Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-03-19

Her Slim Body Was Strong and
Supple.
Her slim body was strong and supple,
her eyes quick, her feet sure. Shindas
dropped back from man TO man to see
that all was well. and his eyes cleaned
with satisfaction when he measured
how lightly T0lnette was following
those ahead Of her. He fell In close
TO Jeems, and the two talked In low
tones Even Odd seemed to have
changed now TINT he was a part of
those whom he had mistrusted.
To an observer. the passing OF the
Senecas would have revealed no sign
OF peace or mercy That Ii was a
force chosen with care for long and
dangerous mission there could be no
doubt, and that II had met with sue
cess was equally certain. There were
twenty-six scalps. among It's warriors,
which was triumph In ample measure
Eighteen OF these had been taken
from men. five from women. and three
from tHlfuFpH.
Toinette was not afraid though she
could not account for her feeling OF
security She was not only unafraid
OF Tiaoga. bur there was something
she liked about the man. She was
sure he would not kill her She spoke
this conviction to Jeems when he was
at her slide. But Shindas had said To
him, II have greater hope for she
travels lightly md we'll She must
keep up. II she fails, Taoga will kill
her even though he has chosen her to
take the place Of Silver Heels
Toinette kept from Jcems the fact
that she WIS growing tired and that
sharp pains had begun TO shoot like
needles through tile overtaxed muscles
OF her limbs.
When they stopped for meal she
ate an apple and half or tnrnip. and
Jeems brought her water IN birch
hnrk cup from the cold stream beside
which they had camped.
lie did not tell her the dark news he
had iearned-that there had been 4
great slaughter Of the French under
Baron Deskau and that the southern
frontier lay nj the mercy nf Sir VII.
liam johnson and his hordes Of saw
ares.
Nor did he tell her that because or
trouble with a hand Of Mnliawks,
three OF whose number had been left
dead In personal quarrel. Tiaoga
planned to reach the Seneca strong
hold in six days and nights.
He was heavy with doubt when the
march WIS resumed. for he saw the
bitter souls hidden In the breasts OF
the warriors. Hepsihah Adams had
made him see the truth and he knew
these men owed nothing to the people
OF his race except loss and shame.
Many times he had thought that, II
fate had placed his fortunes among
them. he would have hated with the
grimness of their hatred The freedom
and pride which were once the heritage
OF their wide domains were no longer
the controlling factors In their exist
ence- Their wars had ceased TO be
wars which gave birth to forest gods
and eplcs of unforgettable heroism.
Their star was setting and with Its
decline the white man had trans-
formed them into common killers, and |
In this new calling II made small diff
ference to them whether they slew |
enemies or those who posed as friends.
as long as the skins were white. 30
the nobility which Toinette saw In
their captors was poisoned for Jeems
oy What was concealed within their
hearts. The greatest Of all hates was
not the hate OF man for a man, but /
me hate OF race for race, and he
Knew that at word from Tiaoga the
men about him would be turned into
lends. Most Of all he feared TIaoga,
or shlndas h9datold him that Tiaoga's
ather had been killed BY a white man
'nd his son by an English Mohawk.
Whatever their fate was TO be. this
lay would bring It He was sure
loinette could not keep up the pace
nuch longer, and he strengthened him
elf for the moment when the Seneca
hief would find himself compelled to
ave decision. That Tiaoga had
lalmed her for his daughter gave him
'ope. but II 10 her frailty Toinette
vas condemned to die, he was deter
mined that she should not die alone.
Il was not long afterward that the
warriors observed Tiaoga limping
lightly. This sign Of physical diff
ulfy Increased In his walk until furi-
US because OF his weakness, he drove
rs Ratchet head-deep into tree and
aused to bind ! piece Of buck.kin
lghtly about the ankle he had
'renched Progress was slower after