The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-07-05

lows head with simultaneous roar
of command:
"Git in-ever'b digit in-quick
From a watch-tower, too, a rifle had
cracked. A naked savage had bounded
into a spot of sunlight that quivered
on the buffalo trail hundred yards
deep in the forest and leaped lithely
aside into the bushes-both rifles had
missed. Deeper from the woods came
two war-whoOps-real ones-and in
the silence that followed tie gates
were swiftly closed and barred, and a
keen-eyed rifleman was at every port
hole in the fort. From the tower old
Jerome saw reeds begin to shake in
cane-brake to the left of the spring.
Look thar" he called, and three
rifles, with his own, covered the spot
| A small brown arm was thrust above
| the shaking reeds, with the palm of
| the hand toward the .fort-the peace
| sign of the Indan-and moment
later a naked boy sprang from the
| cane-brake and ran toward the block
| house. with bow and arrow in his
left hand and his right stretched
above his head. it's pleading palm
still outward
Don't shoot don't nobody shoot. :"
shouted the old man. No shot came
from the fort, but from the woods
came yells of rage, and as the boy
streaked through the clearing an ar
row whstled past his head.
Let him ~" shouted Jerome, and
ms Dave opened the gates another ar
row hurtled between the boys up
raised arm and his body and stuck
quirering in one of its upright bars.
The boy slid through and stood pant.
ing. shrinking, wild-eyed. The arrow
had grazed his skin, and when Dave
lifted his arm and looked at the ooz-
ing drops of blood he gave a startled
oath. for he saw a flash of white un-
der the loosened breech- clout below.
The boy understood. Quickly h-
pushed the clout aside on his thigh
that all might see, nodded gravely,
and proudly tapped his breast.
"Paleface!" he half grunted, white
man."
The wilds were quiet. The boy
pointed to them and held up three
fingers to indicate that there were
only three red men there, and shook
his head to say there would be no
attack from them. Old Jerome studied
the little stranger closely, wondering
what new trick those red devils were
trying now to play. Dave made an
impatient gesture for silence
whats your name?" The boy shook
his head and looked eagerly around
'Francais-French?' he asked. and
in turn the big woodsman shook his
head-nobody there spoke French.
However, Dave knew a little Shawnee.
good deal of the sign4anguage. and
the boy seemed TO understand a good
many words in English; so that the
big woodsman peced out his story
with considerable accuracy and turned
to tell II to Jerome The Indians had
crossed the Big river, were as many
as the leaves. and meant to attack the
whites. For the first time they had
allowed the boy to go on war party.
Some one had treated him badly-he
pointed out the bruises of cuffs and
kicks OH his body. The Indians called
him White Arrow, and he knew he
was white from the girdle of uu.
tanned skin under his breech-clOut
and because the Indian boys taunted
him. Asked why he had come to the
fort, he pointed again to his bruises.
put both hands against his breast and
stretched them wide as though he
would seek shelter in the arms OF
his own race and take them to his
heart; and for the first time a smile
came to his face that showed him
plainly MS curious product Of his
race and the savage forces that for
years had been moulding him. That
smile could have never come to the
face of an Indian. No Indian would
ever have so lost himself In his own
emotions. No white man would have
used his gestures and the symbols Of
Nature To which he appealed. Only an
1ndinn could have shown such q
cruel. vindictive. mercileSs fire I'm his
eyes when he told of his wrongs. and
when he saw tears in Lydia's eyes the
first burning In his life came to his
own, and brushing across them with
fierce shame he turned Indian stole
again and stood with his arms folded
over his bow and arrows ar his breast,
looking neither to right nor left, as
though he were waiting for Judgment
Mt their hands and cared little what
his fate might he. as perfect from
ahead to foot as a statue of the anci-
ent little god. who. In him. had for
saken the couches of love for the tents
of war.