The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1917-01-10

Hardy. MISS dupont, ask you tC
stay close indoors. May 1 ask you to
have your Indian boy take my mare
down to Redbear's sister. with orders
for her to escape If she hears any fir.
ing? Mr.. Vandervyn, you may remain
here or Join myself and Redbear, as
you prefer"
TN go along with you, captain. You
may have to fight your way back here
Hardy nodded in appreciation OF the
spirited reply, bowed to Marie and
started for the agency buildings with a
step that was brisk yet dlgnified. The
Indians had assembled for the council
in a semicircle, three rows deep, fac
ing the rear of the warehouse. Hardy
went first to his cabin, where he
broke" his rifle and put a piece of
the mechanism into his pocket.
There shall be no display of weap-
ons on our part" he ordered. "You
will not take your rifles. At close quar-
tiers your revolvers will be more eff
fective. Carry them concealed"
I'VE will put on coats" said Wander
vyn. Come to my cabin"
Meet me at the office" directed
Hardy. and he walked on ahead, cool
and resolute.
The others soon rejoined him, Red
bear in an old shooting jacket, and
Vandervyn in a frock coat and tile, to
Hardy reminiscent of smart society,
hut to the Indians emblematic of pale
face dignity. When the little party
came around the end Of the warehouse
to take up their position before the
silently awaiting assembly. the covert
glances of the many beadlike eyes first
turned upon the chief clerk. Soon.
however they shifted to the erect mill
tary figure of the new agent, and re-
manned fixed.
The Indian police, fully armed, start
ed to file out of the guardhouse. Hardy
waved them back, and seated himself
on the chair that Redbear had brought
from the office. With a calm, direct
gaze, Hardy studied the appearance Of
the triple row of Indians. To an In
experienced eye they could not have
appeared more peaceably disposed. But
Hardy's keen eyes noted that the
blankets of some Of the men In the
rear were hunched out over well-flled
quivers of arrows. Here and there on
the ground beside the subchiefs who
formed the front row muzzle of a
rifle thrust from under the outspread
blanket ends.
Hardy at last fixed his gaze on Thun-
derbolt, who sat in the center OF the
row Of subchlefs, and after delibera-
tive silence that accorded with the In
dian idea of etiquette, spoke to Red
bear: "Tell them that ! am pleased
to meet in council with the head chief
and subchlefs and headmen of the
tribe. am here to find out what has
troubled the tribe and to see whatever
is wrong shall be made right"
Redbear glanced at vandervyn, who
stood behind Hardy. The eyes of the
chief clerk narrowed, and his small,
red mouth Strengthened. Redbear drew
In a quick breath, faced about, and ad-
dressed the assembly. What he said
took several moments TO deliver.
The hush that followed seemed TO
CULVER with suppressed hostility,
though the faces Of the Indians re-
manned stolld. At last old Flown
konza ventured a response. His tone
and bearing were mild. He first spoke
soothingly 10 his fellow councillors. and
then addressed Hardy In dignified re
monstrance. When he sat down again.
Redbear stood silent. uneasy and vacil-
lating.
Interpret" ordered Hardy.
Tilt isn't easy. You mightn't
like It," mumbled the halfbreed.
"Never mind that. Proceed"
well, it's not easy to get it Just the
same" hesltated Redbear. He glanced
at vandervyn, licked his lips, and be
gan:
"He says all this land belongs TO the
tribe; that the white man has no bust
ness here. He says that he is not
sorry Mr.. Nogen was killed, but he Is
sorry that you have come here. He
says his people do not like the Long
knives. who used 10 kill them, and
they do not want you for agent he
cause you are chief of the Long
knives. He says they like Mr.. Van,
and they want him to be their agent"
Unseen by his superior, Vandervyn
nodded encoura gingly to Redbear and
smiled at the Indians. Hardy had not
turned his steady gaze from Flown
konza.