Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-02-22
! The Quarterbreed |
Il "nnII IQIIDIIIIIDl
Fl An Indian Reservation Tale By ROBERT ASES RENvET

thank you for reminding me,
Pere." said his daughter. She looked
Mt vandervyn with naive seriousness.
$50 you see must keep my promise"
'Oh, shy now, don't be A." He
detected something behind her look OF
childlike artlessness. and FASTENED to
concede the point. "But of course X
you feel that way about It'll You viii
not have to break your promise after
The law win then make your property
mine. So that Is settled. sweetheart.
Now comes the main question. When
shnll we be married."
Tho girl quivered at the word. He
stepped close, and looked into her
eyes, his own glowing golden with ar
dor. She dropped her gaze, and drew
back from him as IL confused by the
suddenness OF his proposal.
sT-must Think she murmured.
"Would 1t not be best to--wait until
he has given me the miner
"Not when you have his word that
he viii do 1t. Anyway, there's no
harm In naming the day. Come, make
1t an early onei"
The girls rich color deepened with
q blush.
"Not nowi" she replied. struggling
to recover her composure. "You must
wait. Perhaps tomorrow-but now
T." She glanced around as II looking
for q way OF escape. There was no
promise Of succor 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.
am going down to see him. He should
be told that he may be prosecuted IL
he hunts here now. 1t Is no longer
tribal land"
there's no need. sweetheart" said
Vandervyn. II will see to 1t that no
one interferes with the chief and his
band"
II shall 60 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 drop Of something" he
urged. 'sI'm dry as a bone. That
ride wasn't any jokei"
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 one 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 one 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 face that
| was so thin and pale that at first she
did not recognize it. The large. sunken
eyes opened and looked up at her with
a startled gaze.
"Oinna!" she exclaimed, and she
knelt down beside the girl. "You are
ILL.,"
"No- 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.
I 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 worm
is gnawing. The golden lily withers.
Pluck out the worm. else she will
fade and 60 from me-"
He stood up and wrapped his blln-
ket about him and went out.
An hour passed. Through the can
| vas wall of the tent those outside
heard low murmuring and at times
| Tic bOuHu VI SoDbiuSs nj AuSS SAuii C
raised the edge of the tepee and spoke
| to a group OF women. One OF them
FASTENED to fetch from the fire bowl
| OF hot broth. She went into the
teree, and at once came out again
without the bowl
| There followed another long wait.
But no more crying could be heard,
! and gradually the sound Of the low
voices within the tepee died away to
silence. T-owa-konza came back to
the entrance, listened awhile, and
noiselessly slipped inside.
Oinna lay with her head on Marie's
syeast. Her eyes were closed. She
had fallen into the peaceful, healing
slumber OF childhood. A smile HOY
cred on her half-parted lips. The bowl
beside her was empty.
Very gently Marie laid the sleeping
girls head upon q blanket roll, and
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 stoical calm Of
| the Indian warrior Of his generation.
4 hint hts nry,ud old eyes were piistenin0