New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1921-01-12
THE WHITE CANOE
BY DORA NOLAN.


on the banks Of the beautiful Sc
satchIe river has heard the tradition
of the white canoe.
NOW the tradition runs that Snow
blrd. an Indian maiden was murdered
close BY the shores of the river. in
the moonlight, then set adrift in her
own canoe. long before the eye of a
WHITE man first fell on the Segatchie.
Ever since her ghost has appeared.
from time to time, to mortal eyes
. so goes the legend. And always has
the coming foretold the sudden and
violent departure Of another soul
Cecil Horton was five when she
spent her first summer on the Sc
gatchle; she had passed her twentieth
Dirthday when the events here re-
corded took place.
it was the tenth of September. The
HOftonS were TO return TO the CITY
on the fifteenth. Cecil was planning
dance for the evening of the twelfth.
the last OF series in the Horton boat
mousse. Dick Harvey sat beside her on
fhe bOathouse steps
Evidently the girls thoughts were
not bearing fruit for she turned to
her companion. ''Oh. Dick" she
pleaded, "do try and think up some
tliing unique for the feature of nv
last dance-something exciting: some
thing thrilling!"
Dick seized hopefully upon his
opportunity. "You might announce
our engagement But the hopeful
ness died a-borning as he glimpsed
the quick frown above his compan-
ions eyes and he continued. in tragic
moroseness. ''Or we might stage a
murder; Ia be glad to help YOU out
in that"
Il have it, Dick" she CALCULATED
The white canoe"
Followed nearly an hour of expla-
nations, pleadings and overriding of
Dicks objections by Cecil. and finally
reluctaAt consent from Dick But
he made ii conditional Now re-.
member" he stipulated. mot a single
dance with that Perrone crook while
I'm away pulling The fadeaway Indian
maiden stuff
OF course. Dick: I promise But
you've no business 10 speak OF him
that way jus! because you don't know
every bit of his past history. Why do
you:"
"Shifty eyes, was Dicks Iaconic re-
ionder
The night of the dance came and,
all too soon for Dick at least. came
eleven O'Clock, the time agreed uDOn
for him to absent himself and take
up the spectacular role of "Snowbird."
The full moon carried out its part
or the program. At half after eleven
Cecil. pleading fatigue. seated herself
by The broad riverfront doorway, pre-
pared to jump up at any instant and
announce to the guests. with becoming
dramatic effect. that the Indian maiden
was abroad in her canoe
But she waited fruitlessy. The
minutes passed: no white canoe
appeared. Midnight. and vet nothing
stirred on the broad Blossom of the
SeSatchie. Disappointed, little angry,
Cecil yielded ut last to the pleading
OF the fascinating Perr6ne and danced
three times in succession with him.
Dick Harvey did not appear again
mat night and next morning. when he
came over to the Horton place. he gave
most unsatisfactory answers to Cecil's
peremptory questions. Also he wore
AN inScrutable. sell-satisfed expression
that engaged the young lady. She
LET him know it, Yet Dick went off
whistling. Which affected Miss Hor-
ton so extremely little that at mid
night she was still awake.
Suddenly. rs her distracted gaze
turned TO The farther shore. a SILVER
ran through Cecil's frame. From ont
the shadows of the forested bank
silded a tenuous. efilmy something that
While she strained her eyes in awe,
took clearly, Individually. as it crossed
the pathway Of the moon the form of
- white canoe. silently padded by a
$gIrlish figure In white, crowned by
snowy feathers. sS
Cecil started from her seat. She
'Wou!d@c call some member of the sleep
ing household towitness this awesome
sight.
Then from the balcony roof out
side, close by her. came whisper. It
was Dick Haryey's voice.
"There's Il burglar inside. Cecil. The
officers have gone in Keep still, don't
move. IF he opens your door 7 can
see him from here in this light.
Sh-sh-sh."
Slowly, without sound, the door
opened. A dark figure was vaguely
outlined on the threshold. Even in
the scmi-darknrsS it looked strangely
familiar to Cecil From the window
Dick Harvey'S stacatto baritone
snapped THAT'S far enough, YOU
stand stil.'
There was a CLINT of steel as the in
trudor flung back. ''Hold up your
hands and Keep"
In the open window shot flashed
and roared. by the door there was
q crumpled heap On the floor.
''Dobson. that detective friend of
NINE" Dick explained to Cecil after
the shock of the tragedy had softened
wired me to keep tab on Perrone till