Show t 1 t THE t The Story of an Army Officer on an Indi Indian n Rese Reservation g By ROBERT AMES BENNET z It was told In the first Installment of this story how Capt Floyd back In the States from the Philippines where he ha Hardy U. U S. S A. A just had put down a savage uprising of Moros arrives at Lakotah Indian reservation In the Northwest He finds a party of angry Indians firing on three white persons who have sought shelter In the canyon The whites are old Jake Dupont a trader his beautiful daughter Marie and anda mannered ill toward a young Easterner named They are Captain Hardy but he risks his life and routs the Indians He becomes friendly with the whites and learns that nephew of a United States senator had expected to get the agency appointment following the killing of the regular agent by an Indian Also he discovers discovers dis dis- covers that Marie is a great granddaughter of Chief Sitting Bull and that she has been educated In a French-Canadian French convent This installment installment install install- ti contains revelations of conditions on the reservation ment some J H 4 4 A.- A. s CHAPTER III w. w J l J l 2 2 I Confidences The rescuers from the a agency agency envy had hadE hadt t E reined In their sweating ponies to a alope alope lope tope when they first caught sight of the Party i patty on the butte side of the coulee They straggled down the gulley gullet at a 7 walk eight short-haired short Indian polIcemen policemen polIce polIce- men In blue uniform and a tall loose- loose J lipped Upped young halfbreed In ordinary frontier Clothes lothes As they stopped in inthe inthe the stream to water their ponies each furtively studied the rider who was approaching approaching ap ap- on the big rangy mare marc Youre too late Charlie called Captain Hardy climbed the the butte and the whole bunch hit bit out Soldiers queried the halfbreed No hes he's alone our alone our ur new agent explained explained ex ex- as his pony brou brought ht f him alongside Hardy at the edge of the stream stream Captain this Is Charlie Red fled i bear our Issue clerk and Interpreter Interpreter repeated Hardy Red ned bear do any of the police understand English No Nor sir only a few words mumbled 2 the halfbreed eed Tell TeU them I am a captain of the borse horse soldiers the soldiers the I have been cen sent here to be the agent Lakotah Lakotah La- La Interpreted In musical kotab accompanying his words with tr e f swift signs The swarthy policemen 1 grunted approvingly and their leader 4 4 z i- i rolled out a sonorous reply The halfbreed halfbreed halfbreed half half- breed breed interpreted mechanically He Hei i i says your eye Is straight He says 1 t i they ore are ready to trail and fight the In- In whose hearts are bad V They are not to pursue the party r ordered order d Hardy I shall call a coun coup coupell council counell ell cil of the chiefs and ascertain the cause of the tribal unrest Tell them hesitated and looked f at nt The chief clerk f spoke to him In sharp reproof Do as ns youre you're told Charlie Captain Hardy Is now In command of the reservation 1 r The halfbreed stared In astonishment astonish astonish- meat ment but hastened to Interpret At 1 once the faces of the policemen became her he- he r came stolid They cast covert glances at nt at Without seeming to noLice no- no 0 Lice their sudden change of manner 0 Hardy selected four to act as ns escort to the Indian trader and his daughter The rest of the party followed him back up the gulley From the first the mare walked outi out i In the lead She would soon have left j step quickstep quickstepping quickstepping behind even pl ping g pinto had bad not her rider happened i to glance about and aud catch the troubled i 6 expression on the younger mans man's face I Hardy waited for him to come alongside along along- side ide and gravely remarked I 1 wish iff to to express my regret Mr r pr that my detail here bere has deprived ed you 6 Of ot your expected promotion small mouth curved n T Ith a cynical smile but softened to a ac amore c more agreeable expression as he met r the others other's gaze You admit it iti he muttered ving accepted the detail I cannot J. now w ask to be relieved said Hardy But Dut the extra pay was not one of the thet a inducements Permit me to suggest t- t made to divert dl- dl that arrangements can cnn be vert to your salary the thO e amount In n excess excess ex ex- cess of my regular compensation as an nn officer 4 The offer was as unexpected as ns It w cris s generous flushed bit it Y Up lip and replied half Inaudibly I You needn't think Just because because- No that's t that's not quite quite- quite quite- You may mean well but that's no excuse excuse- My l fault sir Pardon me apologized apolo apolo- i Hardy i t 7 looked ahead at the 1 mountains considered and turned to his companion with what seemed a cordial smile I am not used to beIng be- be being captain but as as' you did didi i. Ing patronized i not of mean It tl that t way wayA way way- m i A Not at all nodded You now Understand un un- that Im I'm not one of ot the comi com- com i n run of Indian service employees t f slated for tor to our emot em- em 9 tal 1 avas Saint Jamesl James James- at ot the time Court of gassy ted the coming event with some br l fri ds ds and wound up by heaving