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COPYRIGHT, 1887. m2 Burma & ADAMS.

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Published Every
Month.

Wilt. 1133. 

Nick Whifiles’s Pet;

IN THE VALLEY or DEATH.

BY CAPT. J. F. C. ADAMS, H “
Amon or “omaoos son," "cuss EYE, NED
HAZEL," li'l‘C., ETC.

CHAPTER I.
FOI'R YEARS AFTERWARD.

Fora years have passed, and tin-Osbort, beautiful
summer of the. North-West has again folded moun-
tain, prairie and stream in its loving embrace. The
sky is clear and bright with SUIlSlilllt', the streams,
except among,r the mountains, are free from ice, and
the faCe of nature is very dilTereut trom what
would be expected so soon after such severe
weather.

In front of a rough, gro-
te: nc cabin. which has al-
reat y been described to in
reader, sits Nick Whilllea.’

Cleaning his rifle. Although
four years have pasSt-d since
We last saw him, there is
scarcely any perceptible dim-r-
ence in his appearance. In
the grizzled beard which (‘1 worn
the greater part of his face,
there ma ' be seen a few stra -

ling hairs, but that is a .

ho eye is just as bright, tho

step as (inn and powerful, and
the smile as genial as ever.
He i4 dressed in the, same
hunter co;~'tiiitie,.'1nd so far as
he is concerned, it set-ms that
a few days only have passed
since his iariieiiiation in the.
rescue, of ilugl: riillltilllilll and
the Phantom l‘i'inuess.

A short distance away, the
rotund, sleek-looking Shag-
bark is browsing the rich. suc-
culent grass, and at the side of
his master, with his nose be-
tween his legs, doch his dog,

Calamity.

Four years have made their
marks in the career of (‘alanr
ity. although ilt,‘ still hunts up
well under them. lie is some-
what unwieldy in his lllUH“
ments, and has become quite
fond of basking in the warm
sunlight, and of sleeping by
the blazing tire during‘tht- ter-
rible cold of winter. Perhaps
he is a. little more surly to
strangers, too. and is disposed
to resent undue familiarity up-
on the part of any one. lint
he loves Niel: as well, and his
dangerously—sharp teeth are
ready to he used in his service
at any time.

The older hunter seems to he,
in a reverie this afternoon, and
his motions in cleaning his
weapon are almost mochani-
cal, his thoughts h-ing far
away on different matters alto-
gethcr.

Suddenly he stops polishing
the already—gleaming rifle-bar—
rel that is stretched across his
knees, and with one hand preg-
sing down and grasping it and
lhovin his coon-skin eaqlhack
from  forehead Wit the

ther, he exclaims: -'

“I swow to gracious! if it

 

Bl. J. [VIIIRS fit 00.. Publishers,
(JAMES SULLIVAN, I’ROI‘lllEToR).
379 Pearl Street, New York.

ain‘t four years ago this very summer sln‘ Ned left
me, with his father, and with Hugh and his wife.
They left the little gal behind them, and that same
gal has growed into one of the purtiest creatures
that a. man ever sot (yes on.“ .

At this point one 0 his broad smiles illiimined his
face and he added in a confidential tone to himself:

“ wonder, now, ef I was a mind. ef I couldn't
raise a condemned ditllkilty there. No one dare say
Iain‘t handsome, and then I‘vehcerd tell of folks
gettin‘ married as old as my father would be et' he
were living today."

He smiled a few moments in the enjoyment, of his
own fancy, and then his face liecainc sober again.

“ No: the day has gone by fur Nick Whitlles to think
of sich things. He is married to the woods, and
peraries. and mountains, but. Miona, if Ned hasn’t

orgot his promise, it ‘ll pay him to come out here to
see her. lt's about a month sin’ 1 was through the
village. and she looked purtv ‘nongh to tly otl’ like,
an angel. She hasn't forgot Ned. neither, and axed
me about him: but I couldn't tell her nothin‘. All I
know is that Ned and his old man went to England,

In

THE STRAINED AND LISTENING EAR. OF THE TRAPPER HEARD THE FAINT CRY, JUST AS CALAKITY‘B
WWI! TOLD THAT HE HAD ALSO CAUGHT THE W BOUND.

 

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. . .. JANUARY, 1998.
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as they called it in 'the. same. vessel that com
Hugh and the Phantom. There‘s been a tn.
down here eve " s )l'ill to ax about the gal, t
s'pose Hugh and’ his wi e sent and there a no dfi
ger of their forgettin%lier— ellol"

At this juncture, ,alamity threw n his hm,
prieked up his ears, and uttered a grow —an indium
lion that some stranger was at hand. Almont in-
stinctivelV Nick grasped his rifle, and looked hiun
inglv in t 1e direction indicated by the dog,

“What is it, iup?" he demanded, in an and!»
tone; “ any call or powder and ball?”

The repy speedily came. The crackling of m
undergrowth was heard, and the, next moment a
young man in the aunt ' costume of an Eng“.
sportsman stepped into tie clean’n . Ho Wore thy
velvet cap, coat, and vest. the big i—top lCNi boot.
the leather covering the knees. the powder—think n
the side, and the richlyvnn:unted ritle of the prof.»
sional hunter ot‘ civilization, and there was an elu-
and self-possession in his manneracquired only Iy
long and genuine practice in limiting game.

The countenanc~~ ot‘ the Voung man was frank and
{in-possessing with his dark,
tam-l eyes, the ruddy, roa-
tinted cheeks and their at!
“ inlittoirchop“ whiskers. He
was of a muscular mold, and
would havo pulled a good
stroke with the famed OXIOX‘d
crew of his own country.

He p'iuscd a moment in
trout of the hunter, and the
with beaming t'ucc, wall.
inpitlly toward him. holding
out his lnind.

"How do you (10, my dd
frictth (iod Mess you, Nib
“'hitlh-s, have you forgot”
Nod IanolY"

Nit-l; mechanically took no
'irotl‘ered hand. rose slowiij
his feet, and with open mama!
stared at the young man in:
dazed sort of way, “8 tho
he did not understand w
all meant.

“What‘s the matter, M3
have I changed soinuch
'ou don‘t know me? Wig,
itnew you the minute I pm.
my eyes on you,“ comm
the sportsman, laii bin" h a
wavt iat showed his inn m
whiti- teeih, while he
the hand of the tra :erm
such violence that who“
ht dv purtook of the vibration.

“ 'l'hunderation l“ i!
gasped Nick, “can it be »
hlt-‘r Are you my own at]?
Why, you war a boy when you
let! me. and l‘vo been thinking
of you as the same boy W
since.

"I was over fifteen
now 1 .‘llll nearly twun
there anything wond
that?" ,

“ Wonderful?—I never we‘d
anything like it. Whatdoyoc
Weigh? v

"truly one hundred imam
ent} tlve.“

“ ‘l‘hiriy pounds more than 1
(b: 1»? me take (tan but

at you," continued 
tii.i ..g his face very -
“'l‘ln-n- 5 them hazel eyes
sartin. just as b t and
puny as they was w “I
ookm at me from the m
of the canoe, sixteen or men»
teen years ago. Lift 1-
cap that. I may weme
head a little better." "
The young man remand &

My
.28
in

 

  
  

>._._.,.r._.... ~... ._.. , . _, . __, .n...

 

:3 entirely, and stood in a smiling but Inc-ck atti-
5 below tho sorcly pu;:;»'.iv~|l trnppi-r.

“Your hair is as soft and silky as it was thou, your
Eyebrows arc, the sumc, and lhvrc's tho scar whcro
thegrizzly b‘ur nip ml you with his nail, and ymir
chunks am 11;; rm as (-Vcr, but them condcmncd
\vlqtskcrs, tin-y spilt~ you.”

"I film-Ml till-y Wuru ruler bccominy,” said the
yum ’ man,\vii'iaruul'ul Int-v, :L:.-l:--v:\1‘c~'.si~(ltin-In
with iis hand; “how “It'l', Nick, do you still doubt
my idr-nt Sty?"

"No; l b‘l‘cvo ywu'i-I- this iciniwinc milniiln, and
“fill plank! llillill' " (.‘wl ln' th.1nf.mi,N¢-ul, l’m
kind to w)“ you. «luwu s-‘t «Em-(n; ('uluni'y
u {I'L know ycr, l.l'.3;1)'l,'3,'ll ln-‘s vying: you pnriy
slim-p."

“ How arc you, paw“ miliil le, turning: toward
the do: and pull inc; his hind.

ibl'hups, away down in thc lowcg‘most (it'llilM of
the memory ol’ lhl- :~.' 11ml was It him, and Hit li"l‘-

inf; Shadow of llm li. .munr individual lu'l‘ol'n llllll,
uni n. faint git-mu w!‘ intn-lligv"~ucc lit up tlm (-3.1: of
wiiilty as ho gazed at him. At any rutc he
know ho was the fricnd of his mastcr. That was
slmcicnt, and scaling himself upon his haunchcs,
hefiuwl contcntcdly llpotl tho two men.

10 two l‘ricnds sat down on the log, sidc by

lids, and Ned said:

“ ‘il'ol'o gong any furlhcr,
you whr‘n you saw Jlionalast?”

“A Short month up, and 5110 was as well and

uroy as cvcr; but, how is it you‘re ho-rc, ch‘.’
ou was to wait Ilvo yvars, and that won’t be till
another wintcr has conic and gone.”

“You‘re right, Nick; but, do you suppose I could
content myself away from her any lon '01"! I did
my lK‘i-it; l have been to school and stu icd hard;
indoczl I am by no nwaus through with my sclmol'
ing 'ct. I finally told the folks that I couldn't
stain it an longcr, and the gave their consent;
So I took t c first ship for writ Churchill; Band-
man and his Wife canic with me, so as to be here
to mcct us. I rcachml tho fort about a month
ago, and found a small party just getting: ready to

ntart for Oregon. As I was prctty well known at
head-quarters, I was given charge of thc hall’—
dozen men, and began workin;,r our way down to
this point. We intend to visit the village, if it is
safe, and barter with them; but, of cmirsc,‘ I
couldn't pass anywhere near you without sto ipin"
to see you, and then, bufol‘e I go near the p accj

- want to learn how the land lies, and to engage you
to accompany us."

" thrc are the men '3"

“A number of miles up the river; I came on
ahead, and made an up Ointment to meet thcmto
mom-ow morning near I. (1 bond; so I am going to
spend the afternoon and night with you.”

"I 0111 wish it was going to be a year,” re-
marked ink, with a. tremulous voice. “I‘ve been
counting the months I Would have to wait fur you,
and I never dreamed you war goin‘ to cut ’cm
short by a. whole car."

“But Iyou aint sorry, I am sure," exclaimed
Ned, m is hearty way. as he struck his hand up-
on the knee of the smiling trapper. "I havc bccn
in correspondence With Mlona ever since I left. It
takes a long time for a letter to go from burs to
London and back again, and we didn’t average many

v a ear; but Mrs. Bandnian had an arrangement by
w ich we knew when to send, and when to expect
otters.”

“I kno they get letters at the fort from Eng-
land but’ ow did they send ‘em down here?“

" here was a hunter—Tim Nevins—who was em-
plo ed to ass between the village and the fort,
on he did is duty well So, on see, I am here
and before we talk of old t nes, my best and
truest of friends, tell me all you know about the
dar of my heart. You have just told me she
is w , and handsome, of course, but id she. treated
with consideration and respect among the Indians?"

“The same as she allch was."

‘f She doesn‘t expect me, because I wanted to sur-
prise her; but when I was on my voyage across the
Atlantic, a strange fear came. over me Itoccurrevl
to me that. such a beautiful and good woman as
Mona must be adnnrcd anth the Indians. and-it is
no more than likely that sxe has several dusky
lovers, who are looking hopefully forward to the
time when she is to become a wife. "

Nick Whillles turned and looked sharply in the
face of his young friend, and than answered, in a

margin voice:
" oureri ht!“

“Explain! ‘ commanded Ned, turning pale.

“I’ve a s'plcion of one man. Thar may be plenty
of others—and I make no doubt thur is—that would
give thar heads for bar, but thar‘s only one that
she need be aft-n: d of, and that‘s Red Bear, the son
of the old chief \V oowol-na.”

“What about bum ' dcmanded the lover, witha

. ntul eagerness.

 
  

 

 

   
   

a

Nick, let me ask

k3

s'plclon factis, I’m surtin, that they‘ve fixed that
she shall be his Squaw. “ ' .
A . ‘a‘ In the face or this solemn am-eemenw"
“Mighty!” interrupted the trapper, "what’s all
the trainul' I give you amount to? I ven‘t you
’ y a rod-skin‘s natur' yct ?"
. .“lf they had ng‘l'l any rr‘ason to believe that they
intended to keep thcir part 1! the agreement, none
would be more conscientious in keeping mine: but
, as thgy intend to perpetrate a great wrong, 1 sh
now am utmost to get her out of their hands,
With as ll le dela as. ‘iosslblc. .
"You're right, ’ 5211 Nick, “ and here’s my hand
We 130 down to the village ther, and
 round to one how things look, an arterthat
will as tho any-we‘re zom’ to act "
‘9

.  I

 
       

pallldmd, the gal hasn‘t told me anything, but I

 

“ 'l‘hcrc's no (lungcr of my idcntilay being suspect-
. ,, i

" Not much,“ luughml lllt‘. trappcr. “I don’t
l)‘i’«-\'«- thouul hcrso-ll' can bc mndc to b‘l‘o-vo it‘s you
till after you‘vv spent a ww k in su'varin’ to it, and
then, arh-r all, shc'll think it‘s your big brother."

“ in that case, wo will it!) togcthcr to tho village.
Oh! if I could but two hv‘r!‘l lit-cxclninit-rl. Sill‘lllmntf
up in his (".‘(L'llvlllt‘llL “-()ne~ look, mm plnnco at hcr
—» .l wand v.'::l:; a thousand mill-s to irct ii."

" l“r':i is you nw-dn‘l p-o qisitc st» for as that,
though tli--_\"i'«-,'i.1itto lll‘Ul)lll‘l‘ll()\'v'(‘l'l.lllHlllliljy' winsn
\l’iiih folks in" about."

2 ' Beadle’s Half-Dime Library.

'l'lwy Hill. in Ilc'lighll'ul cmlvcrxc. until tho owning

was druwin: in u clnsv, wlwn Nil-k lvunkwl up.

“it‘s icwiiii.‘ dark, and wr’nl ;-;-a in. izz-lu- supper,
mrl M‘L'n‘l bright and nil‘ly in rm mornin'."

“Haw younnytr.‘1p:: sci?"

“ ‘i'ns; but Hwy don"t urn-«l l«:)ol.‘i11‘al‘t:-r,nndwc'll
‘tu-ud to 'cm in lzu- niornin‘.“

'l‘iu- two wzillml into 1hr lu-rzuii-lilw rcsidcncc,
\vlr-rc lbw) at“ lhvir ultl-l‘nsliioin-d suppcr togethcr,
anrl thvn l'ollo‘.‘.'x-Il a long talk, in which ouch gave
the oilicrthce particulars oi‘ his lu‘c for thc previous
four ycars.

Finally thcy lay down and slcpt.

 

(.‘IIAlyl‘ER ll.
WHERE was 111:?

LONG below the sun was up, Nick \Vhimes and
Ned Mackintosh wcl'c astir. ’i'hc old huntcr had a
number of traps, from which, during the winter, he
Inanapd to sccurc a most valuable lot of pcltrics.
His experience and intimatc knowlcdgc ot‘ the coun-
try taught him where to search for the haunts of
the ottcr and beaver, and he always had a nice little
income from his furs, caught during: the winter.

It was with strange emotions that the young man
made his rounds ol.’ the traps. Everything looked
familiar—the appearance of the trees and vcgetation
the smell of the woods, the clear, stinging air——al
rcvivcd powcri’ullythc mcmorics, that had almost
faded during the rush of events, during,r the four
years that had been spent in another hemisphere
and among scenes the very anti odes of these.

But here he had spent his c llldhOOd, and never
could these scenes and incidents be forgotten.

In each of the half-dozen traps visited, was found
a good plump beaver, every one of which was killed
and dressed by Ned’s own hand, and they reached
the cabin again and made their breakfast upon the
delicate tails of the creaturas.

They then took a half~hour’s ramble in the woods,
the young man bringing down the antelope with a
skill which elicited the admiration of the veteran
tra )per, who declared. it was almost as neatly done
as e could have done it himself.

"I have kept up my practice at home,” replied
Ned. "There our hunting lS somewhat different
from this, but both require good marksmanship, and
I can never lose the taste I acquired for it under '011;
but my men Will be at the bend, and we have 'ttle
time to lose.” _

Callin out a Jpcular farewell to Shagbark, who
was lazi y munching the grass, and accom anied by
Calamity, who seemed to be unusually risky this
morning, Nick plunged into the woods and led the
way toward the river along which he had spent so
many cars of his life.

As t ey reached the bank, along Indian canoe was
found there, and the six men, n 'on being called.
speedilv made their appearance hey were hardy
brown-lookinfifellows all acquainted with Nick an
glad to meet nn.

Courageous and fully armed, they had greater fear

,of the North-west men than they had of any Indians,

and they made particular inquiries of Whifiles as to
whether they were liable to encounter them on the
river or not.

The trapper had seen and heard nothing of them
during the spring, but he could not guarantee either
their up carauce or non-appearance at any time.
So he n'vised the Hudson Baymcn to be on the
look-out.

Snspectlng that they were in advance 0f the North-
west Wildi‘l‘S. the little party pulled with a Will clown-
streaxn. They were in too dangerous territory to
fancy it much, and having no wish to haw 111109181“
collision with the members of the great “ml 00111139:-
ny, of course they used every ctfort to make thldll'
stay as short as ossiblo

‘ Do you sect at?" asked one of the tra pers, as
they stepped into the canoe, ointim: at tie same
t) m) to a l'lgldi awr across tie upper part of his
nose. " Wnl, one of them blamed NON-westch done
it, and as long as We‘ve got sich a small company,
In ' advice is to steer cl‘ar of ‘cm.“

ey kept a keen “ look-out " as they journeyed
along. but were greatly relievod at the. end of ‘a con-
ple of days, when they rounded to in front of the
village, without meeting any other white men.

It was arranged that Nick Whitfles should act his
old part of "go-between." or interpreter, Ned Mack-

vmtosh landing with him. The first person with

whom they exchanged a WOl‘d was Red Bear, who

gimme to the water’s edge with his father to meet
em.

As may be supposed, the young low-r scrutinized
lllS savage rival witl anything but amiable feelings.

_ “ Confollmh him!’ the muttered, as he glanced
sxclcways at him, “ it would do me good to‘bu three
or four balls from, my revolver in your skul . The
aim of your presuming to the notice of my Michal"

With a heart fluttering with hope, he looked here,
there and everywhere in be e of catching a glimpse
of tbqgn'l herself, but not t a first indication of er
was discover and, at a sign from Nick, he with-

drew leavi m to c on the interview alone.
While theniaml-ing and exchange were going on
, . .

 

the old trapper stood apart tzdklng earnestly with
‘v‘v'oo-wol—na and llcd licnr.

llhicldntosh fcigncd to take no notice of _t \m, but,
as may bc s11 )posml, his intvrcst was no csslhnn
thcirs; and, w [on his l‘ricnd came hack to him, and
they put out into the stream, he could scurccly
restrain his impatient-c, "

Nick speedily (*xpluim'd.

“lswow to grin-ions it" I could hardly kwp my
hands off of both of 111mm old rips!" lu- «xclaimcd,
with considerable: l'wlimf. "

“ What did thcy say?”

“ You know Ilwy‘vc ucvvr (>l;j(u"lu“tl to my Racing
thr- gnl, whcn I (L‘CHl fun 1111'. 'l‘lu- in: t thing] dono

: was to u): 'cm to lot hvr (‘idllt‘ down and lnwo a. word
f or two Willi mu; (you 5111‘ l \‘.':‘.lll|'ll you to :ci a sight

 

5—H

 

i of lu-r,) and what do you think tin-y mid?”

" l mu surt- 1 cannot ticll.‘7

“ That shu was pilning icady to {Iii married to tho
scalmvug of a lh-d lit-111‘, and Mr Ilia/HY (HIM.
mighty hard Work when I llt‘t‘l‘tl that to kccp from
making a condcnmcd dillikilty with ’< in, but I hold
in, and jist for the fun of the thing, axed 'cm what
thcy war goin’ to do when the fricnds of thc pal
conic nrter hcr m-xt spring. They said. that would‘
n’t makc no dil'l'crcucc. She was the plcdgcd wife
of Red Boar, and of they iuadc any muss, slu-‘d bu
put in the [Ital/t Lodge, and thcrc‘d bc tho end 01
1t.’

Nod gnashcd his teeth.

“ Why didn‘t I shoot him at oncc! If I had known
it, I couldn't havc prcvcntcd myscll'—“

“Hold on!" said Nick, with a fnthvrly wave of his
hand. "I got mad enough fur bothol’us. We’ve
l‘ami‘cd how the land lays, and now we‘ll go to
wor '.“

“ Nick,“ said his young friend, aftcra few minutes“
thought, “I feel that I can’t go back without sceing
Miona. As she is undoubtedly in the village, what is
to irevcnt mv getting out of the boat and going
bac and watching my 0p ortunity?"

As may be supposed, t 1e trapper opposed this,
but the young fellow pleaded, and the old hunter.
out of his great love‘,’ cmiscntcd against his judgment,
that the attempt should he made.

So, when they had ascended the river about ahalf-
mile, and were beyond all sight of the village, he was
put ashore.

It was about the middle of the afternonn, and the
agreement was that Ned was to be on the spot by
dark. He intended to approach as nigh the village
as was safe, and there to wait in the hope of seeing
Ler. If it was possible, he wished to communicate
with her, apprismg her of his pl-csencc, and what he
and Nick Ergposcd doing for her.

If he s o (1 fall to see her at all, he gave his
promise to be at the spot by nightfall.

The traders had orders to continue on up the river
and make all haste into_ British territory, where
there was no danger of being molested by t e dread-
ed Nor’-westers.

Nick Whiflles, left alone with Calamity, sat down
on the round to await the return 0 his young
frileénd With the stoical patience of an Indian him-
se . ‘

Not until the night was considerably advanced did
he feel any misilving. Still he waited and listened,
until at last, t e gray light of morning filled the
woods, but still there was no Ned Mackintosh.

“What kin be the difflkilt l" he muttered, as h:
and Calamity took the trai and followed it: “at
they‘ve harmed my Ned, I’ll skul ) every thkfoot
this side the Rocky Mountains. er's the trail of
the lad as lain as day‘ tnkc it, On amity, and we‘ll
foller it to t e end. Ef he’s 1n the Wigwam 0! W00-
wol-na or Red Bear, he’s got to come out, and e! he‘s
in tlhat infernal Death Lodge, I’ll burn it down, by
mi ‘t .

. e¥gray e es of the trapper lit u with a furious
gleam, and t ere was no mistaking llS deadly corn.
esfuess, aswith long strides he struck into the woods.
to lowing close to the dog, who, with nose to the
round, was on the trail of the tyounfiehunter. and
eeping it with the certainty o a Si rianhplood~

hound. . 44‘s”

But ah! a sudden “ (limkilty " presentedh If: for
scarce a hundred yards were passed when hm came
to a small creek, the existence of which he had for
gotten. A short examination showed that Ned had
entered a canoe, which was evidently lyin there,
and supposing he had crossed, Nick adjusted is rifle
and swam over; but to his’snrprise there were no
indications of the canoe having landed, either above
or below the place, _ I

He spent the entire day in searching the banks of
the crcek,»followini: both Sides up anddown for full
a mile, and using Calamity to assist him. The rash t
was nothing. ' .

The second morning he Vinith the village. and day
after day was spent in searching for his ‘: dear Ned, '
dearer now than ever, and yet he obtalncd not the
slightest clew _

He was complete] battled, fonled, and. flan in
des air he turned his ack upon the Blackfoot vil age
an sou rht his lonely home in the wuldcnwss,'l‘cel-
ing as t ough it would be a relief to throw off the
burden of life, and take nls departure to his last
reet‘ place. . _ .

But c could not content himselt in idleness and he
soon renewed the vain hunt.

 

. CHAPTER 111.
mu “oonnmmanns'r DIFFIKIhTY " or Lu.

“ 0F all the condemned difilktlties that I’ve evcr
been in this yer’s the worst," muttered Nick Whva
flea. “ thought it was putty bad when maind Ca-
lamity got separa that ni ht in the storm. when
my canoe upset, d C ty landed in the wrong

 

It was .

   
 
  
  
    
       
      
  
   
      
   
    
    
 
   
       
   
    
 
  
   
    
    
   
    
   
        
     
      
    
     
    
 
    
  
     
  
     
    
 
   
  
 
 
 
    
  
  
    
  
   
      
     
    
  
    
  
    
 
   
  
   
 
  
 
  
    
    
   
    
    
 
     
 
  
    
    
 
    
       
  

 

«am.

)-

 

 

 

cow-a, ,5; 19;...

“writeup-w- . ' 

:I‘hflxm‘ hay-:1” '

s.

   
   
   
 
  
   

 

 

  

Nick Whiffies’s Pet.

 

 
 

8

 

 

tlace and my gun sunk to the bottom, and the snow
has ailing so fast that I couldn't see the length
of my nose ahead of me; wal, thar war a diflikilty,
rind no mistake; but this yer‘s wust nor that."

He heavod a great sigh, that showed how deep his
feelings were, and looked plaintiver out on the river
howing by. lie was tplltc a distance from home,
and was standing on t to bank of the stream, upon
which he hall hunted and trapped so often.

ll.» had now spent the greater )llI‘I/ ot' a week in
l"i'lblllh’ for his young friend hell, who had so
.- mun:er disappeared while searching for Miona,

‘. yet trill dissrn't-rod no clewat all. He had visit-
ll-‘ 1:: n-kt'oot village, and with a daring that at-
-,l in . :ul't-ct ion, as Well as bravery, had actually

‘ sour s arching: ueslions to Red Bear.

