The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-07-24

uICdHCu Va Ills 4AC lOOSG SdIUuelL
which the girl always wore-her
strong natural slenderness-the erect
dignity Of her Indian carriage-the
steicism of her race-had served to
keep secret her condition. She had
had, too, Sabra now realized In a
flash. way Of being out of the room
when her mistress was in 1t; busy in
the pantry when Sabra was in the
kitchen; busy in the kitchen when
Sabra was in the dining room; in and
out like dark. swift shadow.
'Arital Here. Come. Lie down.
I'll send for your father--your moth
err" Her father was Big Knee, well
known and something of a power in
the Usage tribe. OF the tribal officers
he was one Of the eight members, of
the council and as such was part Of
the tribes governing body.
Dreadful as the look on Arita's face
had been, it was now contorted almost
beyond recognition. "No! Mol" She
broke into a storm of pleading In her,
own tongue. Her eyes were black
pools of agony. Sabra had never
thought that one Of pure Indian blood
would thus give way to any emotion
before a white person.
She put the girl to bed. She sent
Isaiah for Doctor Valiant, who luckily
was in town and sober. He went to
work quietly, efficiently, aided by
Sabra, making the best of such crude
and hasty necessities as came to hand.
The girl made no cutlery. Her eyes
were dull, dead black; her face was
rigid. Sabra, passing from the
kitchen to the girls bedroom with hot
water, cloths, blankets, saw Isaiah
crouched in a corner by the wood box.
He looked up at her mutely. His face
was curious ash gray. AS Sabra
looked at him she knew.
The child was boy. His hair was
coarse and kinky. His nose was wide.
His lips were thick. He was a negro
child. Doctor Valiant looked at him
as Sabra held the writhing red-purple
bundle in her arms.
'This is bad business"
''I'll send for her parents. I'll speak
to Isaiah. They can marry"
Marry! Don't you know?"
Something In his voice startled her.
"What"
'The Osages don't marry negroes.
It's forbidden"
"Why, lots of them have. You see
negroes who are Indians every day.
On the street"
mot Osages. Seminoles, yes. And
Greeks, and Choctaws, and even
Chickasaws. But the Osages, except
for intermarriage with whites, have
kept the tribe pure"
This information seemed to Sabra
to be unimportant 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 foreseen danger and
avoided it. Isaiah had been faith
full black child in her mind, whereas
he was, in reality, man grown.
Doctor Valiant had finished his
work. The girl lay on the bed, her
dull black eyes fixed on them; silent.
watchful, hopeless. Isaiah crouched in
the kitchen. The child lay now in
Sabra's arms. Donna and Gin were,
fortunately, asleep, for it was now
long past midnight. The tense excite
ment past the whole affair seemed to
Sabra sordid, dreadful. What would
the town say? What would the MEM
bers 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 morsel In her arms. "We must
let his father see him."
Sabra shrank. "Oh, no"
He took the baby from her and
turned toward the kitchen. I'll do
1t. Let me have drink Of whisky,
will you, Sabra? I'm dead tired
She went past him into the dining
room, without glance at the negro
boy covering in the kitchen. Doc
tor Valiant followed her. AS she
poured a drink Of Yancey's store Of
whisky, almost untouched since he had
left, she heard valliant's voice, very
gentle, and then the sound of Isaiah's
numbering. All the primness In her
was outraged. Her firm mouth took
on a still straighter line. Valiant
took the child back to the Indian girls
bed and placed 1t by her side. He
stumbled with WEAKNESS as he ems
tered the dining room where Sabra
stood at the table. AS he reached for
the drink Sabra saw that his hand
shook 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, doctor.
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 notion
to send him back to Kansas, as I