a flea icK k through a window of the White I Uncle shipped me out here until un un- II uSi T storm should blow over til the have recalled the lardy may 7 la In which he had shared at West Vest Point only Iy comment was You were iris Ills rus oa fortunate to get any appointment t r- r Oh I dont don't know carelessly replied r I didn't wake the president r. r dent and I bad had s some me of my wad left leCt r sect tot me home In a taxi The watchman t But pt tha tn infernal grafter gi after must have C pt I got this instead of Lon Lon- don Best thing for you You think so soi said his wide-open wide eyelids drooping Ive been six months In this God-forsaken God Jump Jump- off Ing place I wouldn't have hav stayed I six days if it hadn't been for Marie I Miss Dupont seems to be a very spirited young woman dryly commented commented commented com com- Hardy Walt till you see her put on dog She was three or four years at a convent convent con con- vent In Ottawa They must have farmed her out as a parlor maid In some select British family She can give a perfect Imitation of a real lady when when she chooses choose Yes said Hardy take It for the sure sure-nult article article article ar ar- went on And that's not all She can cook like an angel Says she took a course in domestic science But it must be hereditary Ill I'll give odds one of her paternal ancestors ancestors ances ances- tors was a French chef French that's the word The way she has with men 1 I Even this halfbreed thinks he Is In the running was mad over her He even would have married her But he was not a n man of family or culture Fancy Jake Dupont J. J a J y i r r ra raG G Im Not Used to Being Patronized Captain I for or a law father I Only thing his squaw died five or six years ago That was vas when he sent the girl to Ottawa Hardy looked at the mountains and changed hanged the subject May I ask you to o give the particulars of the killing of Mx Mr 11 ns eyelids drooped low and opened again In a wide guileless stare Th Theres eres ere's little to tell Nog n and I and were riding Into the moun- moun We met the murderer He TIe and quarreled He shot killed him Then and I fired and one of us got him him we we dont don't know which of us It was That's all You'll find It in the coroners coroner's report I 1 kept a copy In the office at the agency Strange that an Indian should atack attack attack at- at tack ack a white man that way observed Hardy Was the cause ascertained twisted the tip Up of his blond lond mustache Well It may be all talk but I gather that the trouble over this ore thought it ita Ita a good thing to encourage The chiefs felt ugly because the goods were not I paid to them Instead of to the laborers the the bucks and squaws who dug the theore theore theore I ore you know The chiefs stirred up upa a lot of bad blood No doubt they Instigated Instigated instigated In In- the murder They want to boss the tribe their own way Let us trust that we shall have them In hand before fall Fall Falli echoed You expect expect ex ex- to stay all summer That shuts I me out of my promotion I You lou may receive the tIle appointment of Perhaps I dont don't want It Just now You forget torget Marie The Tho gravity of ot the officers officer's face hardened hardened hardened hard hard- ened to sternness Mr Kindly bear in Ia mind that as 1 agent of ot this reservation I am In charge of the moral as well as ago the material welfare of ot every member of the tribe quivered like a thoroughbred thorough thorough- bred flecked with the lash His voice shook with passion Damn your Impudence I Ill I'll have you ou understand youre you're not talking to toone toone toone one of your our rough-neck rough recruits My ancestors were gentlemen before yours were ever heard of ot I regret that you do not seem to toI I w have Inherited their gentlemanly manners manners manners man man- ners came back the cool rejoinder reddened face went crimson The veins of his forehead hegan began he- he gan gun to swell But with a n strong effort he repressed his anger and forced a smile You went me one better Hardy I throw down The officer responded with Instant sympathy I see no reason why we should not become friends and work together forthe forthe for forthe the good of the tribe Its a go agreed and aud as ns asIf asif i If cleared of all ill temper by his outI outburst outburst out out- burs burst he began a lively conversation I on official society In the national capi capi- tal The party topped the rise between the river and Sioux creek and rode down the winding road that skirted Its willow fringed bank to the crossing of the stream As they rounded the spur ridge on the far side rode up upon upon upon on Hardys Hardy's right and pointed to a small cabin among the quaking asps In the wide mile curve of the stream to the left See my house sir he said Looks well built remarked Hardy his at his eyes Quite new I see You have still sUll to put dirton dirt dirton on this corner of the roof And to put a squaw inside added The halfbreed's Jaw muscles twitched but he did Jd not look away from Hardy I got a letter from my sister OInna She says she cant can't stay at school She says she will twill die If they make her stay at nt school I want her herto herto herto to come and cook for me till Ull I get mar mar- ried red How old