The Holly chieftain., 1924-04-24

He had tried to make love to her surreptitiousy
the previous summer and now bore her swiftly
into the forest. N-ha-nawu gave chase, shrek
Ing. but her cries drowned by the trample
Of the ponies feet. and in the confusion of the
march their absence passed unnotjced.
Down the steep slope Ka-vi-a-wach staggered
with his prize, maiden from an enemy tribe This
feat would give him an enviable position in the
eyes of his tribesmen And so for hours he pushed
through dense woods, the rough, wild unfa-l
miliar region. The old Ni-hann-wu, stumbllngly
followed ms fast her weary limbs could carry
her. Finally they came to Chasm Falls, where
Fall River plunges thirty feet into rocky gorge,
nearly twenty feet wide. There means of
crossing.
Ka-vi-a-wach decided to go down stream in the
hope of finding place to ford 1t when a black
bear appeared from the direction Of the falls.
growing angrly. Now, bear will not attack
human beings II unprovoked. but rather shuns
them. However. mother bear will protect it's
cubs Ka-va-wach knew that not far away, and
behind him on the narrow path, must be the cave
like shelter containing the cubs and realized the
danger to himself and his little captive.
Instlnctively he prayed to the protecting spirit
OF the water; for after the ancient custom of his
people, Ka-vn-wach bore the name Of the foaming
white spray Of the mountain stream, which
the first object his father saw when the child's
birth announced. Suddenly Wild shreks
the air Across the gorge Ne-o-tas startled eyes
beheld the animal that gave the indescr1babe cry.
In her frightened state she likened it to the weird
monster. Only the deep wide ravine could
them from the destroying beast. Terror seized
them all. Old Ni-hana-wu folded her arms oveS
her bent head and moaped Even the old mother
bear. mnddened by the uproar, became the more
determined to reach It's cave shelter.
But, look! The odd beast, running to the pre-
cpitous edge of the gorge, shifted the air. growled
ran back, then returned and clambered up tall
spruce tree growing on the very edge of the ravIne
The next moment 1t was swaying in the top of the
spruce one paw cutching n branch, the other out
stretched to keep Its poise as II rode high In the air
Careenng far the gulch, the beast sudden
~ leaped from the tree, cunnlngly catnputed
through space, then crashed into smaller spruce
the other side, Ne-ota md ka-vi-a- -wnch,
thereby breaking the force of Its tumbling fall to
the ground Stunned momentaiily. 1t quickly
covered and closely embraced the unwilling Ka-
vi-awach. In the death struggle the animal over
powered the Ute and wrestling from him the bone
dagger Of defense. fatally wounded the Indlun.
Then it rushed the bear. which. bleeding, scam
pered for the cub den
The superstitious Ne-o-ta fully believed that the
cnrcngne. bugaboo of her Imagination would GER
tainy wreak its vengeance her mother and
herself. But the odd beast rolled its back
with cry, "Neo-ta. Nc-o-ta" Scarcely able to
believe her the Arapahoe maiden. recognizing
the voice. quickly unlaced the shaggy hide Of :,
grizzly, and GU; crawed Na-kos. his back beedln,
from cruc, scratches inflicted by the black bear
Na-kos, eager 10 outshne Ku-ntha. had left the
council tepee before to take his perious turn
Mt scouting Ea2!i.s determined the strength and
nearncss Of the enemy. he returning to the
people. He scalpei Ka-vi-a-wuct. the Ute and
Ni-ha-ng-wu's consent marry her daughter
Ne-o-ta And during the night they overlook tha
fleeing Arapahoes.