Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-01-19
CHAPTER XVII.
The Only Woman.

During the pleasant, busy days tha1
followed, to all appearances Marie en-
joyed the work and planning and the
long hours Of companiOnship fully as
much as Hardy. Dupont now ever
bluff and genial, kept close to ms
store. But during the long evening
discussions his eyes often tWlnkled
cunningly under their gray thatch
No word had been received from
Washington except two notes from
Vandervyn to Dupont, reporting favor
able progress and inclosing sealed let
terS to Marie. She told nothing OF
what these contained, even to her IA
Their.
Hardy'S frst-and last-message IN
regard to the new treaty was an DILL
Cial notification that it had been duly
approved and signed, after fifteen mills
lion dollars had been decided upon as
the compensation to the tribe for the
mineral lands. Special commissioners
had been named TO proceed TO the res
ervatiOn and arrange for the lmmedl7
ate opening of the mineral lands to en-
try, and the allotment Of the remaining
lands to the members of the tribe.
Hardy was surprised when he saw
that the time set for the departure of
the commissioners had already passed
The document had been misdirected
had been returned to Washington, and
then seemingly had been pigeonholed
for several days by some careless clerk
before being remailed to him.
If he had not established more fire.
quent mail service, in place of the Gus.
tOmary weekly trip to town by one
of the police, the commissioners might
have arrived before he received the
notice.
He was still more surprised when
the following day, he and Marie rode
down Sioux creek to where it flowed
into Wolf river. The moment the
view down the cOulee opened before
them, they perceived several tents
pitched in the bottom, at the foot of the
butte. They found twenty or twenty
five rOugh-lOOking men encamped along
the spring rilI in light dOg-tents. A
few were cowboys, but the greater
number had the appearance and outfits
of prospecting miners. They stared at
Marie with the respectful admiration
of typical WeSterners for an ''hOnesr"
woman. and readily answered Hardy's
civil questions.
Notice Of the prospective opening OF
the mineral lands of the reservation
had been published in q few very OBJ
scure weekly papers. One of the men
gave Hardy blurred sheet of little
country journal, and pointed out the
government notice 1t was printed in
the midst of several uninteresting legal
notices. The old fellow winked know
ingly, and remarked that, as long as
he was in on the game, he didn't care
how quiet it was played.
what could that man have meant
about being in on quiet gamer" Ma
Eie asked Hardy, as they rode down
the c0uiee to take the road back to
the agency.
II believe / understand, and [ do
not altogether like it," replied Hardy.
1.-THE fellow probably is right in think
ing that undue influence is being eX-
erted to give as little publicity as pos
sible to the opening of the mineral
lands to entry"
do you really think so? Of course
It SIS not right Yet where is the
harm? These men have been enter
prising enough to seize the opportu-
nity, and they deserve the chances Of
good fortune"
1.-The transaction has rather too
much the appearance of a prearranged
scheme" replied Hardy. His thought
full face darkened with the shadow of
anxiety. "If | could be sure that it
would bring only good fortune to yout"
The profound tenderness and con-
Germ in his voice seemed to Startle
Marie. She leaned forward, and put
her pony ilto a gallop.
The day before, Immediately upon
receipt OF the official statement from
Washington, Hardy had sent messen-
ger to notify II-owa-konZa. Two days
later the head chief came with all his
aaAge family, including Oinna. Marie
insisted that the girl should come to
stay with her until the return of Red