Is she shei More than seventeen She Is sick to come She says she will die Very w well ell But you must take good care of If her until she Is married Yes sir Ive I've got a lot of money replied the halfbreed ed with the proneness proneness proneness prone- prone ness of a weak nature to boast Ive got almost almost- almost It Almost tI-Almost Almost enough to buy you two squaws cut In started to speak caught the Ule theother's theother's others other's e eye e and reined In his pony Hardy did not notice this They had rounded the toe of the spur spur ridge and andle he le was gazing up the green valley that lay ay outstretched in a circle of hills larger arger and far more picturesque than the Catskills Cat llIs Sioux creek swirled out of a canyon at the far end to meander down a winding channel fringed with bushes and aspens and other small trees On a natural terrace or bench two miles mlles up the glasses showed the log bull buildings dings at the agency Midway down downto to cabin but across the creek was a large post and corral Van Van- had resumed with zest his talk about the social gaieties of which he had been deprived for half a Ii year Hardy said little but his eye was busy taking in the natural features of the beautiful valley When they came to the slope of the bench or terrace noticed the intent look of his companion and inquired Well what do you think of it Talk about Siberian exile 1 I That ThatIs Is the Dupont place over here Hardy glanced at the large largo double cabin a hundred yards off to the right of the road The broad front porch gave It a homelike appearance The two cabins before him bim were very small Beyond them stood the big agency warehouse Its overhanging upper story showed that It had been built for use as ns a blockhouse but the many windows had rendered it less defensIble defensIble defens defens' Ible able than one me of the cabins The only persons In sight were the two Indian police pollee who had been left In charge by I Well Welli repeated Not an easy place to d defend fend said suld Hardy Where Is the office and nd the guardhouse The Tire office is In the near front corner corner cor cor- corner ner of the warehouse The police police- quarters quarters quarters arc are In the other end You see the white tepees over there across the creek Most of the relations of the police camp camp ne near r the agency This first cabin is yours yours I 1 should say The second is mine Your quarters May l I ask I-ask ask you for fora a bite of lunch as soon as I 1 have rubbed down my mare I board with the Duponts but I can scare up a cold Lold lunch said n. n As they dismounted came up and successfully curried favor w with Ith the new agent by of offering CerIng to curry his mare inure He led her away to the low brush stable beyond tl the warehouse After lunch though still weary from his long ride Hardy put in the rest of the day Inspecting the agency property and examining the accounts of the two clerks clerk With the exception of two or three small items on oti books everything checked accurately brought bacon coffee cortee crackers and ana canned food and the new agent cooked supper with the time skill of nn an old campaigner After they had eaten the chief clerk produced cigars In anticipation of a n social evening But Dut Hardy was so drowsy that he lie asked to tobe tobe be excused The moment he was alono alone he laid his rifle rUle and automatic pistol In the bunk blew out the candle and tumbled In fn on his blankets without troubling to close either the door or orthe orthe orthe the one small window r The next morning Hardy and Van Van- were seated In the agency office office office of of- fice when came In and started to shuffle around to his desk on the theother theother theother other side of the office partition Walt I said Hardy I wish the chiefs and headmen of the tile tribe summoned summoned sum sum- t to meet me In council as soon as us possible It Is a days day's ride to the camps farthest back in the mountains remarked remarked remarked re re- re- re marked Hardy considered and looked up at R boo Does not this tribe use smoke sign signals signals sig sig- n nals sr Not for a long time not since I was wasa a boy sir I never learned how how to do doIt 1 it It t. t That old sergeant of police will know predicted Hardy Come Gomel I lingered behind the others others others oth oth- ers and followed them only to the rear corner of the warehouse When he had seen them ride off orr across Sioux creek towards the highest of the mountains mountains mountains moun moun- that encircled the valley he went back Into the office once opened the safe and carefully sorted over its con con- tents All letters addressed to the late agent and to himself he took out and locked In his desk Meantime l Hardy and with the police sergeant passed through the camp of the families of the police where they added two old bucks to their party A pony trail trall led up through the pines on the mountainside to the bare granite crag of the summit Mid- Mid afternoon found Bound the Indians standing around a greenwood fire alternately covering It with a blanket and permitting permitting permitting permit permit- ting puffs of the dense smoke to rise In the still sUll air In less than half halt an nn hour bour Hardys Hardy's glasses showed him |