The Tomahawk., 1917-01-25
CHAPTER XIV.
In White and Black.

In the morning Oinna did not show
herself outside the cabin, though
Hardy called kindly good morning
to her. Her brother, with one arm
carefully bandaged and in sling,
brought out the breakfast that she
cooked. He looked so weak aud I'M
steady that Hardy at once assented
when he mumbled that he wished to
90 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 misunderstood
ing at the first council, it must not
recur. You are too careless In your
interpretations. Inform your sister
that she is to be present. l shall re.
uuire her to check you"
"Would you make girl as shy as
she is stand up in tribal council
and interpret" demonstrated Wander
vyn. as Redbear skunk around the end
Of the cabin.
"rhe presence of her grandfather
will give her courage" replied Hardy.
1T Is necessary that she should be
present. I do not trust either the
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 veins
AS soon as he had gone beyond eur
shot, Vandervyn rose to stretch him.
self and call softly through the near
est loophole. He then seated himself
on his saddle and began to write. A
listener would have had need to be
near ut hand to have heard the 10"
murmur of Redbear's and Oinna's
voices through the loophole above
Nandervyn's head.
When Hardy returned from his e2-
animation of the upper works OF tho
mine, Vandervyn 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 large
party of Indians that had appeared
on the velvety green meadows OF the
valley bottom.
The tribal council had begun to as
semble. This time the chiefs anu
headmen did not come alone. From
far camps as well as near, the men
Of the tribe were bringing their fami-
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 ard the council was
ready to talk with the agent. Hardy
ut once 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 out through a grove of young,
quaking asps into sudden view Of the
picturesque and imposing tribal coun-
Gil. 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 a dense crowd
the men in q deep band around the
chiefs, the women and children out.