Show c c The a n i L-J-J L N 2 i j B Bo o HI LI D H 8 An eln Indian Rese Reservation Tale by ROBERT AMES BENNET BENNe T O B CHAPTER Continued i J d' 12 12 I I Be so kind as to explain I understand understand under under- stand that you were ordered to Alas Alas- Alas I I ka Aa Were you not told of or my return as asfar asfar i far r as the butte butter I I Then your orders to leave were I countermanded Marie evaded evaded the question j pis His eyes darkened and his Ills face Paco contracted coned contracted con con- tract ed as If from a twinge of pain But ut he replied with quiet steadiness May I That Is of no consequence ask 1 If you consider my good Yes Fes The answer was given without without without with with- out an Instants Instant's hesitation You Ton cannot He lIe smiled gravely t t think I came back to win the mine for myself self You have my word that hat I will assign It to you as soon as i 1 ve the legal right To Tome me But why The dilating eyes of the girl showed her utter surprise and astonishment Why There that last night at the agency you showed that you despised me Never Ne that he disclaimed I was bitter ter bl bitter harsh But the suddenness of ot the discovery that you ou and he he- Let Letus Letus Letus us not talk of that It is past I would not have ha come back to trouble you only only U Again he stopped I had to come back and do this thing It was bras as necessary that you should become become become be be- come owner of the mine sole mine sole owner It is to be yours not his Promise me f that you you will never give gh-e him any share In It ft That Is all I ask I UI 1 will not promise unless you tell teJI me your reason for asking It and unless ss you tell me your our reason for doing what you have done Hardy Hardy whitened Very well then It is simply this If It you own the mine he will wish to marry yo you If I I- I But he already wishes to to- to The girl hesitated and fell silent her black eyebrows bent In thought P I do not seek to persuade you to the contrary s said ld Hardy All I ask is that you give me your our promise to allow him no share in the mine Marie looked down After a silence she answered in fn a low tone I uI prom prom- ise That is all he said I 1 must now be going Wait she urged You have not not- I r. r I I t 4 f fD ft D d Ml- Ml Pt You Shall Not Noun Noti told me me why whY whY-Why why you have done this hl Is it necessary he replied Please do not fancy it is because I am at atall nil all unselfish You have promised yourself yourself your your- self to him Knowing that I no longer had even a fighting chance I have merel merely sought to make sure that he he- he that you should have at least a fair tall opportunity ope opportunity op op- e to be he happy That Is all He lie lingered a moment for a last look at her beautiful face upon which had fallen the Inscrutable stolidity of the Indian in her nature No o other e ex expression expression ex- ex P could have so completely confirmed confirmed confirmed con con- firmed him in his belief that he had lost his fighting chance to win her lie Ile faced about to return up the mountain the way he had come Marie stood as he left her silent t and mid immobile following his brisk k ascent up the path to the mine shaft w with tulip th a wide-eyed wide gaze that perceived perceive d the objective image yet at the same sam e th time e seemed to be looking Inward A purpling that shaded the blue black ness of ot her eyes to violet-black violet alone alon e betrayed rayed the Intensity of her emotion The receding figure had pass posse passed ell d nl along ng the spur to the foot of the stet steep p as ascent ascent up the mountain before th the II girl became aware that was wa s close dose beside her lIe He started to pass pas s behind to wh where re Hardy had dropped d the rifle rUle and revolver In a 3 flash o of Y Ewitt movement she sprang ahead o ot f him and set her foot toot upon the rUle nfl S barrel You shall not notHer Her lier voice was low and seemingly seeming y tranquil her face as stolid as before e but the look In n her eyes made hi him m hesitate He lie glanced about at ut Dupont The h hb trader had turned turnell his back o on n Hardy and was staring fixedly ant Int Into o the valley yaney at a party of Indians th that tha nt had hid come come down the far side and were e pitching their camp In the meadow It I I I I was evident that he did not propose to be a witness to anything Vander- Vander might doMon do Mon Ion pere quietly called Marie lIe He shot n a startled glance at her hesitated and came over to them ns eyes were upturned to the figure on the mountainside in a n alook look of hate that was not pleasant to see Dupont followed the menacing stare sture and then glanced away as if caught In the guilty act Fast as asHar Har Hardy y was scaling the ascent he lIe was still within easy rifle shot and would continue to be for several minutes yn Vander-yn moistened his dry lips and muttered hoarsely Take her Into the cabin She wont She wont won't let me me do do it It Dupont and spoke In a husky voice Come into the cabin Marie lane MarICoNo No she replied But listen girl he urged Noone No UNo None one ne wont won't never know and we the wont won't be looking We Ve can lay it on the same suck Duck Indian what has tried to gut git him twIce