The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-08-25
CHAPTER xIiI-continued.


"AIy son spoke words of TRUTH" HI
proclaimed generously. "He warned
us against the king over the waters
and told us to make friends with the
Americans. We did not heed his
words and so he brought the great
chief of the Long Knives. who stood
without fear among warriors more
numerous than leaves and spoke the
same words to all. We are friends
of the Long Knives. My son is the
true prophet. Bring out the false one
and Crooked Lightning and Black
Wolf, whose life my son saved though
the two were enemies. My son shall
do with them as he pleases."
Many young braves sprang willingly
forward and the three were hailed be-
fore Erskine. Old Kahtoo waved his
hand toward them and sat down. Frs
kline rose and fixed his eyes sternly
on the covering prophet;
''IIe shall go forth from the village
and shall never return. For his words
work mischief, he does foolish things
and his drumming frlghtens the game.
lie is false prophet and he must CO.
lie turned to Crooked Lightning:
"The Indians have made peace with
the Long Knives and White Arrow
would make peace with any Indian,
though an enemy. Crooked Lightning
shall 90 or stay, as he pleases. Black
Wolf shall stay, for the tribe will need
him as hunter and warrior against
the English foes of the Long Knives.
White Arrow does not ask another
to spare an enemy's life and then take
ii away himself"
The braves grunted approval. Black
Wolf and Crooked Lightning averted
their faces and the prophet shambled
uneaslly away. Again old Kahtoo pro-
claimed sonOrously, ut is well !" and
went back with Erskine to his tent.
There he sank YEARLY on buffalo
skin and pleaded with the boy to stay
with them as chief In his stead.
He was very old, and now that peace
was made with the Long Knives he
was willing to die. If Erskine would
but give his promise, he would never
rise again from where he lay.
! Erskine shook his head and the old
man sorrowfully turned his face.
And yet Erskine fingered on and
on at the village OF the white wom-
an he had learned little other than
that she had been bought from AN
iother tribe and adopted by old Kali
too; but 1t was plain that since the
threatened burning of her she had
been held in high respect by the whole
tribe. He began to wonder about her
and whether she might not wish to
go back to her own people. He had
never talked with her, but he never
moved about the camp that he did
not feel her eyes upon him. And
Early Morn's big soft eyes. too, never
seemed to leave him. She brought
him food, she sat at the door of his /
tent she followed him about the VII /
,lage and bore herself openly as his !
slave. At last old Kahtoo, who would |
not give up his great hope pleaded with /
him to marry her. and while he was
talking the girl stood at the door of Z
the tent and Interrupted them. Her |
mothers eyes were growing dim, she |
said. Her mother wanted 10 talk with |
White Arrow and look upon his face |
before her sight should altogether |
pass. Nor could Erslline know that |
the white woman wanted to look into |
the eyes of the man she hoped would |
become her daughters husband, but |
Kahtoo did, and he babe Erskine go. |
His foster mother, coming upon the |
scene. scowled but Erskine rose and /
went to the white wOman's tent. She !
sat lust inside the opening, with a |
blanket across the lower half of her |
face, nor did she look at him. In
stead she piled him with questions. !
and listened eagerly TO his every word,
and drew from him every detail of
his life as far back as he could re-
member. Poor soul II was the first /
for many years that she
had had to talk with any white per-
son who had been I'm the eastern
world, and freely and frankly he held
nothing back.
All the while the girl had crouched
near. looking at Erskine with doglike
eyes, and when he rose to go the
woman dropped the blanket from her
face and got to her feet Shyly she
lifted her hands. took his face be-
tween them. bent close. and studied
II searchingly:
"What is your name?"
"Erskine Dale"
Without a word she turned back
into her tent.
At dusk Erskine stood by the riv-
er's brim, with his eyes lifted to a
rising moon and his thoughts with
barbara on the bank of the James
Behind him he heard rustic and,
turning, he saw the girl. her breast
and her eyes burning with
a light he had never seen before.
BLACK Wolf will kill you" she
whispered. BLACK Wolf wants Early
Morn and he knows that Early Morn
wants White Arrow" Erskine put
both hands on her shoulders and
looked down into her eyes. She
-rembled and when his arms went
about her she surged closer to him
md the touch of her warm, supple
st.,.,ort, hin, lilo fro MI |