White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-10-12
CHAPTER IX-Continued

Wickley creek, which was but q few
miles north of the Thicketty run camp.
The nights rest had done the girl
much good and she did not appear to
have any trouble in keeping up with
us. l wanted to carry her rifle. and
thereby aroused her indignation. AL
most all the talk was between Gist
and me, although l made several at
tempts to get some expression from
her. She preferred to keep at our
heels and hold her tongue. Once, while
Gist was climbing a tree to look for
smoke from the army's campfres, she
asked me:
"Does he know l amt a man?"
II forgot to tell him. Think l must
have been forgetting the truth my
SELF" answered.
"Keep on forgetting, and don't tell
him." she CURLY requested.
II shall eve forget how you stood
by me and did a mans share of the
fighting" l told her, somehow sensing
she was displeased at something l had
said, or left unsaid.
evil the army be at, Thicketty
run?" she asked.
mo one knows where it'll be-" l
sorrowfully replied. ut should be well
on its way to the head of Turtle creek.
1t was at the run two days ago, and
I'm afraid it isn't far from there now.
If it's moved north we'll cut it's line of
rnoroh nnphorSe pror;c{op kro;n will
be stretched out ove a long distance.
If it is still wasting time at the Run
We'll shift our course and find it
there"
"That man Braddock don't know
how to lead an army through this sort
of country. He'll git licked"
"You should be ashamed for saying
that" rebuked. "The army moves
slowly, but as it goes by the head of
Turtle creek it can kill time till snow
flies and yet take the fort. Captain
Beaujeu told me at the fort that he
could do nothing but run If the creek
course was taken"
"Don't 60 and git mad at me, mister.
l amt used to armies and soldiers.
Wonder where that Injun, Round Paw,
is just about this time"
"He should be several miles south
Of us and moving parallel to us. To
day is the sixth. It'll all be settled in.
side of four or five days."
Gist came down from the tree and
reported haze or smoke a few miles
ahead. He was skeptical about its
being smoke as the army ought to be
in motion and not in camp. The Din
void girl abruptly spoke up and de
clared:
81 feel like we was being followed"
Gist looked at her %curiously and
asked:
do you pretend to hear and see
things that Brond and me can't see,
nor hear?"
eff | was a woman folks would say
| was a WITCH" she gravely replied.
meeting his gaze steadily.
He glanced back through the shadowy
woods and assured us:
81 believe the Indians who chased
you two have gone back to the fort"
"My feeling is that only one or two
men are following u.s." she qualified.
"Younkers often feel that way when
in Indian country" he carelessly re
marked.
His Indifference irritated her, and
she stoutly insisted:
"Some ones chasing u.s."
"Our danger will be ahead, from
the Indians hanging to TANKS of the
army" l told her. 1--WE may have some
trouble in cutting through their line.
She tucked her rifle under her arm
and trotted along behind US. She had
had her say and was not inclined to
talk further. Curiously enough l soon
found myself glancing backward, and
each time l did so l met her question
ing gaze and felt ashamed.
At last l had to admit to myself that
her words had put a foolish notion
into ny head. Of course one might De
followed whenever alone in the forest,
but us yet there was no evidence that
we were being logged. fought
against the idea, and then told Gist:
keep on going. I'll overtake you
within the next mile. I'm going to
watch u back track for q bit"
He sped on, with the girl running a
few rods behind him. settled down
between two trees and condemned my.
self for giving way to a silly fancy.
My view of the forest was limited. but
] watched faithfully. A slight noise
behind Inc made me duck and twis,
my head. Instead of keeping after Gist
the Dinwold girl had turned back to
share my spying. | nodded to her and
resumed searching the low arches that
radiated in every direction from our
position. She sank down beside me
and clasped her hands about her knees
and watched my frowning face rather
than the woods.
"You think I'm queer. don't you.
mister?" she softly asked.
II believe you're noti0naf," re.
torted. swell be travelling after Gist.'
LOOK !" she whispered.
was In time to catch a suggestion
of motion heal q walnut. | watched
the tree suspiciOusly, and from the
corner of my eye detected q flicker of
something off to one side.
81 saw It," murmured the girl, rest:
Ing an elbow on her knee and making
ready for a quick shot.
But she did not see 1t again, mol did
1. Close at hand a low voice called
out:
"'Ha-hum- wehp My white brother
and the w%itch-woman should be travel
ing like the deer" and ROund Paw