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The Seaforth News, 1938-06-23, Page 6PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS THURSDAY JUNE 23, INS riliEfiallitiallE11111111111011.1111111MEMEMENI Bois Brules "And left yott your own!" cried Hamilton astonished at the priest's careless stoicism. "Lett ane my own," responded Fa- ther Holland. "Do you mean to say the murder- ous_.-" I began. 'Tush, youngster! Be quiet!" said Ile. "Haven't many 'brethren corne from the same tribe snore like warped branches than men? What ani 1, that I should escape? 'Never speak of it again," and he continued his silent study of the flames' play. "Where are your Indiaes?" he ask- ed abruptly. "In the lodges. Shall I Thistle for them?" He did not answer, but leaned for- ward with elbows on his knees, rub- bing his chin vigorously first with one hand, then the other, still study- ing the fire. "How strong are the Mandanes:" he asked, "Week, weak," I answered. "Few hundred. It hasn't 'been worth while or traders to come here for years." "Was it worth while this year?" "Not for trade." "For anything else?" and he looked at Eric's dejected face. "Nothing else," 1 put in hastily, learin.g one of Hamilton's outbreaks. "We've been completely off the track, might better have stayed in the north—" "No, you mightn't not by any means," was his sharp retort. 'I've been in the Sioux lodges for three weeks." 'With an inarticulate cry, Hamilton sprang to his feet. He was trembling from head to foot and caught Father Holland roughly by the .s'houlder. "Speak out, Sir! What of •Miriam?" he .demantled in •dry, hard, rasping tones. "Well, well, safe and inviolate. So's the toy, a big boy now! May ye have them 'both in y'r arms soon—soon— soonl" and again he fell to studying the fire with an unhurried delibera- tion that was torture to Hamilton, "Are fhey with you? Are they ,with you?" shouted 'Hamilton, hope bound - Mg up •elastically to the wildest heights after his long depression. "Don't keep me in suspense! I cannot bear it. Tell me where they are," he pleaded. "Are they with you?" and his eyes 'burned into the priest's like live coals. 'Are—they—with—you?" 'No—Lord—no!" ioared !Father Holland, alarmed at Hamilton's vio- lent condition. "But," he added, see- ing Eric reel dizzily, "but they're all right! Now you keep quiet and don't scare the wits out of a 'body! They're all right, I tell you, and I've come straight from them for the ransom price." 'Get it, Rufus, get it!" shouted Ha- milton to me, throwing his hands dis- tractedly to his head, a habit too .common with him of late. "Get ,it! Get it!" he kept calling, utterly be- side himself. 'Sit down, will you?" thundered the priest, as if Eric's sitting down would calm all agitation. "Sit down! Behave! 'Keep quiet, 'both of yon, or give ye some goad Irish eloquence! Wh,at d' y' mane ,scarin' the breath otvt of a 'body and 'blowing his ideas to limbo? Keep quiet, now, and listen!" "And did they," I lczied, in spite of the injunction, "did they do that to you?" pointing to the scar on his brow. "Yes, they did." "Because they saw you with me?" "No, •that a brand for the faith,— they 'stopped their 'tortures because they saw yea* with me. Now, swell out, Rufus, and gloat over your im- portancel I tell you it was the 'devil, 'himself, snatchedmy martyr's crown." "Le Grand Diable?" "Le !Gra.nd Diable's own minion. saw his devilish eyes leering ,from the back o' the crowd, when I was 'tied to a stake. 'Bring that Indian to me," sez I, transfixing him with my gaze; for—yon tan.derstand—II couldn't `44argit. rom ,our hut to the height .of land ,commanding the north Country, keep - rig me on the nue at his ,heels; a.nd all night he 'beat around the cramped shack as if it had been a cage. On the fourth day froin the messengers' de- parture, chain could not ltind 1i1 all went well, they should be with us at night In .defiance .of Le Grand Diable's ,Conditions, which en arrow froman unseen marksman might en- force, Eric saddled :his mare and rode out to Meet the men. Point, my hands :being tied. Troth! But ye should 'a' seen their looks of amazement at .me boldness! There was I, roped to that tree, like a pig for the ,boiling