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. r The An Indian Reservation Tale by ROBERT The three preceding installments described the rescue of a quarterbreed girl and two men from an Indian attack at the edge of Lakotah Indian reservation by Capt. Floyd Hardy, U. S. A., the new Indian agent. The rescued ones are Reginald Vandervyn nephew of United States Senator Clemmer and agency clerk, Jacques Dupont, post trader, and his daughter, Marie. Vandervyn tells Hardy of disaffection among the Indians, of the murder of Nogen, the last agent, and of his having been promised the agency. Hardy calls a council of head tribesmen. Redbear, the halfbreed interpreter, brings his pretty sister, Oinna, to the valley. The new agent learns that the Indians have been cheated and has reason to suspect Dupont and Vandervyn of crookedness. He plans to square matters with the tribesmen. How Captain Hardy is thwarted In his purpose, how his life is endangered, how Vandervyn shows his true character, is told in very absorbing style in this installment. CHAPTER VI Continued. Unseen by his superior, Vandervyn nodded encouragingly to Redbear and smiled at the Indians. Hardy had not turned his steady gaze from Ti-owa-konza. "The chief is not angry," he said. "We shall soon be friends. Tell him that I come in peace, with a good heart toward all the tribe. I do not blame the killing of Mr. Nogen on the tribe. If white men have done any wrong to the tribe, I shall stop the wrongdoing. If there are any members of the tribe who are doing wrong, the chiefs should help me make all do right." This time Redbear did not hesitate. He faced the assembly and rolled out a flood of Lakotah with desperate ra pidity. Almost immediately Ti-owa-konza rose to reply, his face ablaze with indignation, his voice impassioned. When he had spoken, he remained standing. "He says he Is angry," began Red bear. "No," brusquely contradicted Hardy. "Look at his face. The others are an gered. He is not. There is some mis understanding. Be careful that you interpret correctly." "He says he is angry," insisted Red bear, his sidelong glance looking past Hardy to Vandervyn, who was nodding reassuringly. "He says he is trying to keep it inside, but the others can't hold it inside. He says you have got to go away or there will be fighting." Hardy straightened on his chair, and his look became severe. He spoke sharply: "Tell the chief it is useless to ask me to go away. I do not wish to send for the Longknives. But they will come and fight the tribe Is any uprising." Redbear s interpretation was, lowed by a hush more threatening gestures or outcries. Vandervi tily beckoned to the policemen tame along under the overharf i'rtVTir- until tViftir Kf I' white men. Hardy heard scuffle of their moccasine dust. He looked around a "How is this?" he d( particularly wished no fj of Torce," said Hardy. S "Well, since the pg' hadn't you better let will be close enough wl come to a scrap, and th.4 to see thp fun " Hardy turned aroi daring giil. She stod midway between the and her father's cabin. "Take her back to th dered. "But would it be wise for me to leave you and Charlie just now? The police may not stay loyal if" "Go !" The command was peremptory. Van dervyn started off, yet contrived to cx- Ti-owa-Konza Rose to Reply, His Face Ablaze With Indignation. change glances with Redbear. Hardy studied the semicircle of waiting In dians with a resolute gaze, and, as before, fixed his attention upon Ti-owa-konza. "We must learn what is the cause of this 111 feeling," he remarked to the halfbreed. "Ask them why they are opposed to their young men trading ore for Dupont's goods." Redbear spoke slowly to the Indians, his manner not unlike that of a man who approaches a barrel of gunpowder y explosion, but the old head chief fl.n with unmistakable anger. He r with a fiery declamation thnK' if thfl I i r rmmJlie or f- rterbree as he interpreted: "He he says there shall be no more barter of ore. He says all over again that this is the land of his tribe, and white men have no right here, and he hates all Long knives." "Tell him that he is mistaken. The soldiers have always been the best friends of the Indians. I find that, after next spring, no more food and goods are to be Issued to the tribe. Sooner or later, white men will come and take the ore if the Indians do not dig It themselves. Another thing, I believe the tribe should agree to the dividing up of their land, so that each head of a family can have his own farm and work it after the manner of the white men. Other tribes have done this, and they are no longer poor." Redbear hesitated, stepped more aside from Hardy, and began to pour out a torrent of Lakotah. He had spo ken only a few sentences when a wave of agitation passed over the semicircle of