“ And he answered them as innereent asa lamb
m i,” muttered the trapper, “ but, for all that, I
know the. old eopper-skin could toll me all about him,
er he war a mind to open them lips of his. I don’t
know whether Ned has gone under, or whetherhe still
tloats his slicks. but somehow or other I think he’s
walkin’ the airth, and I think I shall soon See mm
lg‘in, though it ain’t sartain," he added, as if to re-
prove himself for this sudden spasm of hope.

“It‘s put me and you to our stumps, Calamity,"
he added, loliking down with his old quizzical smile,
at his dog sitting at. his feet. “We've tratnpcd the
woods night and day, but it didn‘t do no good. Ned
left in a canoe, and me and you,.pup, hain't l‘arnezl
to track a man over the water, yet, though we‘ve
tried it often ‘nough."

He stood a few minutes latiger, looking out on the
surface of the river, with that absent, meditative
manner, which showed how much his heart was en-
listed in the work he had undertaken.

Then, with another great sigh, he continued:

“Poor Ned! I wonder if he knows how much old
Nick Whil‘fles loveshinil and then to think that he
come all the way across the great ocean, a year
ahead of his time, to see the little gal, that I s'pose
he’s dreamed about night and day ever since, and
now who kin tell where the feller is—"

The old trap or suddenly recoiied a step, while his
’bronzed facet ashod u as though some wonderful
vision had passed be ore him. But it was on! a
thought that had come to him suddenly, and that lad
so aroused him from his mournful reverie.

“Why didn‘t I think of it before? That’s whatI
orter done in Kiln: fust place. I must see Minna my-

;self, and tell er everything that‘s happened; she
/ knows'more about the ways of Red Bear and the In-
jins round here than I do.

“I'll- set her to work; I’ve see‘d that gal often
‘nough to l’arn that thar‘s something In her more
than common women. Then she loves that young
Ned, just- as much as he loves her, and she‘ll move
heaven and yarth till she l’arns what‘s become of
the chap that's growed into as purty a man as he
war a. ho . I must see her, and I ll start at once."

Thro ng his ride over his shoulder. he moved off
at a. re. id stride through the wood toward the point
where 3 had left his canoe, but had taken scarcely
a. dozen stops when he abruptly paused.

“ What is it up? Sometlung on the river, eh?
fled or white-5kg? Man or four-legged critter?-“

Nick started again, for at that moment a canoe
canic in sight, scarcelya. hundred feet distant, and

seated in t 8 center who should he see but the very
persopowhom above all others (excepting one) be de-
mee .

“ Wat, el‘ thnr war over a special Pr0vidence, that
isn‘t anytliitit;_elso. I was just going down to the
village ,after Minna, dying to see her, when here she

comes.

The sharp-eyed girlwas not liable to miss seeing
so prominent an _quect as a. man standing on the
bank, and recogmzmg her old friend Nick Vhifl‘lcs,
she nodded pleasantly to him. and turned her canoe
toward the land.

Leaping out'as lightly as a fawn, she placed her
little hand in his large rough palm, and said she was
always hapipy to see m. _

“And it 083 an old chap like me a powerful heap
of good to look on such _a ur , sweet face no
yourn. What ar’ you thmkin‘ bout, Miona?”

“I was just thinking while paddlin along in my
canoe, that four ears have passe smce father,
mother and Ned is me here. Only one year more
and he is to come for me.” ,

.And the face of the girl glowed With heartfelt hap-
. piness—happiness that was born of rent, pure,
eternal love for him who had won it w on she was
but a. more girl. .

here was no doubt there—no fear that in the far-

awayscones of his home, where he had been years
growin and developin into a splendid young man,
where c encountered “ civilized " beauties every
day—no thought that his right loyal heart would ever

falter in its devotion to its first lore. Miona was

a y.

£3. is. now summer” she continued, in the same
glad veice; “soon will come the snow and ice, and
we shall be locked up in our lodges, until the warm
sun breaks up our rivers, drives away e snow, and
the flowers come into the woods agai —and then he
is income. Oh. Nick, can you wonder that I feel

‘happ ? But what is the matter, my dear friend?
You ook sad and troubled‘over something.”

“‘ So I am, so I am,“ he answered; with another
Sigh, as he drew the back of his hand in a suspicious
manner across his eyes.

“ Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked
in a svnipathetic vonce, as she tenderly laid her hand
upon arm. .

“ No, no, it’s all ’boutgou; it ain't me alone, but

on, too. are in the 'con emnedest difllkilty of your

of What‘s the use? Mighty! I migh as well
make a calf of myself and out with it.”

And then, summoning all his self-command. the

   

 

trapper told the whole story to tho girl-~llow Ned
Mac 'intosh impelled by his devotion to her, had
not been willing to wait until the expiration of the
)rohat ionary live years, but was already in America,
had come all the way from Fort Churchill, with a
party of traders, and had visited the Blackfoot
village, feeling that he must. have one look at her,
and then perha is he could wait until the coming
spring; how he lad talked with Rod Bear, face to
face, believing that the. chief could not recognize
him, since he had changed so much that even Nit-k
himself had no suspicion of his identity, when he
presented himself before. him; and then, (letol'niill-
ed that he would see his beloved he had left. the
traders, and gone oil'~and slime then nothing had
been seen or heard of him.

“ It‘s all my fault, too," he added, in a self-
reproaeht’ul Voice. “ I had no business to let him
go, but then’l loved him so much that I couldn‘t
refuse him anything he axed.“

For a few moments, the emotions of Miona were
too painful to permit her to speak; after awhile she
gained control of" herself and said:

“ You are. not to blame for anything that has hap-
pened; your services to all of us can never be over-
estimated. I saw you both, when on were at the
village a flaw days ago, and little ( id I dream that
that young man was 'ed."

“ You see‘d us then?“ asked Nlt'k, flashing up with
a new interest. “ I didn‘t know Unit."

“1 saw you both; why didn‘t you ask fur m0?"

“ Ask for you? That‘s about all that I did do, and
wasn‘t I told that you war so busy gittin' ready to
1,0 married to Red Bear that you hadn‘t time to see
other folks?"

“ went you told that i“ asked Minna, with a pale,
terrified look.

“Yas; and more too. They told me that you had
agreed to marr Red Bear~tltough I knowed that
war a lie—and t oy didn’t intend to give you up, and
that if anybody tried to take you, you would be put
in the Death Lodge." _

“ Now I understand it all," re bed the girl, speak-
ing as though some new light d just broken in
upon her mind.

“ l-Iain‘t that varmint bothered you any?“

“ I could not help seeing, for a year past, that Red
Boar was quite an admirer, but he has always shown
me a certain deference, and never pressed matters."

~‘ He ain’t ready yet—when the time comes, he will
{to it?fast enoug . How is it you’re ’lowed to run
oose ‘

“I have always consented to keep out of sight
when we had viSitors, and only when they on posed
none was near have I been permuted to tags
canoe, or hunt in the woods, but I always have a
companion, and even now I expect soon to be joian
by t lo sister of Red Bear, who in to meet me a little
we. up the river.

‘ But, Nick." said Mionn, rousing herself with an
Amazonian dignity, “we must find Ned, {rheum-

én .”

ghe pronounced the last clause in a. tremulou
voice, and looked appealineg to the trapper, who
hastened to say: ,

‘ “ I think he‘s above- ound—and now, Mionn, can
you meet me hereto. ht?"

“I will, if you Wish it. ’ ‘

“Have you l‘arned, or heard nothin’ that woke
your ’spiCions?"

“ Not a syllable."

“Then go back to the village. and don‘t show on
s‘pect anything; but do all you kin to find out w at
has ’come of t at Ned. You’re smart, and I b‘lieve
you kin do it. Meet me here. jist as the moon is
risin’, and tell me what you’ve l’arned."

The girl promised that it should be done. At that
moment she saw no way by which she could secure
a half-hour‘s absence from the Village, but she was
resolved that it should be done, come what might.

The knowledge that she had gained of the pro-
posed treachery of Woo-wol-na and Red Bear,
showed her her danger, and the necessity of her do-
ing her utmost to get out of their power, and the
knowledge that, under Providence 1 to fate of her
lover depended upon her skill and daring, made a
veritable Joan of Arc of her for n. time.

So they separated and the weary hours of the do
were spent by Nick ’hifiics in the same vain scare
that had lured him on for so long a time.

For several hours before the time be was waiting
at the rendezvous, and just as the moon began shed-
ding its pale light over the wood and stream, he
heard the dip 0 her paddle, and a moment after her
stealthy footsteps, as she came like a shadow to his
3

e.
“ ‘Sh!“ she whispered, “I have a companion—Red
Bear‘s sister.“
“ Have ou l‘arued anvthlng?“ ,
“ Yes; think I can tell you tin/ate of Edward I”

 

CHAPTER IV.
' 'mu Tun. r

WHEN Minna announced to Nick Whiflics that she
had learned the fate of Nod Mackintosh, the old
trap wr could scarcely re rem his excitement.

‘ live or dead?" he as ed, 0! fly.

“Alive,” was the reply- “ wait cm a few minutes;
I must get rid of her, and than I will return." .

And she was one as sudduly as she came.

Nick heard t c sound of, hot puddle as it grew
fainter and fainter, until it died out ill the distance,
and then he sat down like can exhausted.

“ That ’ere is a woman," cold he, an somethin like
his old spirits came back to him; ,“ in’t she olier.
ed up that trail better nor on old, hunter like me kin
do it? Calamity, when that female 331 comes back
ag’in, I want you u take yer not and make your belt
bow to her.”

 

 

And indulging in his (pit s and (fiddditios with the
I.

sagacious canine, he while away
Miona herself reap lent-ed.

“ I own now spent several hours with vou, without
being missed “ she hastened to my. ‘ I retired to
my lodge, and have arranged my bed so its to make I
it appear that I am sleeping there. Idon‘t think the a
tic-cliption will be discovered until the sister of Red
lietu' comes to retire with me, and that won‘t be for
several hours, as there‘s to be a sort of a feast to-
night that will kee 1 them awake until midnight, and
from which 1 east y eXenst-d Inysell’ on the plea of
indisposition. I am very anxious to get back in time
to H‘UVt‘lit any diseoVery of my ltlrb'tllt‘t‘, as it may
em )arrnss our future actions." '

“ But Nedehat about him?” was the impatient
question of Nick. ' ‘

“I did what you told me to do,“ she answered. ‘
“The whole day has been devoted to trying to learn
something about him. I have not asked a single
(pit-slum of any one, but have watched and listened.

J (-onplepf hours ago I saw l\'t,>o—wol-tia and lied
liear talking, and I managed to pass near enough td
hear the old chit-1' utter three words; they Were:

“ ‘ Grizzly Bear (l'avel‘ .

“ And there I believe Edward has been placed, out '
left to die adenth of starvation." ~

"You‘re 1'! rm 1“ exclaimed Nick Whifilcs, enthusi
nstically. never thought of that. 'I‘hur‘s whai
he is, and I‘ll start for him at once."

I:  yrplknow “Idlers it isl'l‘

on . vc mi es own 1 in river close to t
bank on the other side." ' , - In

“That is the place; I did not suppose you knew
whertewas. Icnme With the intention of guiding

“on o .

) Then followed a long] consultation. Miona was.
anxious to accompany t to trapper, and assist in the
rescue of her lover. Nay, she would not listen to '
his denial, until he succeeded in convincing her that
it would most Brobably defeat her vc object. .‘

The long con nenient of Ned Mackin osh in Grizzly ‘
Bear Cave, with no food, had probably reduced him ~
to the weakness of a child, so that he Would be 1111- '
able to render the assistance that would be so much '
needed in their flight; and indeed, he would only be '
worse than a burden to them—insuring the capture '
and ruin of the entire arty. -

“ Ef he‘s thar, with t 9 help of Heaven I'll get him -
out. I’ll take him home and make a well man of
him, and then, when eve thin ‘8 ready, we‘ll move
ag’in, and I swow to grac oust, f we don't make the
condemnedest dii'flkilty that Red Bear or Woo-wol-na‘
ever heard tell on. ~

“ You 0 back to your lodge, and don’t let 'em see
that you ve l‘arned anything, and be on the look-out i
for us in a week from now.

“I came with the intention of helpin you save -
him,” she said in n mournful voice; I hoped that
when we got him out of the cave. we Would all leave
the coun at once and end this torturing suspense;
but it won d be wicked in me to act contrary to your
advice. I have bro ht some food with me; give ‘
this to him. and tell h m how anxious I was to share
his danger and his suffering. Poor Nedl what ha:
he endured on my account! .

And the 15m sobbed like one whose heart was

ick
an

e half-hour until

breaking. waited until the tom stoi' her rief
had passed, d then he urged her theretunr tog tho
Village, and to act as he had instructed her to

do.

Beluctnntly she took his hand again, and bode him
farewell—renewmg her rotesta ons of lovgto her
own cherished one, on making Nick -  v z to
come as scan as possible to her own re of

She had scarce] take; her depa .
trapper and his og were in his canoe“sz
down-stream toward Grizzly Bear Cave. '  , '

Hawaii compelled in his course to pass directly!)
the village, but he hugfed the other shore close
doing so, and ran little f any risk.

In the current a ain. and be bent his iron limbo
with such a will t t the canoe seemed fairly to fly
over the water.

“ Grizzly Bear Covet". he repented- “ don‘t I know
where it in? Didn‘t I tumble into t once, when I
war a-huntin’ With a trapper, and of he hadn‘t cotch-
ed the limbs and saved himself, wouldn't I have
starved to death tlmr? It’s a. horrible place, and A
man who gits in thar is party sure to be in the last
dimkllty of his life, of he haiii’t got somebody to
help him out. Poor Nedl I s‘poso he‘s ive up on; ‘
ago, and made up his mind that Nick \ iiflles is the
piggth fool in. the traffiiukgrounds, as hols, sure

nough, not to ’spcct l s beln‘ tliar. Come. old
canoe, you must travel faster than this. "

' ile after mile was passed, and the night was
quite advanced when he ran the little bout ashore
and lie and Calamity stop ied out.

“ Yer it is." he muttore . as he made his way up a
jagged mass of rocks, his heart trembling with ho a
and fear. “ I wonder of he‘s down thar, and of he ,
whether he hnin't one under. Hello! here‘s the
very hole I tuian inter that night and come so
near breakin‘ my neck, and gottin‘ inter my last con-
demned difllkilty."

Creepi forward he leaned Over and looked down
into the ark, silent chasm, and then he called in a
voice that sounded strange and hollow:

“ Hulioil, Ned 2“

He waited, but there was no response.

“ Hulloa. Ned Hazel!"

Again he turned his ear and waited several mo-
ments, but no sound reached him except that faint,
moaning silence, such as is heard when one listens to
a seminal].

 may“ harm...” N. km...

on vs 11 more a c
none to his feet and muttered: .
"I’m afoot-d poor Nod bu had his lost Ml"

    
     
  

l.

  

   

   
 

’.(Wy
l

 p 'nly that all woul

i Mackintosh was lifted from
. across the rocks: to the o cning of the cavern.

;._ intoc
‘ . when he came in contact with the cold stone, and
- spru rupward again. '

Ezwhich the dim, f

‘ ,, found
 ewater;

V. told more dreadful!" murmured the
1. “be seated himself upon the rock, and tried to
g_ flunk calmly upon the 31 nation.

 

(ll IAI’TER V.

GRIZZLY BEAR CAVERN.

FULL of eager hopc, Nod Mackintosh left his
friend, Nick Whiillcs, and started toward the Black-
) foot Village, with thopur loseot‘ gaining one glimpse
‘ of Miona~shc for whom it) was willing to brave and
to do so much. .
Reaching the small crock to which reference has
! {wt-n inadc, ho was not a little surprised to tlnd an
‘ ndian canoe, lying against the bank at his: foot.
l “Now, if there is no owm'r near, I call that ex-
trmucly fortunatc ” he niuttcrml, as he furtively
glanced about. “ can cross to the opposite side,
‘ and then, perhaps, when the rcd fellow comes back,
he will think he .orgot and left it there.”

He gave one vigorous Shove, and sprung in. The
canoe moved about half-way across the creek, and
began drifting downward, when Ned picked up a
paddle; but, as he dipped it into the water, it oc-
curred to him that the safer way would be for him

i to descend the creek to the river, and then steal
along shore.

B this means he would avoid leaving the telltale

l trai that has iroved fatal to so many similar on—
terprises. So 'oeping the boat in he center of
the stream, he gently used the paddle, and glided

down the current reaching the river itself

at the end of a. few minu 8.

Still ho fill and confident, he paddled along,
ikeepinghc one to the shore and was within a very
short 'stanco of tho vil age, when he saw the
get-ow of a large canoe, coming around a short

ad in the river.

As quick as a flash the young man ran his boat

, under the shore, where the overhanging limbs
looked dense. enoz‘gh to cover him, and with some
a rehension aw ted the coming and passing of
t s new danger.

He was not kept long in waiting. The measured
dip of paddles came nearer and nearer, and when
nearly opposite the bushes in front of him were
cleft in twain by the prow of the other boat, and

i he was on )turodl

. It was ( one so quickly that the astounded young

; man had no thou 'ht of resistance ere he was

‘ seized and his arnn-i’ iound.

“ What is the meaning of this!" do demanded, in-
dignantly. “lcame with the traders. This is dan-
gerous to you!"

The last words were uttered in the Blackfoot

‘ tongue.

In doing so, Nod entirely forgot himself, and com-
glitttletl a blunder which he saw on the instant was

a a .

In the canoe were both Woo-wol-na and Red Bear

- and when they heard their own tongue used so well
and forcibly, a dim suspicion of theirs at once be-
came conwctiou.

The appearance of the young man with Nick Whit?-
fles, during the early part of the day, caused both
to suspect that ho was the be -lovcrof four years
before, who had promised to re urn for Minna.

‘ the changes in his personal appearance were
so , , that the}r could not dare to feel certain un-
til tlth'cricil llln lurking in the vicinity o the
viii 'c, and heard him nae the tongue he had learned
from his old friend Nick Whittlcs. Then, as has been

Show: all doubt; became certainty, and there was no

, besilqauni as to what disposal should be ma e of

..,

l

T #1, {mid «easily kill him, but there were some
Bligh - ' Ilmnsionnlhat vengeance niightbe visited
in if they did this, as the sharp eyes of
lilies would be apt to detect and re wit the

g §pon
- rime, while he could be quietly carried to t it) rocks

' and dropped into Grizzly Bear Cave and left. to'die

, of starvation, without the slightest trace remaining

. to toll the tale of his fate.
Undemtmiding that he had sealed his own doom,

~ Mackintosh atten'iptcd no entrvaty, resistance or

threats. The baleful scowl and exultant looks of
Bear, and lllH canally heartless father, told too

be thrown away there.
, unspeakany sad as it was, he had brought his

own fate upon him.

Speeding swiftly down this river, they s eedlly
nailed the village, and then on for several mi es, un-
I they reached the hard, bare rocks, whore tho

i heaviest l’ont could leave not the slightest. print to be-
! wry its passage.
' 9

re the body of the desmtring, wretched Ned
he canoe and carried

Thia'wasi it‘l'cgulurln‘.‘ ape and some four or five
feet in dininctor. Holding the captive for a moment,
.ono of the Indian; cut the thongs that bound his

, anus, no that his limbs were entirely free, and then

‘ lotgol

\ Down thrmigh the dark, cold air of the cavern be

whiucd, «.mrtain that his last moment was at hand,
and that the next instant he would be a crushed, a
shapeless mass at the bottom.
But instead of striking the tlinty rock, he splashed
billing water, sinking down fully a dozen feet,

An ic ronc to the surface, he looked about him,

“if but could ecu nothing at all. Everything was blank
uh darkness, and only when he raised his eyes could he
"

detect the round, 'agged bola above him, through
all} Li ht of da entered. Strik-

ing out, however, he E but a my strokes, when
he came aifihmt an obstruction, climbing upon which
'muelf upon a broad, flat rock, clear of

“ Saved from one death to die another a hundred-
r sufferer,

 

  

Beadle’s Half-Dime Library.

Tho night so rapidly deepened that when he lmikod I

upward, it was impossible to discern the entrance to
the cavern, while the gloom around him was abso-
lutely iuun-nclzrablc.

He did not dare to mm'e from whcrc he was sit- 1

ting, lest he should stumble into some pitfall worse '

than the mm from which he had just i-xtricutcd him-
scli‘, and so he prepared to spcnd thc night where he
was.

“There a no possibility of my escaping from
here," he rcticctcd, “or they would not have cast me
in. Nothing but the intervmition of Heaven, through
Nick Whitllcs, can save me. .

“Will hcsuspcct what has become of mo? 1 )r0-
llllSt‘Ll to rejoin him by dusk, and it is. past that time
now.

him hcrc. lie is keen—wilted, and so is Calamity,
but what clcw can they gain to my whereabouts?

“Oh! if Miona (:Olllt only know, how quick Would
she tly to my rescue? She would find some means of

ettin me out of this liviu tomb. I long for day-
i 'ht t lat I may know premsely my situation."

It: found that his revolver was still left in his pock-
et, with his powder-flask and ammunition, but his
ca tors had kept his rifle.

e sat for a ong time upon the damp, hard rock
but finally dro ped off into slumber which lastc
through t 1e on ire night: for, when he awoke the
first thing that attracted his notice was da light
shinin’ through the round hole over his hca , and
which at in cnou h illumination to disclose the en-
tire interior of his prison home—Grizzly Bear Cav-
am.

It was over fifty feet in diameter, ve irregular in
shape, tapering up to a hi rht nearly alf as cat
where the opening was to
clmlng inwardly toward this one glance only was
needed to show the prisoner that it was utter] inac—
cessible, that no gymnast in the world coult leave
the cavern, without assistance from the outer world.

He had some hope during the night, that some
stream ran through it, and by means of along dive
he might succeed in esca ing, but even this frail
hope was dissi ated, when 9. saw that it was not a.
stream but at eep 001, which had gradually filled
from t c oozings t trough the sides of the rocks,
and, that when it reached a certain mint, the over-
floutrhescaped by filtering through t 0 ground and
car .

No; Ned Mackintosh was indeed in his tomb, un-
less some friend would come and save him.

The more he thought the more improbable did
it seem that Nick Whit! cs would suspect his fate,
and sli 'ht indeed was the foundation upon which
he couk build any hope.

So excited and feverish and wretched did he feel
.for the first tWenty-four hours that he scarcely
thought of food. Back and forth he walked, paus-
ing now and then to quench his thirst, and to keep
his brain from going wild with the thoughts that
were racking him.

Late at night, he lay down, exhausted and
wearied, and slept a feverish, unrcfreshing slumber.

He awoke save ‘nl times, and his sufferings would
have excited the sympathy of any out).

When morning came again, he was sensible of
the pangs of hunger. and the thought occurred to
him that possibly there might be some fish in the
pool that were obtainable. ,

.‘o be spent a couple of hours in groping around
with his hand, and sure cnough he caught one
Weighing nearly a pound. This be carefully pre-
served, cating momcl by morscl, until nothing but
the bones were left, in the meanwhile hunting for
more.

But search and work to his utmost, he could
find no more, and he was subjected to the gnaw-
ing pangs of hun 'cr again. Then came the pacing
to and fro like t e caged lion. then exhaustion,
fever and delirium, all alone in the gloomy cavern.

Night and day were all the same, and'he lost
the consciousness of the passage of time. Whether
hcthafi been there three days or a week he could
no to} .

Why need he seek to know? Death was coming
slowly, but surcly. Why rack his brain? It only
adrlet kcenncss to his anguish. li‘orgctfulncss,
oblivion, stupor, were mercies now.

Then came dreams so vivid that he scarcely know
whether he was awake or asleep.

And 1 'in r thus, he seemed to see his old friend
Nick hi es, and Calamit , and Miona, floating
through the air overhead, boy seemed to he look-
mgI Inournfully at him, and beckoning him to come.

0 sought to move, but could not.

“ [lullom Ned!”

He opened his mouth, but the words came not.
. "11a Ina, Md Hazel!” ’

He made an effort to rouse himself, but the stupor
could not be shaken ott‘.

"Ilajloa, Ned, are you hungry 3”

.Again he ctrugglcd with the energy and deeper. -
tion of a dying many Rising to the Sitting position,
he gasped, moaned. and then foeny walled:

“ Y’s, I am Mere, Nick I“

The strained and listening ear of the trap rheard
the faint cry, just as Cidamity‘s whine to d that he
had also caught the same sound.

“Hold on, Ned! keep up a good heart!" came
back the cheery voice of Nick. “ I’ll soon have you
out of there!" ,

Then the trapper rose to his feetmutteflng:

“It’s ’bout twenty-five feet down to that water.
When I tumbled in, the other teller had to cut a
young treeVand'pass it down there, and Iclimbed
up), and throwed it over the edge of the rock yonder,
w ere it's layin’ yet, if nobody ain‘t took it away."
A few minutes search discovered the sapling, with
its. knotty protuberaan and this was carefully

He will wait and search allthc nicht and all §
tomorrow, but there in no trail by which to guide ‘

seen. Every si e in:

 

over my boyhood again.“ ,

 

loworcd down the o cning, Nick calling out to his
young fricnd to stunt from under.

“Thor ain‘t much need of that," he added to
himself, “ it’s all watcr right thnr, and so dccp that
thclsdick has got to be rcstcd ag‘in‘ the side of the
poo .”

When it was at last udjustcd, the top scarcely
protruded allow the surt‘acc, so littlc was there to
sparc in the lcngth of thc sapling.

“ Now, ch, come right up that likc a monkey."

“ 0}], Nick! lam too weak to stand 1“

“ liy mighty l“ muttered the ho roustricken Whit-
flcs, “is it as bad as that? Then I'll go down to
yer, and of I can‘t got you out I‘ll stay thar and
die with ycr. Calamity, you 'ccp watch above,
fur I don‘t b‘licvc you can climb atrcc.“

Fastening his rifle to his back, the trapper carer.
fullly dcsccndcd, foot by foot, until he Blood on the
rec y floor bclow.

“ hick, my darling boy, whar are yer?"hc asked,
reaching his hands out in the gloom.

“Herc, Nick, here!” and astaggering form pitched
into his arms.

" God bless you, In boy!“ murmured the trapper,
the tears running rom his eyes; “don‘t try to-
hclp yourself; I‘ll take care of yer?"