wice aready arendy Theres There's a lot of ot em emust just come into the valle valley valley- Dont Don't t look at t me that way The dirty sneak has took ook our mine away from us us-he us he donet doneit done It t by a n trick cutting cross afoot Mr fir Van Yan cant can't afford to marry you If me and nd him dont don't Bit git the mine What If I should get It asked I Ithe the he girl with no shade of change in her er inscrutable calm vain whirled upon her his face ace convulsed with Jealous fury So uSo that's hats it I 1 Youve You've sold yourself to him You You You- He stopped silenced by byer her er look After a pause she quietly remarked He gives me the mine He Is going way sway I do not know where Instead of f you I am to be the owner of the I mine Do you ou wish to marry me CHAPTER A Wedding Postponed face darkened with sus- sus p idon If youre you're not playing me then he heas heas h has as lied to you In Order to get away from rora us Maries Marie's lips curved In n a half He gave me his its word of honor Do you ou doubt it The young oung mans man's Jaw dropped slack He could not even en pretend to d doubt doubter her er statement or Hardys Hardy's word He looked down his brows knotted and andyes eyes yes contracted with Intense thought Dupont took the news in fn a far dIfferent dIf dIf- different ferent erent manner By Gar he exulted Hes uIe's going to o give glue you the mine Youre You're dead sure ure of It By Gar Oar I I call that mighty square of Cap Its It's white I And me a thInkIng a he done it all to gt It back at us It sure Is white of ot Cap lap Why its it's nearly the same like he e had give it to me He uHe named only one condition remarked remarked remarked re re- marked Marie started and looked up at h her er She met him with a n level glance that hat told nothing of what she was t thInking One condition she repeated It uIt was my promise not to give you any share hare In the mine Me Ie queried Dupont No uNo I see threatened lie He thInks to force you OU from having anything anything any any- thing to do with me me On the contrary he seemed to think It t would would not not prevent our marr marrying ln stared In bewilderment Hardy's Hardys s action seemed Incredible Th Then n he thought he perceived the explanation explanation explanation ex ex- and rallied from front his per pel Ills His frown gave place to a u cynical smile ho O my lady l I I see You worked worle hIm ilm with the soft pedal the pedal the saphead The easy mark Hes He's just the kind of duffer to fall for the wall wail of n a pretty gIrl Irl with a tear In her e eye e and a quaver quaver quaver qua qua- ver In her throat Good for you ou sweetheart sweetheart sweetheart sweet sweet- heart You beat him at his own game lie He trl tried d a n bluff thinking you'd be silly enough to throw me over for him hunt You called him and he lw had to make good The fool fool to to think you'd be soft enough to turn from me to him Just because he made a play to the galleries with his offer I Oh what m nn mark I Is that exactly the right term calmly vainly inquired the girl None better I exulted He uHe made you ou promise not to give mea me ne nea a share In the tiro mine Mining property is real estate An agreement In regard to reel real estate Is not binding unless urless In writing Maries Marie's tranquil face took toole on an nn expressIon expression ex ex- ex- ex expression of artless concern Oh really Then his promise to give me metho the tho mine Is s not binding Dont worry reassured He uHe will keep his its word You are sure of the mine But of course if f I take ba bask back k my promise it will be no more than fair fall to give him the chance to take back his she site Innocently remarked Not at all sweetheart he replied You can do as you ou please A woman's womans womans woman's wom worn ans an's promises are not considered bind bind- ing Ing-In Ing In business matters Legally Inmost in inmost most of at the states she is rated as aJ a n minor en aint minors no longer In n our om state interjected Dupont Thank you ou for reminding me Pere Perc said his daughter She looked at with naive seriousness So you ou see I must keep my promise Oh Ob I say now dont don't be a n- n n He lIe detected something behind her look of childlike e artlessness and hastened hasten d to concede the point But nut of course if It you feel teel that way about It You will not have to break your promise after after atter- The law will then make your our property mine So that is settled sweetheart Now comes the main question When shall shull we be bo married The girl quivered at the word He lie stepped close close and looked into h her her r re e eyes es his own glowing golden with nr- nr dor dol She dropped her gaze and drew back bacI from him as if confused by the suddenness of his proposal I must I must think she murmured Would it not be best to to watt wait until he has given me the mine mind Not when when you have his hIs hIs- word that he will do it t. t An Anyway Anway way theres there's no harm in naming the day Come make maket it t an early one IThe I IThe The girls girl's rich color deepened with witha a blush Not now I she replied struggling to recover her composure uy You o must v wait walt Perhaps tomorrow tomorrow but but now I 1 She glanced around as If looking for n