The Coolidge examiner., 1931-10-16
CHAPTER VIlI-continued

A'OI OSuSco' OCluluOlcS, yes.
And Creeks, and Choctaws, and
even Chickasaws. But the Osages,
except for intermarriage with
whites, have kept the tribe pure"
The information seemed to Sabra
to be upimportant and slightly silly.
Purity of the tribe, indeed Osages
She resolved to be matter of fact
and sensible now that the shocking
event was at hand, waiting to be
dealt with. She herself felt guilty,
for this thing had happened in her
own house. She should have fore
seen danger and avoided it. Isaiah
had been a faithful black child In
her mind, whereas he was, in real
ity. a man grown.
Doctor Valiant had finished his
work The girl lay on the bed, her
dull black eyes fixed on them; ST.
lent, watchful, hopeless. Isaiah
crOuched in the kitchen. The child
lay now in Sabra's arms. Donna
and Gin were. fortunately, asleep,
for 1t was now long past midnight
The tense excitement past. the
whole affair seemed TO Sabra sordid,
dreadful. What would the town
say? What would the members Of
the PhilOmathean club and the
Twentieth Century Culture club
think?
Doctor Valiant came over to her
and looked down at the queer shriv-
eled morseI in her arms. I'VE must
let his father see him."
Sabra shrank. "Oh. no."
He took the baby from her and
turned toward the kitchen. "Tll
do it. Let me have a drink of
whisky, will you Sabra? I'm dead
tired"
She went past him into the din
ing room, without a glance at the
negro boy covering in the kitchen.
Doctor Valiant followed her. AS
she poured a drink of Yancey's
store of whisky, almost untouched
since he had left, she heard Val
liant's voice, very gentle, and then
the sound of Isaiah's bluEbering.
All the primness in her was out
ragged. Her firm mouth took on a
still straighter line. Valiant took
the child back to the Indian girls
bed and placed it by her side He
stumbled with WEAKNESS as he en-
tered the dining room where Sabra
stood at the table. AS he reached
for the drink Sabra saw that his
hand shook a little as Yancey's
used to do in that same gesture.
She must not think of that. She
must not think of that
There's no use talking now. doc
tor, about what the Osages do or
don't do that you say is so pure.
The baby'S born. | shall send for
the old man-what's his name?-
Big Knee. As soon as Arita can be
moved he must take her home. AS
for Isaiah, I've a notion to send
him back to Kansas. as | wanted
to do years ago, only he begged
so TO stay, and Yancey let him. And
now this"
Doctor Valiant had swallowed
the whisky at a gulp-had thrown
it down his throat as one takes
medicine to relieve pain. He poured
another glass. His face was tired
and drawn. 1t was late. His nerves
were not what they had been. what
with drink, Overwork, and count
less nights without sleep as he rode
the country on his black horse.
He swallowed his second drink.
His face seemed less drawn. his
hand steadier, his whole bearing
more alert. Now listen, Sabra. You
don't understand. You don't under
stand the Osages. This is serious.
The OsageS have kept the tribe alb
solutely free of negro blood. This
is bad business"
Her patience was at an end.
What of it? And how do you
know? How do you know?"
Because they remove any men,
ber of the tribe that has had to do
with a negro"
''Remove!"
xiii. By torture"
She stared at him. He was drunk.
of course. You're talking non
sense" she said crisply. She was
very angry.
Don't let this get around. They
might blame you. The Osages. They
might I'll just go and take ar
other look at her."
The girl was sleeping. Sabra felt
a pang of pity as she gazed down