Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-04-09
CHAPTER xI

No one but Wood Pigeon observed
the faintness which came over Toll
nette Some force had drawn smoth.
ering curtain about her making II diff
ficult to see or breathe. When the
shock passed. they were standing alone
with the mob closing In behind Tiaoga
and his single captive. Its nent-np
emotion hurst loose In pHndemnninm.
and amid the excitement Toinette
went hatk to the cabin which .Ieems
had built near Tiaoga's tepee
Al first she had regretted fhe alb
sence Of Jeems. but now she was glad
he was gone. for The increasing fnmult
In the village. the chanting az death
songs by. the women, the screaming Of
children. and the yelling Of savages
who were working themselves into
frenzy of rage about the fire which
would soon receive It's victim terrified
her with the growing conviction that
nothing could save his uncle IF Teens
had been there. she knew he would
not have seen Hepsihah Adams put to
death without a struggle fatal 10 him
self This thought. together with the
reflection that 1t was 4 fortunate
chance which had sent him away
strengthened her determination 10 help
Hepsihah. and she watched with Wood
| Pigeon until she saw the chief enter
his tepee Then she hurried to him.
with Wood Pigeon and Odd following
! her.
/ riaora's greeting held no promise.
/ Tie Seneca folded his arms across his
! breast and regarded her calmly. re-
| vpallng no gentle aspect as he spoke
| d few words In acknowledgment Of
/ her visit. That his prisoner bore the
same relationship to Jeems which he
! bore to Shindas and that the man
about to die was loved by Silver
Heels brought no surprise or hestita-
tIon to his face. He waited patiently
/ for her to finish, then shook his head
/ and pointed through the door to the
shadows gathering In the path Of the
setting sun. He stated c0ldly that the
| prisoner must die. His people de-
/ manded that the spirit OF the white
man who had slain three Of his war
1 riors he destroyed In flames. They
would wait until II was dark. which
was the tribal custom. Then the pris-
oner would be brought from the tenee
In which he was lying bound, and the
fire would be lighted.
If 1t were her desire. she might talk
with Jeems' uncle Tiaoga said. Ile
was looking into the twilight when he
made this concession. The Indian
women at the farther end OF the VII
Iage were chanting more loudly as
darkness came on.
Tiaoga spoke again.
She must hurry. II was growing
late. The captive was in All De Bah's
tepee, near the river. and the Tall
Man and ShIndas we're guarding him.
He watched her depart with Wood
Pigeon and Odd. Then she might have
seen a change In him. a change which
came when he knew he was alone.
Toinette was breathless when she
came to All De Bah's home. which the
hunter had set apart from the others.
The Tall Man stood motinnless before
the door with a rifle In the crook Of
his arm. and Shindas sat on the ground
near him. Both saw her coming. She
paused few PAGES from them with
her mind struggling against chaos
: OF uncertainty and dread. WhH' could
she say to Hepsibah Adams? How
could she help him when Tiaoga and
Shindas and All De Bah we're eager
for his death7
Shindas spoke a word to the Tall
Man and advanced toward her. tie
seemed to have expected her. and
pointed to the tepee. All De Ban did
not look at her as she entered. Neither
appeared to notice Wood Pigeon o.
the dog.
She found Hepsibah stretched oul