pot and sez 1, Bring —that Indian—to me!' just as though I was managing the execution," and he paused to enjoy the recollection of the effects of his bOldness. A squaw up with an old clout," he continued, "and slashed it across my face, saying, 'Take that, pale face!' and 'Take that!' howled a young 'buck, fetching the flat of his dagger across me forehead, close - cropped hair giving no grip for scalp- ing, not to mention a pate as bald as mine," and the priest roared at his own joke, patting his bare Crown af- fectionately. "Though the blood was boilin' in Inc enraged veins and dribblin' down my face like the rain to -night, by the help o' the Lord, I felt no pain. Never 'flinchin' nor takin' heed o' that hold baste of a squaw, I bawled like a ,buil Bashan, 'Bring—that Indian—to me, coward -hearted Sioux—d' y' fear an Iroquois? Bring 'him to me and 111 make him enrich your tribe!' 'Faith! Their eyes grew 'big as a harvest moon and they .brbught Le Grand Diable to me. Knowing his covetous heart, I told him if he still had the woman and the child, I'd get him a big ransom. At that they all jangled a bit, the old squaw clouting me with her filthy rag as if she want- ed to slap me to a peak. At length they let Le 'Grand Diable .unfasten the hands, With my .hands tied 'behind my !back, I was taken to this lodge. Miriam and the boy were kept in a place 'behind the Sioux squaw's hut. Once when the skin tied between blew up, I caught a .glim.pse of her poor vallite face. The boy was playitag round her feet. I was in the corner of the lodge but was so grimed with grease and dirt, 'if she saw nte slhe thought 1 w,as some Indian captive and turned away her head. I told Le Grand Diable in habitant French— which the rascal understands—that I could obtain a good ransom for Inc' prisoners. He left me alone in the lodge for some ,hours, 1 think to spy upon me and learn if 1 tried to speak to Miriam; ,bet I lay still as a log and pretended to sleep. When he came 'back, he began harterin.g for the price; hut I could make him no prom- ises as to the amount or time of pay- ment, for I was not sure you were here, and would not have him know where you are, "He kept me hanging on for his an- swer diming the Whole week, and many a time Miriam brushed past so close her skirts touched me; but that she -male .d.evil of his—may the Lord give them both a warm, front seat!— was always watching and I could not speak. Miriam's face was hidden un- der her shawl and she looked neither to the right, nor to the left. I don't think she ever saw me. tOn condition you stay in your camp and •don't go to meet her, but send ylour two Indians alone for her with your offer, he let me go. Here I am! Now, Rufus, where are your men? Off with them bearing more .gifts than the Queen of Sheba carried to Salomon!" *, *, From the hour that La Robe Noire and Little 'Fellow, laden with gaudy trinkets and hunting 'outfits, departed for the Sioux lodges, •Hamilton was positively a madman. In the first place, he had been determined to dis- guise himself as an In.dian and go in- stead of La Robe Noire, whose ,figure he resembled. To this, we would not listen. Le 'Grand Diable WAS not -the man to be tricked and there was no sense in ransoming Miriam fOr a cap- tive husband. Then, he persisted in riding part of ,the way with our mes- sengers, which necessitated my doing likewise. I had to snatch his horse'S bridle, .wheel 'both our horses round and 'head thornevaard at a gallop, be- fore he wo,uld listen to reason and come hack. Round the lodges he was a ramping tiger, Twenty times a day he went Of course Father Holland and I peltered after him; but it Was only be- cause gathering darkness, prevented travel that we prevailed 'cut him to 'dis- mount and aw,ait the Ipclians' earning at the edgeofthe Tillage. At last •ca.me th'e clank, 'clank of eh.od hoofs in the valley. The natives used only unshod .animals, so we re- cognized our men. Hamilton darted away like e hare racing for ,cover. "The Lord have mercy upon us!" groaned Father Holland. "Listen, lad! There's only one horse!" I thre-w myself to the earth and lay- ing rny ear to the turf strained for every sound. The thud, thud of a single horse, fore and hind feet strik- ing the beaten trail in quick gallop came distinctly up front the valley, "It may not .be ,our men," said. I with sickening forebodings tugging a throat and 'heart. 