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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1910-02-18, Page 7"You did not tell them that when I was the village sohoolmaster I taught you to read and write—ay, even to speak as well as the white man," cried Joe, at last finding his voice, hoping against hope that this reminder would waken some tender feeling in the heart of the brawny half-breed for Joe had taken unusual pains with this fellow. He had even secured the position in the express office for him and had taken great interest in him until small articlee in the office began to disappear, and the theft was traced directly to the half- breed, who was caught in the lvery art of purloining the ham, and wasty.ccord- ingly duly punished for his offence, as well as being discharged. As Joe Brainard listened to these threatening words of the half-breed he knew—ay, he felt with a sinking boast —that he might expect no mercy from him. CHAPTER XXIII: "I see you comprehend your position exactly," retorted the half-breed, "and now I come to the point that brings me to your tent. You can gain your freedom but in one way, and that is that you tell us how the dwellings of Hadley are built within, if anything happened to cause the villagers to band together, what place would they choose, and how are they fortified?" In an instant the horrible truth broke upon Joe. They were planning a raid upon Hadley village, and a fearful mas- sacre would follow. He thought of his old mother watching and waiting for his return to her, all heedless of her anger, and of Norine, the girl whom he loved better than life itself, and again his reason tottered at the bare, agoniz- ing thought of her being at the mercy of these savages, and unconsciously he breathed the very words that had fallen from her grandfather's lips when he discovered her flight: "Better death for Norine—ay, death from the wild beasts that roam the mountainside for her than that she,. should fall into the hands of the sav- ""1 �� will give you until nightfall to think it over," added the half-breed. "I shall then be here for your answer. If you comply, well and good; if you re- fuse—well, you know what you may ex- pect at the hands 'of the Pawnees. I have no more to add than that worning." With these words lie vanished quite as deftly as he had, appeared, and poor` Joe was left alone with his own agon- izing thoughts, .which were a, thoustaid times more excruciating than the pain which racked Iris body so cruelly. He had lived all his life on the plains of Wash- ington, and he knew the habits of the dreaded. Pawnee, the most ferocious of all the Indian tribes, but too well. He realized that they would keep their word, wring from his lips the intelli- gence they desired, or torture him at the stake, dancing with fiendish glee around hint, enjoying his horrible suffering un- til death shut them out from his gaze and ended it all for him. It mattered little enough to him what became of his .body after the soul was freed from its earthly tenement. Then came the thought to him, he must not diet No, Heaven had- work for him to do; he must escape from these savages and fiee to Hadley, maim - and suffering though he was, and ap- prise the villagers of their danger -ay, and fight Until the last drop of blood in his heart left it, in protecting his old mother and his dearly beloved Norine. He realized dimly the fact the vil- lagers would accuse him as being . the cause of the massacre, upon his failure to appear at the Great Bear Mine with the wage money of the half-breeds, from the fact that they only needed but a slight cause as an excuse for an out- break, and this thought was as cruel as death to him, rankling worse than the thrust of a knife in his tortured breast. But one thought seemed clear to him —he must get back te Hadley .or die in the attempt. In attempting to rase, he realized how badly he was hurt. His severe illness had left him terribly weak,, and the blows he had received in endeavoring to guard the large sum of, money he carried had well-nigh. finished him. Crawling to. the door of the tent; ho saw that he was in the very. midst of the savage domain. Bitter cold as the day was on this mountain height, the Pawnees'seemed impervious to -the weather, 'as the braves, squaws, and even the papooses move to and fro leisurely, the early morning sun shining weirdly upon their half-clad and gayly painted, supple limbs, and the waving eagle feathers that decorated their heads. TO these hardy barbarians thehor- rors of ~sinter seemed quite unknown, =feared. Just where he was, Joe could not quite comprehend, though he realized When You're Hoarse Use CUR N �t$ T 'MOE Fos .6121$A114s Gives immediate relief. The first dose relieves'yottr aching throat and allays the irritalitln. Guaranteed to contain no opiates. Very palatable. All Druggists, 25c. that it must be upon some level spot on the mountain. Ilow far was he from Hadley -great Heaven, how