The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-03-15
I The Quarterbreed
. An Indian Reservation Tale by ROBERT AMES BENNET
Tale by ROBERT AMES BENNETT


+" She glanced around as II looking
for a way Of escape. There was nc
promise Of ice In her fathers com
placent grin. Her gaze darted down
into the valley; 1t rested upon the en-
camping Indians. Look" she muir.
INJURED. "That Is Thunderbolt's tepee
I am going down to see him. He should
be told that he may be prosecuted II
he hunts here now. 1t is no longer
tribal land"
"There's no need, sweetheart" said
vandervyn. II will see to It that nc
one interferes with the chief and his
band"
~ shall go down and tell him." she
insisted. mo, do not come with me-
He frowned at her willfulness
shrugged, and turned to Dupont.
"Come into the cabin, Jake, and
give me a drop Of something" he
urged. "Im dry as a bone. . That
ride wasn't any jokel"
Marie was already Fastening down
the mountain slope into the valley
When she came to the camp, she was
received with pleasant greetings. The
keen eyes Of the Indians had long
ago perceived and recognized the white
people on the terrace.
The venerable figure Of Ti-owa.
konza appeared In the entrance Of the
biggest tepee. He disappeared. A
moment later three women came out
Of the tepee, and n Of them told
the girl that the chief wished her to
go In. She stopped and passed
through the low opening.
The chief was seated at the far side
of the tepee near an outstretched blan-
keted' form. There was no n else
present. He beckoned Marie to come
across to him. AS she approached, she
saw that the hair Of the still figure
before him was braided after the fash.
ion Of the maIdens Of the tribe. She
bent over and looked into a face that
was so thin and pale that at first she
did not recognize 1t. The large, sunken
eyes opened and looked up at her with
n startled gaze.
-"Olnnal !" she exclaimed, and she
knelt down beside the girl. "You are
ILL.,"
mo Go way, please" begged the
wretched girl. A slow flush REDEEMED
her wan face. She sought to turn
from the visitor. II want to be alone
l am 'shamed. Go way, please"
Marie looked up at Ti-owa-konza,
He saw the pity in her eyes, and
spoke softly In Lakotah:
"Rose who art white yet red, In
the flower of the golden lily a worm
Is gnawing. The golden lily withers,
Pluck out the worm. else she will
fade and go from me-"
He stood up and wrapped his blan.
ket about him and went out.
An hour passed. Through the can
vas wall Of the tent those outside
heard a low murmuring and at times
the sound of sobbing. At last Marie
raised the edge Of the tepee and spoke
to a group of women One of them
fastened to fetch from the fire a bow
Of hot broth. She went Into the
tepee, and at once came out again
without the bowl.
There followed another long walt
But no more crying could be heard
and gradually the sound Of the low
voices within the tepee died away tt
silence. Ti-owa-konza came back ts
the entrance, listened awhile, ant
noiselessly slipped inside.
Oinna lay with her head on Marie's
breast. Her eyes were closed. She
had fallen into the peaceful, healing
slumber Of childhood. A smile hov
cred on her half-parted lips. The bow
beside her was empty.
Very gently Marie laid the sleeping
girls head upon q blanket roll, ant
rose to come across to the silent grand
! father. They talked for several min
utes In Lakotah. When she stepped
past him and left the tepee, his face
was still set in the stolcal calm o.
the Indian warrior Of his generation
but his proud old eyes were gllstenini
with gratitude and stern Joy.
The sun had set, and the twilight
was already fading. BY the time Ma
rie's slow step brought her up to thu
terrace, the valley and mountain slop'
were dusky with the shadow Of ap
preaching nightfall. Within the cabiI
Dupont had Lit one of the mine candles
The candlestick was an empty whlsk,
bottle. Another bottle, not yet empty
stood on the rough deal table between
the two men.
"Hello, grille |" sang out Vandervyn
as Marie paused In the open doorway
He sprang up to come around the tabl
to her. "Tve been languishing for yo'
all afternoon. Would've chased dow
the Hill, only your dad said you'd &c
on your III 1 ulu.
"Yes," quietly replied the girl. Sh
had raised her hand to shield her fac
from the candle, as II the light dazzle
her. AS she spoke, she stepped |
and along the side OF the table oppc
site him, apparently not seeing hin
"Yes, / would not have cared to sc
you. l was nursing n Of the girl
down in the camp"
vandervyn stopped short. ut WASH
anything infectious, l hope"
"No. / shall not suffer from tn
same trouble. But l am very tired.
see you and Pere have eaten. 70
might finish the bottle outside"
"How about q kiss to sweeten tn
toddy?" he suggested.