'I mistrusted thentl I mistrust's the villains!" repeated the priest "I only you had enough .Mandanes to ride down on them, but you're too weak. There are at least two thous and Sioux," Hamilton and Little 'Fellow, talk ing loudly and gesticulating, rod loudly through the furze. "I knew it! I knew it!" shouted Hamilton fiercely. "One a us should have gone." "What's wrong?" -came from Path er Holland in a voice so low and un naturally calm, I knew he feared th worst. "'Wrong!" yelled Hamilton. "They hold La Robe Noire as hostage and demand, ,five hundred pounds of am munition, twenty guns and ten horses Of course, I should hare gone—" 'And would it have mended mat ters if you'd been held 'hostage too?' I 'demanded, -utterly out of patience and at that stage when a little plait makes a man strike his best friends "You know. very well, the men were only sent to make an offer. You'd no right to expect 'everything on one trip without any bargaining--.--" "Shut up, boy!" exclaimed Father Holland. 'gust when ye .bloth need all. y'r wits, y'.r scattering them to the four winds. 'Now, mind yourselves! I don't like these •terinsl 'Tis the devil's own doingl Let's talk this over!" With a vast deal of the wordy elo quence that characterizes In.dian di- plomacy, the tenor of Le Grand Dia- ble's message was 'His shot pouch was light and his pipe cold; he hong down his head and the pipe of peace had not been in the council; the Sioux were strangers anti the ,Whites were their enemies; the pale -faces had been in the council; the Sioux were strangers and the whites were their enemies; the .pale -faces had been in their power and they had always •con- veyed them on their journey with glad hearts and something to eat." Finally. the Master of Life, likewise Earth, Air, Water, and Fire were called on to witness that if he white men deli- vered five hundred rounds of ammuni- tion, twenty guns and ten horses, the white woman and her child, likewise the two messengers, would he sent safely .back to the lviandene lodge; none hut these two messengers would be permitted in the Sioux 'camp; also, the Sioux would not answer for the lives of the 'white men 11 they left the Mandane lod'g'es. Let the White men, therefore, send back the lull ransom by the hands of the same messenger. CHAPTER XVI !Father Holland advised. caution and consideration 'before acting. A policy of 'bargaining was his counsel. "I ,don't Jike those terms, at all," he said, "to much like giving ,your weap- ons to the enemy. I don't 'like all this.' He would temporize and rely on Le Grand Diable's •covetous disposition bringing him to our terms; but Ha- milton would hear of neither caution nor 'delay. The ransome price was at once col- lected. Next •morning, Little Fellow, on a fresh mount with a string of lad- en horses on each side, went post haste 'back to the Sioux. In all conscience, Hamilton had been wild enough during the first par- ley. His excitement now exceeded all bounds. The first two days, .when there was no possibility of Miriam's coming and Little 'Fellow could not yet have reached the Sioux, I tore af- ter 'Eric so often I lost .count of the races 'between oar lodge and the north hill. 'The performance began again on •the third day, and I broke out with a .piece of -my mind; which sunprised 'him mightily. "Loolc you here, Haarrillon!" I ex- claimed, rounding him 'back from the hill, "Can't you stop this nonsense anti sit still for only two days more, or Tust 1 tie you ,up? :You've tried to put ne 'crazy' all winter ,and, lby , eve, af you don't stop this, you'll finish the He 'gazed at arse with the dumb look of a wounded animal and was too am- azed for words. Leaving me in mid - road, feeling myself a brute, he went stright to his own hut After that inL cident, he gave us no 'further anxiety and kept an inon grip on his impati- ence. With me, anger had given place to contrition. He remained mach by himself until the night, when OW' mes- sengers were expected, Then he came aceoss to rny quarters, where Father Holland and I were keyed up to the highest pitch. 