far? he asked himself in agony. If he had but been in his usual state of health he would have taken his fate in his hands by making a bold. dash for liberty. As it was, he realized that his strength would not hold out the first mile, and he would fall in his tracks, and the red demons, wild with rage at his attempt to escape, would be upon him, and in less time than it would take to tell it, his life would apy the penalty of his daring. No, he must make his escape by stratagem, if it were to be accomplished at all. He knew that he was the subject of much excited discussion among the braves, who were gathered in little knots here nand there, from their glances, fur- tively cast in his direction, and their fierce gesticulations. Another thing caught and held his attention spell- bound. In the centre of the clearing he observed one' of the Indians driving a heavy hickory stake into the ground, while the squaws and children were ac- tively engaged in fetching armfuls of dry fagots, which they proceeded to place around it, chattering the meanwhile in Joe believed it was but one of their customs—to prepare a fire which should be lighted at night and last through it. the greatest glee. But when one of the old squaws pointed to his tent, his blood ran cold with hor- ror, for in that moment the meaning of the scene broke upon him—they were building his funeral pyre. Joe Brainard was brave, but even the stoutest heart would have quailed. in such a moment. -"Whatever may be my fate, I can meet it like a man, and die like a brave one; but God in heaven protect mother and Norine when I am not there to aid them," he sobbed, and the tears which coursed down his honest, weather-beat- en cheeks were no shame to his man- hood. He felt from the drift of the half- breed's remarks that the Pawnees in- tended attacking the village within a very few nights. What if they had laid their plans to swoop down upon the vil- lage that very night, ere he had the op- portunity to warn them of +heir impend- ing peril? God give him the strength to save them. He must make his escape and reach Hadley, even though his life paid the forfeit of the effort. He would lose te dozen lives if they were his to sacrifice in such a cause. The sun crept higher and higher in the heavens, noon came, then the sun drop- ped lower and lower, denoting the ap- proach of the oncoming night, and the fate awaiting him. During all the long hours of the day no one had been near him with food or drink. He knew but too well the Indian mode of warfare—whom they intend to give to the fire -god they serve with neither meat nor drink. He staggered back to his pallet of skins, threw himself upon them and give himself up to' devising plans for his es- cape. He knew that it should not be at- tempted until the shadows began to darken; the mantle of darkness would shield him, then he could trust to God, who rules and reigns over all to befriend him in his peril. • As the long hours dragged their slow lengths on he ,formulated his plans care- fully and fully. Once the half-breed who had spoken with him before paused for a moment in passing and peered into his tent. Joe lay so still upon his pallet of skins that the man was certain that' he must be sleeping. He moved away muttering to himself. It was well for Joe's peace of mind that he did not hear the words on his lips. The half-breeds had made no attempt to manacle their victim, for, knowing him so well, they had little difficulty in perceiving how very weak and ill he was, and looked upon his attempt to escapt as certainly beyond the possibil- ities; for they had observed that he could not stand on his feet, and Con- cluded that the ugly gash over his tem- ple would soon finish him, even if they did not. Every moment of that awful and nev- er -to -be -forgotten day seemed an hour's duration, and each hour a year in length, so much torturous anguish was crowd- ed into them. By that time to -morrow, he told himself, he would have saved. Hadley, his dear old mother and Norine, or his lifeless body would tell the mute but pathetic story of his heroic attempt. Lower and lower dipped the winter sun in the western sky. Already the shadows began to gather in the tent of deerskin. Joe lay with upturned face, his eyes closed, his lips drawn in a tense, straight line, which was the only sign of the excitement laboring within his breast. With bated breath he watched and waited for the shadows to deepen, and at last he told himself that the auspi- cious 'Moment had. arrived. .Would it Mean life or death for him?Ah, who could tell? CHAPTER XXIV. While Joe had been casting about for some way which might lead him out of his perilous surroundings, a way sudden- iy opened itself. One of the Indian pon- ies, which were permitted to roam about the encampment at will, drew near his tent—ay, within a ,couple of yards of the spot where he was crouching. In CORNS CUIR E. You can peiniessly remove anyYZcern, ti r hard, soft or