The Lamar register., 1917-01-31

looked aside ut him and perceived the
powerful profile of Ti-owa konza, the
Thunderbolt. He was to deal with the
head chief of the tribe.
There followed another silence 1t
was broken by the tread of light feet
and 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.
'Ohw she murmured. at is bad !
You oughtn't to've come here, sir.
They don't like you. Mr.. Van said he
was going to tell you"
A grunt of disapproval from Ti-owa-
konzu 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 l 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 would7"
Hardy turned and looked direct into
the naughty face of the chief. Tell
him did not lie. 1 did not say 1
would go away. l 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-"
Oinna's Interpretation brought gut
tural ordinations from the surround
ing bucks. Hardy was equally I'M
moved by their ferocious glances and
the cOntemptuous rejoinder Of Ti-owa-
kOnza:
Does the chief of the Longknives
think to destroy tribe single-hand-
edP"
mo. nor do 1 wish others to destroy
the tribe" answered Hardy. II do not
wish the LongxnIves to come and make
war on the tribe. Yet that is what
they will do If l am harmed"
Again Oinna interpreted in her flute
like tones. This time the chief consid-
cred before speaking. Oinna's gold
tinted skin turned sallow gray.
"He-he says he will fight II you do
not promise to go awayl' she gasped.
Hardy smiled. Have no fear. DIN
ma. He is too great a chief to kill a
guest in his camp. Tell him I came
to the reservation to be a friend to the
tribe Though | am chief Of the
Longknives, my heart is good toward
his people. 1t would be foolish of
him to kill or drive away the friend
OF his people"
This time Ti-owa-konzn gave the in
truder an open stare of contempt The
surrounding bucks glared more Zero
ciously than ever.
He says you are fork-tongued,"
Oinna translated the reply. "He says,
If you are a friend. why did you say
at the council that you would punish
all the tribe for the killing of NogenT"
THAT is a mistake. I did not say |
would punish the tribe"
Oinna Interpreted the answer and
the grim old chiefs rejoinder: "The
Longknife's mouth was big at the
agency. Here he is alone in my camp
and his mouth is small
Il talk as ! talked at the agency.
What Ti-Owa-konza claims l said about
Furnishing the tribe is not the truth.
There must have been mistake in
the Interpretation, or the chiefs did
llbl near ulAEllAa AAtAA 'AAAg bNANt ana
friendship in my heart. l said that !
did not blame the killing of Mr.. Nogen
on the tribe
This statement failed to break
Thunderbolts mask of stolidity
though some Of the other Indians
slightly relaxed their menacing atti-
tude. Hardy took OF his hat TO show
the red scar above his temple, and
spoke again:
81 do not blame the killing Of Mr.
Nogen on the tribe; nor do I blame
the tribe for the wrongdoing Of the
bad-hearted Indian who shot me in
the head five days ago. The same
man, or another man with bad heart,
tried to shoot me- after shutdown to-
day, as l came up the trail over on the
other side Of the broken-topped noun
tain"
Oinna's Interpretation was met by
cultural ugh !" Of surprise even from
the chief. lie asked shreWdIy 'If the
Longknife does not lie, is he not afraid
to be in my Campo II is the nearest
10 the trail
Hardy smiled and held out his open
palm to the chief Il trust Ti-owa
konza and his people. There is only
one bad Indian, and even he may come
TO feel good in his heart toward me
4 d