The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-21

with the rife. 1t is enough for today"
The first snow fell that night, and
at dawn the two lads started out
each with a bow and a dozen arrows.
Erskine's woodcraft had not suffered
and the nights story of the wilderness
was as plain TO his keen eyes as a
printed page For two hours he
tramped swiftly, but never sign Of
deer, elk, bear or buffalo.
And then an hour later he heard a
snort from thick copse and the crash
of an unseen body in flight through
the brush, and he loped after it's
tracks.
Black Wolf came In at sunset with
bear cub which he had found feeding
apart from Its mother. He was trium-
plant, and Crooked Lightning was
scornful when White Arrow appeared
empty-handed. His left wrist was
bruised and swollen, and there was a
cash the length Of his forearm.
Follow my tracks back" he said,
until you come to the kill" With a
whoop two Indians bounded away and
in an hour returned with a buck.
81 ran him down." said White Ar
row, land killed him with the knife.
He horned me-" and went into his
tent.
The bruised wrist and wounded fore
arm made no matter, for the rifle was
the weapon next day-but White Ar
row went another way to look for
game. Each had twelve bullets. Black
Wolf came In with a deer and one bull
let White Arrow told them where
they could find deer, bear, buff
falo and an elk, and he showed eight
bullets in the palm Of his hand. And
he noted now that the Indian girl was
always an intent observer of each con-
test, and that she always went swiftly
back to her tent to tell his deeds to
the white woman within.
There was a feast and dance that
night, and Kahtoo could have gone to
his fathers and left the lad, young as
he was, as chief, but not yet was he
ready, and Crooked Lightning, too,
bided his time.
Dressed as an Indian, Erskine rode
forth next morning with a wampum
belt and a talk for the council north
where the British were to meet Shaw
nee, Iroquois and Algonquin, and urge
them to enter the great war that was
just breaking forth. There was open
and angry protest against sending so
young lad on so great a mission, but
the old chief haughtily brushed it
aside:
"He is young but his feet are swift,
| his arm Is strong, his heart good and
his head Is old. He speaks the tongue
of the paleface. Besides, he Is my
son."
One question the boy asked as he
made ready:
"The white woman must not be
burned while I am gomez
"No," promised the old chief. And
so White Arrow Jared forth. Four
days he rode through the north woods,
and on the fifth he strobe through the
streets of a town that was yet filled
with great forest trees: a town at
which he had spent three winters
when the game was scarce and the
tribe had moved north for good. He
lodged with so chief, but slept in the
woods with his feet to the fire. The
next night he slipped to the house of
the old priest, Father Andre, who had
taught him some religion and little
French, and the old man welcomed him
as a son, though he noted sadly his In
dian dress and was distressed when he
heard the lads mission. He was quick
ly relieved.
81 am no royalist," he said.
"Nor am l." said Erskine. 81 came
because Kahtoo, who seemed nigh to
death, begged me to come. I am only
messenger and shall speak his talk ;
but my heart is with the Americans
and I shall fight with them" The old
! priest put his fingers to his lips:
"Sh-h-h! 1t Is not wise. Are you
| not knownT
Erskine hesitated.
Earlier that morning he had seen
three officers riding in. Following was
a youth not In uniform, though he car
rfed a sword. On the contrary, he was
dressed like an English dandy, and
then he found himself face to face
with Dane Grey. With no sign Of rec
ognition the boy had met his eyes
squarely and passed on.
"There Is but one man who does
know me and he did not recognize me.
His name is Dane Grey. / am won
dering what he is doing here. Can
you find out for me and let me know?"
The old priest nodded and Ersk1ne
slipped back to the woods.
At sunrise the great council began.
On his way Erskine met Grey, who ap-
parently was leaving with band Of
traders for Detroit. Again Erskine
met his eyes, and this time Grey
smiled:
"Aren't you White Arrow Some.
how the tone with which he spoke the
name was an insult.
Eyes"
"Then it's true We heard that you
had left your friends at the fort and
become an Indian again"
"Yes?"
$50 you are not only going to fight
with the Indians against the whites
but with the British against America p
"What I am going to do Is no bust
ness Of yours" Erskine said quietly,
"but hope we shall not be on the same
side. We may meet again"
Grey's face was already red with
drink and 1t turned purple with an
ger.
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