The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-03-26
CHAPTER XIII

~ EVERLEY set out on his mid
x winter journey to Kaskaskia
- with a tempest in his heart. and
1t was, perhaps, the storms energy
that gave him the courage to face
undaunted and undoubting what his
experience must have told him lay
in his path. He was young and
strong; that meant a great deal; he
had taken the desperate chances of
Indian warfare many times before
this, and the danger counted as moth
ing, save that il offered the possibility
of preventing him from doing the one
thing in life he now cared to do.
What meant suffering to him, if he
could but rescue Alice? And what
were life should he fail to rescue her?
The old, old song hummed in his
heart, every phrase of It distinct
above the tumuIt of the storm. Could
cold and hunger, swollen streams, raw
enous wild beasts and sCalp-Iuntlng
savages battle him? No, there is no
barrier that can hinder love. He said
this over and over to himself after
his encounter with the four Indian
=
1t with every heart beat until he fell
in with some friendly red men, who
took him to their camp, where to his
great surprise he met NJ Roussillon.
II was his song when again he strobe
off toward the west on his lonely way
We need not follow him step by
step; the monotony of the woods and
prairies, the cold rains, alternating
with northerIy winds and binding
snow, the constant watchfulness neces-
sary to guard against a meeting with
hostile savages, the tiresOme tramp
ing, wading and swimming, the hun
ger. the broken and wretched sleep
in frozen and scant wrapss-why de-
tail it all?
There was but one beautiful thing
about 1.-THE beauty of Alice as she
seemed to walk beside him and hover
near him in his dreams. He did not
know that Long-Hair and his band
were fast on his track; but the knOwl-
edge could not have urged him to
greater haste. He strained every
muscle to its utmost. kept every
nerve to the highest tension. YOnder
toward the West was help for Alice;
that was all he cared for.
But if Long-Hair was pursuing him
with relentless greed for the reward
offered by Hamilton, there were
friendly footsteps still nearer behind
him; and one day at high noon, while
he was bending over a little fire,
broiling some liberal cuts of venison.
a finger tapped him on the Shout
der. He sprang up and grappled
Oncle Jazon: at the same time, stand
ing near by, he saw Simon Kenton,
his old-time Kentucky friend The
pungled features Of one and the fine,
rugged face Of the other swan as in a
mist before Beverley's eyes. Kenton
was laughing quietly, his strong up
right form shaking TO the force of his
pleasure. He was in the early prime
of a vigorous life, not handsome. but
strikingly attractive by reason Of a
certain glow in his face and a kindly
fash in his deep-set eyes.
We'll, well, my boy he ex-
claimed, laying his left hand on Bev-
erley's shoulder, while in the other
he held a long, heavy rifle. I'm
glad to see ye, glad to. see ye"'
Thought we was Injuns. eh?" said
Oncle Jazon. AN ef we had "a
been we'd "a been shore O. your
scalp!" The wizzened old creole
cackIed gleefully.
And where are We goin'?" demand
ed Kenton. "Ye're making what lacks
a heap o. bein' a Decline for some
place or other"
Beverley was dazed and vacant,
minded: things seemed wavering and
dim. He pushed the two men from
him and gazed at them without
speaking Their presence and voices
did not convince him.
Yer meats Albumin" said Oncle
Jazon. stopping to turn it on the cmOl
dering Goals. Eye must be hungry
CooEin' enough for a regiment"
: Kentoh shook Beverley with rough
familiarity, as if to rouse his facul
ties