1Putting out his hand he5.aidi7 "3.sall right with us again, Ruf- ns, old man?" 'That speech nigh Snapped the strained' cords. "Of course," said I, .gripping the extended hand, and I immediately coughed hard, to explain away the un- due moisture welling into my eyes. We all three sat as still .and silent as a deathwatch, 'Father Holland fum- bling and pretending to pore over some holy 'volume, Eric with 'fingers , tightly interlaced and, :upper teeth bit- ing through lower lip, and I with , clenched fists 'dug into jacket pockets t and a thousand imaginary sounds singing wild tunes in my ears, How the seconds crawled, and the f minutes barely moved, end the 'hours seemed to heap up. in a blockade and crush as .with their leaden weight! - Twice I sought relief for pent emotion by piling wood on the .fire, though the - night was mild, and by breaking the e -glowing embers into a shower of spanks The soft, moccasined tread of Mandanes past our door startled Father Holland so that his 'book, fell to the floor, while I shook like a leaf. - Strange 'to say, Hamilton would not - allow 'himself the luxury of a Single c movement, though the lowered 'brews tightened and teeth cut deeper into the tinder hp. Dogs set up a barking at ,the other - end of the village—a common enough • occurrence where half-starved curs moved in packs—lbut I could not re- - frain frorn lounging with a show oi indifference to the doorway, where 3 peered through the moon -silvered 1 dusk. As usual, the Indians with "shrill • with life, moaning, he turned his faee to the wall. , 'Outside, it was as if the unleashed furies 'of hell, fought to goench their thirst in human Wood. The clamor of those red demons .W2S in my ears and I was still working over Hamilton, loosening 'his 'jacket collar, uncler-pil- lowing his ,chest, fanning him, anddo- ing everything else .1 could think of, to ease his labored 'breathing, vvhcn Father' .Holland .burst into -the lodge, utterly unmanned ,and sobbing like a child. "For 'the Lord's sake, Riatig," isa cried. for the Lord's sake, come and help! 'They're murdering himl They're murdering him! 'Twas I who set them on him, and I can't stop them! I can't stop them!" "Let them murder hind" I return- ed, unconsciously demonstrating that the civilized heart differs only in de- gree from the barbarian. "Come, Rufus," he pleaded; ""coine, tor the love of FranCes, or your hands •w•ill not be clean. There'll be blood on your hands when you go back to her. Come, tome!" Out we rushed through the throng - Mg ,Mandanes, now riotous with the luat of 'blood. A ring of young bucks had been formed round the .Sioux to keep the •crowd off. Naked, with arms 'Pionioned, the victim stood motionless and without fear. "Good white lather, he no under- stand," said theMandanes, jostling the weeping priest .back ,from the, circle of the young men. "Good white fath- er, he go hornel" In spite of protest by word .and act they roughly shaved us to our lodge, the doomed man's death chant ringing in our ears as they pushed es inside and clashed our door. In vain we 'had argued they would incur the vengeance of the Sioux naticin. Our voices were. drowps ed in the shout for 'blood—for !blood! The sigh of the wind 'brought mournful strains ef the victim's dirge to our lodge. I fastened the door, with robes against it to keep the sound out. Then a smell of burning drifted through the window, and I stop -gap- ped that, too, with more robes. * That the Sioux would wreak swift vengeance could not be doubted. ,As soon as •the murderous work was over, guides were with -difficulty en- gaged. Having fitted up a sort of prop in vvhich I could tie Hamilton to the saddle, I SA' both Father Holland and Eric set out for Red River 'before daybreak. It was best they should go and I remain. If Miriam were still in the country, stay I would, till she were safe; bid I had no mind'to see Eric go mad or die before 'the rescue could be 'accomplished. As they were leaving I took a piece of birch 'bark. On it 1 wrote with a charred stick:— "Greetings to my -own dear love from her ever loyal and 'devoted knigh t." This, Father Holland bore to Fran- ces Sutherland from