bleeding, by applying :Putnam's Corn .Extractor. ; at never urns, leaves no scar, contains no :wide; is Irarniless because composee only of healing gums and balms. Fifty years in use. Cure guaranteed. Sold oy an druggists 2ec. bottles. Refuse substitutes. PUTNAM'S PAINLESS' CORN EXTRACTOR With throbbing heart and quivering' pulse he gathered himself together for his leap for life. • If he succeeded in mounting the pony he would at least have a cahnce of gain- ing his liberty. If he missed his mark —ah, God, he dared not miss it—there was too much at stake. In that fatal moment he drought of Sorine, the fair, beauteous maiden whom he loved so dearly, and with her name on his lips, mingled with a broken cry to heaven to aid him, he made the terrific plunge. Heaven had heard his wild prayer. He landed directly astride the animal's sup- ple back. The action was so daring, so nuex- pected, that for an instant the Indians were taken completely by surprise, fairly paralyzed with amazement. For one moment the forms of man and horse are outlined against the stars, then the night swallows them. For an instant the still- ness of death reigns, the savages are trying to comprehend what has hap- pened. Then a mighty war -whoop fol- lows. A soore of dusky braves leap to the backs of their ponies and daeli in mad purrsuit in the direction our hero has vanished, yelling like veritable demons. Gallant Joe, whom our hearts are fol- lowing, heard it, and realized what it meant, even before he heard the thun- dering of the horses' hoofs after him in bot pursuit down the mountain road. He had hoped to distance them in the intense- darkness, but even as this thouglut crossed his mind the dense, black clouds- overhead rolled slowly away, and the full myon broke forth, dazzling and bright in its full white glory, rendering every object plainly visible on the broad stretch of almost level ground, which • seemed to extend for mules over the mountain. A groan that was almost a sob broke from Joe's lips, for he knew by the inoreased de- moniac yells and the arrows that were whizzing about ]lime that they saw him, and were urging their steeds forward. They were all riding madly ontivard for one scalp, and that scalp iris own. He would be butchered without pity if he fell into their hands, and he knew too, that the inhuman fiends always tor, tared their prisoners before they show- ed thein the mercy of death. Suddenly their fierce yells were hush- ed, and not even an arrow was directed toward him. This puzzled 'Joe greatly. Had it not been for the steady onward patter of hoofs in the rear over the hard, frozen eartlifoe would have thought that they had abandoned pur- suit of frim. Ile paused long enough in his mad gm,llap to turn and glance uneasily over Ids shoulder. His keen eyes discerned but a herd of ponies dashing riderlex-s toward him. He could see no one on their backs. but he instantly divined, by the way they clashed onward, and the eteadinesss with which they held their couret, neither diverging to the right nor to the left, that they were guided by invisible yet firm hands, and he re- membered once (raving heard old Daniel Gordon, the blacksmith, say that this ems but a cunning device of the tricky savages. They were lying under the bodies of their steeds to escape observa- tion, as well as perhaps a stray bullet. And, moreover, none save Pawnees—ay, and the boldest and most daring of their tribe—could ride thus. . Joe felt that it would simply be a rn.a.tter of which pony—theirs or his— that would hold out the longest. He pressed his little pony on to re- newed speed, again glancing backward, and as though she understood with al- most human intelligence all that there was art stake, she shot forward at a ter- rific rate, which began to tell instantly in the space between pursued card pur- suers. Seeing their ruse had failed, the Paw- nees sat bolt upright on their ponies' backs again. Even in the midst of his terrible danger, Joe could not hasp but adnvire, as he book anothejr glance back- ward, the firm, eentaur-ldke and yet graceful riding of the pursuing Indians, whose nude bodies gleamed in the moon- light like statues of bronze. Broad - chested and powerful fellows they were, looking warlike and picturesque en- iugb, with their ]readdresses of gorgeous ZAM-BUK AT THE RINK. A box of Zam-Buk in your pocket at the rink, or when tobogganing, sleighing, etc., is the best form of insurance pol- icy." The pain and smarting of a cut, It bruise or a sprain disappodrs with the prompt application of this famous heal- er. Not only does Zam-Buk give relief, but it insures you against such serious after-effects as blood -poisoning, fester- ing and inflammation, • Zam-Buk is so highly antiseptic that disease germs are actually destroyel as soon as they come in contact with it. It contains no rancid animal fats, no mineral coloring matter, but, on the con- trary, is made from pure herbal essenc- es. Hockey players will find Zam-Buk particularly useful. Zam-Buk is also a sure cure for cold sores, chaps, etc. :-lies Molly Maloney, of Scotch Hill, Margaree, Cape Breton, N. Se says; "I was very much troubled with chapped hands and cold sores, and thought I would try Zan•Buk. 1t sooth- ed the pain, and in e very short time my hands Were quite smooth and complete- ly cured." All druggists and stores, 50 en instant the valiant young express cents box, or post free from ZanolBtlk messenger had decided upon his course. Co., Toronto, for price. 