a way of escape There was no promise of succor In her fathers father's complacent complacent complacent com com- grin Her gaze darted down into the valley It rested upon the encamping encamping en en- c camping Indians Look she murmured mur mur- That Is Thunderbolts Thunderbolt's tepee I am ate going down to see him He should be told that ho he may be prosecuted If It Ithe he hunts here now It Is no longer tribal land Theres no need sweetheart said I will see to It that noone no noone noone one interferes with the chief chIet and his b band r T shall go down and tell him she Insisted No do not come with me He frowned at nt her willfulness shrugged and turned to Dupont Come Into the cabin Jake and g give ive me a drop of ot something he urged Im dry dryas as a bone That ride wasn't any Joke I IMarIe Marie was already hastening down the mountain slope Into the valley When she came to the camp she was received with pleasant greetings The keen eyes of ot the Indians had long ago perceived and recognized the white people on the terrace The venerable figure of ot Tl owa konza lonza appeared In n the entrance of ot the biggest tepee He lIe disappeared A moment later three women came out of ot the tepee noel and one of them told the girl that the chief wished her togo to togo togo go In a. a She stooped and passed through the low opening The chief was seated at the far side of the tepee near an outstretched blanketed blanketed blanketed blan blan- form There was no one else present He beckoned Marie blade to come across to him him- himAs As she approached she he saw sate that the hair hall of the still figure before him was braided after the fashion fashIon fashIon fash fash- Ion of the maidens of the tribe She bent over and noel looked Into n face that was so thin and pale that at first she d id not recognize it it The large sunken eyes opened and looked up at her witha with a n startled gaze Oinna she exclaimed and she knelt down beside the girl You are n t 11 No No NoGo Go way please begged the wretched girl A slow lush flush reddened her wan face ace She sou sought ht to turn from the visitor I want to be alone I am shamed Go wu way please Marie looked up at at Tl owa Ti He ne saw the pity in her e eyes es and spoke softly in Lakotah Rose who art white yet et red Inthe in inthe inthe the flower of the golden folden lily a worm I Is gnawing The gold golden n Illy lip withers Pluck out the worm else elne she willade will f fade ade and go from me He ne stood up and wrapped his blanket blanket blanket blan blan- ket about him and ami went out An hour passed Through the canvas canvas canvas can can- vas wall of the tent those outside heard a low murmuring and at times limes the sound of sobbing At last lust Marie raised the edge of the tepee and amI spoke to a group of ot women One of them hastened to fetch from the fire a bowl of at hot broth Sh She went Into the tepee and at once came out again without the bowl There followed another long wait walt But no more crying could be heard and gra lually the sound of the low voices within the tepee died away to silence Ti owa Tl-owa-konza owa konza came cume back to the entrance listened awhile and noiselessly slipped inside OInna lay with her head on Maries Marie's breast Her ITer e eyes es were closed She had fallen Into the peaceful healing slumber of ot childhood A smile hovered hovered hov boy ered creel on her parted half lips The bowl beside her was empty Ver Very gently Marie laid the sleeping girls girl's head upon a blanket roll androse and androse rose lOSO to come across to the silent grand grand- and and- father They talked for several minutes minutes min min- utes in Lakotah When she stepped past kin him and left the tepee his face fuco was still set In the stoical calm caIrn of the tho Indian warrior of his generation but his proud old eyes were glistening with gratitude and stern stem Joy The sun had hud set and the twilight was already fading By the time Ma Ma- I rie's ries slow step brought her up to the terrace the volley valley a and d mountain slope wt re e dusky with the tho shadow of approaching approaching ap nightfall Within the cabin Dupont had hud lit one of the mine candles The candlestick was an empty whisky bottle Another bottle not yet et empty I stood on the rough deal table between the two men II Hello ell 0 girlie l I sang n as Marie paused In the open doorway lie sprang up to come around the table to her hr Ive Iye been languishing for you all afternoon Youl Would've vc chased down the hill only ml your yonI dad said you'd oud get geton geton geton on your rou car ear If I did Yes quietly replied the girl She had raised her hand to shield her face from the candle as us if the light dazzled her As she sIle spoke she stepped Inand Inand in inand and along the side of the table opposite opposite opposite site him apparently not seeing him Yes I would not have cared to see seen n 1 u. u I was nursing one of or the girls down In the camp stopped short It lilt wasn't an anything infectious I hope No uNo I shall not suffer from the same sam same trouble But I am very tired I II 4 r I Want to Be Alone I Am Shamed see sec you and Pere have eaten You might finish the bottle outside How about a kiss to sweeten the toddy he suggested She burst Into a tantalizing little laugh |