me. (To be continued) cry iflew at the dogs to silence them The noise seemed to he annoying my companions and was certainly un- nerving Inc, so I shut the door and walked .bac'k to the fire. The 'h'owl of dogs and squaws in- creased I heard the angry undertone of men's voices, A hoarse roar broke from the Manclane lodges and rolled through the village like the sweep of coming .hurricane. There was a fleet rush, a swift pattering of something pursued running round the rear of our lodge, with a shrieking mob of men and squaws after it. The dogs were barking .furiously and snapping at the heels of 'the thing, whatever it was. "A hostile!" exclaimed Hamilton, leaping up. !Hardly knowing what I did, I bounded towards the door and shot forward the bolt, with a vague fear that ,blood might be ,spilled on our threshold. "For .shame, man!" cried Father Holland ma:king to undo the latch. But the words were not passed his lips when the parchment 'flap of the window. lifted. A voice screamed through the opening and in hurtled a round, nameless, iblood-soa,ked horror, rolling over and over in a red trail, till it stopped with upturned', •dead, glar- ing eyes and hideous, gaping mouth, at the very feet of Hamilton. It was the scalpless head of La Robe Noire, Our Indian •had paid the price of 'his own 'bloodlust and Dia- ble's enmity. Before th.e full enormity of the treachery—messengers murdered and mutilated, ransom stolen and captives kept—had dawned '011 me, Father Holland had broken open the -door. He was rushingthrough the night screaming for the Mandanes to catch the miscreant Sioux. When I turned back, not daring to look at that aw- ful object, Hamilton had fallen to :the hut floor ill a dead:faint. , * * Ansi now may I ,be spared recalling what occurred on that terrible night! Wo -men luxuriate and. men traffic in the wealth of the great west, but how many give one languid thou'g'ht to the years of 'bloody deeds by 'Which the west was Won? * 'Before restoring Hamilton. , it was necessary 'to remove that which was unseemly; also' to wash out certain stains on the hearth -stones; anti those thing .vacauld 'have tried the .courage of more iron -nerved men than myself. should not: have. been surprised if Eric had ,confe out of • that faint,' a gibbering maniac; ,but I toiled' over him with the courage of blank hope- lessness, purmlifig 'his arms up end down, forcing , liquor between the clenched teeth; splashing the cold, clammy face .with water, and, laving his forehead. At last .he opened his eyes wearily. Like a man, ill at ease PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical DR E. A, MeMASTER—Graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, Univers- ity of Toronto, and of the New York Post .Graduate 'School and Hospital. Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Office on High street. Phone 27, Office tutly equipped for x-ray diagnosis and for ultra -short wave electric treatment, Ara violet RUA lamp treatment en.d infra red ,electric treatment. Nurse in attendance. A PAIR OF 'SKIS Astrid Halvorsen stroked the rose tinged stove, shuddered at the eerie cry 'of a coyote off on the snow-cover- ed hilhhc and again picked up one of a pitr of newly varnished skis that she had lheen working .over. Her slim fingers were 'stained with gilt paint. Her blue apron had .splotches of it down the front. She wrinkled her nose at the signs of her ;amateurish- ness, then sat down, balanced the slender piece of wood on her up - drawn knees and continued her work. One long, slender piece of polished wood already stood behind the stove. Across the curved point wee Printed in tiny •gilt letters "Cornet." Astrid was just applying the final s of "Com- etess" on its mate. Wilbur Biddle was coming that evening to go skiing over the hard, wind -packed snow-. If the sky remained cloudless, it would be a moonlit night Skiing was the one joy that Astrid got out of winter in the isolated foot- hills. Her father bad taught her the art, which had seemed to come to ,her naturally. She went everywhere on the two slender pieces of wood, .and she never crossed her skis or took tam'bies going downhill, RS Wilbur sometimes did She !had varnished the skis the night