Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-09-29

but ever thereafter Erskine was on guard.
 In the white woman, too, Erskine now saw change. Once she had en- cOuraged him to stay with the h. dianS; now she lost no opportunity to urge against it. She had heard that Hamilton would try to retake Win. cennes, that he was forming great force with which to march south, sweep through Kentucky, batter down the wooden forts, and force the Ken tuckiaps behind the great mountain wall. Erskine would be needed by the whites, who would never under stand or trust him if he should stay , with the Indians. All this she spoke. one day when Erskine came to her tent to talk. Her face had blanched, she had argued passionately that he must go, and Erskine was sorely pug zled. The girl, too, had grown rebel lious and disobedient, for the change In her mother was plain also to her, and she could not understand. More over, Erskine's stubbornness grew, and he began to flame within at the stalk ing insolence of Black Wolf, who slipped through the shadows of day and the dusk to spy on the two where ever they came together. And one day when the sun was midway, and In the open of the village, the clash came. Black Wolf darted forth from his wigwam, his eyes bloodshOt with rage and drink, and his hunting knife In his hand. A cry from Early Morn warned Erskine and he wheeled. As Black Wolf made vicious slash at him he sprang aside, and with his fist caught the savage in the jaw. Black Wolf fell heavily and Erskine was upon him with his own knife at his .enemy's throat. s .s.
 "Stop themw old Kahtoo cried sternly, but 1t was the terrified shriek of the white woman that stayed Frs kine's hand. Two young braves dis armed the fallen Indian, and KahtOo looked inquiringly at his adopted son.
 'Turn him lOose" Erskine scorned. q have no fear of him. He is a woman and drunk, but next time 1 shall kill him."
 The white woman had run down, caught Early Morn, and was leading her back to her tent. From inside presently came low, passionate plead ing from the woman and an occasional sob from the girl. And when an hour later, at dusk, Erskine turned upward toward the tent, the girl gave hor- rified cry, flashed from the tent, and darted for the high cliff over the river. Catch her" cried the mother Quick" Erskfne fled after her, over took her with her hands uprafsed for the plunge, on the very edge of the cliff, and half carried her, struggling and sobbing, back to the tent. With in the girl dropped in a weeping heap and with her face covered, and the woman turned to Erskine, agonized.
 q told her,S she whispered, land she was going to kill herself. You are my son"
 Still sleepless at dawn. the boy rode Firefiy into the woods. At sunset he came in. gaunt with breeding and hun ger. His foster mother brought him food, but he would not touch it. The Indian woman stared at him with keen suspicion, and presently old Kahtoo, passing slowly, bent on him the same look, but asked no question. Erskine gave no heed to either, but his mother watching from her wigwam, under stood and grew fearful. Quickly she stepped outside and called him. and he rose and went to her bewlldered i; she was smiling.
 "They are watching" she said. and Erskine, too understood, and kept his back toward the watchers.
 "I have decided" he said. "You and she must leave here and go with me-"
 His mother pretended much dis will not leave her"-her lips trembled -"and would have gone long ago but"
 q understand" Interrupted Ersklne. "but you will go now with your son."
 The poor woman had to scOwl.
 "No, and you must not tell them. They will never let me go. and they will use me to keep you here. You must go at once. She will never leave this tent as long as you are here. and if you stay She will die, or kill her self. Some day" She turned abruptly and went back into her tent. Erskine wheeled and went to old Kah- too.
 "You want Early Morn?" asked the old man. "YOu shall have her."
 "No," said the boy, q am going back to the big chief"
 "You are my son and am old and weak"
 "I am a soldier and must obey the big chiefs commands. as must you"
 T shall live" said the old man wearily. ''untll you come again."
 Erskine nodded and went for his horse. Black Wolf watched him with malignant satisfaction, but said noth- inu.-nOr did Crooked Lightning Ers-