The Raymer enterprise., 1917-04-12
CHAPTER xxIil-contlnued.

She shrank away from his nlthy
nand In unutterable loathlng and
threw herself face downward In par
oxysm of weeping. The music Of the
drums and ffes had ceased. Outside,
the camp buzzed with activity. The
Prophet bent the red cup of his eye.
less socket over lapful Of grotesque
imulets, mutterins incantauons ia
himself.
Glrty passed his hand soothingly
over the trembling shoulders Of the
gill. and patted the tangled, silken
cloud of her hair.
II KANT blame ye. my dear, flu moi
takin' a lIkin' to sech a ugly ole ..rit.
ter as ] be, but I've he'd q harG life,
my dear, q hard life. been oruery,
I'll grant ye. ! been ornery. but been
obleeged to be. They's lot o. pesky
mean men In this world. my dear. an
I've he'd to fighi hard sgih 'em. I've
been waitin' fur likely young gal
like you 20 es ] kin go into the settle
ments on the Canady side and live
quiet. like king. I'm askln' ye quiet
to 60 with me. ye seef"
Toinette only sobbed.
"Ain't thet fair. es l put II to yei
What kin be fairer nor theft / kin
see thet es pretty es picter-me an
you a-settln' In front Of the fire, me
a-readin' In the Book about the bles-
sed Lamb o. God. Oh, ye may know
I was es good es any on 'em when ]
was leetle devil. ] he'd q good old
mother!"
Toinette wondered to hear him name
his mother. She made no reply. and
he suddenly burst in string Of the
foulest oaths, curslng and blasphem-
Ing. But he offered her no violence.
he still hoped to find some officer In
Maiden who would pay q rich price
for her. And such a purchaser would
demand her physically sound. For
this he had seen to 1t that no war
rior had harmed her; and he meant
to claim his money In the end.
The drums had begun again. loud,
defiant; but instead Of drawing nearer
their music passed farther and farther
away. fainter end fainter. Elkska.
tawa stole cautiously from the tent.
Sudde,.ly there swept over Tolnette
the realization that Girty had lied
the flies were playing an air that red
coats never marched to-the stirring
swing Of 1.-THE Presidents March !"
She leaped to her feet, her eyes blaz-
Ing. Fainter and fainter came the air
to which she unconsciously fitted the
triumphant words:
who fought and bied in Freedoms
cause.
And when the storm Of war was past
"Llstenm she cried. "Tis the men
from home" She faced Girty, and
oil her days Of dread. all her hours Of
suffering were forgotten. II have
prayed to God and he has answered
me-
For a moment Glrty was silent be-
fore the white radiance Of her faith !:
but he threw Off his hesitancy with
q sneerlng laugh.
"A pretty lot Of good thet handful
o. sheep kin do" he snarled. by sun
down tomorry we'll bring ye ever one
Of their wet skelps fur ye to play
weth." He stepped hastily outdoors.
and assuring himself that the troops
had defiled from view, he returned.
and, selling Tolnette's arm, dragged
her roughly from the tent. As she
passed out Into the raw November
wind. Toinette shivered.
"Ys kin see fer yerself they haln't
any on yer precious sogers brave
enough ter fight papoose, let alone
all these braves" he said huntingly.
The lnnumerable warriors Of the
Prophet, hldeous In war-paint, stalk
ing to and fro among the tents OF the
village, contemptuons of the cautious
whites, lent support to his boast. Tol-
nette looked helplessly from side to
side. seeking some avenue Of escape,
and hope died In her eyes.