The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-08-11

given his word. Kahtoo thought he
was dying and wanted him to be chief
when the Great Spirit called. Kahtoo
had once saved his life. had been kind,
and made him a son. That he could
not forget. An evil prophet had come
to the tribe and through his enemies,
Crooked Lightning and Black Wolf.
had gained much influence. They were
to burn a captive white woman as a
sacrifice. He had stayed to save her,
to argue with old Kahtoo. and carry
the wampum and talk to big coun-
| ell with the British. He had made his
talk and-escaped. He had gone back
to his tribe, had been tried, and was
to be burned at the stake. Again he
had escaped with the help Of the white
woman and her daughter. The tribes
had Joined the British. and even then
were planning an early attack on this
very fort and all others.
The interest was tense and every
face was startled at this calm state
ment of their immediate danger. Old
| Jerome burst out:
"Why did you have to escape from
the council-and from the Shawnees7"
AT the council l told the Indians
that they should be friends, not enc
mics, of the Americans, and Crooked
Lightning called me traitor. He had
overheard my talk with Kahtoo."
"What was thatT" asked Dave,
quickly.
81 told Kahtoo l would fight with
the Americans against the British and
Indians; and with you against him !"
And he turned away and went back to
the cabin.
"What'd / tell YER cried Dave in
dignantly, and he followed the boy,
who had gone to his bunk, and put one
big hand on his shoulder.
'They thought you'd turned Injun
agin," he said, "but it's all right now"
~ know" said the lad, and with
muffled sound that was half the grunt
of an Indian and half the sob Of
white man turned his face away.
Again Dave reached for the lads
shoulder.
Don't blame 'em too much. I'll
tell you now. Some fur traders came
by here, and one of 'em said you was
goin' to marry an Injun girl named
Early Morn that you was goin' TO stay
with 'em and fight with 'em alongside
the British OF course 1 knowed bet
ter, but"
why" interrupted Erskine. "they
must have been the same traders who
came to the Shawnee town and brought
whisky"
"That's what the Teller said and
why folks here believed him"
s'Who was he?" demanded Erskine.
"You know him-Dane Grey"
All tried to make amends straight
way for the injustice they had done
him, but the boys heart remained sore
that their trust was so little. Then,
when they gathered all settlers within
the fort and made all preparations and
no Indians came, many seemed again
to get dstrustful and the lad was not
happy. The winter was long and hard.
A blizzard had driven the game west
and south and the garrison was hard
put to 1t for food. Every day that the
hunters went forth the boy was among
them and he did far more than his !
share in the killing of game. But when !
winter was breaking. more news came
In of the war. The flag that had been |
fashioned of q soldiers white shirt, an 1
old blue army coat, and red petticoat |
was now the Stars and Stripes of the
American cause. Burgoyne had not cut |
Off New England. that head Of the re-
bellion," from the other colonies. On |
the contrary, the Americans had beat
en- him at Saratoga and marched his
army off under those same Stars and
Stripes, and for the first time Erskine
heard of gallant Lafayette-how he
had run to Washington with the por-
.entous news from his king-that
passionate France would
stretch forth her helping hand. And
1rskine learned what that news
meant to Washington's naked and
starving" soldiers dying on the frozen
lillsides of Valley Forge. Then George
Rogers Clark had passed the fort on
lis way to Williamsburg to get money
md men for his great venture In the
and Erskine got ready
to accompany him as sol
lier and guide. After Clark was gone
he lad got restless; and one morning,
When the first breath of spring came,
lie mounted his horse, In spite of argu-
nents and protestations, and set forth
or Virginia on the wilderness trail.
lie was going to join Clark, he said,
ut more than Clark and the war were
rawing him to the outer world. What
was he hardly knew, for he was not
ct much given to searching his heart
r mind. He did know, however, that
ONE strange force had long been
'orking within him that was steadily
rowing stronger was surging now
Ike flame and swinging him between
TRANCE moods of depression and exul-
alton. Perhaps 1t was but the spirit s
( spring In his heart, but with his g
llnd's eye he was ever seeing at the {
nd of his journey the face of his little l
Ousln Barbara Dale.