Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-17
SYNOPSIS

Ss & 6x40P61S
To the Kentucky wilderness outpost
commanded by Jerome Sanders, in the
time Immediately preceding the Revoiu-
comes a white boy fleeing from a
tribe OF Shawnees by whom he had been
captured and adopted as a son of the
attracts the favorable attention Of Dave
&Yandell. a leader among the settlers.
- The boy warns his new friends OF
coming of a Shawnee war panty. the
timely appearance of a party Of Virgin
ians. The leader of these is fatally
wounded. but in his dying moments
recognizes the fugitive youth as his son.
At Red Oaks, plantation on the James
1 river. Virginia, Colonel Dale's home. the
boy appears with a message for. the
z colonel, who after reading 1t introduces
the bearer to his daughter Barbara, as
two other cousins, Harry Dale and hugh
Willoughby. Erskine becomes interest
ED in dueling rapiers on a wall at Red
Oaks and is promised a lesson in fenc-
ing.
Near a doorway between parlor and
hall sat the fddlers three. Gallant
bows and dainty courtesyings and
nimble feet were tripping measures
quite new to the backwoodsman.
Barbara nodded. smiled and after the
dance ran up to ask him to take part,
but he shook his head. Hugh had
height, and the boy noticed him
frowning while Barbara was challeng.
ing. him to dance. The next dance
+ cleared his face and set his feet to
keeping time, for the square dance
had, of course, reached the wilds.
Il know that" he said to Harry,
who told Barbara, and the little girl
W. so ~ Isro oo,iv ,y,I fhic tim
flushing. he took place with her on
the floor. Hugh came up.
Cousin Barbara, this is u dance,
I believe" he said a little thickly.
: The girl took him aside n Hugh
went surlily away. Harry saw the
incident and he looked after Hugh,
frowning. The backwoodsman con-
1.-the M graceful and at first very
dignif1ed. but as he grew in confidence
he began to execute steps that were
new to that polite band n rather
boisterous, but Barbara looked pleased
and all onlookers seemed greatly
amused-all except Hugh. And when
the old fiddler sang out generously:
"Genelman to. right - cheat IN
swing!" the boy cheated ~outrageously,
cheated all but his little partner, to
whom each time he turned with open
loyalty, and Hugh was openly sneer-
ing now and genuinely angry.
You shall have the last dance"
whispered Barbara, 1.-The Virginia
reel.''
81 know that dance" said the boy.
And when hat dance came and the
dancers were drawn in two lines, the
boy, who was third from the end.
heard Harry's low voice behind him:
III is my cousin and my guest, and
you will answer to me-"
The lad wheeled. saw Harry with
Hugh. left his place, and went TO
them. He spoke to Harry, but he
looked at Hugh with a sword flash in
each black eye:
II don't want nobody to take up
for me-
Again he wheeled and was in his
place, but Barbara saw and looked
troubled, and so did Colonel Dale. He
went ove to the two boys and put
his arm around Hugh's shoulder.
Tut. tut, my boys" he said, with
pleasant tirmness, and led Hugh away,
and when General Willoughhy would
have followed, the colonel nodded him
back with a smile. and Hugh was
seen no more that night. The guests
left with Eayety, smiles and laughter.
and every one gave the stranger a
with him to his room and the lad
stopped under the crossed swords.
,You fight with 'em? want to
learn how to use them"
Harry looked at him searchingly,
but the boys face gave hint of no
more purpose than when he first asked
the same question
j right aid Harry.
The lad blew out his candle, but he
went to his window instead of his bed.
b moonlight was brilliant among
the trees and on the sleeping flowers
and the slow run of the broad river,
and it was very still out there and
very lovely. but he had no wish to
be, out there. With wind and storm
face to face all his life. but here they
no the same. Trees. lowers.
house, people had reared some wall
between him and them. and they
seemed now to be very far away.
Everybody mad been kind to him-all
but Hugh. Yelled hostility he had
never known before and he could lot
understand. Everybody had surely
been kind. and yet--he turned to his
bed, and all night his brain was flash
Ing to and fro between the reel of
vivid pictures etched on it in a day
and the grim background that had
hitherto been his life beyond the hills.
From pioneer habit he awoke before
dawn, and for a moment the s~oftness
where he lay puzzled him, but he
could smell the dawn and he started
to spring up. He felt hot and stuffy,
though Harry had put up his windows.
and he could not lie there wide awake.
He could not go out in the heavy dew
In the gay clothes and fragile shoes
he had taken off. SO he slid into his
own bucksktn clothes and moccasfnS
and out h still open front door and
,dOwn the path toward the river. In
stinctively he had picked up his rife,
bullet-pouch and powder-horn. An
hour later he Hoped back on his own
tracks.
All the front door Harry hailed him
and B>rbara came running out.
saeHs1 forgot to get you another suit of
clothes last night" he, said. land we
were scared this morning. We thought
you had left US. and Barbara there
nearly cried" Barbara blushed now
md did not deny.
"Come to breakfast" she cried.
Did YOU find anything to shoot?' .
Nothin' but some squirrels" said
Then Hugh came in pale OF face
and looking rather ashamed. He went
sstfaightt to the Kentuckian.
IT was rude to you last night and
Love you an apology
He thrust out his hand and awk-
sM1rdfy the how rose and took it.
aasssAItd you'll forgive me, too, Bar
ssOf scourte I will, she said happily.
sshut hDfdiDg up one finger Of warn
3nG--4nouId he eve do It again. The
80 y the guests trooped In now,
NdseOn1e were going out on horse
S&Gf6k some for sail, and some visit
NJ the river III q barge, and all
33~GxeSpafred on.
gotng 10, drive Cousin Erskine
&e1fSi6Sthe pla<ce with my ponies, raid