'feathers, their 1o•Ir'g,:thicl.''b'i'r out be- hind them like a urine. Thus. they swept on, pursued' and pursuers, mile after anile, and e cry of "Thank God!" broke. from Joe's death - white lips as ha saw a deme forest lying ahead of him. If lite. could but reach it be m'igh't elude them. As he neared the underbrush he saw a hug white rock Looming up ahead of hint. 'Now he knew where lie was, a mile or so off from the main road that led over the mountain. At that place on • the main road five different express messengers on as many years had met a tragic fate. Two of them had been killed by`White bandits for plunder, and the remaining three by the hostile, blood -thirsty Paw- nees for their scalps. Just as this recollection carne to Joe his pony suddenly shied at' some thing directly before ham, then stood stock - stili, trembling like a leaf. Jae was not long in discovering the cause of its alarm, for the clear moonlight revealed the skeletons of a horse and its rider. Joe bent forward breathlessly. He knew by the ghastly, grinning teeth of the latter, many of which were dark and discolored, that he had been a white man, for an Indian's teeth nev- er decay. A round hole in the dead man's skull, which the birds or beasts of prey ---pro- bably both—had elea"red of every vestige of flesh or hair, indicated that he had met a violent death. Bits of straps and leather lying about showed conclusively that he had been a mail carrier, who the year before was supposed to have missed his footing in climbing the slippery mountain heights, both horse and rider probably plunging to dearth down the rocky gorge and into the boiling chaser, where a body would never again be found until the waters of the earbh gave up their dead. A terrible shudder crept over Joe. "Poor fellow, what was your fate may be urine ere the morrow's light dawns," he muttered, half addressing the bleach- ed corpse as he forced his pony past it and on into the shadow of the tract of woodland beyond. To his unspeakable thankfulness he- saw esaw that he had di:taneed his pursuers greatly in the terrific race for life. He realized that he must have seized the chiefs own pony, its speed and en- druranoe were so superior to the rest. 7;•e felt that it must be the handiwork of heaven that had brought the animal so near him. I3e tale:wheel the dark shadows of the forest with a thankfulness words are weak to describe. He knew a dozen ways out of it on the main road, and, sweeter thought than all the rest, he was but five miles up the mountain road from Hadley, and each moment, with ev- ery leap of the gallant little pony, he was lessening the distance. Once again• he' drew rein for an in- stant to listen. He could no longer hear the patter of ringing hoofs thundering after ]rum. Could it be that the Paw- nees had given up the °hese? For an instant he was doubtful. He might have believed it had he not known full well the nature of this particular tribe — that the Pawnee savage was never known to give up until he is the victor, or has been vanquished. No, he con- cluded, they must have resolved to pur- sue some other tactics. Perhaps they knew some other path that led to the main road, and had turned their ponies iu that direction to head him . This seemedoffthe most probable to him. "I must risk it. and if they surround me at any point•between here and the village, I—Iwill sell my life as bravely as I can for the sake of the sleeping, innocent villagers, who know not of the horrible danger that threatens them; • for my poor old mother, and—and Nor- ine." The fearless Indian pony bounded along -the narrow path as though famil- iar with the road, but he had scarcely niade the first half-dozen paces ere he snorted with fear, again standing stock- still, and had it not been for his rider grasping him firmly by the mane, he would have dashed back over the road he had eome. While Joe was. mentally wondering what the natter could be, a gruff, guttural voice crying halt sound- ed close beside him, and the cold muzzle of a rifle was thrust close to,his face. CHAPTER XXV. The attack was so sudden that for a moment Joe was fairly paralyzed, and in that moment half a dozen men, armed to the teeth, sprang out of the bushes to the side of the man who held the rifle to our hero's temple. "We don't want our life, stranger" exclaimed the man, drawing the black. mask he wore closer down over his bearded face; "but we want, and will have, what