The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-02-24
By SAMUEL Mccoy


3 ~
She shrank away from his filthy
hand in unutterable loathing and
threw herself face downward in a 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 eve.
less socket over q lapful Of grotesoue
amulets, muttering incantations to
himself.
Girty passed his hand soothingly
over the trembling shoulders Of the
girl, and patted the tangled, silken
cloud Of her hair.
Il KANT blame We, my dear, fur not
takin' a nkin' to sech ugly ole crit
ter as I be, but I've he'd a hard life,
my dear, hard life. I been ornery.
I'll grant We, been ornery, but been
obleeged 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 60 into the settle
ments on the Canady side and live
quiet, like king. I'm askin' We quiet
to go with me, We seer
Toinette only sobbed.
"Aint tibet fair, es put it to We?
What kin be fairer nor tibet? I kin
see tibet es pretty es a 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, We may know
/ was es good es any on 'em when I
was a leetle devil. ] he'd a good old
mother!"
Toinette wondered to hear him name
his mother. She made no reply, and
he suddenly burst In q 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 |
Tor her. And such a 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-
tawa stole cautiously from the tent.
Suddenly there swept over Toinette
the realization that Girty had lied
the fifes were playing an air that red
coats never marched to-the stirring
swing OF 'The Presidents March y
She leaped to her feet, her eyes blaz-
Ing. Fainter and fainter came the afr
to which she unconsciously fitted the
words:
who fought and bled In Freedoms ,
cause.
And when the storm Of war was past
"Listen!" she cried. "'Tis the men .
from home" She faced Girty, and |.
Ill her days of dread. all her hours of !.
were forgotten. II have
prayed to God and he has answered
nem
For a moment Girty was silent be- :
ore the white radiance of her faith;
nut he threw of his hesitancy with
! sneering laugh. ~
"a pretty lot of good tibet handful
7 sheep kin do" he snarled. "By sun
Town tomorry wen bring We ever one :
4 their wet skelps fur We to- play :,
veth." He stepped hastily outdoors,
md assuring himself that the troops =
lad defiled from view, he returned,
nd, Selling Toinette's arm, dragged !,
ler roughly from the tent. As she =
'assed out into the raw November u
lind. Toinette shivered.
"Ye kin see fer yerself they hain't q
ny on yer precious sogers brave
nough ter fight papoose, let alone W
II these braves" he said tauntingly. o.
he innumerable warriors of the 81
rophet, hideous In war-paint, stalk M
lg to and fro among the tents Of the hi
Illage, contemptuous of the cautious W
hites, lent support to his boast. Toi- at
cite looked helplessiy from side to M
de, seeking some avenue Of escape, to
nd hope died In her eyes. &c