The Adair County news., 1922-08-29

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 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 Sc
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 1 am gone?'
NO." promised the old chief. And
so White Arrow Jared FORTH Four
days he rode through the north woods,
and on the fifth he strode through the
streets of a town that was yet filed
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 no 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. II came
because Kahtoo, who seemed nigh to
death, begged me to come. l am only
a messenger and shall speak his talk;
but my heart is with the Americans
and shall fight with them" The old
priest put his fingers to his lips:
"Sh-h-h! 1t is not wise. Are you
not knownY
IErskine hesitated.
Earlier that morning he had seen
three officers riding in. Following was
a youth not in uniform, though he car
ried 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
squareiK and passed on.
"There is but one man who does
know me and he did not recognize me.
His name is Dane Grey. 1 am won
dering what he is doing here. Can
you find out for me and let me knOw?"
The old priest nodded and Erskine
slipped back to the woods.
At sunrise the great council began.
On his way Erskine met Grey, who APP
parently was leaving with a band Of
traders for Detroit. Again ErSkine
met his eyes and this time Grey
smiled:
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"
"What am going to do is no busi-
ness of yours" Erskine said quietly,
''but 1 hope we shall not be on the same
side. We may meet again"
Grey's face was already red with
drink and it turned purple with an
ger.
"When you tried to stab me do you
remember what said?" Erskine nod
ded contemptuously.
swell, / repeat it. Whatever the
side, I'll fight you anywhere at any
time and in any way you please"
'Why not nOw?"
''This is not the time for private
quSrrels and yOd know ii"
Erskine bowed slightly-an act that
came oddly from an Indian head
dress.
81 can wait-and / shall not forget.
The day will. come"
The old priest touched Erskine's
shoulder as the angry youth rode
away.
Il cannot make it out" he said. HE
claims to represent an English fur
company. His talk is British, but he
told one man-Iast night when he was
drunk-that he could have commits
sion in the American army"
The council fire was built, the
flames cracked and the smoke rolled
upward and swept through the leafless
trees. Three British agents sat on
blankets, and around them the chiefs
were ringed. All day the powwow
lasted. Each agent spoke and the bur-
den Of his talk varied very little.
The American palefaces had driven
the Indian over the great wall. They
were killing his deer, buffalo and elk,
robbing him of his land and pushing
him ever backward. They were many