Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-04-05
CHAPTER lv-centlnued.


CHAPTER lv-contlnued.
-
The hostess signed her Indian boy to
luke the box into the parlor, together
with the ice bucket, in which was still
left bottle Of champagne. AS he
obeyed, she bowed her dismissal Of the
guests from the table.
II shall now permit myself to be
,fatigued," she said. "Good evening,
Mr.. Vandervyn. Good evening, Captain
Hardy"
Vandervyn nodded, and followed Du-
,pont with a nonchalant bearing that
drew attention from the slight uncer-
'tainty Of his step. Hardy fingered for
q word of appreciation: "This has
been most enjoyable evening, Miss
Dupont"
She chose to disregard the sincerity
and warmth behind the formal phrase.
"You are very kind, Captain Hardy.
But pray do not overestimate. Where
Ill else is off-color, three-quarters
white seems dazzling"
"Believe me, 1t Is not question Of
contrast or comparison" he protested.
''Not even in New York or Washing
ton"
'You hatter ne. And now, as am
tired"
He bowed and left her, concealing
the sting Of her polite rebuff under his
grave smile. The Indian boy, who was
standing at the parlor door, closed it
behind the guest at a sign from Marie.
Dupont took the drink that he had
poured out for himself and undertook
the perilous operation Of opening the
champagne. He fumbled the bottle and
would have dropped 1t had not Van
dervyn jumped up and taken it from
Tim. Thrust aside by the younger
man, he lurched and sat down in q
chair near Hardy.
"She1ipp'ry-ben In ice," he ex:
piained with solemn emphasis. He
threw back his head and burst into an
slToarious laugh. "Shelipp'ry-like
that gobe-mouche Redbear. Him trying
to smooth me down-zif that'd give
hin show with M'rie! An me the
squarest trader in the q. ST. Why,
fash time got goods on credit, they
silent me a skeshule to lisht my
u'biPties, n jush took my pen in ham
m wrote cross tha' shere fish, 4 don't
owe no man nushing,'" He again drew
back his head and let out hoarse
laugh.
"Poor grammar, but rich rhetoric,
Jake" remarked Vandervyn as he filed
the champagne glasses. "You told me
they gave you the credit you asked
for"
II got the goods" said Dupont, pull
ting himself together and SOLDERING his
tongue with an effort. Nothing like
being on the square. That's what
makes me sore at them there chiefs,
Cap. Won't let me help out the bucks
and squaws what's aching for work
good pay in trade goods, and us TAX
ing all risks on the ore smelling out
n. G. What'll the tribe do after they
git their last issue next spring?
That's what I'd like to know"
Eyes. captain" said Vandervyn.
"Next spring will come the last issue
# goods that is provided for in the
government treaty with this tribe.
They will be In a bad FIX IL something
ls not done to get them used to white
ways"
sHow about new treaty, to parti-
ton the reservation and give land in
severalty to each head Of family7'
suggested Hardy.
"That would take a long time to
ering about, and meantime the young
sucks should be taught to work. Why
wouldn't 1t be a good idea for us to
cake charge of the mine-pay all who
want to work at fair wages. and take
the risk of getting our money back
out Of the ore shipments?"
Az VandervYn made the suggestion,
be smiled ingenuously, and his hand
some, flushed face shone with philan.
thropic enthusiasm. Hardy's face light
I'd with responsive glow. He smiled
INTO the boy!sh blue eyes.
'The proposal does you credit" he
responded. "You may count on me to
contribute my share"
"YOu will, will you, CapT exclaimed
Dupont. He reached out his thick-fin-
gered hand. you're in, hey7 Put 1t
there. old pard! Just you make them
damn ki-yi.s savvy they've got to
hustle for what we give 'em, like No
gen done, and we'u round up dtty
thousand apiece before snow flies."
'.What's that7" demanded Hardy, In
SANITY stiffening to stern rightly.
He failed to catch the furious glance
from Vandervyn that sent their half.
fud1lled host lurchtng over to the
whisky bottle. When he did turn, the
chief clerk met his hard glance with
know1ng wink and chucklins com
dnAnt = "apid.di" - -.