Indians. Blankets slipped down from copper-red shoulders; fierce eyes glared menacingly at Hardy. Several of the more excitable bucks leaped up with bow and rifle In hand. Hardy thrust out from among the police and raised his hands to Ti-owa-konza In the peace sign. The head chief called to his fellows and turned his back upon the agent with deliber ate contempt. All the others faced about and followed him to the waiting ponies. The band mounted and rode off up the valley in morose silence. CHAPTER VII. The Comm- n Law. There was still more than a trace of red in Hardy's sallow cheeks when Ma rie, Vandervyn and Dupont came in Ton him at the office. Dupont held t a congratulatory hand. y gar, Cap," he said, "you sure a mighty close squeak of It that Guess old Tl got all-fired hot. e's Charlie?" Ylbear? I sent him to reassure r and the families of the po- was very thoughtful of you, said Marie. would be far more consider- u would leave the reserva- aaeu v anaervyn. l&irse, you'll fancy I am thlnk- promotion. But it's not Ask Jake." It from the p leece," said Du- k'he whole bunch was crazy pou; they'd done it, too, only Vings out to 'em that Mr. Van , to be agent, and you'd go that?" tain, don't be angry at Char eded Marie. "He had to do fight." I could not have been Yet everything I said er them." Jiey're a ornery bunch," "It was for because fficer. The chiefs hate pizen. Most of the the ghost-dance craze, the soldiers." down and be willing to li i," argueu naruy. "C hey'll go back and sit ai over, up th stew till hell boils jaappens, they'll stir s. Nom d'un chien! just v itting enough ahead in my take care of my arie a chance to be to lose everything old ag a lady :ind he Ip to boot !" "Y.-u leave here with her whenever "No, I ran't leave my store all my i "There no danger if It said Marie, her were not f eyes flashiif H inaignauon. n only you hat ime here ! If there is an outbi will be all your fault !" "Mine?" "Oh, I k imean wen. iut lr tljey ve t; violent dislike to you come? You you Why saw how the thought you r. van. iiaa tney insist on staying, nothing could attacking you. have kept them from But the promise that Mr. Van is to be their agent, that paci fied them. Had you never come here, all this would not have happened. The chief je come to talk with Mr, ld have gone back r X V;id in his chair to face of Van- 1 1 I r 1 I it & I 1 A" 1 1 I d CIX AMES BENNET M vyn, twisting the tip of his blond mus tache. "It is for you to decide to leave for the good of the tribe, or to stay and take the chance of an up rising." "The way you put it " cons' ilered Hardy. "Perhaps it might be better for all concerned if I should leave." "You bet it would, Cap," eagerly broke in Dupont. " 'Tain't no joke. Them ornery cusses '11 git you like they done with' Nogen, just as sure as shooting." Vandervyn shot a furious glance at the blunderer. Marie was looking at Hardy. But she did not need to see the tightening of his lips to realize what her father had done. "Oh, Pore!" she reproached. "Why did you say it? You should have known Captain Hardy could not leave after that." "Quite right, Miss Dupont," said Hardy. "You mean, you won't leave?" asked Dupont. "How can he?" Vandervyn smoothly cut In. "You've put it up to him that it would be deserting his post under fire. He's an army officer he wouldn't leave now7 even if he knew his staying here meant certain massacre for us all, followed by certain massacre of the tribe by the troops." "I will remain until I have made at least one more effort to pacify the tribe," replied Hardy. "You are at liberty to resign whenever you please. Mr. Dupcnt has ample time to remove his goods and his daughter from the reservation." "Not me," declared Marie; "I don't cave what Pere and Reggie say; I know there is not one of the tribe who would harm nie, even in an outbreak." "Well, mebbe not," admitted her fa ther. "I gather that I am the only person who seems to be endangered," re marked Hardy. "This being so, I will wait a few days for the excitement to subside, and will then call another council." "They won't come ag'in to meet you," predicted Dupont. "Then I shall go to them." "Into the mountains, captain?" ex claimed Marie, her splendid eyes wid ening with concern. "Surely you will not venture among the camps." "The tribe must learn that I mean friendship." Dupont paused to scratch the side of his head. But Vandervyn spoke without an instant's hesitancy: "You have no right to throw your life away uselessly, captain. Suppose Charlie and I make a trip to the camps, to see if we cannot quiet the tribe and talk the chiefs into giving you another hearing? If you have no objection, we could tell them that you cannot leave just now, but that you will do so as soon as you have tried to benefit them." "And that Mr. Van'll