The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-10-04

- aAl''A wv 'lf'AA ' ~ v -
his face dark with suspicion.
"Whut you saying TO my sistcr?" he
demanded.
The white man met his threatening
look with a half.contcmptuous half
amused smile.
'l'ye been showing the girl what !
think Of her" he replied.
Iiedbear came to n sudden halt. The
muscles OF his face began 10 tw,tch.
"Oh, Churllc!' rcpronchcd Oinnn.
"What lakes you look at him that
way? Why don't you thank hlm?"
She unbarred the door md stepped
outside.
"For whatY" questioned her brother
In n harsh, strained voice.
"Bccuuse he Is going to be my mum
going To take me for his wife"
Marry you? Oinna-you?" The
halfbrccd could not believe his ears.
Through his daze shot II flash of angry
suspicion But you-you won't marry
her.
Nandcrvvn smiled In his careless
manner.
"Oh, I guess yes"
"Youll marry herr You'll take her
to town and marry her like white
pcoplef"
"lll marry her as some white
people marry. I'll not take her to
town. Olnna and I have agreed to be
married according to tribal custom "
Again I%tedbear's weak face dark
encd with suspicion and anger. ~
won't have IT,. You're white, and Oinnn
Is half white. White people don't
marry Indian fashion"
you know n lot about II, Charlie.
Haven't you ever heard OF common-law
marriages? Lots Of white people get
married that way"
"What wuyi"
"lou must know about Il. Instead
Of going to n lot OF fuss and bother
over ministers and licenses, many
people just take each other for hus-
band and wife and go to housekeep.
Ing"
Isis that n real white peoples
marriagc?" asked Oinna.
Nundcrvyn frowncd. "You don't
think I'm lying, do YOU? Why, you
often see in the newspapers about com
mun-law wives getting their share Of
their dead husbands estates, just the
same us IL they had gone through all
the fuss Of weddings. Ask Hardy If
that does not often happen"
well, If IT'S Il real marriage
muttcred Rrdbcar.
"Of course it is. Charlie. II he says
So" cried Oiunu rapturously.
Her brothers face glowed with sud,
den u~nC0ncculcd cXultnnce. He STAN,
mCrrd almost incohcrcntly: "Thcr
you-Maric-you don't marry-don't
marry Marie"
"No," replied Vandervyn. and hi.
voice rnng clear. IL have no intention
of marrying her"
"Maybc Marlell like me now, wher
| tell her you are going to be III,
brother" sighed Redbcar.
Nandcrvyn laid n brothrrly hand or
his shoulder. "iiold on, boy :" he said
"lCu let me manage things. Yol
know that Marie thinks she likes me
But now Hardy is here, and he want,
her. II she hears that ! have thrown
her over she will run or with him.
"She don't like him."
What If she doesn't! He's an arm,
officer. He has money, and when hC
goes from here he will wear his uni
form, all gilt ana ~spanglcs. You know
how the girls like that. No-I tel
,Iu there's not the ghost of u show
for you until he is out Of the way. Oui
little blum didn't work. He says he /.
going To stay. So for n while you ant
binna must keep still about the mar
riago. Tomorrow morning YOU and
are going into the mountains to tall
with the chiefs. Olnna will 20 will
me. EIt 1t must be understood NJ tn,
agency that you have sent her to
Who could you send her toT"
"Ti-owu-kon2a is our mothers III
thcr. Not eve Mr.. Dupont know,
that said Rcdbcar. Before he cam,
here, she ran on with n bad white man
They went to the Blackfeet. After 1
time he got an arrow through his back
wy hipNi'i 'Hhit Hpllt.
would not see her, face. She had (,
work for the agent till they made u,
go away to school. Then she died.
"Old Thunderbolt your grandfather7'
remarked vandervyn. scizing upon tina.
one fnct In the squalid tragedy. doe.
he know III"
IL told him so today. He said IN,
face- But maybe he will come I,
like me. lie said to bring Oinna FOL
him to look ut her"
That's great! Wen tell II to every
Indy. But remember. not a word abou
the marriage until after we get rid o.
Hardy and l am agent. Then thing,
will go all right for all of us. 70,
snvvy that, Charlie? While you rul
down the mare I'll 20 In and say good
by until tomorrow morning."
CHAPTER VIII.
Best.Laid Schemes.