The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-09-20
CHAPTER ~.
Condolences.

The from the agency had
refined In their sweating ponies to a
iope when they first caught sight Of the
party on the butte side Of the coulee.
They struggled down the gulley ut a
walk. eight short-haired Indian police
men In blue uniform, and a tall. loose
Tipped young halfbreed In ordinary
frontier clothes. As they stopped In
The stream to water their ponies. each
furtively studied the rider who vas up
preaching on the big. rangy mare.
you're too late, Charlie" called
v~andervyn. captain Hardy climbed
the butte. and the whole bunch hit
out"
"Soldiersf" queried the halfbreed.
mo, he's alone-our new agent" ex.
planned vandervyn us his pony brought
him alongside Hardy ut the edge OF the
stream. captain. this Is Charlie Red
bear. Dur issue clerk and interpreter"
Interpreter" repeated Hardy. "Red-
bear do any Of the police understand
EnglishT"
mo. sir, only a few words" mumbled
the halfbreed.
Tell them I am n captain Of the
horse soldiers-the L%ongknives. ! have
been sent here to be the agent"
Redbear interpreted In musical La
kotah, accompanying his words with
swift signs. The swarthy policemen
grunted %approvingly, and their leader
rolled out n sonorous reply. The half
breed interpreted mechanically: "He
rays your eye Is straight. He says
they are ready to trail and fight the In.
dams whose hearts are bad"
'They are not to pursue the party"
ordered Hardy. IL shall call n coun-
ell Of the chiefs. and ascertain the
cause Of the tribal unrest. Tell them"
Redbear hesitated, and looked uncer.
calmly at Vandervyn. The chief clerk
spoke to him In sharp reproof: do as
you're told. Charlie. Captain Hardy Is
now In command Of the reservation"
The h~alfbreed stared In astonish-
ment, but hastened to interpret. At
once the faces Of the policemen be-
came stolid. They cast covert glances
At Vnndervyn. without seeming to no
lice their sudden change of manner,
Hardy selected four to act as escort to
the Indian trader and his daughter.
The rest of the party followed him
back up the gulley.
From the first the mare walked out
In the lead. She would 500 have left
behind even V~andervyn's qulck-step-
ping pinto had not her rider happened
10 glance about and catch the troubled
expression on the younger mans face.
Hardy waited for him To come along
side. and gravely remarked: 81 wish
to express my regret, Mr.. Vandervyn.
that my detail here has deprived you
OF your expected promotion"
vandervyn's small mouth curved
with a cynical smile, but softened to n
more agreeable expression as he met
The others gaze. "You admit it?" he
muttcred.
Having accepted the detail. I cannot
now ask to be relieved" snid Hardy.
But the extra pay was not one of the
Inducements. Permit me to suggest
that arrangements can be made TO di-
vert 10 youI Saiuls lH' uii'ili III VA
cess of my regular compensation rs an
officer"
The offer was MS unexpected ms II
was generous. Nnndcrvyn flushed. bit
Ills lip, and replied half innudlbly
"You needn't think Just because No,
that's not quite You may mean well,
but that's no excuse"
MY fault, sir. Pardon me-" apollo
gized Hardy.
vandcrvyn looked ahead at the
mountains, considered, and turned Ia
his companion with what seemed n
cordial smile. ~ am not used to be-
ing ~patronized, captain but as you did
not mean 1t that way"
mot at ALL"
yanderyyn nodded. "You now un-
derstand that I'm not M Of the com
mon run OF Indian service employees.
was slated for attnche to our EN-
bassy ut the Court of Saint James
celebrated the coming event with some
friends, and wound up by heaving a
brick through a window OF the White
House. Uncle shipped me out here un'
Ill the storm should blow over"
Hardy may have recalled the hazlngs
In which he had shared at West Point.
His only comment was: "You were
fortunate to get any appointment"
"Oh, I don't know" carelessly replied
vandervyn. ~ didn't wake the presi'
dent. and I had some Of my wad left
The Waterman sent me home In q taxi,
But the Internal Uaftar must have