be next agent," added Dupont. "Will you tell them that I am here to help them and to be their friend?" queried Hardy. "Trust me to put it to them strong, captain," assured Vandervyn. "I know you'll play fair by resigning In my fa vor as soon as you have the tribe in hand." "After I have done what I can do to Improve conditions among them," qual ified Hardy. "I do so hope Mr. Van can persuade them to be friendly with you," said Marie. "I know ha and Charlie will be perfectly safe. But it will be hard to talk them out of their strange dis like to you. When will you start, Reg gie?" "Early tomorrow morning, if the cap tain has no objections." "The sooner the better," agreed Hardy. "I'll go and remove my council cos tume," said Vandervyn, smiling at his irreproachable frock coat. Marie and her father rose with him. Hardy bowed out the girl and returned to his desk. He was deep in the midst of a report on the tribe when, half an hour later, Vandervyn returned to the office in his riding togs. "Charlie may not come back this afternoon," he remarked. "I thought I might ride down and tell him about the trip. I could fetch your mare for you." "Very well. I shall be obliged," re plied Hardy, and he returned to his study of the report. Vandervyn rode down along the far side of the stream, keeping the thick V ets as much as possible between him-. self and the Dupont house. He di not rceross the creek until he was vj posite Itedhear's home. He fon-d t! gesture. There wu a short pause. Then the door opened a scant Inch. "Hello!" he said. "Where's your brother?" "He has has gone to tell the po lice families." "On the agent's mare," guessed Van dervyn. "Please he didn't mean any harm please don't tell on him." "That depends," replied Vandervyn. "Do you think I care to favor him when you act as If you hate me?" "Hate? No, no!" The door opened several inches and as suddenly closed to a narrow crack. But Vandervyn had caught a glimpse of the girl's blushing face. His voice dropped to a caressing tone: "You're not afraid of me, are you, Just because I wanted a kiss? Come out here and talk. I won't bite you." "You promise not to to kiss me?" "Not unless you wish me to." "But but I do!" came back the naive confession. Impulsively he started to swing off his pony. The cabin door shut with a bang. He straightened In the saddle, waited a long moment, frowned heav ily, and started to ride away. From the window came a plaintive cry: "Oh, please, please!" . He deliberately dismounted, flung the reins over his horse's head, and walked to the opened window. The eager, frightened face within blushed scarlet and shrank back, ne stopped short. '"See here," he admonished, "if you're going to be silly, I shall go away for 4f "It Will Be Hard to Talk Them Out of Their Strange Dislike for You." good. You've got the door barred, and you know I shall not try to crawl in at a hole like this." "I I won't be," she faltered. "That's better," he said, and he reached in to slip his arm around her trembling shoulders. Shrinking yet yielding, with, eyes timidly downcast and olive cheeks burning with blissful shame, the young girl allowed him to draw her closer. Her lips quivered, yet she raised them to meet his kiss. "There!" he rallied. "Was It so dreadful?" She did not answer; she could not. Her head drooped forward with the instinctive modesty of an innocent young girl, ne put the forefinger of his free hand under her chin and raised her head to take a second kiss. "One good turn deserves another, sweetheart," he said. "You should not not call me that," she whispered. "You are a gentleman white man; I am only a halfbreed I'm yellow as a Chinaman." "No golden. You are my golden girl. Your cheeks are wild roses and honey gold. Your eyes are like a fawn's; your lips sweet as honey Another kiss There, that's more like it. You're learning how. Now look at me." She raised her drooping lids with the sudden, desperate courage of one who is very shy, and gazed up at him, her tender eyes starlike with the soft glow of her love and adoration. "You you really like me?" she whispered. "No, I hate you like poor Lo hates firewater. Give him a taste, and he wants it all. I want you." "Charlie he said I must marry a white man. I am joyed in my heart You say you want me ! But I am only a halfbreed girl, and you "You're my honey-sweet girlie. Go and open the door." She looked up at him again full and direct, and his gaze sank before the trust in her clear eyes. "You want me to be your engaged girl !" she murmured. "When people are engaged', they are going to be mar ried. Charlie said I must marry a white man, a good white man. You are kind to me. It is wonderful. I have read that even army officers have married halfbreed girls. But you are grander than any officer, and you are very