It was a work of incredible difficulty to ascend
the knotted tree, with him in his arms; not on ac-
count of his weight, but the task of climbing with
on] one am free.

1 e tree bent fearfqu under the additional weight
and tough and muscular as was the trapper he
was utterly exhausted, when at last he ed
the top, and lay down anti and almost breath
less, beside the still wea -er Ne Mackintosh.

But Nick speedily rallied, and lifting his “boy”
again in his arms carried him to his canoe, and the.
he sped homeward, driving his boat with the fury
of a madman through the water.

Ned rallied and ate some of the food bro t to
him, and the trapper never aused thr the
night. The young man finally 0 ped into a less-
ant slumber. from which he did no awake an '1 the
succeeding day was far advanced, when he mused
up, ate more food, and then listened to the story of
his true and tried friend.

When he heard all, and especially the put that
Miona herself had home in his rescue, his emotions
can scarcely be described.

“The noble, brave girll“ he murmured; “she
shall be rescued! Only wait till I recover and am
m '50]! again!”

‘Yas; the first thing is for you to be yourself
ag'in, and you ain’t goin’ to do t at in a hurry.“

But Ned did do it in a hurry. Young, vigoroua,
and healthy, he s icedin regained his usual condition
under the carcfu nursing of Nick Whitlles, who fur-
nished him with an extra rifle, and took him on sevc~
ral hunts, before he ronounced him fit to engage in
the recapture of his )clovcd Mio 8..

Just one week from the tim of his emergence
from Grizzly Bear Cavern, Nick Wliiflles declared
that the time had come for the rescue of the am-
anccd of Nod Mackintosh. ,

CHAPTER VI.
on THE ELKJIIVER AGAIN.

ON the ncxt morning a canoe was gliding down the
Elk t‘..'cr, in which Wt‘l‘e coated Nick Whitlles and
Ned Mackintosh, and the dog Calamity.

The formcr was in thc bow, and wit 1 his rifle rent-
ing lazily between his knees, was watching his young
friend, who was using the paddle, as he had been
wiclding it for the last twu hours.

"How do I make out?" he asked, with his usual
pleasant smile. “Am I doing as well aaI did four
years ago?“

“I sorter fancied you didn't at first,“ was the re—
ply, “ but you l'arned it too well in them days to for
rat it. soon. I don‘t see as_ your stroke can be much
improved. How’s your Wind?”

‘ Allright: I haven‘t forgotten to take plenty of
exercise, althou 'h it ,has been of quite a different
character fromt is.”

“flush!” Mackintosh ceased paddling, and the
two men heard distinctly the truppcrn‘ song! It
sounded quite a distance away, coming through
quite an intervening stretch of woods, but it was un-
mistakable. . I

“I declare,” exclaimed Ned, laying his paddle
across the gunwalc and leaning hack in the canoe.
“That calls up the Past more vividly than luiything
else. Don‘t s )eak or a few minutes, Nick."

With which a closed his eyes, and listened, and as
he did so, he felt that he was indeed a boy again.
Heowas once more roaming through the great wil-
derness of the North-west, chasing the antelope and
buffalo setting his trap on the mountain streams,
and Sig iin ' and dreaming over the beautiful daugh-
ter of the hantom Princess. . h

At last he opened his eyes, and said, with a smile:

“The dream was pleasant, but it has past. Where
are the trapper's, above or below us i” _

“Above. n

“ They are coming down-stream?" ,

“ Yes; they are raining on us puny fast.”

“Are you sure t cy’ro not Hu son Bay men?”

“They’re Now-westers—l can tell any of ’cm byI
their son rs. Do you want ’em to pass us?“ .

“Yes; .would like to See them, and we wall let
them go through their business With the Blackfeet,
before we appear on the 3 re.”

Toying i( y with his 1) die, the trappers soon
came in view. They were in three large canoes.
averaging a down men in each, advancnfiewith a
reggular, steady sweep, keeping tune with words
0 a stirring song.

“How natural that looks!" exclaimed Ned, who
watched them with a ldndling eye; “I am living

 
 

  

 

 

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Tll" trupprrs rapidly overhauled the smaller cw
mic, and :i.. l)‘.llil [Lil'll -s were iwir ill“ center ol’ the
sirr‘ani, Ill-"l Villil - vvry lll'lil' each other.

"As sure u :1 live,“ eXi-lziinii-d Ni-d, in on under-

i

limo, “ l horn is that man \\'lll)_lll‘lll,lv‘<~l the pnrty four 3

yeztrs ugo. I liuul. his untiii- l.\ Belgrade,“

“ It‘s ill“ s ini ‘ ('hup: lr-‘s lliu one, too, ihnt head-
(*illlll‘itllu'il'li on ihi- Hudson Bayiiinn, Linn-i- yi-urs
ago. ll» ('ztlll" lil‘IU' gr-tiiu' killnd at the time, and
lit-'s p .wcrl' lsuvdg * on your l'uihcr. Don’t let llllll
know who you :u' i."

“ii-ilol” <'.llll‘ 1 out the individual rcfi-rri-d lo, as
ho sizyizt’bli )lll'illli‘ll lo stop rowing.
Nick Wuiill-w'.’ " 1 '

“I think: ii, i:,‘ \vis‘ t ie re 1'.

"\Vll‘l‘i‘d) Hulk" 1))

“ Down ill" river.“

“ Wiiw‘vu yin '{al} with you?"

“A yuan; friend of mine, a s M of visitor in these
parts.”

“ lie :iiii’i, one of thorn Hudson Bay men, is he?"

“Uni-s h) link like it?"

“Not much; have any of ’cni lis~i-11ilo‘w'ii in those
parts since \vi- cleaned ‘cin out so bruntil‘ul?"

“I hivcn’t seen or heard of any. I don’t think
they will disiurh you any more.”

“I‘d like 10 see ‘0111 try it—thai.‘s all—I‘d rivn a.
‘13'11'2’0 01' p 'lli'ies if I could lay hands on that look-
intosh th ti. played me such :t trick four years
ago. I lli'itl‘vl he left the country after that.”

"So he d1 l."

“It's luvle for him—I‘ve hoard tell, too, that
h» had ll. son that used to he in these parts. Do you
know any thing ’bout it, Nick?”

“ His son was in the boat that time you and him
come so new grttin’ afoul of each other.” I

“\an, Nick, I’ll give you a hundred dollars if
you'll snow "10 where I can lay hands on that Mack-
intosh or his son. I ain't particular which one it
is, for “i make the one si neal through t‘other
just as h ‘s if it was himself‘.”

Nick waist-c him good‘by, and the two parties sep-
united.

“Perhaps. if I hadn't grown so hit, that savage
fellow inizhr have recognized 111’), and then there's
no tellin: with might have happened," remarked
Ned. with :I. l‘ilth.

“ i1» feels soro over the the trick we played him
that thin. We‘ll take it easy on the river, so as
to b; sure. of not gettin‘ in thur wet . And now, let
me swiu,r the, paddle awhile.“ :ulde Nick, reuchin:
.l'orward; “I feel the need of some exercise lik.)
that." -

Neil cemented, and while the hunter plied tin
iinplen ens, he lay back in the boat incditiuiiic;

,upon his errand. and upon its probabilities of suc-

“ I can notéea‘l not live witho'it her," he muse l,
reflection: upon this chairiningheuuty of th: woods.

' “There has never close-.1 a Night around me that I

haven‘t prayed for the safe cumin: of this day,
anl no iv that it is here, I am full of doubt and
niisg‘ivina: about the success of that which I have ul-
wa‘ s loo (eel upon as cortiin. I can only ask Heaven
.to e kind to us, as it his lthd. s been in the past.”

ClIAl’i‘rlri VII.
run iii. iv.

WuuN nirht li'l’l fairly settled upon the river
'Nick Whililas turn ad the pr-pv of his cums townri
shore, all they landed on tha edre of the (lens)
forest. wtlk'il inlan’l it rod or so, until they cu-

tercl :i d 5.2)) gorge.

“I ve compel hero 1) fare," said the old hunter,
“ un'l w-e'll kindle th»: ier 'u’in."

“ Are there in Bl tcki‘»:ct nur us?” ,

“ Thar: may be l'l t‘u u'o L13, or 0'] the river; but
“my cum 5-,; this i_l,-_\ utileugnioof ’o'nntuhu his
we and pit:li id over into it. I iinzl it l‘diill’li‘ cool to-
niz'n‘, an! til we :tizi'i iuudi of a moon, so I‘ll do
as I’ve d ) l A. 6) ~l‘o.' *.'

In sit-'1 at l)l‘l') it w“ cuy to finl fuel to last
the outir- him . W31 in Hill was (1 inn, M t'3lflilt0HlI
proil'icel a. ill inch-tit), and 'hztl the lire, started in
.n twinkiiur. TM in tii  gttngrel'abiut the crack-
ling blurs, uul while thuv ate their lilililleDB-lil'ldiz.
disco H.311 the ull-iinpirtdut enmni upon which they
b-rl come.

When tin night hid considerably alvanc'il, they
Bb'l‘ebdllll oui,‘wiih thair blanketd uh Ht th-nn, by
the coup-Jr}. Calamity, wno hal spent "10“; of
tin menu: in sleeping at tin feet or his master,
now rouul up. as if con-iciou-i of the l‘-,‘.-‘.i).)ilfill)lllty
“135 lutl Su‘ldgnly been put upon his shoulders,’
.illld‘nh‘ nnai an zippearuuc.‘ ol‘ vigilance very coin-
llortln‘: to his hmnfiu co1np.tnio.i§.

N“]He can be trustul as well as ever?“ inquired

e .

_“l “villi hi’i u llttl’l better, if any thiur,“ rc‘
pligl M “.c. \\'l b no little pri~la. " il v‘s mire sm-
picio i; din ever, and he ain't apt to wait so long
afpre he pill»; his teeth into the legs of thcuni-
miles tin: mum amu'ii him. I‘d trust Calamity
‘i somxr tiii'i it‘l)’ human I ever see‘d."

Gulcviiitv xvsivnot forgetful of his duty, and he
m~1iiivii~ifl futilitul wutcu through the entire night.
Nina Wfilill is, as usual. slept. soundly and sweetly
until d  ru‘uhut the youn: man was no prom:-
cdpiel Witii his love for and fear about Minna,
thaw lll-‘u l'HL proved very unrel'reshiug. Ilcuwoke
several times through the night, and sat up and
looked about him. On. each occasion he saw Cal-
ui'nlty whisking about, in and out among the trees,
its iivel and watchful as though his years were not
rather envy upon him.

Once the lover arose and walked to the ed 6 of
the river, standing there a few minutes, and 00k-
:in out upon the unruflled surface. The $11: was
7;; te din-k, so that the faint moon gaveo udim

’ i

“ Is that you, ‘

 

i

i

, reaching the Indian village.

4-   yiew of the gently-flowing river; but: not a breath

. . ,
N101: Whlfiles 3 Pet.

of illl' wits stirring, and the deep, hollow sill-nee of
the soliiudi- sootliutl his troubled spirit, iind going
hawk in the camp, he luy down and nhnost insluniiy
i'i-ll ash-up.

()n (his duy they expected in l‘i‘lll'll the vicinity
iil‘ ilic lilm-ki'onl village, and, l'i'oiu Ihc [ll'i‘Sl‘llL in<
dimiiimis. .‘t «li‘rlil'd'illil‘ guiiii- would have to he [llilyl'll
iii-i'oi-u- ihv .ii-wi-I could he abstracted from the
irriu-lii-ruus linnd ol' \\’ou«ivolviiii. it was wrll that
tho iovi-r had brought Nii'k Wiiilllvs with him, for
nloiiu lll' Inul ulri-ndy worse than i'nilcd.

" ll’ i had coqui-d upon any double-dealing like
this.“ said hr, “1 would have hroughi a i'orci- with
me that Would haiw- coinprlii-d him to pi-rl'oriii his
part oi‘ the bargain."

"I don‘t know us ii would huve done,” replied-
Nick; "when a red skin linds he is outwittcd, lic‘s
up! to get di-sporulr itiid play old Harry.”

" What. would Iii-do?“

“If he found he i-oiildu‘tkcixp illegal, like rnough
hc'd sink his tonnihuwk into her head, Si) you could-
ll‘l. g‘ct lll‘l'.”

'l‘hi- tum men loitercd purposely on the way, so as
to niukc sui'v ol’ giving the North-west Company
abundant [line to gut outoi’ ihrir reach. This was
easily done, and curly in the afternoon they caught
sight oi? le rrturning i'unoes. Nick paddled up ho~
side tliciu ti i lmirn \Vlll‘l her there was anything Worth
knowing. lie was (old i'hat \Voll‘wnl‘llit wus there,
and it was oi" llllil that they had purchused the vein—
:i)l]ili- lot of peltries that they were carrying back with
l mu.

Several cautiously-put questions failed to discover
that the knew anything about Minna. The Indians
bud 'll'O )ahly tukcn cure to keep her out of the Why
of all visitors, as it will be remembered that live
years before no signs were seen oi’ her or her mother
when the Hudson‘s Bay men made their visit to'thc
some place on the same errand.

These indications although very slight, were pro-
nounced favorable by Nick Whilllcs, and Ned Muck-

intosh was not a little encouraged by his statement .

to that effect. '
. “ You so», if \Voo-wol-nu is there, Ikin go straight
into the village without any dodgin’ or ism-cum.
fentiu‘, and I kin find out for myself how the land
aye.“ ‘

“ But he will be there to resist you none the legs,

. You know his son?"

“Yrs; he's an ugly youni,r cub; he hates me like
plZ‘l‘ll, and would rather put a ball through inc than
110 .

The afternoon was about half gone when the two
men came opposite it small creek, which put in from
the northern side of the river, and which was not the
one that drew Ned into captivity. Nick paused
opposite it, and remarked:

“ You‘ve seen it before, ch._but notice it now.“

“ ()ne glance will tell me all I can know about it."
here )llml, looking in the direction indicated. “Why
should I feel any special interest in it?"

“ My idcc is that after we start, instead of going up
the river, we’ll go up the creek.”

“ What is to be gained by that, as we shall have to
return,1 or make an ovcrluud Journey for along dis-
tunce.

“One reason is that I think I can throw the var-
mints 011’ the trail. as they wouldn‘tbc apt to think
of our doing such a thing; and then by lllflklii ' a
trump of about thirty miles 1 kin strike unot ii-r
stream that will take us into the south branch of the
Saskatchewan.”

“ 11’ that is the case it is the thing we should do by
all means," replied his young companion. “I never
knew that such a thing were posinblc. How near
are we how to the villuge‘.’H

“It is something like live miles from licro' I‘m
goin’ to take you 'witnin it liall'~iiiile or thcrcaliouis
and then leave you while I go ahead and rocky-
noiter.”

“ At night-time?"

"That‘s the time to go prowlin’ ‘round the home
of the varniints, fur you mustn‘t forgit they‘ve got
as sharp eyes as you, and the hurdth part of u
scout‘s busiucssisn‘tto see, but to keep himself from
being secu."

At lust the oint was reached'wlieic the rendez-
vous was to to cc. place. Whiilics ran the canoe close
in beneath the undergrowth, wlirre there was no
likelihood of its being'scrn from the river, and can-
tioned his friend to he cnrrful about permitting him-
self to be seen by any )assing up or down the
river. When they Were close to the village, it was
by no means improbable that some of the loading
Indians might be near at hand, and the presence of
a stranger so near the village would be certain to
«Keith suspicion on the part of Woo-wol-nu.

"I‘ll leave Calamity with you, as I don‘t need
him “ said the hunter. nuwing away; “the pup has
good eyes, and he‘ll be good help to you in watchin’,
llllfl don’t git impatient if I ain‘t back More the
night‘s half~gomu

A minute later the trapper was making his way
through the woods with the long, steady stride
pcculiur to him. There was a thoughtful expression
upon his face, for none realized more deeply than he,
the momentous errand upon which he was engaged.

The distance was short, and he was not long in
He walked boldly in
among the lmlges, and lliifllll‘f‘d for Woo-wol-im but
to his surprise learned t at he was absent. When
he asked whether he was hunting or fishing, and
when he would return, he found no one able to an-
swer his question. ‘

After some pointless palaver, he made inquiry for
Miona. as he said he wished to speak with herbev
fore passing thro h the Village.

The answer to s was the same as the replyto
the others. No one could tell. where she was.

Nick was fairly taken aback for the time. He had

i

 

nol (-ounii-d upon any such rchuil' us this, and he did
not. know wind it mount: but that it mount Some.-
lhing hc hud no doubt, and something lllllllll‘ul to her
for whom hr was scorching.

llo.~ rriunincd a hull-hour or more dong his utmost
to learn sonic-thing, hilt failing ultngutlu‘l'. Finally

he concluded to return to Muckinlosh with hiurc- '

purl, and (lUrt'l' any further uttmnpt to penetrate the.’
mystery until he could see Woo-wol-iiu; when uu-
i-xpi‘i'ti-dly, lii- cur-mmlm‘cd the chief flu-.1". to ace. ',
Nick ut once di-nnuidrd to see Miolui. Woo-wol-nn‘a
M' ily was but u singli- si-ntiim-rmliut it struck Nick I
W iilllrs like u lilinii' l‘lllv—llilll. lie llll‘lll‘tl while ‘
sluggi-rvd hunk»- llii-u l'l‘l‘UVt‘l'i'd hinisi-li'. und listen 5
to the chief‘s hrii-i‘ but i-mplnriic words of cxplunap "
Lion. Without anolhi-r word tlw (ild guide strode
away into the woods to tell ch Mackiiitofili the fear-
i‘ul tidings.

 

Cl‘lAl’TER VIII. I
This (l RAVE Visl'r.

NI“: Wiimrucs wns not a men to cultivate the
llli't‘lll‘h‘ of r; lei-ch, and when he came in the
some. of Ne Mackintosh he (uickly uttered the i
words that wore upon theend of is tongue. l

“ l ser’d Woo-wol-nu, and he tells me that the gal

r

P79"

is dead /“ .

" wm'r !“_di.~manded the young manurecoiling and
sluring at him, as if be doubted the evidences of his
Bt‘llsé‘fi. l

“That‘s what he says, but I don't believe it; curse .

his picii-ri"

'l‘lie lover drew a sigh of relief.

“How you startled 11181 Tell me all you have
learned about it.”

The luinti-r then proceeded to relate what the
render has already; learned, adding:

“ He said that liona died a week ago. and was

‘ buried near the village, and if I wanted him, he
V would show me her grave." -

“ What did you say to thc scoundrel?"

“It came to me so sudden like, that] b’lieved it,
and sturtcd in see you; but as i' come through the
Woods, 1 had time to think of it andl made up my
mind he bud told me the big,r out kind of a lie." '

“ But, Nick. maybe they ave killed her, rather
than let her fall into the hands of her friends "
said the horrified Mackintosh, who could scarcely
control his mnolions. “ A week ago! why that
was the daynlic met you i"

“Jess so; and that‘s why I know HllO isn't dead
—-leust\\'isc of no disease. 'l‘hur's this about it:
they‘ve been expecting me, and the cunnin ' old var-
uiint has got up the story to ut me otft etrack,
thinking that I would give up u i hope of ettin‘ her,
and leave her to become the wife of Red car.
as on was out of the way.”

‘ Do you think ana is in the village?”

“ No; she can‘t be now. at least."

“ Where is she?"

“ I don‘t know; Woo—wol-na has took her to some
place and left her in the keepingof some one—where
film‘s goin’ to stay till they think there’s no danger of
looking an more for her, and then she‘ll be turned
over to Re( Bear.“

“ Heavens l” exclaimed the excited Mackintosh.
“what an outrage! vaish I had an army to wipe
out. that nest. What pleasure it would give me 0
do it! How are we going to find Wlli‘l‘é‘ she in?”

“ I think it can be done.“ replied Whifllcs, with hi:
old confidential manner. , .‘

“ If she is kept as a sort of risoner somewhere. I
3’ misc she will )0 visited by ed Bear?“

‘I‘me-tly, and all we‘ve got to do is to watch the

_ Varmint, or some. of the rest, and fuller ‘em."

“That‘s ltl“ cxrluinmd ch, quite delimitth
“ ni‘trr nil it may he the best thing in the world for
us, and make it all the more curly for us ingot her
out of ilirir clutches."

“ All very “141—:th this 3an of work has got to be
done mostly by Calamity and me, fur when you’re
trying to imd the trail of awolf. and a packer
wolves are lnintin’ fur your own truil, there‘s apt to
be a couili-nmcd diilikilty in the way.’

It. bud been graduuii growing darker while the
men wrre talking an they now Hut down in the
wood, close to we l other, where their words would
not be likel *to attract the attention of any who
nu lit bc lur ling ncur. ‘

' icy had plenty of food with them. but both
were too excited to think of food or drink. They.
could only discuss the unexpected phase which the

- ninth-r had taken, and the best way of overcoming

the obstacles that now were in their path.

Further thought only served to convince Nick
Wiiiiiles of the truth of the suspicion, he had ax-
presnul regarding Woo-wol-na. A man who under-

stood Indian character as well as did he. couldhardly :

be ex pcctcd to make a mistake in such a. matter.

He knew that the hunts of both father and son
were set u )01) gaining this priceless Jewel as their,
own, and lbc Were ready to do anytbii to ac.
complisb that purpose. Nick bud doub ed the
honesty of the Blackfoot chief at the time he
made the promise years before, and he had now
not a particle of doubt ofhls intended trench .

There was one advantage gained b the w ha.
The manner of Nick when he recew. the startling
announcement from Woo-wol-nn was such as to con.
viniw the chief that his words were believed, and
consequently that all attempts would be given over
by the friends of Miami, looking to the obiahing
possession of her. '

Nick determined to work upon this vantage

and, with characteristic an lty. he resolv to cm-

firm the Blackfoot in this In ression. He told Ned, I.

0...... T

that on the niorrow he woul visit the village min. I

would ask to we the spot where Minna was b ed,
ould soact unto remove all suspicion fro-thaw
their enemy. - ' : I _"-

 
 
   

 

 

 

 

 

     
      
      
      
     
       
    
    
       
        
           
           
         
       
      
   
           
     
      
 
 

  
     

   

 

6

.. -.--_,..._-.__... L__._ . ., 

Be dle’s Half-Dime Library.

 

 

 

“Ib‘lleve the old sarpent will be looking for me
to—n' ht,“ said he. “I come away in such a hurry
that didn‘t think any of ‘em got a chance to foller
me, but they will be on the look-out to night."

“ They certainly cannot discover us in such an out-
ot-the-way place as this."

" Not if we take care of ourselves—so I‘ll just pull
the boat up out of tho way where they won‘t be llklr
{y to run ug‘in‘ us."

Stooping down the trapper drew the canoe clear
up on the grass, so that none of it rested in the wa—
ter at all. .

He had scarcely done so when Calamity gave ut-
tel-once to a low, ominous growl.

"‘Shl" whispered the master; “we haven‘t been
non; to soon. What is it, pup?"

The dog added one or two mutterings, so faint
they were barely audible, but they were suillcicnt
for Nick, for they told him that Indians were close at
ban . ,
Incllniug his ear, the trapper now detected the
faint dip of paddles—so faint indeed as to irovc that
the red-skins were advancing with unusua caution,
and that at that moment they were near. Nick
made a gmture of SllBllCU, and Calamity instantly be-
camc as one dead, while, as a matter or course, Ned
did not stir. ’

Whittle; reached the edge of the water, on lllil
hands and knees. and carefully peered out in the!
darkness. The. gloom was too great for him to sea
with any distinctncss, but guided by his sens-3 oi?
hearing, be managel to discern the outlines of a
shadowy boat, moving very slowly lip-stream, and
only a. few feet away from land. As it came directly
abreast, h; observed four Indians seated in it.

At tth precise point they halted, so near that in
could have may! 1 his hat into the b at; and than th 2v
exchanged a tow words. As they med their mm
tongue, and were so close, Nick had no dim: ilty in
comprehending their words, which, liberally inbor-
preted, wore as follows:

“ H 2 ca 11 -. up the river, and the trappers said he
had a czmipiiiion with him."

“ hi i you il-id wanna he went?" 5

“Willxh't him in the wools, but he lingers some-
where ll-Hd‘ n a.“

“He is the, friend of Woo-wol-na?”

“But thin-'1 any of Red 13 ‘. tr."

Nick Width :1 recognizml Real Bur hiimelt’ as tin
one wh ) uttered the last remark, and it proved that
he an'l his throw companions were so dun: hiuH ill.’
and M L':l{lllTLHll, uueuspiciotu of his real id sntity,
for the purp ) i e of [)‘lttlil: timzn out of the way, and
audio: all trouble rcrar'liuz all mm.

The lllzic’u’czt BXJElaZl;Bl a few words more of
speculation noon the wEi-‘rcah-l‘itq of thotwo mm,
and than they .rralullly driftel down-stream b3-
yonl h ririur. _

Winn. N'i :k \VlllilllH ha'l sun anl heard now fully
decid‘ 1 hi»- co‘irw. [If hil u )t a pli'ilIJIA of donut
that Miona h H o 2 in ro'n'wol iron the village 3.31
was lul l a cloi»; prisoner in mm .- lo lga orplao mt in
great dis.;nn -, all h :i’or»: anything could b a done in
rescuing her it \Vdn' niiicesiiry to a-aurtaiu wncrc this
plat: WM.

Furthermore, it Will evident that the Bll‘tkfll',‘
were not c )llVlilIJ'l l of th: wicciua of tho fitl‘fll'lg‘clll
in makin; ltilpp‘ll' this thi captive wm derl, aul
Red B:- t:', th I on i am in: thun mth intercom l, hal
resolved o l puttin: out of the. w W the old friend of
bid f'tt'i Br, and the crop uiion will iv.” with him.

