Meade County news., 1917-03-22

cultural order. The threatening
bucks drew apart to right and left and
naked boy ran forward with a
blazing stick to drive Off the dogs.
Hardy calmly advanced to the fire
between the grim and stolid bucks.
There was not one among them who
was not itching to drive a bullet or
an arrow through his body, and he
knew it. Yet he faced them as coolly
and quietly as If they were his own
party.
The bucks looked toward the far
side Of the fire, as If for the signal to
strike down the audacious intruder.
Hardy followed their glances and per-
ceived a blanket-wrapped Indian who
sat in the midst of the volcanic hush
seemingly as placid and immobile as
a Buddha. His face was down-bent,
and so muffled in the blanket that
Hardy could not make out the fea-
lures. 1t was, however, easy to d.
vine that the man was the chief of the
band.
Hardy walked around the fire with
his most dignified bearing, sat down
beside the chief and laid bis rife on
the ground between them. He then
folded his arms and waited, HIS eyes
fixed on, theefire ina Gelms uH%aysring
gaze; There; followed a SILENCE Of 70
full minutes duration. He kheW that
1t might end at any 'fiSbfheht III aihtsiatts H
tack. His hand .gripped. the hilt of his
pistol on his breast .uAdeE, the edge of
hfs codf.' The bucks steaithily Shifted
their 'positiSas Snntil! they had COM
RsStelGs surrounded the IinwelecHe Fisi
ltor. Hardy. sat. mOtiollesSs and gave
no sign that he observed them.
's'Af l6stS !@fahs tie SUSPENSE Shad Be.
gone 1salmost, ,unendupable.utheI chief
muttered a;,word to. the nearest buck.
The man glided back toward the larg-
est tepee. The chief pushed the blan-
kett, from bis head. ;; Hardy SLOWLY
looked aside at him and perceived, the
powerful profile OF Ti-owa-konza, the
Thunderbolt.S He was to deal with the
head chief Of the tribe. ru:,... .
There followed another silence. II
was broken by the tread Of light feet,
and a girl appeared beside the chief.
Hardy caught glimpse of a gingham
skirt, and glanced quickly up at the
face Of the girl. he was met by the
frightened gaze Of Oinna Redbear.
oh" she murmured. ut is bad
You oughtn't to've come here, sir.
They. don't like you. Mr.. Van said he
was geaIg to tell you"
A grunt Of disapproval from Ti-owa-
konza cut short the hurried statement.
After a dignified silence the chief
spoke to the girl. She clasped her
hands and interpreted in an anxious
murmur:
"He says 1 must be only the tongue
between you and him. He says, why
did you lie? Why have you not gone
away, as you said you would?"
Hardy turned and looked direct into
the naughty face Of the chief. "Tell
him did not lie. did not say
would go away. wished to stay and
prove myself the friend of the tribe,
Your brother told the lie to keep the
chiefs from destroying the tribe by
attacking 'me." ~" '''' - '''
oiana's Interpretation brought gut
tural !e4clamatlons from the, SURROUNDS
ing bucks. Hardy. was equally. un.
moved BY theft ferocio6s:g :gfahictetas' and
the contemptnods rejdanderof Ti-o~nI
k0nza; y l:,S; .siAS,9 .".Yg li.,js
docs the chief of, the Longkpives
think to destroy a tribe single-fand.
edf.ssjs ;;yy;sesS
SO, ncf do l WISH others to destroy
the tribe" answered Hardy. 81 do no!
wish the Longknives to come and make
war on the tribe. Yet that Is what
they win do II am harmed"