good to think of marrying me." Vandervyn forced a smile, and re plied to her adulation without meeting her enraptured gaze: "What else did you think I meant when I kissed you? Of course we shall be married. As we are here on the reservation, it will be according to tho custom of the tribe." "Married? Oh, my heart sings!" cried the girl. "I will be your wife yours! I can't believe it There comes Charlie. I must run and tell mm. Vandervyn hastily released her, and drew his arm out of the window as he lonke-1 around. "Wait !" he commanded. "He's com ing fust enoutrh. Leave the door gallop. He flung himself out of the saddle and advanced upon Vandervyn, his face dark with suspicion. "What you saying to my sister?" he demanded. The white man met his threatening look with a half-contemptuous, half amused smile. "I've been showing the girl what I think of her," he replied. Redbear cane to a sudden halt. The muscles of his face began to twitch. "Oh, Charlie!" reproached Oinna. "What makes you look at him that way? WThy don't you thank him?" She unbarred the door and stepped outside. "For what?" questioned her brother in a harsh, strained voice. "Because he Is going to be my man going to take me for his wife." "Marry you? Oinna you?" The halfbreed could not believe his ears. Through his daze shot a flash of angry suspicion. "But you you won't marry her!" Vandervyn smiled in his careless manner. "Oh, I guess yes." "You'll marry her? You'll take her to town and marry her like white people?" "I'll marry her as some white people marry. .I'll not take her to town. Oinna and I have agreed to be married according to tribal custom." Again Redbear's weak face dark ened with suspicion and anger. "1 won't have it. You're white, and Oinna is half white. White people don't marry Indian fashion." "You know a lot about it, Charlie. Haven't you ever heard of common-law marriages? Lots of white people get married that way." "What way?" "You must know about it. Instead of going to a lot of fuss and bother over ministers and licenses, many people just take each other for hus band and wife and go to housekeep ing." "Is is that a real white people's marriage?" asked Oinna. Vandervyn frowned. "You don't think I'm lying, do you? "Why, you often see in the newspapers about common-law wives getting their share of their dead husbands' estates, just the same as if they had gone through all the fuss of weddings. Ask Hardy if that does not often happen." "Well, if it's a real marriage" muttered Redbear. "Of course It Is, Charlie, if he says so !" cried Oinna rapturously. Her brother's face glowed with sud den unconcealed exultance. He stam mered almost incoherently: ."Then you Marie you don't marry don't marry Marie." "No," replied Vandervyn, and his voice rang clear. "I have no intention of marrying her." "Maybe Marle'll like me now, when I tell her you are going to be my brother," sighed Redbear. Vandervyn laid a brotherly hand on his shoulder. "Hold on, boy !" he said. "You let me manage things. You know that Marie thinks she likes me. But now Hardy Is here, and he wants her. If she hears that I have thrown her over, she will run off with him." "She don't like him." "What if she doesn't ! He's an army officer. He has money, and when he goes from here he will wear his uni form, all gilt and spangles. You know how the girls like that. No I tell you there's not the ghost of a show for you until he is out of the way. Our httle bluff didn't work. He says he is going to stay. So for a while you and Oinna must keep still about the mar riage. Tomorrow morning you and I are going Into the mountains to talk with the chiefs. Oinna will go with me. But It must be understood at the agency that you have sent her to Who could you send her to?" "Ti-owa-konza Is our mother's fa ther. Not even Mr. Dupont knows that," said Redbear. "Before he came here, she ran off with a bad white man. They went to the Blackfeet. After a time he got an arrow through his back. My mother came home. Ti-owa-konza would not see her face. She had to work for the agent till they made us go away to school. Then she died." "Old Thunderbolt your grandfather?" remarked Vandervyn, seizing upon that one fact in the squalid tragedy. "Does he know it?" "I told him so today. He said my face But maybe he will come to like me. lie said to bring Oinna for him to look at her." "That's great ! We'll tell it to every body. But remember, not a word about the marriage until after we get rid of Hardy and I am agent. Then things will go all right for all of us. .You savvy that, Charlie? While you rub down the mare I'll go in and say good by until tomorrow morning." CHAPTER VIII. Best-Laid Schemes. Hardy had gone to the Duponts' for supper when Vandervyn returned to the agency. He made a hasty toilet and followed. Marie