Home, as preliuiiu try to any step in tha llililil Hi.
it wa-l ocean-try l0 throw dust in the eyes of the
Bi'wlci'mt; anl this Nick Whlilleu determined to do
elf mm Lily and at once.

ll 5 rl'itcrmin ‘.l, tlitarel’ )l' u, at the earliest breztk of
day on iha in )I'mw. bol liy lo ant-2r the liltwlcl’ mt
vill t’: -, aloii", an i there ask of .‘VIlJ-W’lflqlil p) Hum m”
grw: whom .liiona was hurt: 1. Then it was his
purp m i’J) ail“ .ursh a b -llc.l.' lll her demiscas Would
elf») :lxi Lily '1», , .iv-e th} Indium.

Ail -r will rh, working with his usual caution anl'
skill, Nick bzelieve'l Ilium-.le (:07: [intent to (lute-t lb.)
hi in :-pi Lid ol‘ Won l, lh‘ed, he and Nal would on-
gig; in til i " m: of war."

This codrm of action ngrc'il upon. the old trapper
rain: 'u vi to th: e l; ~ ol' til i ri .'.—.r to watch and lt-ite'i
to: tit..- l'iill’ii‘ll oi.‘ the ln lll'l c'm)‘, but he heard
nothiu ; ol’ ll ,-:t‘.l(l eonclii'le'i ih it if. htl crossed over
and dew-eidol upon the opposite side.

As tli er: WH no li‘wliirnl of bnin'r discovered,
they thou lay down to rev", (,i il'wiit ; as before act-
in: too ow. oi' sentiiwl. ll“ i-mv'v all the sleep h:
wish i l ihi-o l'Sll tin day, so toil. ii. was no deprlva‘
tiou or hardship for him to k *ep awake during the
night, erun thoule his years won beginning to press
rumor ho'tvily upon him.

The sic'n‘i "3" of both were nndisturhwl, and both
awok- much r sir-whorl and in good spirits. N-a'l
Mllc'tlili‘. ml m; “21.1in found himself the iiiis,-iessi)r
of a plolriitfl': .l 2.5m: of hopefulneqs in great con-
trig-1w)hiss:inuirinsoi’ the day before.

The law: oi.‘ tit-ir food was eaten, and by the time
the sun hid l’u'rly risen, Nick vas padd lug down-
itrcam, with a slownesi that became one engaged
upon such a sari expedition as was he.

The first pn‘rlUU‘l he encountered u
the village, wore Woovw'ol—na and
stood togethertalking earnestly upon some subject.
At sicht of the visitor they instantly ceased. Nick
muflima‘s knowledge of human nature was we great
for theyonng Blackfoot to hide his vindictive hatred
of the man who was seeking the rize that he had
come to believe belonged to him a one.

Wuo-wol-na, on the contrary, was quite gracious
in his manner. and seemed to entertain a genuine re-

ard for the old hunter, who so many years before

A had done him such valuable service when hard

' l by his enemies; but, savage-like, his whole

Emits were wrapped up in those of his son, and
. l

;

  
 

n landing at

(.

 

d Bear w ho,

he was prepared to sacrifice anything or anybody
who stood in the way of their accomplishment.

Nick greeted him in the usual t’ormal manner cus-
tomary at such times. and then questioned him rc-
gurding the death of Mioua.

How long since did it occur? 01’ what character
(lid hcr disc-use appear to be? How long was she
sick? Did she seem to suffer much? Did she leave
an parting messages for her friends?

’thcse inquiries were all made for the purpose of
deceiving the chief into the belief of their sincerity.

The rcply in substance was that she had died a
week before. The symptoms, as he described them,
were those of a Violent! fevrr, short and occasiouing

'reat suil‘cring. ’l‘hc medicine—man of the village
lad done all that was possible for her, and her death
was sincerely mourned by the entire village, who
wore all attached to her. As her mind was wander-
ing during the entire time of her sickness, she left no
tangible message for any of her pale-faced friends
who might seek her.

Then Nick stated that he would like to visit her
grave before carrying word to her home many miles
away. Woo—worm: volunteered at once to ll ad him
to it, and the two started.

As is well known, it is the frequent custom of the
Indians of the North-west to bury their dead above
ground—that is, by placing them upon a sort of
scaliold, where they are carefully wrapped up and
left to decay by the action of time and the elements.
This is often done, but at the same time, as many,
if not more. are placed beneath the sod, more after
the manner of civilized life.

Woo-wol-na conducted the visitor to a beautiful
spot about a tenth of a mile distant, where there was
the u )pearance of a newly-made rave, where, he
said, :liona had been buried amid t 10 lamentations
of all the warriors and maidens of his tribe.

Then, with unexpected deference, the old chief
withdrew and left him alone with his sorrow.

Knowing that be was carefully observinghiin all
this time, the trapper affected a great deal more of
grief than he felt and when he had remained a
proper time, he bade the grave farewell, and was es-
corted to the village by the chief, where he embark-
ed in hli canoe again and started 11 )-ri\'cr. Ned was
taken in in a secret manner and )ylyiug down in
the canoe. was not observed by the lynx-eyed Black-
feet watching the tra per in on his way. The
shrewd old‘man so wcl knew that he would thus be
under surveillance, that he rcsolvcd to return all the
way to his cabin and thus disarm the red scoundrels
of all suspicion both of Ned’s existence and of his
(Nick‘s; own want of faith in their story regarding
Mlonu’s death. 5

He chuckled with a satisfaction so hearty that,
cautious as he was by nature and training, he could
hardly refrain from a good. loud laugh, as he pad-
dled away, hour by hour, while the red-skins, with
almost superhuman efforts, kcpt along like shadows
on his path.

“Trot along, lye greasy vagrabones!” he said, in a
low tom: "we‘ 1 give yer a twist that’ll make yer
illevil‘s face look Worser‘n that hole ye dropped my

Joy lll.

Silently, steadily he paddled, keeping Ned close
and quiet in the canoe bottom, until they neared the
cabin, when the old man pci‘lnlttcd the younger to
take the blade, which he did in silence, while faithful
Calamity, like a grim scnliincl, stood in the canoe‘s
bow as it" to relieve his old master banal}. further
mpcusibihty.

 

human ix. ,

THE BACK TRAIL.

“ Now,“ said Nick, as they sat down in the cabin,
“we can turn about and go back a‘gin. We‘ve got
rid of the cmidcmncdnst diilikiliy that we had."

“ And all this time what is moi‘ Mioua Sllfl’el‘iilfl' ”
rcplied ch, rcsling his llllll' upon his elbow, and
looking the vary picture of misery.

“ She ain’t suil’rring half as much as you," replied
Nick, who, like a thoughtful host, was preparing a
meal for two Very hungry mcn. “She don‘t know
she‘s dead, or that we think she's gone under.”

" lint how she must long for our coming! What
weary years of waiting she has spent, and now she
dors not know whether they are tocnd‘ or not. W'hen
do we start down-stream again?"

“ it will be dark in an hour: we can make a {mod
supper by that time, and I‘ll take a week‘s food
with in, so we needn’t stop to shoot game when
some oi ihe varmints are near."

Nick was walking toward his lire—place, when he
suddenly pausvd and looked back at his young friend
with a )i-culiar expression.

“ Ned, what do you s‘posc I b’lievc'r"

“I am sure I can not tell," he ri-plied, looking up
in no little surprise at llll‘ noruptucss of the qnc"-
tion.

I think I know Iii/Lew to look fur the gal.”

“‘Wlwrer“ was the eagerinquiry. “Certainly not
Grizzly Bear (,Yave?”

" No; up that creek that I p‘intcd out to you as we
passed. Mind, I don't say she’s there," added Nick;
“ i only s’pechs it."

“You wouldn‘t suspect it without good cause,"
said Neil, “ so I will take that grain of consolation.“

“It’s many a year ago and more that I helped
Woo-wol-na out of his scrape with the Shoshone. I
got several purty good digs myself in that scrim-
mage, so that I was carried back and laid up in one
of thar lod es for the rest of the winter; and I hap-
pened to th nk {list now that thar village then stood
on the bank of he creek, about ten miles up it. The
tribe staid thar fur several years and then moved
down to where they now 3.1“. hen they done it,
they left the cold lodges standing. and put up new
lodges Along the river. Now, the Blackfoot allers

 a»

 

   

1.; . "  «Harm: mitt-1' . .r z- ' ,

 

puts up his house with the idee that it‘s going to last
awhile, and I‘ve a mind that some of them old
lodges are still standing, and would make the best
kind of shelter fur a chap that got ‘Qst in the
woods.“

“ Have you seen any of them within a [cw years?"

“ By mighty!“ exclaimed Nick, in considerable ex-
citement, “I slept in one of them lodges the very
summer you left me, so they‘re likely to be some of.
‘em there still.”

“And you think Miona has been removed to that
place?”

" That‘s itl It may be that I‘m wrong. but Iswow
to gracious, that if she ain't there, 1 don‘t know
where to look for her.“

“Don‘t sa that," said Ned, pleadineg: "it will be
hard enoug 1 to give up when we are compelled to.
Until then don't lct me know that you can ever
rfalrh 1a pomt where you feel unable to do any-
t ung.’

“ We‘re going to have a little moon to-night, though
I'd Just as licf get along without it as with it,"

Nick spent the greater part of an hour in cooking
moat for the expedition. He had learned in tho
gri at school of necessity, am: he worked with that
skill 113d dexterity that soon gave him all the food he
llt‘t‘dt‘ .

Ned and he occu ied buta few minutes in eating
their evening men , and then, acctmpanicd by
Calamity, they set out again for the river, where
they had left their canoe lying. 'l‘hcir food was
placed within, the dog took his accustomed place,
and just as the shades of night were closing upon
forest and river, the paddle was dipped into the
water, as they began what was to prove a most
eventful journey.

All night long the iron arms of the trapper kept at
work with the rcgularity of a strum t'llglllé‘, and
sci-mineg ’without tiring any more than so Inurb
machinery. Mackintosh slept the rreatcr art or
the night and when daylight came, l icy landed and
made a ‘rw hours‘ halt. Then, under the direction
of Nick Wbifilcs, Nod took the paddle, and they be
gun stealing their way along shore down-stream:
for, above all things, it was now impoitant that they
should not be N‘t'll l-y any of their enemies.

The greater part ('l the day was spent in stealing
along in this cautious nuimu'r, constantly on the
look-out for their to ( mics. NHH' the middle of the
afternoon, they lzad a l:tlll(iW (*Hffl e from running
dirtvctly in sight of a large came in l of lndians. but,
fortunately, tlicy “ backed paler." in d ran in under
cover of the bank in time 10 escape discovm’y.

Jurt at nightfall the mouth of the cri-ck was
reached, and they landed. The boat: was pulled up
out of sight, and (.‘alamit was le-ft to guard the
entrance, and the two wit drew out of sight alto~
getlmr of any wl.o might pass duringr daylight even.

Young Ivfiu-kiiitosh eculd .kcnl'u-ly (.‘( 1500!” his
anxiety and iinpaiicnce. lf Nick lad svtilt‘d in his
mind whole they wore to look for Minna, he saw no

 

 

reason why they should not press on at once and n

take lime by the fowlock. .

“We expect to make our search there, Nick, and
why wait until our foes are ahi ad of us?"

"Trust to me, trust in inc," “as the reply. “It
may be that Red Btlll‘ will come down the creek to-
night, and, if that is so, we‘ll run afoul of him, as
sure as the World."

“ Why not go overland? It's only a matter of ten.
miles 0.! so, and we can make it in a couple of
hours." .

“And leave a trail, tbat‘ll be sartin to betray us."

“Well as you please then,” rrphcd Ned, settlin‘
himsflf hack, in 1‘ 1c expectation of spending a numn
her if weary hours.

“ You ought. to have l‘arned llli‘ vartue of patience
“ht‘ll you was Ned llazcl, lriunpin' in the woods
with nw. l-on‘t you know the Esqiiinlaux of the
u iper limb-on llzzy will set for n dozm hours by the
air-lick in the ice waiting for the seal to come up and
git spun red?”

“1 hope you don’t expect we are going to do the
same?”

“Not unless it is nctei-ssary, but we must wait;
the Whifllcs family always had the faculty of wait-
ing. Fact of it was, some of ‘cm waitrd too long,
and. fur all I know, some of ’em are still waiting—‘-
Iiullo!"

At this juncture, Calamity gave utterance to a
low, almost inaudible grow]. and springing H) their
feet. both the men were at his sidc in an instant.

The faint moon, of which Nick lzrd rpokcn, had
risen, and was already overhear! .no ll.i;i Hwy could
but ll sec to the opposite Hitlc of Kim nu 1'4I\\' Huck.

“ 'Sh l" whispered the u'nppcr, " .- unzc cm.- is com-
in‘, sartin."

The ripple of cars was plainly disct-rniblc, and
While they were straining their cyt-s to ])lt'lCe the
gloom, they saw a small ranch, with iwo iiuiians in i‘
it, making its way up-sinmn.

It was near the crutcr of the creek, and movin in
amanner which shuwcd lhcoccupants had no car
or thought of discovery upon the part of corvans or,
interlopers. '

Nick was especially anxious to learn whether one
of the men was Red Bear or not, but there was not L
sufficient light for the purpose, although he was sat-
isiled in his own mind that the young Chief was in
the boat.

The two men scarcely breathed until the canoe had
Easel u out of sight. Then the trapper noiselcssly

unche his own canoe, and entering, Calamity was
placed in the bow. ’

“ The pup can see I'urtl'el‘ in the dark than his mas-
ter, and when he can’t see. one of the varmlnts he
can scent him. You see, it won’t do to run afoul of
Red Bear.”

“ Why won’t it do?” demanded .ch. “There are:

as many in this boat. We have rules, and I carry a

',"-.' U ..

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

  
 

  
   

 

 

Colt‘s revolver. We could put both of them out of in two of which lights were burning. In one ot' these ,

sin-with as well as not, and I‘d like to do it."

“ lien you've as many gray hairs in your head
as l liaVc. you won’t be so eager to send a ball
through the head of any critter that happens to cross

' v , H
)ourrpath.

ou won’t shrink from it if it should become ne-
'Pssar i"

“ Exactly; but it hain‘t become necessary, Ned; if
Wooovol-na keeps in our way, I‘d shoot him; but it‘
we kin get the gut out ot' their hands without harm—
ing a red—skin, I‘m going to do it. When i was oii’
my first war- )atli, it was just the other way, but 1
kin tell you, hell, this killing people is a bad business
any wav you can tlx it, and to my mind, any man is
trinity that wants to do it.“

“ You are right,“ replied Ned, who could but agree
with the humanitarian sentiments ot' the old hunter,
who could pass ilirough so many scenes of violence
and bloodshed, and still, like a Christian warrior, re-
Lfllll a yearning luv“ for peace and quietness.

“ My whole heart is bent on gaining Miona from
their hands,“ added the lover. “ l have prayed and
longed for this day; I can never leave American ter-
ritory without her, and I will stop at no danger or
sacritice to accomplish my purpose.“

"Just so," replied the impcrtnrbablo Nick, as he
softly dipped lus paddle and kept the boat to its
course. "Your heart is full of love, and when a man
is in that kettle, I take it that he’s blind to prudence
and common sense. It 911 was to undertake this
business alone, the end 0 it would be that you would
have your ha'r raised, and would go under aforc you
had fairly started."

The sober thought of Mackintosh admitted the
truth of all the trapper had uttered, and he could not

dcutial deliberation.
All this time the canoe was moving up the creek

. refuse to acquiesce in his cool judgment and pru- i

with the silence of some at uatic monster stealing :

his way through a gantlet 0 enemies to some sat’o
retreat in the ocean be 'ond.
hood of the, but about checking its speed, or being
overtaken by its pursuer; but nevertheless there was
a possibility, ant Nick Whiillcs was not the one to
let his haste run him into any “ condemneddit‘iikilty "
of that nature.

Calamity showed a realizing sense. ot‘ the responsi-

‘ , gal hasn’t changed
There was little. llkcll- ‘

Nick Whiffles’s Pet.

were seated ltcd licar and two warriors, the three
engaged in smoking and discussing some important
matter.

There was diiilculty in gaining a view of the inte-
rior of the otlici‘, as the entrance was closczl; but,
after lying down in front ot’ it for a lltlli'vllulll", it was
opened, and an old squaw, that Nick recognim-d us
the mother of Red lit-or, came out and went into the
lodge in which Were seated ltcd licar and his three
companions.

This was the verylodgc in which Nick Wliilllcs had
lain an invalid niorc tlinii thirty years before; and us

 

lhc liutl'ulu-skiu door was pulled aside, he saw, plaiii— i
ly. and distinctly, MJOHIL seated upon the ground, in i

trout ot' a small ilre, engaged in knitting some bead
ornament.
so that there was no mistake about it.

"Nick," said Mackintosh. at (his point in his nar-
rative. "its you love inc, grant the one t'avor."

“ \\'lint is it?“

“ Toka- mo to the spot where you crouched, when
you saw lli'l', there let me stay one minute and look
upon her face.“

“But the daiigcivJ'

“ You can trust me. chiciiihcr l have not seen
her for four ycars. I can be as quiet and stealthy
about it as you.”

“ \Vcll, l‘ll do it. Come along!"

Tlicy stole their way through the wood and across
the clearing in the dirwstion of one of lhe lodges, in
which a light could be seen shining, moving with the
stealth of'iurii who knew that n. single false step
would be paid by the penalty oi” their lives.

The whole alfnir i as in opposition to the sense of
Nick Whitllcs, but he couli not well refuse the pp-
( nest of his young friend, made as it was with such
( irect earnestness to him.

Finally Nick paused, and whispered:

“ Crawl to that spot and lay t at down, and if the

ier position, you‘ll see her face a
blamed sight plainer than you can see mine.”

Ned did as requested, and complete success
crowned the effort. He saw illioua seated in front
ot’ a tire engaged with some fancy Work, and scene

; iugly as (pilot and unsuspicious as though seated
‘ :tiiioiig her own friends. . -

bility that rested upon his canine shoulders. b‘itting :

on his hamichcs, With his forcpaivs resting upon the
gunwalcot’ the now he peered into the darkness.
every sense on t e ert for the dusky f0es in ad-
vancc.

The sound of a rustling leaf did not escape, nor did
it deceive him. He had hunted and roamed too
many years with his master to need any instructions
at this late day.
bilities ot' the brute Wui‘c, and precisely how far he
was to lie itchicitdwl upon: so, While h». kept the ca-

noe cautiously gliding up on» bank, he found time to j

hull whispered convers- with his companion, scarce-
] ' lookiii"; ahead, but leavingr that duty to his faith-
ul fries t. ‘
Mile after mile glidecl behind them. and they were

drawing near the s iot where tin-v believed the heau- .

tiful. the loving, t n;- trusting Minna was longineg
awaithr,r their coining.

Ned Lllackiiitosh became silent and tht'iuglitful.
The bcli'éf that the critical mom-rut for which he had
been waiting four long, '.'\‘:l.l'y ycut‘~‘-, was at hand;
that she toward whouihis thoughts had turned. dur-
ing all that tinm, when the broad oce'ui rolled be-
tween them, was now within a. few miles, and that
ever moment was drawing them nearer to~‘ethcr,
fillet him again with a nervous uni-easiness, w 'eh ho
controliwl with much difficulty, and which did not
escupi oi-x o‘r wrvant eye of the old trapper.

’  .-'.ll- over tint." adizionislicd the latter,
you lo M. you Won‘t be good for any thing,
and l‘i‘. t- :v .-  iii adiore.‘ '

He sir»: 4;. iiiz'tilly, and after a time he gained
film”: in t u  W'M'l' illllIH'.‘ i'.

l"l win b - all ri.:£.t when the time comes,” he re-
A icd. ‘

I "The time h r- comi- now.” said Nick, as with one
sweep ot' ', ,'..~_ iii he ran the prow against the
land. and st, "m i l out.

" What that this mean?" asked Nod. in some as-
fionishgiu-nt.

“Them inlay}; I was talking about ain’t two hun-
irctl _\i‘.‘tt‘,i-\' i'ro..i llii . spot.“

 

 

Nick knew exactly what the capa- .

 

"Is it posrnoi -‘:" was ill" c.\’('l:tni;itit)nol' the. young; .

man. as he st..,ppetloiit; “and what are We to do ;

newt"

" Y‘IHI'I'“ to It" hcrc, wliil- me and the pup go for-
ward anl l‘élliz.) li‘lill r a littl r; and, Neil,“ in- added,
in his most iinpi'c isive manner, “ do you promise to
mind ur- lo tut "cry tern-p3“

"0f coursc i. do.“

“ All right: tit-ii don't move :ix fol-t from here till
Ilziw" .‘""1“""’l“l- 1.“ l)! Marl: Hindi."

And the next moment, :{od Mackintosh was alone.

Aboutoubout-pa ' /
with the tensile.

      

 

tl:.:t ciinracterised all his

use;

Her head was bent, so that the view was not us .
good as could be desired. but such as it was, it made ,

the heart ot‘ the lover bound with delight.
Av, Hwn' she sat; the loved of his heart: she of

whom he had dreamed for the four years past, and l

for whom he had hastened to cross the ()4,‘t‘£l|l-—-—.~ll(§
who returned his yearning aflcciion. and who, he

fonle lK’iii'WNl, was at that lnonicul thinking of him .

as yet far away from her.

. The wiin ol' Mackintosh was that she would 'aise
her head, before he was coiiip~-li--rl to withdraw, and
this )lcasurc vas a1 40 ail‘ordcd him.

W iilc his eyes Were intently fixed upon her comi-
tenaiicc, she suddenly lookcd up, as it" some noise at
the entrance of the lodge had ntll'ttclcd 1101' at-
tention. This afforded the vcry view for which ch
was so anxious. There was a startled exi‘ii‘ession
upon the face ot' Illioiia, that l'ciulci'cd her beauty
more striking. The lustrous eyes looked darker,
and the excitemeii gave her a ilushed appearance
that rendered her captivating in the highest degree,

“Oh! if she but knew lwm‘e licrel” sighed iiiv
hero, who felt an almost irrcsi sitihlo iin .iulsc to rus i
forward and claim her. "if she \vou d but come
forth, and go with us at ouch"

Ina moment she lowered her gaze again, and re»
suined her work; and feeling that it was incumbi-ut
u n him to do so, Mackintosh withdrew and rejoin-
0L the trapper. '

“Now I s’pose you feel easier,” remarked the lat»
ter, as they stealthily retreated to the cover ot’ the
woods again.

“Yes. and I am thankful toyou for the kindness
you showed me. had a good View ot‘ her face.
And now what do you propose to do?" '

" \Vc must wait here. and find out. what they‘re
driving at. We niouglit gct the got, but it won‘t
hurt to wait awhile. and it’s better to be sartni atoro
you move. in such a matter.”

Ned suppole he was right, but. it was very hard
to be governed by the same deliberation. at a time
when licbclicvcd that a bold dash mould cud the
matter at once in their favor, but he forced himsclt’
to assent. and wait the pleasure of his old friend.

The entrance to the other lodge remained closed,
so that it was impossible to tell what was going on

‘ in there; but tlicre was little doubt their Consulta-

5 tion concerned filioua.

it. was Vcry casv, and would haVe been very char-
acteris‘ic in Rcd Bear to use force in compelling “(‘1‘
to becomc his wife; but it seemed that ho hesitated
at this stop, until it became certain that no other
Hit-ans Would succeed.

Nick Whitllcs more than once was on the point

: ot? stealing forward and iippi'isiua Miona 01’ their

Ltd, when Nick \ViiilllI'S returned '

movements, and stoopiug down beside his yomr: .

friend, lic'pltwed his hand upon his shoulder, and ‘

said:
“Al’dv "lr"»"""’..{f”.""d tl’te All/(€08 where the viz/mints
have Ind [lie gar. ‘

 

(‘IIAl’TlCR X.
,i ivis'i-sa os 'ruu mucosa.

AFTER mange ,i l :r-irtliiig announcement to Ned
Mackinto.-i.i, .‘.ick \‘fhitlles explained it in substance,
88 follo‘.'.'s:

U ion leaving him in company with Calamity, the
two ad movcd swalthily forward, until they reached
the desoiate clearing where stood the “ruins” of
what had once been a large and stirrin ' Blackfoot

. These ruins consisikad of three edges only,

s'~ .‘

presence so that she might be prcl‘iarcd to second
any i‘iiowmeiit in her own behalf; but he resolutely
restrained himself.

However. he thought the time had come when
Calamity could take a hand in the business, and he
turned to Ni'il.

“ llave you got pencil and paper?"

H 37c“ h

. p , lils pencil, was fastened around the ncck ot' (Yaltuu'
The tlrcliglit shone tuil upon her face, i

l

 

“Thei’i git something ready, and. we‘ll try and I

9

send the pup in with it.

Mackintosh was glad enough to do so, and as
well as he could in the darknem, he penned the fol-
lowing: ’

“Di-:Am'r MIONA: /

“ Nick and I are near you watching for a chance
to get you out of the hands of your enemies. Bv the
assistance of you and him I was saved fl-om

death him

 

 

 

in the cavern. He has been to see Woowol-na,
who told him that you were dead. As you already
know, the old chief is determined that you slnl
be the wife ot‘ Red Hear, and has attempted to do-
ceive us; Nick let him think he believed his fake-
hood, but wo understood him. You have been re-
moved licrc, so as to be without the reach of our
friends. You must remain qulcl, and it w' be
well to affect an acipiiesconce to wliuteVi-r wishcs
they may have regart iiig 'ou. liiwait Nick‘s move.
mcnts, who is slow, but w io doubtless knows better
what. to do than 1. It’ you can, send me a few work:
back. lflnwmui MAt'KlN'l'UHII.”

This, with a piccc ot’ pupcr from his lli’)llhl)()0kluld
ity, so that she might luth an opportunity to rcpgr. i“
As there sccmcd to be no dogs at all bidonging a ‘ '
the lilackt‘ci-i in the village, there was considerafle
risk in sending L‘uluiiiily upon such anerrnnd. I!
seen, lli‘ would be rccoguized as belonging to Nidr
and the extraordinary precautions tlial the two hm
tulzi-n, during the preceding few days, would this
bc ciitircly thrown away.

lint there was no one to whose sagacity it. 1‘8
safer to Mist than to this same canine‘s. lie know
the value ot' keeping hiiiiselt’ "Scarce" at such a
time, and, it' there was any possible way of doing it,
he might be dcpeiidml upon to do it.

