The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-10-25
CHAPTER XIV.
In White and Black.

In the morning Oinna did not show
herself outside the cabin, though
Hardy called n kindly good morning
to her. Her brother, with n arm
carefully b%andaged and In a sling,
brought out the breakfast that she
cooked. lie looked so weak and un-
when he mumbled that he wished to
go back to bed and rest until the
council.
"You must have your wits about
you this time" added Hardy. what
ever the cause of the misunderstand-
ing at the first council, II must not
recur. You are too careless In your
interpretations. Inform your sister
that she Is to be present. / shall re.
qulre her to check you"
would you make a girl as shy a.
she Is stand up In a tribal council
and interpretT" demonstrated Wander
vyn, us Redbear skunk around the end
OF the cabin.
"The presence Of her grandfather
will give her courage" replied Hardy.
1T Is necessary that she should be-
DIeStul. w nut tTuSt cllHtT INC
ability or the honesty of her brother"
Vandervyn shrugged, and said no
more. Half an hour or so later he
asked permission to use Hardy's pen
and pad to write some letters. The
captain handed them to him, and
started up the mountainside above
the tunnel mouth. A steep path led up
to the top OF the spur ridge from
which the shaft had been sunk from
the apex of the outcrop Of the vein.
AS soon us he had gore beyond ear
shot, Vanderyyn rosa to stretch him
self and call softly through the near.
est loopholc. He her seated himself
on his saddle and began to write. A
listener would have had need to be
near at hand 10 have heard the low
murmur of Rcdbenr's and Olnne's
voices through the loophole above
Nandervyn's head.
When Hardy returned from his ex-
animation of the upper works Of the
mine, Nandervyn sealed In his pres
ence the two letters that he had writ
ten. They appeared decidedly thin, in
view of the time that Vandervyn had
spent In his writing and the number
of sheets of paper gone from the pad.
But Hardy did not observe this. His
attention had been diverted by a large
party of Indians that had appeared
on the velvety green meadows Of the
valley bottom.
The tribal council had begun to as
seInblc. This time the chiefs and
hcadmen did not come alone. From
far camps us well as near, the men
of the tribe were bringing their fnmi-
lies to see the Longknife chief whom
they had first hated but now believed
to be their friend and father. BY
noon their numbers had grown from
scores to hundreds.
Shortly after the midday meal one
OF the Indian policemen brought word
up TO the cabin that the head chief
had arrived and the council was
ready to talk with the agent. Hardy
at nee gave command To mount. As
soon as Hardy and Vandervyn started
to ride down the slope, Oinna slipped
out, and held her brothers pony for
him. She then mounted her own, and
rode after him.
At the foot Of the slope the riders
came u through n grove OF young,
quuking asps into sudden view of the
picturesque and imposing tribal coun.
ell. Fully half the tribe had gathered
together for the occasion. All up and
down the valley the meadows were
dotted with their ponies. The Indians
were assembled In n dense crowd
the men in n deep band around the
chiefs, the women and children nj
Si1a