The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-01-12
the NINE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.
SEPTEMBER 2.

ing west Ill Tie Idlt VI SlAty iiliSo GA
hour on wild goose chase-or rather.
wild Indian chase. But I'll explain
later. Am going to turn in now.
SEPTEMBER 8.
Have read all the magazines so
may as well lot down a few facts to
clear up the case in my own mind Bes-
sic, my sister, and Max Thorn got mar
ried and went west to live on ranch.
After they'd made good as far as the
farm went and settled themselves to
live in peace some fool discovered gold
on the edge of their land. That started
the trouble. 1t seems they bought 1t
from an Indian-one George Black
: rock-who had graduated from Car
Isle and became the protege of Midas
Mills millionaire stock broker. Mills
helped Blackjack to make money and
the Indian managed to buy back some
Of the land that once belonged to his
own people. He divided the estate and
sold Max half. Then he married
white girl, built a house and should
have been happy. But they say he has
daughter seventeen or eighteen years
| Oiu ilG crazy dUOul, anu SiHtC lhS 6oiu
has been discovered he's making all
| kinds of trouble. Claims q wrong sur
! vey and all that So here's where |
| come in. It's my pleasant duty to stand
up and tell this Indian that he'd better
| get off and keep moving.
SEPTEMBER II.
Things are getting interesting at the
mine. Max has a new foreman, Justice
Belvardos q Mexican. They struck a
rich new vein and they are importing
another gang to work it, This morning
one of the canvas bags Max keeps his
dust in was stolen. While reconnoiter-
ing on the ridge today l caught a
glimpse of the Indian girl hurrying
away through the scrub oaks. l won
der If Indian George knows anything
Of the missing bag.
SEPTEMBER IS.
Another bag gone Belvardos blames
the Indian, and strangely enough l saw
the girl again. I'm going to investigate
tomorrow. Note-The girl is pretty.
| got a closer view of her this time. I'd
like to see her again.
SEPTEMBER 16.
Snooped around all day and didn't
see a thing until on my way home.
Across a wild ravine l spled smoke
among the trees. Field glasses showed
small tent or wigwam. Almost dark,
SO l came home. I'm going tomorrow.
SEPTEMBER %.
VA,z
thing in my diary, but events happened
so quick and fast that day and wound
up by my getting hurt that l haven't
been able to hold a pen. I'm better now,
and But I'll go back. Found tent.
No one answered my polite knock, so l
lifted the latch and walked in. There
were two cots nicely made and covered
with Indian blankets, q board floor with
a blanket for rug, table, two willow
chairs and fixings everywhere that no
man would think of.
This was a sort OF rest room for
daughter. Then the gold bags occurred
to me- If daughter had taken them,
perhaps they were secreted here. l
would search The floor seemed to be
the most likely place, so in a second l
was down on my knees rolling back
the rug and feeling for a loose board.
Suddenly there was a crack of a gun
and felt sharp pain in my left side.
When l regained my senses it was
sunset and l was lying on one OF the
cots in the little Indian tent all ban
daged up and feeling hot and thirsty.
Then the pretty Indian girl came in.
She gave me cup of water and held
my head while l drank. "How do you
feel now?" she asked In the richest,
sweetest voice you ever heard.
"Just great !" l found voice to say,
and l felt like adding, 81 wouldn't
mind staying this way forever"
"Who shot me?" l asked
She sobered. I'm not sure, for
didn't see," she answered. You'd bet
ter ask Erma.''
"Who is Erma?"
''Erma Blackjack. My friendl"
$50 there are two of you? | thought
, you were George Blackrock's daugh-
, ter"
She laughed. mo, I'm Margaret
Mills. Erma and l were schoolmates."
Millsl | was puzzled. Then | re-
; membered Midas Mills But was more
puzzled than ever This girl was GER
. tainly an Indian with her complexion
eyes and hair.
Seeing my perplexity, she laughed
again and, seizing handkerchief.
dabbed some white creamy stuff on it
and began rubbing at her face. 1t
came away brown, leaving the skin be-
{ meath as soft and white as rose petal.
It's hickory STAIN" she explained.
=. A branch cracked outside and In an
instant the real Indian girl was in the
tent.
ITS the Mexican" she said with sup
pressed excitement. 81 saw where he
put it."
Well. to make 1t short, the Mexican
was stealing the gold and he was hid
ing 1t in the woods near the tent He
= | thouphf 7 cuspartad hin, folIowad ma