Nick took pains to explain with great particula y
what lh' expected his animal to do, and then t (1
him to go.

Calamity advanced straight toward the clcari '
until he had passed half-way across, v. lien lit-paliin ‘
and looked about. him to NM if the coast was clcm‘.
Everything sci-iiicd satisfactory. and he he it slraiifilt
ahead, and the next instant darted into llill: door‘of.’
thc lodge.

As he did so, Nick, who had stolen back to
his t’oriiier position. and was watching, saw hr
start utter a slight scream, and make ready to can»
but liic entranci- of the dog. but. tlu- next instant the
rccogiiixcil and welt-tunedliim, hastening forward to
take the paper from his neck.

Then she rcud it with an eager interest lnipossfiie
to describe, and when finished, raised her eye dc-
voutly upward. thanking I'l'eaven for the answerw
licr prayer. Then. with iciicil in hand she lcauld
toward the tire, and busici herself in replying to the
niissive of her lover.

“15y miglityt ain‘t she ivin him a good dost?"
muttered Nick, as he saw 101' turn it over, aftcr a
lapse ot' several minutes. and cuiitinucd hcrl'a d
pcminmship upon the other side of Lil.‘ lciu‘. “ \ '

s‘poso the. pal loves him, and ot’ courscslicni
have :1. good deal to say to him.“

By-aiid-by it: was iinished, and thcu slic fastened
it very carefully to the neck of the dog, securi g
with it the pciicilnlso, and made ready forthcrett n
of her l'aillil‘ul cypress.

At this crilicnl iiionicut. llic door of tile otherlm 0
opened, and lied licar issued for! il,“u’u‘il5l‘.ill;',‘ si mi t
toward the one where Mionu and lilt‘ ( «.5 were tit--
ting. it was a dangerous instant, and iouliui Limit
discovery were unavoidable. There was no wav thir
Calamity to slip out, without being seen by the chi,
who would be Ccrtaiii to identify him at the i‘ ‘
glance.

Nick Wliifllcs Sti‘llllllil)’ raised the hammer of his
ritle, prepain to iu'ont Rcd Bear ii‘ [llt'diBCUW y
should take place, for it new looked us if it was a
come to that.

But, the wonderful Sitfltu'll of Calamity pro
equal to the cincrreucy. l is sharp ear detecw
the approach, and ie seemed to comprehend at t 1
some instant that it was impossible t’oi'hlni to one
from the lodge. As quick as a flash. he whisked
hind Mama and crawled Lent-nth ibeskhis. upon a
pack of which she was sitting.

.Nli'ii “aliiillcs witnessed this maneuver of his d ,
Willi usrm ot‘ exnltation, and then carefully in n
his way back to where Ned was awaiting him. Here
be “dated what he had seen, adding:

“The. pup knows more than both of us; trust Ca»
lnipity, say, for the pup has never deceived lo
M"-

lln then said there was no telling how long (1
Bear might remain in the lodge. and if Mackintt
chose, he could take his old position, and watch 
interview. ’l‘liistlie voiuignnm gladly did, and to ‘ _
his place such that he had a full view ol’ both.

Miona still had her scat upon the skins, and Nltl
fancied that ido‘ had so spi- -nd out licrdress as )0
help hide Utiluniil-y Red Bear sat several feet aw r,
his face lurucd full upon the girl, and the apps)!”
aiicc ot' botli showed that they were engugcd in
earnest ('(illVlfl‘Si‘. ‘

lllioiia had probably taken lessons from the into
gent he.» by her lovcr, and her heart was so full (if
“ new-fledged hope“ ilnit she could well iissiurc "t
gl‘tlt‘iOllsllL‘SH ot' hunter-r toward the Blackfoot. M: l
though she kluo‘.‘ he was soon to have so Huh. am.
awakening.

Ile had a large. pipe of yellow clay in his piety . ,
and undoubtedly was doing his “level best “ u. 9‘ r
suade the beautiful young pale-face to lmconeu his
( 'll‘t'll. and to l’or:.'.'ctlic1'ties ( t' blood and kindred, ixi
tine happiness ot' a consort oi. so brave a \Hll‘i‘llrl' llri
himself.

Mioiia listened, and was more disposed to be. leni-
ent than she had ever yet showed herself in his prbs~
ence. and the red scanip was in high featherpver In
good fortune. ‘

But Mioiia unconsciously incurred a danger in an-
couragi'ng Rcd Bear too much. li' her manner was
such as to make him believe that she would be wold
to become his wife. he saw no reason why she siiomd
delay so long- in taking; that position. He wished 121‘
to join him and his warriors in his "canoe, and WM
go to the village down the river. there to go

     

    
   
       
       
       
    
   
   
   
   
 
  
   
   
   
  
 
  
    
  
  
  
   
   
  
    
   
 
   
 
   
  
   
  
 
   
    
 
  
   
   
   
   
  
   

 
  

   
   
  
 
   
   
     
   
  
    
     
   
   
      
  
  

 

-<.z

   

 

. 'ti
' “pod, 1.111

through the improssivo curt-innuyol‘ marrying the
mostcclt bran-11 _'.'.11:11::\varrio1'ot' rim lilackl'oottrilw.

.Mlll'lit W11; 111 11 [11’4':)n)'1'1l to 1-1111;~:1-11t to this, 1111111111111
asked 1'111'1111 1113;111.‘ (.‘.vr:.t.;,~l'11ur hours at 11 -asl.; but.
121111 Matrix."It‘ll-1115'1411111111111111 111 111-1' whims until
hispnil '111-1-  1 1.1-.1 111,31. 1-:‘11.;1; 1-11,

         

  

11111:. 1:111 111 - 1,. -1' 11:-. 111'1' I‘m-114 1.1-11 (11’ an 1111111111
loin-111.11:.:1~111.»1-1..1-~111.1-1-t.-1-1..1.111;11111111111111.11
‘1’1'1111' 1.: 11.1  '1 .11':'1 *1'1111'7 [.111 Zr 1-11111111'r :11, 1311- 1111211
111:3. v“ ,. ' 11131. 11» rain-111111 the 1 l't'ltlntly
Wool ll. - ’ 11.111111! 1.;il,.1111l11111'.\'..1,:;111'1«
’91'111I1'.',1..'E. 1 -\.i 1*:1111'  1111111. 113.4
1011.1. 11:1,,11' .: L ', 1;1 111'1.,.-1tl‘. - 1‘ 1'111,'k1111\v11I111-.
Urdu":- 1'1  '~, 13111131 1-; I 71,- -111;'1t 11111. that ho
011111111 11:10.1, . '

"1"". (Mn: - ' 1‘ 1.1.x i:1 1‘._,'1  121111.12,
\17.11‘.'~1"‘ . 1.1 1  1:. I “15111110.,
11:,«~  f.i'll."1.,1
1..113111 1111"“ 31,-1.4-111 1.11111111s1:1'ov.'.“

 

_‘."’l'1‘.: ,‘lm’u‘utoszh was a

 

,‘.1_,' l .1. ." '1 1.,11- ? ,‘1.'1-1‘..;-.  ()1'1511111‘30,

 l... 1. 111 . p1 1‘ 1.11 ,11»1.:.~.1111111111111):
cm'tatlmytfu- 1.1 -:.  "11 t.‘ H 1  1 1....1111ml. but the
Mtiousa:.11.;'ct  .I 1?...11111‘1-21t1-Emu-.111thatthcro
was(:011:;i1lr1“11111:! 11'. 1.1 F 1:11 1111::' 1. was int-reaming.

  

1'~...-‘. 1's:  1.1:1- had friends
near at 11111111, 1:1;1111 . 112.1 1'1...1,-\v.’1;1t ’holdcr 11.1111
nwrc dc!1:1;.t t‘ ; :1 1.311-1'111111-1 11.1111,- beenotherwise.
Certain it is 11.1115 ;‘.:~, 1:21 111- .1111 bf. l;1 0111111; the re-
questol’. hcrlovuz‘, . .1 1.:111 1111-;1 11-:.1;1lly bland and
conciliatory, This, ..1.'.'.' ".‘wl‘, 111.1 produced the op-
posite effect from what was 1111.1-1111111l,and ho had
undo urgent. d1r11111nr1s for her to leave this “country
not " at once. '

bite had dailied with him as tour; as she could, and
finding herself 1111111111; to convince him of his error,
Ilka had ended by daily refusing to act-mnpany him.

Marlinps (1.1-. .1. v.

 

 

Red lirarroso from 11s seatin his anger and cus- »

ficnlatcd sava_;:1-.1y toward her. At. this juncture (fu-
hmity whisked out of the lodge so skillfully that
Dan Miona herself did not see him, and hurricd
knight to his master with tho tuissive about his

.ck.

Mackintosh would have hastened to the animal to
chin: the precious letter he bore, had he not been
«chained to the spot by the threatening character
0! the interview between the Indian and the loved
one of his heart.

There was no telling but what the savage, in his
fury, mightol‘i’cr her violence, and he felt it incum-
blut to remain ncarenough to protect. her.

“Lctlhc dusky scoundrol but attempt to lay his
hand upon lu-r, ‘ muttered Ncrl, as he cautiousl
brought his ritlc round to position, “and I’ll crac
ht shaveu skull of his quicker than lightning.”

Red Boar gesticulutcd furiously butus he still held
no weapon in his hand, Mackintos 1 reserved his fire.
He seemed to be arguing vcheu‘a-ntly to Miona who
am quiet and collected, still outraged in her head-
work, and only now and then looking up in his face.

What her replies were could only be divincd, but
the passion of the Indian scented to increase, until
there could be no doubt that the girl was really in
danger. Suddenly Ned saw a knife glemning in his
but and he felt that it Would not do todelay lou er.

bf 11: aimed straight at the head of the Bloc oot

 

CHAPTER X1.
IN THE wooos.

Ar this critical juncture, a. shadowy arm passed
user-thoshoulder of Nod Mackintosh, and grasped
11k ritle m such a manner that when the. trigger was
pressed the hammer fell upon the sinewy fingers in-
ma of the percussion.

“ What dot you mcun‘f" demawllelgl the‘ excited

mg man, umng ungri y upon ' es" are on
alricnd of that red demon‘s?" ‘ y

“Easy; I‘vo been watching the varmint Ned, and
itthere was any danger of 11111111111111.1111 lair of her
hand, my ball would have been ahead of yourn; but,

.ho's only done it to scare her; he thinks too much of
bar to want to lose her by his own foolishness.
Look ug’in and tell me what you see."

Casting his eyes in the direction of the lodge, the
lover saw that Red Bear had retreated and seated
“Insult again—number proof of the superior saga-

' of the old trapper.
Here‘s your pencil and your paper; take ’em and
out at? this, fur it ain’t safe to trust you here.
take, ycr place. "

Ned did as comnmndcd, withdrawing deep into the
woods, where he was certain of 111-1111.: beyond the

ht 11nd heurng of friends and enemies u lke. Ho
ll. (1 ln 1le hand aletter from Minn-1, and he was de-
urmined to read it uvcu though he was compelled to
Iii: not a little in doing so.

llcucluur a spot where he felt all was secure he
couched 1 own upon the ground, like a man engaged
h doing a guilty thing and cautiously raked some

leaves together. Lpon these be spread a. num-
hr of dead twngs. and then drawin" forth his match-
we struck and touched a ll ht to t mm.

As the tvug blaze 111111191 11 . , he looked turtlvely
wound; but he was in a. so of hollow and dense
Ptlcrgrowth williclglinclosfd him olu every 31% and
I111 11;: over tic ' -, e or devo the
hastily written lines. mg y ll,

" Dumas-1r Eowum:
,1 “ What you and Nick Whltfles do. must be done to-
night, for I am to be taken back to the village
tomorrow, where I will be more closely guarded
my poor (other was four years ago. I have
n .expec you, kuowmg that you must have
I 3 your love would have hastened
Pr monotonic more than. they have; and when
m Whore. I was really in despair, for I thought

 

 

 

' think he‘s coin” after that old squaw to help carry

announced, of attempting their escape by a. new

Beadlc’s Half—Dime Library.

1
you would ncvcr find mo. l mu nioro 1—1111] than I 1
can 1.11111'1111 111111 \'1111 11.1‘ -. so 11c:11'1111‘,:1ud [hopes-non i
to bc wit 11 you, :1i11l 1'l:1~';n-1l in t he 111'111sol‘ l'olucruud
111nl!1cr.who, you 5.11111, \vcrc 131-311;: to cross tho own-111 I
with Volt. 1 1111111 wall. and llr'lt‘ll for some 1:15311111 .
from 111.111, :11 11 1w 1'1111113' 1,11 [11 "1'111‘111//1//11:11't1111~1111< 1
in: this 1|r1-:1113‘1tl (-11:111‘it,,,tf1at. l1~1~:1'1w.1 \'.'or:.11 111111
Wok-u: (".11211 11.1] '9" 1

Tin-11 follow/~11 :‘omt- very 1111111: 111:1.11 ' 
.111 l i: t‘lui‘wdl with away-1‘ and :1 sl;;‘11111111'c, 1 .1111.‘
0/".1,”

'l‘hrn l’hrmtom 'l’riucnus, durin': 1111x jun-111's spwrl. in
1111' \.'1111s11f .\lll"l'll :1, 1111.11 1111!. 1111;;11'11-11 llt‘l‘tlt!1_y m
11111'1-11111|,:111d so 111211111: to 11am 111.11. :nlu' 1-1:;11~1-,.:.1 11
burst-ll" 111111113111111-1111111-111-yuponpapvrus sin-11111
inc1111vc1'satimt,111111NodMarkimosh,.11111s1‘111111111lic
luYt‘ for her, at times l'aucil-tl that she 1.1111 1-.11-1-111-11
him in 1111' literary |;1111\1’11:1l',-;1}_

The precious 11-111-1‘ was (*111'1-1‘11Hy 1'15‘111 over, 111111
1111- tiny tire was hastily 11111111111111 out. and all was
durkm-ss 11131111.

“1 shall bowl to lot Nit-k know what. I have lawn
doing," he solilmptio'd, as be walked away, “for 111-
must be 1111111111111111111:r..tan1.1[11:11. it. won’tdotowait
till to-morl'ow bcl'ore1novi1r: further in this casc."

1111 board nothing 1‘1‘1'11111.he other lodge. in which
the light shone, but. as he carefully 111111.111 his way to
where Nick was still acting the part 111' guardian, lu-
caught 1111‘ 1411111111111 (11’ 11. moving; figure in front of
Mioua‘s cabin, and be instantly inquired of Nick what
it nit-ant.

“ R1111 Bear has just lcft to go to the other cabin. I

 

   

<

the gal lo the canoe.“

“ And We are to lie here and look on?"

The 1 upper l‘uplll‘tl to this question by uttering a
low whistle, whit-h instantly caught the listening car
of Minna. She threw a. sort of blanket. around her
shoulders, started to her feet and came to the r11-
trancc of the lod're, looking around in the darkness
for some other 1111 1111: signal.

The whistlo was repeated, and the next moment
she came hurrying across the clearing, and immedi-
ately al‘tur was with her friends.

The time was critical, but Ned Mackintosh took
the slight Iigure in his stout anus and pressed her
fervent-1y to him, kissing her face. again and again,
and murmured:

“ Minna, my own, I have you at last, and no power
on earth shal separate us again."

Shi- could only sub and murmur her love in return,
while Nick Couldn‘t see the necessity of either just
t 1011.

“There! there! that‘ll do,” said he; “wait till we
fit where the varnu'nts are a little more scarce than
1ere.

Mackintosh released the girl from his embrace, but
still fondly holding,r one hand in his own, turned to
the old trapper, and said: 1

“ Lead the way, Nick, and we will follow.” '

Back again across the clearing the three shadowy
figures stealthin made their way while Calamity,
like the pointer of a hunter, trottet in advance.

Just Within the cover of the Womls, Wliitlles aused
amoment, and touching the shoulder of Mackintosh,
pointed to the lodge they had just left». Following

he direction of his finger, the two saw Red Bear
and his mother hurrying toward the building, with
thltla intention of taking the “queen " forcibly to the
v1 age.

Time was precious, and without waiting another
moment, the three groped through the wood until
they reached the edge of the creek, where the canoe
lay. Noisclesslly and speedily they took their seats
in this, and Nic pushed out into the stream.

Instead of turning the prow downward toward Elk
river, he continued on up the creek, several powerful
strokes of his paddle sending the boat directly by t] to
lodges, and on into the gloom be 111111.

This was barely accomplishe' when a con in of
quick whoops announced that the flight Of 1101111-
had been discovm-od, and the hurryiin,r search had
already begun. With the signal of alarm, the. rirl
shrunk closer to the side of her lover, as if she elt
that there was now her only safety.

“ Have no fear," he whispered, as he gathered his
arms about. her; “ they shall never, never take you
from me.” .

“I know it," she replied, her heart full of a delight
which had only come to her dreumily and vaguely
during,r the past years. '

Nick Whillles’s whole attention was given to the
management of the boat, which he sent forward-
with astonishing Bower and Hlflcwl. It was observ-
able that the crcc ' was narrowing, and the current
was growing more rapid as they advanced. Only a
few miles more could the waterbo turned to account.
The trapper was carrying out the purpose be had

route. Instead of going down into the river, he in-
tended to pass overland across the“ country to the
stream Whlch found its way into the south branch of
the Saskatchewan, and so on to Fort Churchill in the
Far North, where the parents of Miona were so anxi-
ously awaiting her coming. 1 '

With the sounds of alarm that Red Boar made,
when the flight of the girl was discovered, all outcry
ceased, and the fugitives know not what. steps-1 were
bem ' taken by way otlpursuit. Nick lx-liewd that
the lackith won 11 entertain no suspicion of what
had taken place until the IllOl'l‘OW, and their efforts
would all be misdirected between now and then, so
that these previous hours would be so much gained.

This pleasant belief, however, was dispelled by a
discove which M10119. made at this moment. She
told he; Over that in the hurry of her flight from the
logo at the summons 01’ her friends, she had drop-
p the notehe had sent her upon the ound, where
shohadlettit lying,andwbero itwo d home to

 

_._ A _ .-.. ,__-__v.-.. .4.  . .. .- .‘._.k,,.

catch the eye of Red Bear, the momt-nt he catered
and 111111111Hlu‘lltulllt'tl.

" But I don't think he will be ablc to road it,“ she
1111111-11,us1‘v'1-d told it 111311-11,“th he hasn‘t ma..:11
“11111111111111”1111*[1211;111:411 l.111(.;‘11;1p,1-."

“'l‘hat.is1111111‘1-1-s.:\:113y,“1' pliwl 11w it'appt'r; “1111‘”
know what it litt'tllls 1111’ \‘1-1'y 111i111111- h-- 5.11:1 11y.) 1.4
it. -:1111 1‘11-'llknu.1\v that. 1111: and 3111 have run away
with you.“

" 11111. he will not 511151111511 wc have 1111:1111 (Li; disc.»
114-11,”l‘<'1111"11MIH'kiltLHr-lt.

“11c \vuu‘t'know 11, but. 111-‘11 'spnrt. 11,:1nd :11: for.
as 11111. 111-3; 1'11111-1'111' 1.111'11 :1111-1‘ 11:. this 1’111';.';:.111:T.*."

“1111111111111.1.1111'1“ t-xcluiuwd Mitt-11111111211. “112.9
('1‘11'1112; us, :111‘ \vc powwrlu. x. 1.11114])«1111'~‘1-l\‘t*9:? li'or
1113'11111'1, I I't‘ti‘t ln-lpb1-li1~\'iu;_r 1 would export-111'“
11;;1-11111111- pit-:1: 11min using 1111'. 1,1‘1-'1='I1111'1111s s1 amp
2-: :1 1.1125111. \$'.j,'\\'11:a 1 . 1-1,.11'111111g'11111 1cm“ 3111111111
111111111, ulr-u it. was so easy for 11111' to slip/.1111 and
toxin-1111'?“

“111-\vouldn‘tlutvcdour-i1 11‘ 111- 111111 kuowcd we
var :1bo:1t,:u11l sh.- wouldn't» 1m 1- run awn; ll sho
hudtz'tku.1w 11 w.- was."

Now and 111011 Nick putmwl 111111,; 11111111111115 for a
low st-cn 111111: 111111 listrnt-d, but. 11111111113 of lll\ pursncrs
was 111-111'1.l,11111l 1111- only sound that rcarlu-d their
cars was that ol’ the wind Llowmp; through the 1.1'L‘CS
around 1111-111.

’l‘hc thrco noticed that, quitt- a lirtu-zc was blowiutr,
and that it. was irregular and incrcasing. 'l‘hc faint
moon. too, was obscured by llyiny.‘ clouds, and there
was every indication of a rapidlv111'1111'11111-111111: storm.
The air was quite chilly, and Nick declared that a
grrnching, driving ruin would be upon 1110111 by day-

rcak.

“Will that be favorable or unfavorable to us?"
asked NI-d.

“ It will be the worst thing: in the world, for we‘ve
got to stop till the storm ends, and that'll give the
varmints the time they want to find where we‘ve
gone, and chances are they‘ll overhaul us store we
kin cit across to the. other stream.”

“ But we are leaving no trail.”

“'l‘hat don’t make no difference: just as soon a:
they l‘arn we‘ve headed toward the north, they’ll
know what p‘iut I‘111m'111111’for,and they‘ll know how
to head us off."

t “ Then we can turn back and take another direc-
ion.

Nick made no reply for he did not wish to alarm
his companions, but t (1 course proposcd by Mackin~
tosh was the very one he wished to avoid. Turned
back into the country again, with a band of Black-
1'th between him and British territory, it would be
almost impossible to escape diSCOVH‘V or recapture
by these bloodhounds, who would watch every avenue
of escape, and close around the three, with a celerity
and certainty almost impossible to thwart.

Nick Wliitllcs knew another thing that was not
es )ecially pleasant to him, although no reference to
it tad yet escaped his 11 s, and it was certain that it
would never be learned ll any others through him.

His position toward oo-\vol~na was in one re-
s ect an anomalous one. The gratitude which that
c icf still retained for services done many years be-
fore, was such as to cause him to overlook the part
he had acted in the rescue of Ho 11 Bandman from
death; but, in forgetting that he forlwarance of
the Blackfoot leader had reached its utmost limit.
It was certain he would discover the part played by
Nick in this business, which was far more serious in
every respect.

For'hclping in the abduction of Miona,Woo-wol-na
had no forgiveness, and none would be tnore ready
or eager than he to take swift. and sure vengeance
upon the old trap or for it. In case Nick should
succeed, he woult c compelled to change the loca-
tion of his “home” to some point where he Would
be safe be 'ond the vengeance of his cutuuit-s, who,
infuriated by their disappointment, would burn the
old cabin to the ground.

All this I say Nick fully understood, and there was
accrtain sadness in the thought; but, at the some
time, it did not abate his energy for his friends in
the least. He had gone into this business, fully un-
derstanding the risk involved. and yet. lichad done
so, not willingly only, but with an eagerness to
benefit those he. loved so Well, and to do an act of
humanity, which his conscience told him was right.

Some three or four miles were .asscd, and then
the creek became so narrow, 11111 the current so
rapid, that further progress in 11-1- cnnoc “as out of
the question. 11 was therefore run against the bank,
and the three disembnrked.

“Now, if I leave the boat here, the varmints will
be sure to find it,” said Nick, ‘and it‘ll show ’cm
just where to take our trail."

“Take it with us, for you’ll need it. at 1111- other
stream," said Mackintosh, stooping down to 111111.
from the water. _

“No " replied the tra )pt-r, “we don't net-d 1t fur
that. Is’poso I got a ozen boats in tiscxlill'crsltl.
streams around the country, and if 111-. kin only 111111111
that creek, I know where to put my band on what I
want. This boat is quite hefty to carry with us,
but I“ll take it partway, so that it snun’t help them

an .’

el’ith which he lifted it over his head, and strode
off through the woods, the lovers jollowmg, and Ca-
lamity in advance of all.

There could no longer be any doubt that a storm
was rapidly tithe-ring and would soon break upon
them. The r 'm light of the moon'was so obscured
by the tumultuous clouds constant 1y sweeping past
its face, that they made their way with considerable
difficulty through the wood and over the broken
country. Mackintosh noticed that the ground was
rising so rapidly that they were ascending quite an
elevation, rhaps some high ridge that was the
water-eh of this section. ,

~—

 

 

 

       
 
   
 
       

 

X

. fl.
3,
1 .
6
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, r
, x
T ..
l,-

     
  
 
 
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
    
   
   
     
    
 
  
   
 
  

q

All at once, the wind increased to a gala, and sov-
'~r;'.l lurgo dro is of water struck the l'acc of Mackin-
tosh. Nick \ hii‘fles made a sudden dive to thc
right. and plungcd heneut h on ouk of dense growth,
and besidc which n. lurge rock \vns discovered.

“That‘u the stt w:- kii do," hc culled out, hid
voice hardly nudiblo in thc roaring wind; “back up
ag‘ln‘ it."

Nick Whifiles’s Pet.

ing stretch of l'orost. and lll'i')l\'(*.ll wmntry, seeking to

l catch sonic glimpse of their enemies, but nono weru

’l'he low-rs plm'f‘il themselves against, the rock, and 1

the blankt-t. ol' .ll.u-kiiuo.~‘.h covered hoth.
km )per, by some skilli‘ul nuzm-uw-ring, munugcd to
nullm a wort oi‘ root' with the mnoc, and thus o rt.“
Ul)“(:l.il.l)li' shelter was linpl‘o\'iH-.‘tl.

By this l.llll" thc storm was fairly upon them, the
trons wore swuying in th~ blast, and tho groutouk
ltsclt‘ suemed us it" it. \\L‘l't‘ about. to be torn up by the
roots and hurled lil-:.- its own lcawes through tlu' llll'.
The rain cam“ driving, ulmou horizontally, with thc
fut" ot‘ a litmus-ind uni/712.345vino», while on lllll)l.‘llt'~
truplc blaekni-ss wrnpped carth and sky in its gloomy

al .
p Whut sci-'nwl strange, therc was searccly any
thunder or lightning. .\\V.‘l_\’ oil’ on tho l)1)l‘ilt‘l‘sof
tho horizon, u ll-w l'uini Hashes worc sot-u. and those
werc followed by lln' distant. rumble of thundcr; bllL

it was only for a few minutes, and ot' scurcely pchr‘

to attract. llollcv‘ in the l'ury of the rain itself.