met him with marked coldness. This, however, melt ed before he had finished, his report to Hardy. All agreed that the old chief probably would take a fancy to Oinna, and that, as a result, there would be a fair chance of pacifying the tribe. When Hardy turned to the girl, he found her and Vandervyn exchanging glances and murmuring remarks. His habitual gravity softened to a smile of wistful sadness. At the first oppor tunity he excused himself. Midnight hod passed before the light In the little citified parlor of the Dupont house was extinguished. When, at sunrise, Hardy went for After the officer left, Dup n. iquS eJ across the table at her an J be to scratch his head. "You and Mr. Van burned a lot coal oil last night He didn't Eit enough along to ask y,ou to hltlh vwiu Him, uiu it.'-1 '. A red blush flamed in the gir: cheeks. Without looking up, she m mured a regretful "No." "Guess he figures he'll wait and if Hardy is sting to bust us up. LJil as not he'll skip back east If Hard gits sore and choV ff ocr hold cl the mine." "What do you meat? He'd sen Bwrgfe away. The stiff, solemn ol fogy -I hate him!" "Easy, easy, 'girl!" soothed Dupwl "No use plunging when you're hitthel to the snubbing post. Just now ie' got us roped. He'll have us all htm tied if we go to bucking. We've go to make him think we're gentled "What if we act toward him as w feel?" iuu Kum i suvvj auuui uiui iinsvi v Me and Nogen discovered it and j aiq itT . .3 x v. --A. i a. r I honest for developing it, as you kiw Well, we let Mr. Van in on It. TVet Nogen up and gits killed. That nibket It half and half between me and Mr. Van, according to all that's fair anc square. But do you believe Hardy will look at it that way? Not by a con siderable. He'll talk about It being the tribe's, just because it's on the reser vation." i "I see !" The girl's eyes flashed, antt her nostrils dilated. "He will rob yoo and Reggie of a fortune yet you wish me to be nice to him!" "You bet I do! Can't you git the- point? He ain't going to be bluffed! into quitting. That means we got to make friends with him or lose ttie mine." "Oh ! So that Is it?" "Yep. Worst of it is he's one of them there fellows what stand bo straight they lean backwards. We talked to him about how It would help the tribe if he joined us In opening the mine. He was mighty offish. Guess we'll have to give him Nogen's third get him into our camp." T "What a shame ! The mine Is yocrs and Reggie's. He hasn't done a thing toward developing it." "I know. But he's the agent. He's got us roped. He can rob us of nr mine if we don't make friends with him. Now do you savvy?" The girl's thick black eyebrovf? met in a frown of vexation. "If h& is a man whose friendship must be bunght. I do not wish to be pleasant to him." "It's business, Marie. There ain't no two ways about it. Mr. Van's hang ing fire, a-waiting to see If we lose the mine. If we do, he can't afford to marry no poor girl off a reservation." "Very well. I shall make rnyseJf agreeable to Captain Hardy. Eut wait until I am free to pay him out for it! "Nom d'un chien !" muttered Dupont at sight of her straightened lips. "That's the Injun in you. Don't let him see you look that way till after we git the mine cinched." "I am not a fool, mon pere." Dupont shook his grizzled head dn blously. But at midday, when Hardy came over for the noon dinner, Marie re ceived his courteous greeting with a graciousness that soon lightened the pensive severity of his look. Before the end of the meal they were chatting in a manner that brought a twiaile Into Dupont's cunning eyes. The girl proposed a ride up the val ley. Hardy was greatly pleased. He had already grasped the simple details of the agency business, and now, pend ing the absence of Vandervyn and Bed bear, had nothing to do except instruct the police in his ideas of cleanliness and discipline. Marie never looked more charnefinj; than when on a horse. She took her new friend for a long ride around one of the mountains. Every cliff and rock and piney slope was familiar to "Is Is That a Real White Peeplr "Marriage?" Asked Oinna. her. She pointed out all the grandest and most beautiful views, and showed herself even better versed in the lore of the wild than she had seemed to be posted on the culture and grace of polite society. After that there was no break in her friendly manner toward tne captain for several days. STe quently they took other rides, over.or around the nearest hills and moun tains. .' Do you believe that Vander- vyn's deceitfulness with little J Oinna will be punished by the India" or vo-i tfci-.u-ci- .. ix it v1 i l win m
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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March 2, 1917, edition 1
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