money you have about you, if you please, and your. horse. If you won't give them up quietly, we will pre- cious soon take both," he added, with a fierce imprecation. While he had been making this threes,, Joe had been gathering his soatt ed wits together. "Don't ask for my money, for I haven't any. One of your villainous comrades relieved me of it,"'as you ought to know, last night, and en regard to taking my life, you will have quite enough to do in a very few moments to save your own. I ani flying from the Pawnees, who are in hot pursuit of ane. They are close behind, so let me pass." "Indians!" they all cried, simultaneous- ly, in imultaneous-ly,in a breath. Not much l" cried the fellow, who ap- peared to be the leader of the ruffians. "That's a likely yarn, boys. Can't you see it's a clever ruse to get clear of us]" "Notre of your tricks, young fellow," he exclairned, gruffly, turning to .roe. "Dismount in a jiffy, or I will shoot you as dead as a clam. We will stand no chaff, I will give you until I count three to obey orders. In a loud voice he began deliberately and slowly "Onel. Two—" It was a critical moment for Joe, and LADY'S STRENGTH RESTORED TERRIBLE WEAKNESS CAUSED BY SHOCK, "My baby was only two months old, and I was not very strong, when a tele- gram reached me that my husband in Peeving one ear in a western city had been run down by another. It was, af- ter all, not so serious—even the tele- gram if carefully read would have told - nee so. But in my weakened condition, the shock just sent me to bed, and a very useless person I was. Nervous and hysterical, I. had a dull aching along part of the spine, and numb feelings in my arms and hands. "My husband came home' and made me take `Ferrozone.' He had used it himself for nervousness the year be- fore. Ferrozone is a good medicine all right. I took six boxes in all. After using the first box I could eat and eat —that was a great change from not having any appetite at all. After a time my color became fine and I began to forget all the fears and dreadings that had worn me so thin. Such feelings are awful and it's good to know there is a. remedy like Ferrozone that will build you up, and keep you strong and vigor- ous to worry about anything. (Signed) EMLLT4 P. DAVENPORT, Bismarck P. O. You'll find Ferrozone a tonic of won- derful potency —it's really surprising what nourishment, what strength -giving and nerve building qualities it contains. Ferrozone is good for children—women —men —the sick the weak —good for us all; try it. 50c per box, six far $2.50, at all dealers, or The Catarrhozone Co., Kingston, Canada. in that instant, clear and sharp as a bugle blast, from around the bend in the road came the wild war -whoop of the Pawnees. (To be continued.) Rhymes Out of Reason. When the English Longue we speak • Why is "break" not rhymed with "freak"? Will you tell me why it's true We say "sew," but likewise "few"? And the maker of verse Cannot cap his "horse" with "worse"? "Beard" sounds not the same as "heard"; "Cord" is different from "word"; "(sow"'is cow, but "low" is low; "Shoe" is never rhymed with "foe"; " "hose" of and "dose" and " ose" ; And. of "goose' 'and of "choose." Think of "comb" and "tomb" and "bomb"; "Doll" and "roll," and "home" and "some." And since "pay" is rhymed with "say," Why not "paid" with "said," I pray? We have "blood" and "food" and "good," "Mould" is not pronounced like. "co"i la." - Wherefore "done," but "gone'+ a •rad "lone"? Is there any reason known? And, in short, it seems to me, Sounds and letters disagree: .e e 0 WHY SALVES FAIL TO CURE ECZEMA They Clog the Pores—Only a Liquid Can Reach the Inner Skin. • Since the old-fashioned theory of cur- ing eczema through the blood has been given up by scientists, many different salves has been tried for skin diseases. But it has been found that these salves only clog the pores and cannot penetrate to the inner skin below the epidermis, where the eczema germs are lodged. This the quality of penetrating— probably explains the tremendous sue- ccss of the only standard liquid eczema cure, oil of wintergreen, thymol, glycer- ine, etc., as compounded in D. D. D. Pre- scription. After ten years of cure after cure, the world's leading skin specialists have acepted this as the true eczema cure. If you are a sufferer from skin disease, or have a friend who is, write at once for a free trial bottle to the D. 1). D. Laboratories, Dept. D, 23 Jordan street, Toronto. This trial bottle will relieve the itching torture at once. ]!or sale by all druggists. • Signalling Military Balloons. A device for signalling to military balloons at night has been fixed on the tower of the railway station at Spandau, It consists of a large hori- zontal wooden ring provided with thirty-eight electric incandescent lamps. Such lighthouses with inter- mittent lights for aerial navigators are also -.to be erected at Nauen and Potsdam. 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