The. swirr of tho wind and rain was so grout, that
l’ora time, none of lhn threw. persons cowering tili—
-dcr the shelter of the tree, the 'tmoc, the rock, and
their blankuw. :Lllcinptcrl to exchangca word with

’ each othcr. Minna. shrunk eloscr to her loVer, who
pressed her to his side. as it‘ he was never toperniit her
to leave him :liflllll, while Nick stood grim, thought-
t’ul, vigilant. with Calamity crouching bctwccn his

(.‘lzlt.

For two hours tho storm ragnd with unabated vio-
lcuce, and then it chased as suddenly as it had bc-
gun. The full ol’ rain was suddenly cut short, the,
wind aiftcr a tow puffs, dicd away, and it was all
over.

It had scarm-ly cndcd. whcn all three noticed an
incrcusing light in the. sky.

“The. moon is coming out again,
tosh.

“It‘s thc sun coming up," replied Nick, “day is
breaking.“

" What u rcli--t‘ after this dreadful darkness,” ex-
claimcd Minna: “how glad lam!"

" You‘d hettcr be sorry,” replied Nick, “that we.
haven‘tunollwr night just hc 'innin’. Wu ain‘t ten
miles from the lodges, and ttcrc’s no tcllin‘how
ucar a dozen of the. varmints arc to us ”

He said no more, but he. might have added that
thcrc was a conviction upon him that the real danger
of the undertaking had just begun, and that a terri-
ble expcricncc was to come upon them in the next
few hours.

91

said Mackin-

 

CHAPT Ell Xll.

THE SIGNAL-FIRES.

THE light rapidly iucrcuscd, and the fugitives
were soon uhlc to gain some idea of their situationi
They folillLl they wcrc ascending a gradually-sloping
ridge, several hundred feet in hight, and wore yet
quite a (liltaiicc from tho top.

[wanting' it usclms to carry thn canoe any further,
Nick lci‘t  whcrc it had served the. nirposc of Shelt-
ering them, and they rcsutned their ilight without
dclay. All thrcc wuro hungry, and had no more
food in their possession; but the. trapper was dosir-
nus ol‘ l‘t'.l.l.'llll]‘,; the top of the ridge before halting
for brown rust. .

Mionn felt the hood of sustenance, but she was not
the one tn null-'0 her urctl known in thoprwsuuco of
-‘.lllllgnl', Lind snc wnlkcd'ulong checrily and bravrly
in thc sumo hupdul spirits as her lover, who secmct
new“. weary of looking upon and admiring hcr
beauty. ’l‘nis wns lrlllfi. hrsi'. time he had seen her in
the glare .d’ sunlight since this long years ago, win."
he. hud lilt'l ltet‘ like,- u wood-nymph, while visiting
his traps- in thc. woud. uuu hc looked upon nor with
that fond, loving 1 wk lml'll ol' purc, dcopnll’octiou,
.und wnicn was mun-uni my h it' own lustrous oycs.

Her tll‘m‘ was nlmos; mi; iruly luditm in its charac-
_ .. lll‘l‘.’l.ll:.fi'tl w: h inst» that hot oil her
beauty, pcrnups, to flfl‘..'.,lli‘u' advantage than a civil-
ized custmuo would have d-i I '.

Althunni the shadow in .‘L :1th dunner Constantly
hung over thtmt, w. they l'HPfU‘. it for tltotltno in
the. pchsuru oi" ouch ul her .4 «.I-i my, and they chat.
t-cd and laughed, and talil; 3 l oi“ Lrlr}. pail. “115 lll‘ch‘mlt
and the t’uturc, us tlimi-:-lr llli'l"' l‘l‘\'t‘l' was to lN'flle-
thing but sunshinc, and lu‘y'c, and happiness for
thcm.

“Let ’em talk—lot ‘em mil; 1" mused the. old tra 'l-

r, as his m-ciwionally glanced at them; " it won d

a cotnlmnnwl pity it 1 should :dup 'mn, for thcrv's
no tclliu“ how soon they’ll hsz to hush, anyway. [
only wishwc had adozs-n hours of darkt‘u.~.$:::\fol'c
us,” 1 think lconl I l’c-l «may then."

\thilc Counu'uiing with himsnli', he was com-naut-

 
   

'l‘h('u the 3

 

able to tliscr>ver the iirst. indications of pursuit.

“ ltuin‘t no sign they ain‘t. I'olleriu‘ us,“ renmrkod
Nick, after the t'uilure of their scrutiny, " i'or thr-
vurmiuts ur‘ euunin‘ und could dodge into ('UVl 1' mid
watch us ull dny without. our gettiu‘ sight. of one, of
thur top-knots.‘~

’l‘uruing to the north, o.plcur:m1tseenewas sprt-ud
out betore them. ’l‘lu- ridge sloped uwuyu-i grudu-
ully in thut direction us in the other, while about. ten
miles distuut rosc nnothvr ridge ulmost. pt'w'isely
similar to the one upon which they wrre shuttling.
lietwuen these two spl't‘dfl out :1. low, benulil‘ul vul~
ley, tluougii which several stremns meundered; the
wholc country was covered with Wood, tillhough it
was. more sentieretl in Home pluees thun in others,
und uL certain points the ground was rocky and
rugged.

Looking away to the norl h, the same vnlley could
be traced until Wood and sit-mun grcw indistinct nud
mingled with the hit/.y blue. of the. liorizhn,

.~\cro:~‘.s tlu- inlet-reling tract of lerri[cry-"some tun
tuilcs in cxtenl, as lms heel! shtMtn—it was nut-essury
for the purty to push their way, lwlorc they eould
fowl \\':‘.rr:iuted in enjoying any degree. ot’ sal’ct '.

“0n ifother side. that ridge‘n said Nick, “ IS the
ercek that runs into the south brunch of the Saskat-
chewan. El' wc cun oueo git. into my canoe on that
without. the varmiuts beiu‘ in front, 1‘“ l’eel easy."

“Then let us delay no longcr," suid .llionu.

“\Ve‘ve got- in hth- somelhiu' to cut. or we‘ll find
a eondcmncd diillkilty in truvcliu‘. You see, wcuin’t

. :oin‘ to reach t‘other side much aforc ni rm and we
. l a

can t do it on cmpty stomachs.“

“Shall wc not bc incurring cxtra danger by kind-
ling u tire. in such an clevatcd position?“ asked
illuckintosh.

“ Yes,“ was the rcply; “we. must go fur ‘nough
down the. slope to make. surc thcy won‘t Si‘l‘ us.“

’l‘hcy doscnded Putit'vly to the bottom, whrre Nod
Mackintosh and Miolm husicd themsclves in build-
ing a tire, whilc Nick, cautionng them not to wan-
dcr awhy. Set out. in quest of thcir breakfast.

'I‘hc tra iper’s usual luck did not attend hint this
timc. Alter hunting for a long time without getting
it shot, he lost all patience, and producing the. line
that. he. always carried with him, cast it. into the
ncal'cst strcam. Herc, in a few minutes, he. hauled
out several plump fish, which he. quickly gathered up
and carricd htth to camp, where. his friends were
anxiously expec. ing him.

The flrc had hccn re )lcnished several times, and
it required but it t’uw nunutcs morc for tho prepara-
tion of their morniu -- meal. All were hungry, and
when they had fluis led their repnst. it was found
that there was none' at all left. to take away with
them against t-hu t'cturu of hunger.

But the ' could well nfi‘ord to wait. lwcnty-four
hours, am Nit-k dcclurcd they nuist think no more.
or food until thoy were out ot this dangerous vallcy,
and sufr on the. other side, of the ridge.

"By mighty!“ he exclaimed, looking up to the
sky; “ I don‘t. know whcro the day has gone, but it’s
hlmned near noon this minute."

It seemed impossible to believe this declaration,
but a glance at the. sun showed that he was not. far
from the truth, and the thrcc hurried forward upon
their journey, like persons guilty of 501119 great
dcreliction of duty for which they were anxious to
atouc.

The ground was found to he. very uneven, so that
it was im mssiblc to make. any sort of progress such
as they icsircd; but. they )ressml steadily on until
the allot-norm was well mwmccd, when an uncx-
pcctcd obstacle presented itsclt’.

\Vhilc lendng tho wav, Nick \Vhimvrs suddenly
found himself upon the hank ol’ u. rushing tot-rout,
too broad to loop over, and too (ice) to nun],- of
wading. llc paused in mum-merit tor a few sec-
onds, not understanding wlmt it. mount, us he. bud

‘, not uoticcd this st ream when standing upon the. ridgo
. m the morning; but ummncnt‘s reth‘clton told him

 

.ly looking lid/0H3, lli'liilul, u;.,1;mm“.j hjm‘ as Llpmg‘h .

in the mo‘“”“’-'~’~’-'.V '-‘Xl>»"3lv mm: of sonic grunt danger.

“This “‘l“ hr“ ‘Wli'k'd out our trail,“ ho mltlctli
“ but it's 'bout scrim that. Illntl'. Rcd Bnar knows
where we've alarm! fur. wt it“ he :u‘u‘t clinic behind
us, like ‘nouxh lnt‘s oiinmmd Nuimvfhm-ng‘

 Llle (full 0!. llillll ll.“ hulli'  “I‘m-e at the Sun}.
.mit of the ridg-rc, and they moi,- tim 15.1mm. w 100;;
about tlrsm. Tilt. Zr view to tho roar was so extcn.
.uivo that lhry could trace. the crock up which thev
had nsccndcd for a long distance, on its winding way
through the woods, Nick iven indicated the 0th
where were the. ruins ot‘ tho Blackfoot v‘ age,

l
i
l
!

Mthougu. the Woods at. this point Wore so dense that ,

tithe View was indistiucl and unsatisfactory.

Long and intently the three scanned the interven-

..... a

itwns all vcry natural, bring e'mscd by the hcavy
full of rain in the night, and which had not time to
gather until aftcr lllc whites wero down thc slope
and into the valley. ‘

What was to bc. done? was: thc involuntary ques-
tion that rosc to the lips of all, its thcy stood on the
bank of the rushing, muddy torrent. and felt that
sopie tin-ans must hc devised for rcaching the othcr
Ell P.

“It has risrn very cuddcnlv,” Slllll Miona: “why
can we not wait. um il it subsides again?”

“it won't do it. alone tn-murrow.” rcnlied Nick;
“we must get over somehow orothcr. If we can’t
do it here. wc must find a spot where we. kin."

'l‘herc w.is reason to hope that there was sonic
plucc where this could be twroiuplished ll! Niml'v

j and thc three began scarchiug along the brink for

such it point,

This consumed more proclous time, and with a
feeling of alarm thnt it. would he difficult to depict,
thny saw tho afternoon drawing to u closu, while no
more Ithan halt” tho distance across the Vttllcy was

asset. .

p li‘inully a projecting rock was discovered, from the
edgu of which it scented possible to mnkc the leup.

“I think tluit'll answer, ‘ said Nick, as he eurol'ully
mcnsured thc distance with his eye. “I‘ve lumped
further when l was youngrr, but. the dillikilty, you
son, is with tho gal."

" ,\m I the only i roublc?" asked Minna.

“ That’s it~~hullonl"

As the excla‘rmition escaped the trapper, Minn
made a light lcap as though she intended to leap in-
to the water but instead she lauded as lightly mm
fawn upon the opposite hunk loavinfilquiw it 5 men
between where her feet struck and eedge 0 the
Stream. 2

 

 

, ,..A...-- . Awt -...c-.._ .. m.

“—
_....a.

An cxelmnation of surprise escaped from the two
she had left upon tho olllul' side, and shu looked sau-
cily buck und cullcd out:

“ lieut thut. if you can 3"

Mm-kiutnsh mude a slight run and Jumpod with
might and main, his firm. striking in tho footprints. of
the girl.

Nit-k followed, landing a little short.

(,‘ulumity llullu'd at his l'rieuds u tunincnt, and then
turm-d about, us though he considered such a por-
l‘urnnnn-e loo nndigutiied for him, nnd the]! stopping
into the torrent lll‘;.‘,llll swimming the wuy ovu-r.

’l‘heeurrenl. wns so rupid that it was it work ol’ cx-
treme ditlii-ulty for him, but. he struggled brnvelv
:uid sucreedcd lll nmking tho other shore, although
ho wns curried quite :L distuncr down-strcauu.

But the. pnssagc wns sul’ely mude, uud all were con-
nidornlily elated thereon ln searching for this
point they had been forced quite. a. distance up-
stremn mid not it little. out of their way; but utill tho
long. elevated ridge slrcirhed out ucross their path,
:nidull tlwy had to do was to teach and .uss that.
On the othcr ulde‘tlowed tho streum, whlclli thoy bo-
lieVed was to hear them into n haven of safety.
There were still a goodly number of miles before
them, and it. was impossible to cross the ridge lwt’oro

night should Hut in, but it? therr “'crt- no l.lacki’het _

elose in their rear, therc was rcnson to hope i’ora
stli'e delivcrnnrc.

'l‘liey lltld been UVt'l‘ tho sirenm but a few minutes,
and werc pit-king their way eurel‘ully along, when
Calamity  towed so much uneasiness that it. uttract~
ed the nttcntion of all. llc. whiued now and thou,
and clevating his head snuil‘ed tho air in it way
which shoWed he scentud danger.

Nick Whillles did not cheek his speed nntllthcy
hndgono sonic distance further, when ho walked to
the top of u rock to make his observation, his two
friends following him.

First, he. looked to the ridgc which they had cross- ,

9d, and, as he did so, he was such to start and hoard
to utter “ By mighty!"

Both Mackintosh and Miona gazed in the name
direction; but, although hoth wore gifted with a

kccn eyesight, and both had an extensive cxpcrienco ‘

in woodcrnft. thcy failed to discover thc exciting
cmisc of his alarm. '

'l‘hc trapper stood for perhaps three minutes look~
iug intcntly and unwaverineg at. tho ridge, and
then ho turnod square about and looked thc other
wuv.

“‘By mighty!“ was the impression that escaped
him, with more em )hasis than llt‘lul't‘, and then ho
looked back and l‘orih from onc ridge to another.

Very naturally his cmnpnnions hegtm to fuel sonic
concern at his manner, and Minna inquired whutit
mcnnt. ‘

" Look yonder!“ he replied. pointing to the ridge
oln the, left, “.und tcll luc whether you see any
i: ting.”

"Wu have been looking in both directions,” re-
plicd llltu-kintosh. “ and cannot divine what. it is."

Nick now indicated the pi-ccise point, and added:

" Don‘tluok mnmig the trees. but above 'cm."

“Ah! acmnp-flrcl” exclaimed ch.

“ No; it nin’t~~it‘.~i 11. signal lire!" corrected Nick.

Just. the faintest, dinnncst outlillcs of a column of
smoke could be seen rising through the tree-tops on
the opposite ridge; and, while. cnl'cf ull y Scanning it,
Ned observed that it did not ascend inn straight
line, us it would have done from a stationary .ilro,
but that it wnved from sidc to Shiv, in a ser mntine
nnumcr, showing that tho tlumc which causc it was
regularly changed from one, s not to cumin-r.

“How is that?" lnquircd cd, after remarking
this peculiar appearance, “ I do not understand it.“

"l vc seen that thing al‘orc," rcplied Nick, almost
sulleulv; “(mo of 1.111! varmints is in the top ol' the
iron with u. torch in his hand. Nowrllaku a, look at.
t'othcr sidc.“ .

This was done. and DI‘UClSt‘ly the some thing was
Seen upon the summit of lhnt.

"Thcrc must he an iridium in one ol‘ those trees.
too?" '

" You; and a whole pack of ’cm at the bottom, too;
the "Vc been walchin’ us all the :ii‘icrnuon and sig-
naling to each other. They know gust. where we are
thilsplnihutc, and they’re puttingi tings in shapcto

o l l c us.

g Nick seemed in a. more despondrnt mood than
either of his eompuuioir: liud ItHliUi'tl since start-
ing. and they naturally pui‘tuok oi.‘ his nu-nud depres-
Slon.

Hr clml'ed at tho rememhrnnrcI or hi ¢ dcluy in got-
tlnz across this turmilu valley; l'lere. tho humm-
pnrt ot’ the day had lweu spent in \i'umlering about
in full via-9w of their enemies, and than was no p08-
sihility now of deceiving them as to thcir move-
lnmlts, ‘

’i‘heycould only wait until (Tartan-csclosedabout
them, and then ultmnpt to steal over tile ridge with-
out helm? discovered. '.l‘lie.ro wns u MHMl‘ulllCY of
this, but Nlt‘k Whitlle was mtisflcd in i»: own mind
that. Red Bear and others wcrc closer tot-11cm than
his eompnnirms sus 101.‘U‘ll.

't‘lio infuriated Blackfoot had not concluded to
wait until night, but. was dillllfiliihb‘ mulling through
this wond nl‘tr-r llh-ni.

What. meunt tho uncusincns of (lnlmnit-y. but that
danger was clone. at hand? llenmrlmhlo us was the
sngt‘tcity of tho. canine, his master knew tlmt ho had
not ween, or having scan did not. understand tho
meaning of. signal-tires In the distant-c.

There was something else that alarmed him. It
was in the woods, clone about idiom.

"when is it, sup?" asked Nick, as- ho mtreawd
from his exposie position upon the rock: "do you
smell van-mints ?‘ .

There was nothing particularly noticeable in him.
reply. but it was of ouch a chmucter that ‘

— w

mutu_t~':*  ‘

      

      

 

    
           
        
      
 
   
     
       
 
  

  
 

    
    

{0...

Wed his rifle moro firmly, and said in a low tone
0 iwkiiiiosh:

" lie rczuly for the vai'mints any minute"

“I am ready," replied Ned, I'm-ling in his brrxast—
pocket to make sure his revolver was therr. “ It is
gettingdark, and il’ We can keep out of their way
until night, [have hopes of giving' them the slip.“

“ If we hadn't got hindered so in crossin‘ this
blamed place, there‘d be a better chance for us, but
it‘s going to be the condemncdcst dittikilty we ever
was in nt'ore."

Nick Whiflles did not forget that his companions
had not slept a wink upon the preceding: night, un-
less they might have snatched a few minutes when
in the canoe, and he had the strongest doubts of
their ability to stand the strain to which they would
be subject-"(l through thc coining darkness.

But there was a present danger which now re-

uircd all his thoughts, and he led his friends steal-
i '1in and slowly through the wood, so as to escape
the observation of any who were stationed on an
elevated look-out.

h'ud lt-nly Calamity gave such unmistakable evi-
dence of uneasiness that all paused, fechiit: that the
danger was so close at hand that there was no need
of attempting to proceed further.

(,lilillyl‘i‘llt XIII.
rrnsunn nv stunows.

Nick Whinles stood with gun grasped in both
hands, ready to fire at an lnstant'a warning“, while
Nod Ithtckintosh held almost precisely the same po-
sition directly in the rear of him the afl‘rightcd
mfilu, pale, motionless and almost breathless at his

e.

A dozen feet in advance crouched Calamity, growl-
ing and bristling with anger, the only member of the
party who was makim: the least sound.

“ ’Slil pu ,“ admonished the trapper; “there's no
need of ma 'ing a noise, but keep your head p‘intcd
toward the varminis.”

The dog quieted down, but his appearance showod
that he was angered at something that was rapidly
up rouching, and that at the same time, he was
agitated by an undefined fear, such as Mackintosh
had ncvcr seen him show before.

This painful state of suspense was ended suddenly
and unexpectedly by the appearance of an enormous

izzly brar that came awkwardly shaming through
Se woods directly tmrnrd them!

As quick as thought Mackintosh brought his rifle
to his shoulder, but ere he could sight it at the ap-
proaching monster, Nick furiously gesticulated, and
coiled out in an csritcd undertone:

” Don‘t you do it!“

There was no disregarding that command, even
lhOllfill the king of the woods was almost upon thrm.
Cate ing the arm of MIDI“. the two walked rapidly
backward, he boiling: his gun so as to us - it ci‘l‘ec-
tivcly, Willie be kept hiscyc lined upon the brute,
tannin}: straight at them.

As Calamity was exactly in the path of the hear,
his siigacity taught him that the only thing; for him
to do was to get out of ii without attempting to dis-
pute the riglu. of way u iili this king: of the western
wilds. So, wheeling: about. he skurried behind his
nunstrr, still snarlim; and growling and ready to min-
gle in the fray, as soon as an opportunity uttered.

it was a tryiui: moment. INULlllllK but absolute,
undeniable ucccst-illy would induce Nick to tire. for
hr. knew that the crack of a ride would bc sure to
guide the Mia-amen; to the very spot where they Wcl‘d
Standing.

Instead of firing, themt he threw 15) both hziiuia
and :«zpruux; «homo: toward he '. uttering asap-
press»- 1 "Kl'l.‘tlllllllttll as he did so. The bear uttrrn-d
astiull’ol'tc 'oru'id tht‘lt r'hieti oil? to the left, and
at a !'.t.l2.isl‘ ,rjait than over gallopcd away in the
Woods, ‘

" Now, eoiu-~," callzul out, Nick, plunging into the
forest and tulillil: a course at rightanglcs; " the var-
mints ain‘t [or oil‘.” ’

With that :tiuu'puwss of perception, which was ill-
most intuitive u'un tho: tiuipiwr, ho- eoinprvhm dud
from the action it liu- nerimzly hear, the instant. his
cum-- in sight, that ln- m; "a ilwfu; before the lndians,
who hurl roused or unit-rpm. ~. . wily come across him in
til“ Woods.

The brute inadn no nth-nip? in«ll'Stlll‘lH‘llllr'l'l.‘ll.lillll-
it); or his i'ri--nds, and l‘..‘,'. :. lvuuec upon ilmin wad
llllil't'ly hccausc l-ln-y Imp mnml in be in his paih,
shying; aim); the iin'inieni. ch Liddcd to his terror
by honing in his tour.

The Lila-kiwi; wcreso close that tir- cral-l; of a
ride Wmtl I nuw brought them to line spot l-l'u they
could haw,- iii-d,and hence lilt‘ pro' 2,..', imperative
manner in whit-n Nick Winulv .itfll'“ : _1in~<lii..t.i:u,
was; almost. ilis:'l'ii=.i-::r.-d trum i.ii.- gin: o. _'.,-.l .‘dacinn-
toulin '

liy this time iii“ sun had set, and the gloom of twi-
light was already in the wood. lilvm‘y hioiiient ‘.\'.t‘l
growing: more favorable to l he whites, and with sinne-
can“; ldw a renewal ol‘ hope, ah-‘y hurried iluough
the shadowy t'ozmm.

(inimitin gave no sign of up}u'chciiriion, but ,"lidwl
deftly tln'o'ightho utid- rgrowi h, keeping 'i. 2:1» i»! lend
of the 'itiuxrs, and colnprelinnintt very wL-h the inlet“
Unit his n'utsicr wished him to pursur. ‘

Suddenly in: sharp and man crack of a rifle rung
musing the trims, and contidvni mat on», of their
number had been struck, Mackintosh turned with a
map oi" alarm toward the trapper, expecting to sec
himstangurtxi ihvxround; out all that he did was
to change thn course he had hccu pursuing, and com-
mence reloading: his riilr.

At the same instant the grasp ol’ Minna upon tho
am of her hirer was spasmodically tightened, and
a he glanced inquiringlytoward her, she pointed
ahead and aspirated:

“Look!”

 

 

 

 

 

Beadle’s HalfiDimemLibrary,

In the deepening gloom of the wood Mackintosh
saw the figure of a man with arms thrown up, fall-
ing backward. He was barely able to discern that it
was that of an Indian, when their hurrying steps
carried them out. of his sight.

It was Nick Whitlles, then, who had fired the gun,
and so truly was it aimed, that the uni-rrini,r bullet
drove the life from the body ere he could give utter-
ance to the death-yell, which almost invariably dis-
tinzuishes the death of the Indian ol’ this country.

“There are others nearl” whispered Miona, as
they sped away.

Deeper grew the gathering gloom, and. the lovers
could scarcely keep pace with the hurrynu: Nick
\Vhiillcs, who saw that all depended upon keeping
out ot‘ sight of the lllackt'eet until it was impossi-
ble for them to detect their trail, or to sec thcm
at any considerable distance in the wood.

Aware of the value of time, the red-skins were

ushini: their search with the utmost vigor, avoul-
nu: any outcry or signaling for fear of givmg them
the alarm. '

The course of the trapper was as Zigzag as the
track of the lightning across the sky. llc turned
until the athletic Mackintosh began to feel exhaust-
ed. They wore barer able to see the lank form of
Nick as he sped along, and he 10oked like some
shadowy fugitive that they were vainly pursuing
instead of their own leader.

All at once he came to a. halt, and, turning upon
them, demanded:

“ Br you tired?" _ ‘

Their panting breath answered his questionlvvith-
out their saying any thng more. .

“By mighty! we ve had a sharp run for it!"_he
exrlaiincd, breathing somewhat more rapidly him-

Belt.

" But will it do to wait here?” asked the tremb-
ling Miona.

“Yes; the ’rc off the track now, and by goin'
ahead We’d )e as likely to butt‘ into ’em as not—
while if we stay here we kin git a rest, that I
rather think you folks need.”

Need it the did, and were glad enough to get it,
both sittinr own upon the ground, while the old
trapper foded his arms ovor the muzzle of his
upright rifle, and seemed lost in reverie. While
Calamity crouched at his feet panting, but as keenly
vigilant as ever.

The woods were still—no sound betraying the
proxinn'ty of their dreaded foes. \Vlicre they were,
and what- they were doing, could only beiinagincd,
but there could be no doubt that they were on the
alert smnewhcre, watchful for the first indication
of the hiding-place of the fugitives.

1 Ten, fifteen minutes passed, and a faint tremolo-
like whistle, as heard, so soft and musical in its
character, that Mackintosh could not tell whether it
was in the air oVerhcad, or beneath, or beside them.

