Cheyenne record., 1917-04-19
CHAPTER xxl,,.-con.lnu.d.

She shrank away from his flthy
nand 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. mutterins incantations to
himself.
Girty passed his hand soothingly
over the trembling shoulders Of the
gil, and patted the tangled, silken
cloud Of her hair.
II KANT blame ye, my dear fuJ not
takin' a nkin' to sech ugly ole -:rit-
ter as I be, but I've he'd harG life,
my dear, a hard life. I been ornery.
I'll grant ye, been ornery, but been
obleeged to be. They's a lot a. pesky
mean men in this world. my Gear, an
I've he'd to fight hard agih 'em. I've
been waitin' fur likely young gal
IKE you 30 es ] kin so into the settle
ments on the Canady side and. live
quiet, like a king. Tn askin' ye quiet
to 60 with me, ye seer"
TOinette only S0DDeQ.
"Ain't thet fair, es put It to ye7
What kin be fairer nor theft I kin
see thet es pretty es picter-me an
you a-settin' In front Of the fire, me
a-readin' in the Book about the bles-
sed Lamb o. God. oh, ye may know
was es good es any on 'em when I
was a leetle devil. I he'd q good old
motheri" a
Toinette wondered to hear him name
bis mother. She made no reply. and
he suddenly burst in 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 rich price
for her. And such purchaser would
demand her physically sound. For
this he had seen to it that no war
rior had harmed her; and he meant
to claim his money in the end.
The drums had begun again, loud.
defiant; but instead Of drawing nearer
their music passed farther and farther
away, fainter and fainter. Elkska-
tnwa stole cautiously from the tent.
Sudd.s,ly there swept over Toinette
the realization that Girty had lied
the flfes were playing an air that red
coats never marched to-the stirring
swing of '"The Presidents March II
She leaped to her feet, her eyes blaz-
ing. Fainter and fainter came the afr
to which she unconsciously fitted the
triumphant words:
who fought and bled In Freedoms
MM cause.
And when the storm of war was past
'Listen |" she cried. "'Tis the men
from home!" She faced Girty, and
all her days of dread. all her hours Of
suffering were forgotten. II have
prayed to God and he has answered
me-"
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 thet handful
o. sheep kin do" he snarled. 'By sun
down tomorry we'll bring ye ever one
of their wet skelps fur ye to play
weth." He stepped hastily outdoors
and assuring himself that the troops
oChiCu NiG"p hS iStdAhSA
and, SELLING ToInette's arm. dragged
her roughly from the tent. AS she
passed out into the raw November
wind. Toinette shivered.
aye kin see fer yerself they hain't
any on yer precious sogers brave
enough ter fight n papoose, let alone
all these braves" he said tuuntingly
The innumerable warriors of the
Prophet, hideous in war-palnt, 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 to
side, seeking some avenue of escape,
and hope died In her eyes.
CHAPTER XIV.