The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-01-26
CHAPTER xl-Continued.

When David reached his side bis
eyes were closed. Frantically he
scooped up handful after handful of
water from the nearest pool, dashed
IL in his face, then fell TO rubbing his
wrists and temples. And at last Ike
moved feebly, lifted himself on his ell
bow and looked about with unseeing
eyes. He tried to rise farther, and
toppled over again, moaning.
David's heart sank at the situation.
He found sheltered spot in which TO
build IA fire, aud lahored with flint and
steel till he succeeded In coaxing a
blaze to live in>the dry chips and tin
der he found in a hollow tree. He
lifted Ike In his arms, exerting all
his strength, and bore him to the spot.
BlackfOrd was now unconscious,
breathing with Stertorous grunts that
seemed to leave him weaker and weak
er. But there was nothing that David
could do. and having eaten his bit of
venison. he sat through the night with
his eyes fixed on the face Of the sick
man, lying In the faint and wavering
light of the little campfire, while the
black shadows OF the forest closed
them in relentlessly.
At dawn Ike seemed to be sleeping
more naturally. The Wabash must lie
within IA few miles TO the west; there
was the bnrest possibility that he
might come on some adventurous
trapper there. floating down the
stream with his load of pelts, who
would lend succor. David took off his
hunting shirt, hid it, together with his
rifle and powder horn. within the hol-
low tree, frightened his belt and his
moccasins. and set off unhampered. A
hundred yards and he was lost to sight
In the forest.
An hour passed. The sick man
stirred in his feverish sleep, raised
himself up. and stared wildly about
him. He rose 10 his knees weakly,
caught sight Of a leafy bOugh nodding
IN the breeze aud waved his hand at
1t in answer.
Hello, Jack" he called feebly.
''How's New York? Glad TO see you
come down on the coach?"
He staggered TO his feet and tot
tered about the grass, shaking hands
with imaginary friends. Another train
Of memory stirred in his deliriOus
bral1 and ne began pleading cause
argued, clustered, entreated, stormed;
and only the multitudinous jury of the
trees heard and mocked him with their
silence.
A naked. Copper-colored figure glid-
ed noi.alessly through the under
growth and crawled like serpent
towarl The Gesticulating madman.
From behind u fallen log its glittering,
evil eyes watched the drunken stag
gerings OF the sick man and glanced
murderously along the barrel Of Brit
ish musket. The gun came TO a rest
over Ike's heart; the red finger on
the trigger was about to tighten. when
suddenly Ike drew himself TO his full
height and began singing in his clear
tenor:
ClSer cheer. you shall not grieve.
A soldier true you'll find me!
All, non, non. non. pauvre Madelon
Would go with you
The ambushed weapon sank again
uncertainty; into the glittering eyes
came a puzzled look; and then the
hidden savage rose with a grunt Of
understanding and strobe fearlessly
with lowered gun up TO the singers
.de.
Howl" came the cultural saluta-
ton.
- ~ nI
full at him without a ray of compre-
henson in their wild s>are. mo-
uent only Blackford paused. and then,
burning his shoulder carelessly on the
warrior. resumed his song.
The Indian nodded understandingly.
"Ugh" he grunted. white man big
Manitou Make big medicine"
He glded off again into the forest
as nolselessly as he cameS and for a
while only the chattering Of the sqHr,
rels and the notes OF birds broke the
stiffness overhead. Ike had sunk
TO the ground. And then, one by one.
there stole into the glade six naked.
sayages, their cheeks hideously daubed
with red and yellow ocher. their war
bonnets nodding over their heads.
The one who had first discovered Ike
pointed TO the figure on the grass.
big medicine" he grunted; mo
hurt"
They passed on TO the north. in
single file. Behind them came the
other two Of the party leading be-
tween them a girl whose face was
stained with weeping. whose. dress |
was torn and muddy with the march /
whose knees faltered beneath her. But /
relentlessly the mach kept on and |
the sick man, rsist'g bis head weak !