A lllOIllt:llL after the sound was repeated, appar-
ently from the same s )ot. but Nick Whifllcs read
both signals uright. 'I‘ b! tirst came from a point
seve‘al hundred ards to the north, and the other
almost the same istance West.

Had the latter been sol/(h. instead of West, it would
have shown that the whites were directly between
the two parties giving utterance to them, and that
they were closing down upon thom' but, coining
from the points mentioned, it proved 1 lat the black-
t'cet had no certain means ot’ guidance and \vcro
“ fecliir: " for their prey.

llad Nick Whimcs been alone he would have iii-
duhred his charwicristic humor, by answering both
of these signals, and «wally misleading both. Ho

done so many a time when alone on the war-
path, and he was stroneg tcnuited to do so now.

It was only his regard for the safet of the two
dear friends under his charge that lllt uced him to
l’orego this little piece. of amusrnient, and to aim
his whole cnct'glcs to keeping them out of danger.

The whites now made a slight change in their posi-
tion, passing deeper into the wood where the trees
Were inorli dense, but, as they inmu-diah-ly dis-
covered, they Were beside a sort of path, such as
are made by animals colic,r to and fro to water.
They frll into this nun without noticinp,r it until
{.iuiyfhad gone sonic L istancc, when Kid; immediate-
v c t it.

“ How long are we to wait here?” inquired Mack-
lulu-Hi.

“'l‘ill wo git some idea. of win-re tho varmints
are," replied the trnppcr. “We must git out. of
this conden‘ined valley aforc morning, or we‘ll
never git out of it.”

Hit plan was to wait whore they wore until they
could advanIy-z with a tolerable certainty of not run-
ning into great danger.

'l‘in-ir inorumrnls and turnings up to this time had
burn guided solely with the purpose oL’ keeping out
of immediate daiig‘eronly, When the red-skins wcrc
endcavoriny': to v-losc about. them, the utmost Llicy
Huihl do was to krc-p slipping out of their grasp, un-
til Iinic could be gained for some plan of c capo al—
toznlhor,

’l‘lm report of Nick Whillles’s riile narrowcdthe
st rugule down to an HXCl editiqu narrow )oint. The
bittcmpct, scattered here and there lu'ougli the
woods, ithnntly converged toward tho point, just in
time to find their dead coim‘ade, and to miss finding
it ho had been the means of his takingr otl'.

b‘orsevcrul minutes succeeding the signals men-
tioned nothing was heard except the distant sound
of the torrent and the rustle of thc night-wind
throuuh the leaves overhead.

Then, all at once, the same whistle reached their
emai. wounding so close that even Nick Whifiics him-
self slanted. . Seemingly guided by fate, the Indians,
without any certain knowledi’o themselves of the
fact, were drawing nearer and nearer to the party
each minute. '

 

 

Nick stepped soft] forward, and whispered to
Miona to mml behin the tree closest to her, Mack-
intosh did the same, and then, as the trapper took
his )OSlllUl) he whispered:

“ )on‘t stir or speak till I give the word."

‘nlaniity at this juncture, :avc utterance to an ml
most inaudible whine.

‘ ‘ ‘Slil pup B” said his master, and all was still again,
the dog retreating to the denser cover of the wood.

This had hardly taken place when a slight rustling
was heard, and the outlines of a huge Indian were
disccrnwl walking stealthin along the path. He
seemed really a shadow, so silently did he move, and
so swift were his footsteps that he was in view only
a minute, when he slid into invisibility, and a second
later another form came to view.

Nick Whitlles was the closest to the path, and he L

recognized this individual despite the darkness. The
peculiar head-dress, which he sported, marked him
as the iriino mover in this nnschii-l’. lie was the
young: c iieftain, Red Bear, seeking so dctcrminedly
for his bride, who was seeking ,with equal determina-
tion to get beyond his power. ‘

Miona thought the beating: of her heart would be-
tray her, when this second form stopped almost op-
posite her.

Could it be that his acute our board the tumultu-
ous throbbing of her heart? Had some slight rustling
of her dress, inaudible to herself, caught his atten-
tion? Did the magnetic consciousness of her pres-
ence make itself kpown to him. as we are warned of
the proximity of another person, when our senses
fail to acquaint us with tlic fact 1*

She felt as if she would sink to the ground, when
she made certain that the red-skin had halted so
near her. It seemed to her that all was over, and
dos air took the place of hope that had been cheer—
m: tor on.

Still she sustained herself from falling, and hardly
allowed herself tobrenihc. Pressing her hand to her
heart, as if to still its beating, she uttci'cd her prayer
that the danger might pass by her.

In this extremely delicate situation matters stood,
when Rod Bear, Without moving a limb, gave out the
‘aine trenuilous-likc whistle that had already been
icard several times, repeating it twice, with a slight
interval.

Alarming as was the sound, it was cheerful under
the present circumstances, for it. proved that lted
Bear was really unaware of his lll'lglllhll‘h‘, and Mionn
tu‘cc mod it as such, scarcely able to l'cpi'i'ss a sigh of
rcliet.

The signal was answch by some one further up
the path, and the-n Red lieur moved on, t‘oiiowud by
another and another, until nine liuiiiui~~ had tilt-d by,
all moving: so close that Nick “indies could have
trip bed any or all ‘of them, by lllrrcly llll'llstlng out
his toot.

For several minutes after the last had pusscd,
none of tlic )artyinchd. Thou the trapper stcir
ped out in tin path, as a signal that. the others
might do the same. His action was spredily imi-
lulu}, and they began movini,r i'orwurd again, taliini:
acutn’ac directly opposite to that pursued by the In-

tans.

As there was a possibility, it" not, a probability of
oncouulcrinn some more oi' the red skins. Calamity
took up his old position of (cum! courier for his
friends, niaiiuuinint.r such a relatin- position that he
could easily give them warning,r intime for them to
dart: aside again from the path.

The loreis very naturally had lost their reckoning
entirely, but Nick Whillles know that the path they
Were following led almost! parallel to the two ridgcl
between which they w ere placed, so that as long,' at.
it was i‘ollowud they Wt‘l't‘ really making little or no
advnncevuient toward their t‘i'nl di slincziion.

but his present purpose, as it had been for some
hours past, was to not bcyoud the immediate vicinity
ot' the Indians, so as to obtain Nuim t'rvcdoin of
movement. Asthe path atl'orded incur the oppor-
tunity to move much more rapidly than throng i the
broken wood, and at the sullu‘ time \‘illri less liable to
cause ubctruyal ol’ their presence by the noise of
brushng limbs and breaking twins. lu- uvnilcd him-
self, so far as was possible oi” ihvso nilmningt-s, and
pressed forward with Hulllt‘llilllg‘ lilu- his old haste.

In the constant hurry and t'lellt‘liit'lll or“ their sit-
uation. Ned Mackintosh scarcely t'onnd time to ex—
chmuzc a word with the trembling. ull'rig'luo-d Mionu,
\i'liolluept as close to iuiu as the iniline of the ground
Would permit; but now and then he managed to
whisper a word 01' riicournucmriu. and to press the
little hand that l'H-tlt'tl so cozilidingly in his own.

It: was scarcely tlu- time for Ht‘ltlilllt‘liltlllby 01‘ for
any impression ol’ love; but the pvril which hung
over all seemed to lll'llit'.‘ lll" two in close unison, and
my hero felt that ii i \w ulil b4- ‘clml in law any dan-
ger that would attest. and prove llih ch”. otion to her.

’l'llt‘ skill and iwr.it'it_i' oi Nick \l'liiilli-su, i'Livm‘ed by
l’roviilriutv, had .‘l'illa' :d to bring lliv‘iu‘llii'ough a
labyrinth of peril, but. they m-ru yet. in the gravest
danger.

llow much longer could a collision bc postponedl'
Was there a possibilin of reaching and passing over
the ring“, without a deadly (-ncmnnvr a un the Black- ‘
feet?
more than three or [our in pursuit of them, the“
was now every reason to believe that there were over
a dozen fully-armed and Vigilant red-skins following
them like bloodhouuds.

Whore would the morrowifind lhem?‘ Even if on
the other side of the slope, would their safetyhd
anyways incrcawd? Would thcy not be followed.
with the same mircleiuincr l'cl'i'nrity‘.’

Such were the thoughts that were in the head 0!
Ned Mackintosh, when a sudden stoppage of Nick
Whifl'les and his suppressed with!" warned them
that they were in the presence of a newnnd s ' -

er ‘-

While they had hoped that there were no "

...._-_..._...>

 

 

   
   
    

 

      

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CHAPTER XIV. ,
'rnic snuurmo- scour.

ADVANCING a few steps nearer to Nick Whiflles,
the lovers saw what was now the cause, of the alarm,
Directbr ahead of them and seemingly in the path
itself, they plainly saw the gleam ol‘ a camp-fire.

It was plain that the trapper was somewhat.
puzzled over this. Certain at once that there was
some deep design in it, he was at a loss to comprehend
what the design was. (,‘omniou opinion would have
Bronounced this to he. the regular cam i-fll‘t‘. of the

lackt'cct, but even Mackintosh knew t tat such a
thing; was extremely improbable; for the Indians
Were not. in camp, and would not kindle a fire in the
vicinity of an enmity, unless it was intended to be
uised as some means to decoy them into destruc‘
t on.

SO the party paused for a few minutes, while Nick
cautiously approached to reconnoiter. He went,
nearer and nearer until no more. than a hundred feet
separated him from it, and prudence warned him

aiiist going further.

[e then saw that the. fire was burning directly in
the path, but there was no sign of any person near;
but, satisfied that there. must be some one, he wait—
ed and watched. Something like. a half-hour had

I IMlSHi‘d. and the fire was sensibly diminishing, when
an Indian suddenly canto to view out of thodark—
ticss, and throwin" quite a large. quantity of sticks
and brush upon t )0 flames, retreated to the. shelter
of the forest again. Nick waited and watched, ex-
pecting to sec others, but none at; all were Visible,
and it was evident that this was the only Blackfoot
in the iiriiiiediatc vicinity.

With his remarkable sagacity, Nick now began to
comprehend what all this meant. The Blackfeet
were taking pains to keep the fire, burning. expect-
ing; that it would perhaps catch the eye. of the find
Lives wandering in the vicinity. They Would he apt
naturally to drift into the path, and swing the fire,
would make a detour to avoid it. On each side of the
fire, at some distance. in the wood, there were doubt-
less liidian sciitincls on the alert to discover, and i n-
stnntly make. known their whereabouts to the In-
dians searching for then).

This was Nick‘s theory of what he saw. although
at the saute time, he. saw that it was no very brilliant,
strttegy, and the chances of its success were quite
remote; but it had its danger, nevertheless, and he
turned back to warn his companions. I

The natural course that now suzgcstcd itself, was
for the party to leave the path altogether, and, pur~
suing,r a course at right angles to it, make directly
for the ridge over which they were so desirt‘ius of
passin'z.

This was done with only a moment‘s delay. neces-
sary for a complete understanding of. the. movenieii".
The Indians seemed still on every side of them, and
ton much caution could not be t,‘X.“l".'.l5l3tl in every
movement. mail». The keenness ot‘ Calamity was in-
valuai ii i, and he. had already barn the means of sav-
ing: them from capture more than once.

" We‘re in a cowl-mined dit‘tlkilty yet.“ remarked
Nick, as they stupt‘ltul out of the. path; "it‘s hard
traveler: chr these, l'ot‘k'i, and if you ain't blamed
careful, the Vitl'llllillls 'll hear you, too."

“ You mustn’t go too fast," admonished Minna;
“two or thch titties I came near lodn': you."

“ I'll take care of that." was the reply. “ Are you
good for a lllllff tramp?"

“ l :mi good for any exertion that will got us out
of this ll..l.1lf{‘i‘tili1\‘ place," she answered; "it seems
that we are making no progress at all.”

‘“ ‘. c ain‘t much, sar in. How do you stand it,
Ned .' are you ‘bout rear 57 to give up?‘

“ l \v.'i n ): ii'v yon, ink, wnen I need rest,”
laughed Ntrri. " i am somewhat tired, but. my only
trot-ii)! i i,- tn-ownzim-u. You know I haven‘t slept for
two Mitfllia‘, and if lSt’llltl still for ten minutes, I find
my eyes g :tdnc heavy.”

" Yon :iinst light it 06!, for we ain‘t going to have
aziytinr- to sleep tonight. Wziittill you not where
where‘s ,1. chance, and you may sleep for a Week.
Conic air-ad now, and mind what i. said ‘bout mak-
ing a ii iisc; it seems to me. thar‘s a hundred of the
vat-mitts «hulking: all ‘round us."

A1,",tlll they moved forward. takim.r a route that
was iii‘.l:l1 more diilicult to follow than theother.
[I -re. and more tho. woods were so full of dense un-
dui-rroa'th that they Were forced to Pl"k i'ln'il' way
\Vlill rrc u. (fttl‘ifl'lllnrtbh', or else. to change Lheirconrse
cufir ‘iy; thcri aaruin huge rocks interposed, causiirr
the same ditl‘icuhy; but the trapper still maintainm
his it‘llel‘ul direction. advancing closer and closer to
tir- ridge. on the, iiorthwoa it of them.

'fLI‘J-,51I.V was clear, and while they were possum:
aim .: in this manner, the moon appeared above the
ride;e behml them, casting a dim light oVer the
forest. on  helping them on their way at the same.
time tun: it ill-'4) inci'msetl the. danger of their being
800,11 W W" “HUSH”. Who were loavitrr no stone. im-
tur'icd to dew-wt. and capture them. 5

0c til.*€l()£ltl)"ly Wliiilles paused and listened, while
C‘ulalnik'y' was never more alert and lawn-scented.
b‘o ion;r M 11"? Lfiwc no signs of disturbance a l‘ul‘li‘lll

1565911113" or securi'y WM with all; it was only when he-

showed iincnsincss that the lovers apprehended sci-i-
ous trouble.

No little prom-ens was made. in this direction, and
the reaction of hope was strong’ with all, when, as if
to remind them they were doomed beyond all dues.
tiou, Nick Wliit’flcs exclaimed:

“By mighty! if We ain‘t runnin' afoul of another
of their informal camp-fires; do you observe that?"

As he spoke he pouited into the wood, where the
well “known glimmer was distinguishable directly
ahead of them, and in such a position that. had they

continued their progress they could not have savad.

themselves from running directly into it.
Again the veteran trapper was noupluaed. Why

\

 

_ Nick Whitfies’s Pet.

11

 

this second camp-tire should be kindled was a puzzle
to him, as there was no reason certainly for the
Blackfwt to think that they were going to run
against it. It might be, howover, that there were a
dozen campfires burning here and there through
tho valley, and this was only a part of a plan that
was intended to prevent the possibility of their cs-
ca ring from the valley.

he first ucstion or course was what was to be
done, and 10k answered it by proposing a different
Course of procedure.

“Ned, you haven‘t forgot the way you used to
steal through the woods~l can see that, the way
you‘ve managed since you‘ve been with me -—ao I‘m
going to let you ruckynoitcr that on one side, while I
take the other.“

“And I am to approach it from the front, I Iup«
pose,“ said Mioua, with a laugh.

“1 want you to stay exactly where yo 1 are till we

come back to you,“ was the reply. ,
I “ Here is in blanket," said i ackintosh, adjusting
it about her shoulders; “ you can wrap it about you,
and, as on mith be uitc drowsy, you can obtain
the nine rnoeded slum )er."

“ You are sure you will know where to find me?”
remarked the girl, doubtfully, to Nick.

“ You needn‘t think notlun’ of that .- all you‘ve got
to do is, to cuddle. down with the blanket about you,
saw your prayers. and go to sleep.”

ackintosh kissmd her [good-by, and, with a fond
word or two, the men movod away.
_“ Now “ said my hero, “ 1 want to understand pro«
eisea w llt is expected of me."

“ til, then, I want you to go within ‘bout a bun-
dred feet of that tire, on 'our right an 1‘" KO the
same on the left, and we’ll cop on  we meet on
t‘other side,“ '

“Su iposc we miss each other, shall we take. our
old sty e. of whistle? I think I haven‘t forgotten to
make. that."

“ We mustn‘t lose each other Ned."

“ lint the thing is possible, Nick, and a wise gene-
ral prepares for all known contingencies before go-
ing into battle."

“There mustn’t be any whistling or signaling be.-
tween us at all. If you get off the track, I'll net the
pup to huntin’ you, and I think he‘ll scent you out,
if you climb a tree."

" Ah! I to rot Calamity,“ re ilietl Ned, as he stoop-
cd and patte, the head of the aithful brute. “What
Would we do, if it wash‘t for him? All right, then.
I think I understand my part.”

A few more WUde were. exchanged. that the two
mi'rht make sure. that they understood each other,
1111( then they separated. Nick Whit‘ilcs thus doing
what all military science would condemn. dividing
his force in the face of an enemy; but, under the,
circumstances, he was justified in his strategy, as
the cflieieut part of his company Were merely
thrown forward as “skirmishors,” and with the pur-
pose of feeling. the foe.

Nick, I may as well remark, com iii-ted his part of
the rcconnoissance, as a matter 0 cmusc, without
difficulty. but a most singular experience was that
of Ned Mackinti'mh. as I shall now proceed to show.

The training of five years before could never be
eradicated from the young man, and with something
like amusement. he. saw himself moving forward
with the caution, stealth and celerin of a veteran
scout.

He constantly glanced toward the camp-fire: and,
as be advanced further and furtlu-r, ie became
aware, that it was not a “dummy,” like the one he
liadpasscd some time before, but that there were
men near it. He could see. figures measinnally

movinf: between him and the blame, which tlunird up‘
ii

irrrsu rly, as though it was being fed by these
around it. -
Such beng the case, Mackintosh felt that it was
his duty to make a Closer impectioii of the party.
His position might, be such as to give him ll. better
opportunity than Nick. and he decided upon making
as rll i-c an approach to the tire as was poizsdile. I
l“ollo'.\'iiic the custom of scouts at such times. he

 

sum. down on hislmndsiuid knees, and began crccp- ‘

iiii: stenhhily forward.

There Mina sort of fascination in this, as he rc— J
inciubercd to have felt when a boy, while he was =

stealing; upon some game. and he drew nearer and
tit-zii‘t‘l‘, until prudence warned him that it would not.
do to go any further, and he paused.

lIe was now lyinpr tlat upon his fame. his eyes tlxrd
keenly upon the blaze, “cinching: the figures that _oc.
casioniiily iliitcd in View. intent only upon learning
what he could learn, when he became. sensible of the
old i'wliiigiif drowsiness creeping: upon him.

What should he do? Regular as he had been in
his habits, it was impossible for him to light off the
insidious uplynml-h of the "rcstoi‘cr," which never
seemed so sweet. so balmy, so tempting as then.

‘.‘ Shall l retreat, and mow. about until 1min com.-
inand of myself?" he asked, as he. debau-d the dun"-
ger in his own mind.

Then he concluded that if he Went further away
from the camp—tire. he. would put himself in a posi-
tion where he could learn not iinp: at. all n‘garding
the lndinus, and his recoiinoissaiico would then be a
failure altogether. .

By this time, Mackintosh was In that reckless
state of mind, which immediately precedes slumber
and in which he cares very little how wags iheworl
32d is only anxious that his sluinbers he not disturb-
e .

Two minutes later, as he lay stretched out upon
the ground. he was sound aslixep.

Foztunatel for Ned Mackintosh, his position was
such that he reatlied freely and easily, so that there
was no dun er of his presence being betrayed by
that means one.

He was so close to the camp-fine, that it only need-

 

ed to throw its rays somewhat further to strike him
prostrate and unconscious form, for be was asoblivi-
ous of his danger, as though he wereacrOss the:
ocean, thousands of miles away.

Again and again was the tire re ilenished, and its
flamed higher and higher, but still he slept on. A
half dozen or more of Indians were coming“ and
going before the camp-tire; they occasional ' group‘
cd tom-thenbut they remained uiuuindl’u of the
proximity of one of the very men for whom they
were searching.

Occasionally the h'enwfolike whistle was heard
in the stillness of the night, and thcreplics came
from different parts of the. Wood, but where or
whither the vengeful Blackfeet passed, they failed
to discover their victims. _

But this state of things could not. continue. for any
length of time. One of the keen Blackfeet left the
camp-fire. and wandered off in the. very direction
where Mackintosh was lying, halting about a dozen
yards away, where he stood like one uncertain in
what direction he should turn his ste is.

At this 'uiicture, the sleeper lllt)Vl'( uneasily in his
slumber, throwing his arms from off his face. Slight
as was the noise, it can rht the. ear of the red-skin,
who started and glance furtively in the direction, as
if he suspected danger.

In the gloom of the wood be discerned nothing,
but be carefully withdrew further into the darkness,
where he was better rotected himself, and then be-
gan circling around t to point whence issued the sus-
picious sound.

Again the arm of the sleeper struck the d leaves,
and tho Blackfoot was able to tell precise y where
the. noise occurred.

Something certainly was there. that needed inves-
fixation. and he crouched down like a panther and
be an circling around it.

btc ) by step he drew near, until at. length he was
enab ed to detect the figure of a man stretched out
upon the ground.

“What could it mean?" the Indian instinctively
asked himself. [touring and gazing at the form,
doubtful whether it was that of a dead or dying

:Illall.

AS the savage.» was now situated, the latter was
betwrwn him and the tire, so that he. could see, any
movement made by the stranger, and while he was
looking at him, he saw a foot stir.

This proved at once that the man was alive, and
the indifferent way in which be stirred it, proved at
once that he, was not wounded.

The liidian had already diseovcrcd that he was a.
white. man and consequently one of the very )at'tv
for whom i icy were searching, and he comprehend-
ed in: once that he must be asleep.

Wind. it fortunate thing for the Blackfoot.

His heart have a leap of exultution at the thought.
While the. other dozen or more \vcic searching here,
there, everywhere for the whites, here was one
directly in his power.

It was very easy to summon his comrades around
liliint,‘to secure the poor fellow at. once, but why do

in ,.

Wasdw not abundantly able to takecnre of him?
Affl llmllflli he were aroused iind'i'uliy armed. the
B ackiom. would have. sprung forward, eager to
meet him in the handle-hand encounter.

So, drawing his knife. hc crept on toward him. He
was determined that the glory of his scalp should
belong: to him alone. nu would carry it. into camp
and it my ever it, in the face of the other braves.

Only a few feet separated them, and the knife w
in the hand of the Indian, who was now certain

is prey.
And still Ned Mackintosh shinibcrcd!

("I-{AFTER XV.
“ \l‘llA’l‘ si-‘x'rt _
ANOTHER condemned dit‘ilinlty." muttered Nick
“Wilmer. fl-‘i. after thoroughly irroinioitcring the
camp, and crawling two-thirds of the hit" around I".
lit‘ foiled to discover any i-it'ill of Ned Mackintosh;
“either me or him has. rot off ihc track. .l‘iu sure it.
ain‘t me.”
Still not suspecting that any thing serious had oc-

curred, Nit-k nailed where he \Viis,e.\-1;i:<-Iiiig that-

l‘lb' NOV-Hi: friend would speedily put in an appear-
ance.

“There. alters seems to be some dimkiltyihnt o-
mnn‘s gettin‘ into,“ he continued, trlkiuir partly to
himself and )sirtly to Caliunity, who nus crouched
.down beside hitn. “ 'l‘lie Vrrytirst time i come across
That Vounker, he was in the greatest dii‘tikilty of. his
life, fur when a baby two or three yearsolt starts
out in a canoe, he iicuhi’t ca‘c'laic on liavnig an easy
time of it. I _

"l s‘pose I had a good deal of the some diflikilty
When I was young; for I‘ve heard my mother say I
liadall the diseases ever heard of, and some new
ones that was never heard of. l was so short. when
I got the fever that it hadn‘t: room to turn in me.
The doctor that tended me was a iii-doctor and he.
didn’t know nothing: 'boui anytbiiiuelse', so to tillers
made it a p‘iut that I slit iild be. scared into (its more
he‘d have anything to do with me, ‘causo he. stud he
was death on fits, and it. was necessary I should 1:0
into ‘em afore his medicines would do the anvgoml.

“But I paid the old scamp oil’ by giving him the
whooping-comm, and it took such it hold of him that.
he couched for six days without. stopping, and then
had a. screw put on the to ) of his boat to keep it on.
but the thread didn’t hol and that was the end oi”,
his career as a fltvdoctor. .

“ Il'owsuiiiei'er I got Well myself, and a few days
artor fell out the third-story winder; but I struck on
the head of a colored gentleman that was passing.
He had a. new but on, and it (named it down over his
e es. so there was another ' ' ty. 08 my (.ld gen-
t cnian had to pay for that.

 
 
   

    

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.12

Wmu h;- “WA "to.

 i} _,

 

Bpeadle’s golf-Dime Library.

“Then the first time, 1 went out swimming, I not
catchcd in lllo- «'lll‘l‘tllll., went through the gates, and
got under the whm-I. l was part ' tough in tin-m
days, and instead of guttingmashci , I only got mrty
Well squeezed: but it stopped the \\'ltl,(‘l‘-Wllt'l‘l, and
took ‘o-m a Intll‘rhour to get im- out, and my father
had to pay thi- nn-n for the half hour lost time.

“ When i went to school, the. ll‘lll'llt‘l‘ said i had an
mnuzin‘ tall-ht, lilll. it was it talent for making tires——
end that s ull.l.l in- .-;«t lllt‘ at; but the second time
that l met-rim k ii, the stoje upset and set, tire and
hump-d .iozru lin- hull-mm. lNohody ever found it
out, ill!\\',4ll.ll~".‘t‘i', a. noonc besides me sci-7d it ex-
cept thi- lI-achcr, and he got burned up More he
ClJtil‘l I'll will.

" n‘ol n 'I out ot‘ that dil‘llkilty Very handsome, but
only to tumble into another, t'ur \'.' u-n I “as in St.
Louis, some lltiv‘l in the crowd lilhllll‘; himsclt’ hard
(rimmed, look llll‘. iiloiu-y out the lltlt'lit'lrlnltik tllltl
Hill)}flitl ill“ pn'ltvi-Inml: 'n my pm‘livt, and then
gru ilwd Inc by the collar, and yell-HI, stop thing/Z

“'l‘hatand some other things disgust-d me with
the setth-nu-nts, and .i struck out for thc pcrarivs
and mountains.

