The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-09-21


ing OF a king. Early Morn greeted
him with glowing eyes, his foster.
mother brought him food, looking
proudly upon him, and old Kahtoo
harangued his braves around the coun
eil-pole. while the prophet and
Crooked Lightning sulked In their
tents.
my son spoke words Of truth" he
proclaimed sonorously. "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. Ers.
kline rose and fixed his eyes sternly
on the covering prophet:
He shall 20 forth from the village
and shall never return. For his words
work mischief he does foolish things,
and his drumming frightens the game.
He Is a false prophet and he must go"
He 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 go 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
1t away himself"
The braves grunted approval Black
Wolf and Crooked Lightning averted
their faces and the prophet shambled
uneasily away. Again old Kahtoo pro.
claimed sonorously, 1T is we'll! !" and
went back with Erskine to his tent.
There he sank wearily on q 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 AMI
on at the village. OF the white WON
an he had learned little other than
that she had been bought from an
other tribe and adopted by old Kah
too; but it 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 oi
the tent and interrupted them Her
mothers eyes were growing dim. she
said. Her mother wanted to talk with
White Arrow and look upon his face
before her sight should altogethe,
pass. Nor could Erskine know tha,
the white woman wanted to look int,
the eyes of the man she hoped woult
become her daughters husband, bu
KahtoO did. ana ne bade Erskine 20
His foster mother, coming upon the
scene, scowled, but Erskine rose and
went to the white wOman's tent. She
sat just inside the opening, with
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 ne could re-.
member. Poor soul, it was the first
opportunity for many years that she
had had to talk with any white per.
son who had been in the eastern
world, and freely and frankly he held
nothing back.
All the while the girl had crouched
near, looking at Erskine with dogliie
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
1t searchingly:
"What Is your nameT
"Erskine Dale"
Without word she turned back
into her tent.
At dusk Erskine stood by the riv.
ers brim, with his eyes lifted to
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
throbbing and her eyes burning with
light he had never seen before.
"Black Wolf will kill yOu," she
whispered. "Black Wolf wants Early