Suddenly there swept over Toinette
he realization that Girty had lied
the flies were playing an air that red
coats never marched to-the stirring
wing of "The Presidents March p
She leaped to her feet, her eyes blaz.
ing. Fainter and fainter came the all
to which she unconsciously fitted the
triumphant words:
who fought and bled in Freedoms
cause.
And when the storm of war was past
'Listenw she cried. "'Tis the men
from homer" She faced Girty, and
all her days Of dread. all her hours of
iuffering were forgotten. Il have
prayed to God and he has answered
ae."
For a moment Girty was silent be-
fore the white radiance of her faith
but he threw off his hesitancy with
a sneering laugh.
"a pretty lot of good tibet handful
> sheep kin do" he snarled. "By sun
down tomorry we'll bring We ever one
of their wet skelps fur We to play
weth." He stepped hastily outdoors
and assuring himself that the troops
hal defiled from view, he returned
and, Selling Toinette's arm, dragged
her roughly from the tent. AS she
passed out into the raw November
wind Toinette Shiyered.
aye kin see fer yerself they hain't
any on yer precious sogers brave
enough ter fight papoose, let alone
all these braves" he said tauntingly
The innumerable warriors of the
Prophet, hideous in war-paint, stalk
ing to and fro among the tents of the
village, contemptuous of the cautious
whites, lent support to his boast. Toi
nette looked helplessly from side tC
side, seeking some avenue of escape
and hope died In her eyes.