before; painting the names on them had been an after- thought something to ikeep her hands busy d.uring the long, winter day. She had 'been alone since early morning. Astrid got tija when the Cometess was rea.dy .and, .standing 'beside the 'Comet !behind ths. ruddy stove, back- ed away 'to survey her work. She still held the -camel -heir .brush vitiated be- tween her right thumb end forefinger. Her cheeks were !flushed. A happy sparkle .came to her eyes—eyes that were the color of !flax 'blossoms. Ansi. her hair, Which was like the 'fibers of fiax stalks, hung about her face in un- ruly wisps; she had been so mu -ch in- terested in ther painting 'that she 'had shoved it unthinkingly thit -side and that with the hack of h.er 'hand until it had escaped the pins. She was aglow with anticipation of the evening DR, 'GILBERT C. PARROTT — Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, Un- iVersity of Western ,Ontario. Member - of 'College of Physicians andSurgeorts of Ontario. 'Office 43 Goderich street west. Plhone 317. Hours 2,4.30 pm., 730-9 pan. Other hours by appoint- ment Successor to Dr. Chats, 'Mackay DR. H. 'HUGH ROS,S, Physician and Surgeon Late of Landon Hos- pital, London, England. Special at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat Office And ayesidence behind Dominion Bank. Office Phone No. '5; Residence Phone 104. DR. F. J. BURROWS, •Seaforth. Office. an'd residence, ,Goderich street, east of the 'United Church. Coroner for the County of Huron. Telephone No. 45. DR F. J, R. FORSTER— Eye Ear, Nose and Throat, ,Gradvate ip Medicine, University of Toronto 11897. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and 'Golden Square throat hospi- tals, Land -on. At Commereiai Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 1.30 pan. to 5 p.m. DR. W. C. SPROAT Physician - Surgeon Phone 90-W. Office John St Sea.fortit Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the -County of Huron. Arrangements can he made Sale Date It The Seafouth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed. F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction- eer for Perth and Huron Oounties. Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Far.m Stook, chattels and ral estate property. R. R. No. 4, Mitc'hell. Phone 834 r 6. Apply' at this office. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE -AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTIcl, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. THE McKILLOP Mutual Fire Insurance Co HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont OFF' CERS President, Thomas Moylan, Sea- fortlu, Vice President, William Knox, Lonclesboro;, Secretary Treasurer, M. A. .Reid, Seaforth. • AGtENTS F. MoKercher, R.62.11, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.42.1, Brucefield; E. R. G. Yarmouth, Brodhagen;, James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; Wm. Yeo, Holmesville. DIRECTORS Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth No. 3. James Sholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londesboro; George Lebnitardt, Bornholm No. 1; Frank McGregor, Clinton No. S; James Connolly, God- erich; Alex MeEwing, Myth No. 1; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth No. Sa Wm, R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, will be prornptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective post - .offices. when she should ,send the glistening skis Slimming across the hard snow. A moment later, hearing 'the booted feet in the 'Shed, she turned to the door. Flinging it open, she started littlo the rudely-c'heeked face 'of a 'panting youth. 'Wilbur!" she !gasped. did- n't expect you. 'Come in." !Wilbur Bid-d,1e made no move to en- ter. He was clothed warmly against the crisp December cold; his body was wrapped in a sheep -lined coat With 'a fur ch3ar and a wool 'Cap fit- ted close about his head, He !carried a coil of new rope, looped over one ,aem and he had a rifle tucked 'beneath the other. Two wide leather 'straps bit in - 'to the thickness of his coat, one round, his chest. Astrid saw a sm,all axe hanging from the waist strap, and, when he turned to close the door of the shed she caught a glimpse of steel 4