“I was young in them days, and I hadn't been out

here long More I fell in love with a beautiful squaw.

and spr-nt a your in l.-.i:iurtin‘ llt‘l' from a distance, and
then when i .2701 a chance to come nearer, I we‘d she
was a big warrior, that shnnmcd his tomahawk at
my head and that. i had to soothe by lottin‘ daylight
through his skull.

“ Every man must have his diillkilties, I s‘pose.
Here is Ned come all the way across the ocean, to
get the cal he loves and lows him, all ‘cause there
was a (lil'llkiiiy that Wouldn‘t let ‘em take her away
with the rest. of lllc. family, and now when he comes
all the way artcr her, here’s the cmuienmcdest dilll-
kilty of all; we've not the critter, but here- the. var-
mints are all about us, and there’s no tclli’u' when
We‘re goin’ to get. hcr clear away.

“ I send Ned out to make a rackynoissance and he
agrees to meet me, and hedon't d.) it—~somc little
condcmmed ditlikilty is in the. way; he‘s run outside
of me, Which, howsumcvcr, is better than runnin’
inside, and We‘ve gut to crawl around here in the
dark for a good while ut‘ot‘c we run afoul of each
0 icr.

“ ’l‘har’s tillers some dimkilty fur a man to stumble
over, or to stop him, but I s‘posc if there wasn‘t he‘ll
get to runnin so last that thcrc’d be no stoppin‘ to
um.

It was very evident from Nick’s manner that he
was not alarmed at the absence of his friend. He
supposed that it had all resulted very naturally, and
that. they Wullltl soon tind each other.

Nick was quite sleepy, too, but he was also so much
neciistoincd to Sl‘ll'4lBlllHl and privation that ho easily
staved oi'i' his creeping di'owsincss. lie was so far
away from drinrc that none of its light could pos-
sibly strike him, although he could plainly see the
moving; ligtu-cs near it.

Calamity still crouched at his side, and the trapper
mud-lulliti-el laid his arm over his neck, as a lover
Would have I. one.

“i orti-r be kicked to be talkin‘ ‘hout difllkiltics,
when God has but!“ so clever to me, and what ani-
inilc is there that lie ain‘t a blamed Sight ‘k‘lndor to
than lio.-t1csnz'v'l-s‘! All throu'h my dililkilties He
has took care ot’ me: l'm hcull 'ly (‘spceially at feed-
ln’ time), and the pup here still sticks by me.

“Then then- s Hintghark at home—mun of the
smartest anhaiics that. ever kicked a varmint ovc-r.
t-ihngbark hain‘t had much of a hand in ettiu‘
the gal out oi‘ the. power of the val-mints, cause
We‘ve had to use our canoes; but he's home gettin’
fat, and will be ready to take the next. trail with me.
Me and Shagbark have seen some hard times to-
gether, and l‘w- found his heels; purty handy thing
when the reds kiiu down on us l'tti nor too heavy."

The tact of it was that, although Nick Whimcs
was disposed to talk very much of his dill‘lkilties, he
did not intend to do so ill a conipluiiiiii" sense, but
rather tot-his own unulsemcnt. llc chilld not help
feeling that he was under the greatest obligations to
the Providence that had brought him through so
many dangers to see his advanced ago.

About this time Nick began to feel so much appro-
hension l‘i‘;'.'ut‘tllll'.: his friend that. he turned back and
resumed his s wax-h.

“ it may be til it lr-‘s tinished his rackynoissanee,
and ha.~ gun a hawk l’l court that gal,” ho muttered,

‘ believing such :I. t:.i-i ,' p-i:.‘sl'ih,~, but hardly probable.

So he r. mt or»: mo a o!’ the ground that iehad ul-
roady tl'alil orcr, lll'Llll a sort or' zigzag course, but;
still Willidlib accomplishing any thing toward finding
his new.

So, much time had now passed that he began to
foolt serious ltlitl'ill, and thially he made the last rc-
sor .

" lalaizlity, Pin a little uneasy ‘hout the lad; do
you gown i :Il'lf.l. forum." ,

’rllr'ti(t1_"'l ml to truth-110” in the darkness, fully
seaside . l‘ i f..-. 1. .ly that was required of him.

3341‘ ml tom; and around he went, until finally
he strum. lit“ scent, and he followed it as if he were
a. lilotnl'miil l. '

The in; .n that was stealing upon the sleepin
figure oi?  d iii..n:l;lntosh had already drawn h s
knit». and hill dwidcd where to drive it home, when
a Ili'hl. i‘h.>.l..uil,'.,' behind. him caused him to turn his

cat.

As he did so, a huge dark body, like a cannon-ball
on the ricochet, struck him with such velocity as to
throw him over and over, while the fangs of Calam-

‘ lty were llxed with such immovable fierceness in his

throat that the red-skin, after afew spasmodic strug-
gles, stretched out, dead.

. It. was all done with inconceivable quickness. The .
~ ' ' V human foresight of the d seemed to tell
 - l himthat his human enemy wwldofii

 

my the glam-

in}: knife in his hod if only the opportunity was
mum, and so he crus led the life out of him at once
and completely.

’l‘hcrc was no outcry, but the flinging: of the leaves
so i‘lt‘isc to the llt‘iltl of Mackintosh aroused him, and
he rose to a sit linpr posit ion just as Calamity released
his iron jaws from the throat of the lndian.

()nc glance and tho- yountc nntnflundi-rstliod all. He,
sawtlutt the dog had rescued him l'romdi-ath- a fate.
incurred by his own rclnissness and he impulsively
threw his arms about the animal.

“ (loll be thanked for sending you in time!" he ex-
claimed; “ hut for you I would not have been a liv-
ing man this minute.”

lIow came (,lalitmity to be upon the spot at this
opportune time?

A moment‘s reflection served to explain it. to him.
lie had doubtth hecn sleepingr on the ground for a
longr time, until the wearicd Nick had sent Calamity
to search for him.

“i am sorry i forgot myself, and gave the. trapper
all this anxiety,” ri-thrctcd lilacitinlosh, as he began
cautiousl' retreating from his dangerous position;
“ but at t in same time I am very glad I have been
able to secure a good hour or two of slumber, for
I ncedml it had enough, and might have taken it at
a time when it would have put the rest in more dan-
ger. ,

As he had no idea of the proper course to take to
reach Nick Whillles, he put himselt’ under the guid-
ance of Calamity, who, as a matter of course, speed-
ily brought the men together. Ned confessed to his
fallini: ash-op, and explained how the dog had dis-
covered him just in time to save his life from tho
ferocious Blackfoot.

“The pup done the same thing; for me once,” re-
plied Nick who took it all as a matter of course;
‘ it‘s just ike him, just like him."

“ What are you going to do when he dies?” asked
Ned, looking admirineg at the brute. “ I shouldn’t
fionsidcr myself safe a day loading your life without

iin.’

“I got him at the Selkirk settlement eight years
ago, and I think he‘s good for several seasons yet;
“ he‘s got plenty relatives there, and Hi hunt ‘em out
when he kecls over, and take. some of his nephews or
descendants.”

“ You will keep him till he pegs out with old age?"

“ Onless he goes under store; I expect, howsum-
ever, that Calamity will be my dog when I git to
heaven, for you can’t make me elicve that sic/i dogs
hain’t got Souls like the rest of us.” -

Mackinmsh had no wish to disturb the. pleasant
belief of the trapper, and so he let his assertion pass
undisputed.

“ How long do you suppose I have been sleeping?”
he int mired. ‘

“\ ell on to two hours; that is, if you dropped
aslee purty soon after you left here.”

“T at I did, and it has done me good; I sorely
needed it. ” ,

“ What did you l’nrn ‘bout the Injinsi"

“Well, not much of anything, except that there
are about adozeu hanging around the. camp-fire»—
for what urpose I cannot illlltirine, and therefore
cauupt tel whether the indications are favorable or
not. .

“The sign is rather good,“ added Nick; “this is a
sort of a camp, and ain’t any trap set to catch us;
we can pass around it without runnin’ ag’in’ a lot of
the vurmints at every step."

“Have you met. with no adventure while I was
slee ling?" ‘

“ hone.”

“ You consider our chances pretty good for getting
out of the valley now i”

“ Better than they war; you see the. varmints are
pl’i theta-tick altogether, and don't know whar to look

or us.

“One of the signal-fires that we saw, you recol-
lect was on the top of the very ridge over which we
are. to ass; consequently we may look for our euc-
niiest ere."

“ Wemay look for ‘em evrerywlmre,” replied Nick;
“that Red Bear isn’t goin‘ to give up the chase so
long as there is a show for ‘cm.” - r

“I suppose Mionu is looking for us." .

‘1‘ ’es; and time is precious, so we’ll walk and

‘5

The two men Were so far away from the Philip that
they considered it- snt'c to engage in a cautious con-
vcrsatiou, without ris.; of being overhcn rd by their
enemies. At the same time neither was so l‘t ckless
as to forget that there was dancer all hl'olllld, and
that a misstI-p even might betray them.

Nick Whil‘llt-s was quite ho )Bful again. He and
the others had been so hot y pursued, and were
driven to the wall, as it were, so often, that there
was a reliet‘ in the respite, which they now enjoyed.

Circling. around so as to give the cam ) of tho
Blackfeet a wide birth, they rapidly approwc led the
spot where they had left Miona.

They walked ulou ’ some time in silence, and then
Ned looked about h It), and said: “I can‘t. sco very
Wcll but this looks like the spot."

“  is the spot."

“ But where is Miona?"

“That is what I should like to know. She isn't
here, that’s certain.”

The two walked carefully about for a few minutes,
and then Ned asked his companion:

“Are you really certain this is thoplacc where she
was to await our return? I didn’t notice it particu-
larly enough to tell.”

“ that the spot. sartin: there’s no mistake about it."

“filler ul [Lea-1m!- than she is gone !"
. “ It 100 a very much that wa ,” was the answer of
Nick Whiflles , who was stand lg in the shadow of
tfiwood, with his arms folded and resting upon his
r . -

\

 

 

..Vv....._._._—————-.

This was his attitude when in deep, perplele
thought, as he certainly was on the present occur
Sitill.

Ned Mackintoin waited a few minutes for him to
speak, and tin-u crowingr ini ntlicnt, asked: .

“ Where can she he, Nit-{1‘ Do not ray she is
in the hands of the Blackl'ct-l, or you will drive me
Wild."

“1 don’t say where she is,“ was lllt' iinprcs‘siw re-
ply of the trapper. “1 don‘t know win-titer she‘s
dead or liviu‘, but I think the varmints have got her,
and if they have you may make sartiu that you'll
never s ‘c her again 1”

CHAPTER XVI.
IN THE TOILS.

v _..._.._ _ .<-

LI'I'I‘LE did Nick Whilllcs and Ned Mackintosh,

dream of the experiences to which )liona was (loom-
ed when they left her to herself in the wood.

lt'l‘ position seemed so secure against discovery
by the Blackfeet, that even the veteran trapper
deemed it perfectly safe so long as the darkness
lasted.

The girl resolved to obey the insttuction of her
old friend to the letter, and drawing: the hlankct
close around her, she sat; down at the foot of the
tree, under which she had been standing, and nlmost
instantly sunk into a irol‘ound slumber, for she
needed rest us much as did her lover.

But her nerves were in a more excitahlc condition,
for the shadow of her great danger was upon her,
and after she had slept about an tour she suddenly
awoke to a l'nll consciousness of her situation.

At the same moment she was conscious of a feel~
ing of peril such as she had not when tirst left alone.
It was a sort of present imcnt. of danger that was so
impressive, that, despite the warning she had ro-
ceivcd from Nick, she. determined to change her
positlion by withdrawing somewhat further into the
Wt)!" .

She stepped back a dozen paces or so, when she
found herself beside a tree, similar to that which
she had just left. Here she stood motionless and
listened.

Wasthut the rustling: of the wind that just then
caught her car? No, it was upon the ground, and
while she was trying to still the heating of her llt‘lll‘t,
ishc distinctly heard the trend of some one upon the
must

Some wild animal, she concluded, was wandering
near her, unconscious of her present-c.

"1 will not stir, and he will puss by,” she thought
abs she endeavored to pierce the inky gloom about

er. -

But no; it was drawing near, and it was moving so
stealthily that she was certain her presence was de-
tected, and it intended to steal upon her.

Filled with alarm, Minna reached lu-rllnnds upward
to seek it there were any limbs upon which she could
seize and draw herself up out of its reach.

No; there were none, and the crcaimc was now
within a few paces!

What should she do?

She had no Weapons at all with her, she had left
the deserted village in such haste thut she had not
once thought of bringing her riilc with her. She
was helpless.

Then came the hope that she might frighten the
animal into it Living: her, and snnuulming her courth
to the intense trial, she made a light. sprint: toward
it in the darkness, throwing up lll‘l' outstretched
arms, as she had seen Nick do with the bear, and
shaking her blanket at the same time, and uttering
an aspiration intended to startle the creature, what-
ever it was.

As she did so, she felt her arm irriped in rm-h a
manner that she knew at once that an Indian had
seized it:

With a gasp of terror, Miona attempted lodmw
hack and wrench hersell’ free; but a giant could not;
have held her more Securely.

“ llcavcn be merciful!” she prayed, struggling
with the strength of desperation.

“ Mional my Queenl”

BShe recognized that voice; it belonged to Red
car!

Ay; the very helm: n: st dreaded upon earth had
her now in his ioxvcr!

Miona would luvc St'l't'lllllt‘tl, but horn-mm;seem-
ed palsicd; she attempted to speak, but. with. not!
She was like one dead.

“My Queen of the Woodsl" mldtd P.9d Bear, in
his native tongue. “I have sottht, you long, and
with tears in my eyes; why tilt’ _\’(>i' hi c l‘iun inc?”

ller speech came back to her, hot. xivhat should she
say? What ri-pl i (ould hllt‘ mate-i What meson
could she giver \‘lmt. was to he rolled Ly attempt»
ing to handy words with him who knew no reason or
mere '1

Oh,yif she. had but a pistol, or even a knifel How
she would tight for her freedom, never so dear to

‘her as at this moment.

He used no vii‘ilcnce but, holding lurwith :13?in
that was painful, he led her forward llliO the path
again. .

A mm: of hope shot through her frame. Where
was ick? Was it not time for him to return?

'Wonld he not be coming along this {nth in arcw

minutes? Would they not meet, and t ten she would
be safe after all?

But no one else was encountered, nor did she hear
any indication of thcproximity of her friends.

‘ Why do they remain away? Have ting, too,
deserted me?” she waited, in her “ ‘ there
no hope for me i" '

The heavens deemed closed. indeed. As them V

 

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moonlight fell upon her raptor, she glanced askancc

at him

hideous :iiid repulsive than ever before,

She did not dare to struggle or resist him. She.
knew what a fearful temper he possessed, and she.
Wondered at his forbearance, in the face 01’ the 51 mg-
glv: she li‘l l aha-ally made, to ilee from him.

1' Thaw the exultalion he felt in her recapture
compensated him for all the labor he haul undergone
in the pursuit.

Whither would he take her? liaek to ihc camp,
where his companions Were. awaitiua,r his return?

She hmi srzu‘t‘t'ly asked herself lhis quest ion, when
he left tin path, taking: the side opposite to the one
by which hey had entered it, and at that. moment
utter, hopele, dead despair took possession of lll‘r‘,

Why struggle against Fate? She was doomed to
fall into his hands; the fond dreams that had cheer-
ed her for years were not to be realized: hope was
all a. mockery; there was no he. piiioss for her; she
was never to see that chorislieil)mother again, nor
the face of that father that had vanished as sudden-
ly as he appeared before her. ,

“lead on. Bed Bear," she murmured, hardly
knowing what she said.

The triumphant young chief needed no such ad-
monition, for he strode through the wood so rapidly,
grafigintg her after him, that she could scarcely keep

or as .

She had no knowled e or thought of the direction
she was pursuin r, for t was nothing to her, and she
did not seek to ‘know. She only knew that she was
the most wretched and sull‘e ' g of mortals, and
that the future was all a blan to her. The bright
skgriwerhead held no moon or stars for her.

still on he led, his grasp never relaxing, and
stum ling forward, as though held in the power of
some horrid nightmare.

When it seemed to her that she had been dragged
forward for a mile (although it. was less than one
eighth of that distance), she saw that they were near-
ing a camp-lire. She concluded at once that it was
. the main one, around which most of the party were
gathered. but was somewhat surprised upon l'etlcl)‘
ing it that no oneelsc was near. They were still as
much alone as though buried in the very depth of
the forest. ‘

Still the camp had been recently visited. (01‘ the
fire was burning so hri rhtly as to prove that it. must
have been replenishes but a 5 ant film) before.
There was a heap of brush and fuel lying near, and

athering up an armful, Red Bear cast it upon the
ames.

As they flared up they made the immediate circle
in which they were standing as light as day.

Perhaps, in her distress, Mioiia‘s remarkable
beauty was increased, for when the young chief
turned his dark 0 was upon her, there was no an 'er
and nothing but ore ill his expressmn, and With
something like sadness in his voice, he asked:

“ Why did the Queen of the Woods iiy from me?”

“ She wished to go to her own home and kindred.“

“Her home. is with the. Blackfeet, and none of her
kindred can love her as they do.”

“ But Miona is white and they are red; they are of
different; races and cannot consort together.’

“Low knows no raeo nor Color," was the rather
poetic expression oi’ the dusky lover. who corianily

id not intend to be argued out ot the pUSltlUIllllc
had assumed. , ‘ ‘

“Woo-ivol-na promised that when {lvo summers
had come and “one, I should be sent to my people.
Has Woo-wol-na two tongues?"

“ Red licar made no such promise," was the sullen
{fplé of the Blackfoot. “It is Red Bear that claims

1“ uecn.

“But he. does the Queen it went wrong; she has
spent many years with the. liickfeet; they have
treated her kindlv, and she loves them; but her
‘heart is with her father and mother, who are wait-
lug her coming,’ ,

‘ Let them come to the. Queen," re )lied the war-
rior' “they shall be given the chic ‘s lodge, they
shall also upon the finest furs, and shall eat the to.
test buffa 0; they shall be welcome for all the moons
they wish to stay, because they are the friends of the

l
Blackfoot Queen.“

Miona had no hope or thought of gaining a conces-

‘ sion from her raptor, but: she was seeking merely to
gain time. There was a faint stir of hope again
when she found no other .l'ndians near the tire,
Surel Nick Whimos and her lover must speedily
miss tor and institute a search, and she believed the

acity of the trapper ought to be suil‘ieient to di-
met him to the right s lot.
The absence .of the lglack'feet was incxplaiualile as
that of, her friends. She knew that the wood was
swarmilll.r With the dusky foes, and how it was that
they still remained away was certainly singular, to
la the least.

‘ e was not aware that this was only one of a
number of fires, kimlRod here and there in the valley
for the purpose of d .‘tructlng the fugitives and pre-

, ventingithen' escape over the ridge.

‘ Red oar showodtlio same deference toward her

that had characterized him during the ears past.

He evidently re mad the Outbreak of when he had

been lllty at t ie (Inserted mil 9, and which he was

cert u had hastened the dig t of the girl, and
caused the aversion With which she seemed to regard

:11.
Having recovered oasession of her again, he was
now anxious to an 0 this mischief audio restore
himself to his ori no! place in her esteem.
\ Both were stun fi near the tire; he had his arms
.mdiflerent manner 01’ the In-
_' m warrior while his swarthy face, and his dark
0 g. a.“ over wandered from bars, were
“an expression of undisguised admiration

7.
j. i.

 

In the obscurity he seemed ten times more '

 

    

is

 

Nick Whimes’s Pet.

Surely no Indian had ever coveted maid as ho cov-
eted her; surely new-r had ilie earth seen such a
flower bloom as she at his side; surely she
was worth any sneriiico or danger that he could
offer.

Minna stood with her blanket gathered about her.
her long, dark, lndiaii—like trusses hanging over her
shoulders, her face alowneasi, as she. looked glooiiiily
into the. tire, answering his questions and making
her remarks with the dreamy indiil’ereneo of one
who is unconscious of what she is saying.

" When will lted Bear take the Queen of the Woods
hack to his village?"

“Now,” was the instant reply of the Indian, his
eyes flushing up at the thought of her concession.

“ lint the. way is.loncr and Miona is weary,"

“She ran slee l in the canoe of Red Boar; he will
spread his blan 'et for her, and while he paddles,
s ie can sleep.“

“ The way is long to the water where his canoe is
l lug; she would rest here until daylight comes, and
t ien go with him.“

The black eyes of the Indian flashed, for be under-
stood on the instant what the request meant. She
wished to tarry here by the camp-tire until her
friends could come to her rescue again.

He glanced furtively about in the gloom, to make
sure t an no form was stealing upon him, and then,
atepping close to the girl, asked, in a hurried under-

me:

“ Does the Queen look for the coming of her
friends? She  turn her eyes away, for they will

never come again ’

“ What!“ gasped Mlona; “ are they dead?"

“ They sleep in the ound " replied Red Bear, in-
tending to give oe ical phase to the deliberate
falsehood he was lling.

“ Oh) how can I bear this?" walled the poor strick-
en captive. resting her hands to her forehead, as if
to kw%her cad from bursting.

She elieved the monstrous deception. for it ac-
counted for the continued absence of her friends.
She was certain no other cause could explain their
failure to return to her.

Very natural] , when she awoke in the wood, it
seemed to her that she had been sleepin for a much
longer time than was really the case. he was con-
fident that three or fours had passed since she closed
her eyes in slumber, and while she sat unconscious
on the (ground the two men who had risked all for
her ha met their doom. ,

Red Bear sawthat his deceit had done its work,
and with a sort of chivalry difficult to understand,
he maintained a respectful silence until she could re-
cover, in a measure, from this great woo that had
come upon her. .

There Were no tears and no more lumentations up-
on the part of Miona. A sort of dull stupor appeared
to possess her. There was one sharp, agonnnng
pang when the Blackfoot pronouncedthc terrible
words, and then the same stolid despair came back
to her. The bright flower of hope that she _lllltl
cherished was withered and dead, and no tidings
could deepen her miserable condition. _

Some live, ten, iii'teen minutespassod. and stillihe
two figures stood silent and motionless by the lonely
camp-tire. Miona was in that dull, unnatural state,
hardly conscious of where she was, while her coin-

union was .--.11 alert, constaiitlv tumult; his head and

coking about him, as thougi he was not entirely
free from personal i'eur. ,

“ Will the, Queen 1:0 with Red Beart‘ finally
ventured the indian, in the hope of breaking the op-
pressivc spell that was resting upon her. .

“Not vet—not yet," she answered, wavm ' her
head sadly from side to side. film was pa othut
calm, and turning her face upon him she asked in a
voice which, while it sounded like that of another
person, was still without the least trace of emo-

ion.

fiWhercuaCil'e alllt‘ne wail'lriors of Red Bear?”

e poin 2 lot is sout .

“ Yonder is kindled the camp-tire of the Blackfeet,
and them the warriors are gathered."

“ Are they all there?"

“There are some hunting through the wood for
the pale faces.“ ‘

Again was there a painful flicker of hope intho
heart of Minna, and she asked, with an eager quick-
RUSS:

l “ VIV'liy' do you hunt for the pale-mew if may “1‘0
't cm ‘3’

The question was so quick and unc ted that
the wily red-skin was nonplused for t o moment.
lie recovered t uickly, and answered:

_ “ All do not now it; those who have not heard or
it, are still searchin ' the woods for thorn."

Alil that one, sing 0 second of hesitation untloceiv-
ed Miona; she knew Red Bear had told a falsehood,
and her friends were still living; .

Still liiiona, as far as possi le, concealed her dis-
corery from her captor. She was resolved to delay
their going by every means in her poworil so all]?

y ‘ -

resorted to several trivial questions, ihia
mg: » _

“ Do we return alone, or with the warriors of Woo-
WOl-na ii"

“ We ' shall go back mgethcr—j'slii“ he added,
turning his head as quick as lightning. .

As he did so, the. figure of Nod machntosh came
out of the gloom, and stood before him With his rc-
volvcr in' hand. ‘

“Attempt to raise your gun and ou’re a dead
(1 vi" muttered the young scout, ' {.1 his hand.
a he don’t understand that, Miona, please translate

of ma), .
ether he understood it or not, cannot be said.
tit gain thfimopc ttltimfight ofl 
rat on, e w on 68 0 08 W on ound
himaei: tone to face with Nick wmda.

 

 

“Hold on a minute, Red Bear," said the trapgft
“there‘s a condemned little dillikilty atwcen us at.
had better be settled now i“

 

CHAPTER XVII.
ovuii THERE.

“CAWUT‘Y,” said Nick Whitllos, addressing his
dog, “jest keep watch, and cf you smell any of the
variniuis coinin‘, let us know in tune to slope." ‘

'l‘hus assured that there was no danger of sur-
)rise, the trapper gave his attention to the case ho

ore him.

Red hear was stundini,r with his arms folded, h

un leaning against the nearest tree, fairly oorncre
but still defiant and ready to die the death he was
certain was only delayed for a few minutes. Ned
Mackintosh held his pistol so as to cover the rod-~
skin, and to anticipate any movement he might-
make.

Nick stood silent a moment and then turningto
Mackintosh, said, in a low, rapid voice:

d “ ‘I have told you what to do lad; take the gal and
o t.

The young man motioned to the girl to approach.
and With one bound she sprung across the uterven-
ingspace. Taking her by the arm the two tunin
their backs upon the motionless figures, and at a
rapid walk disappeared in the wood.

Red Bear," said Nick “ I want you to rto chas-
ing that ; she don‘t belong to you, and I‘ll con-r
damned you shall teller her." ,

He made no reply-sullen, stolen]. and defiant as
ever and Nick began to lose patience.

“1"ve got ye in my power and it wouldn‘t take

much for me to send you under and refine your ha’r,

but I don‘t want to do it, on account 0 your father.

fur mo and him went on the war-path together aforo

you were born, and we allcrs took a sort of hankerin‘
ur each other.“

Red Bear now raised his gaze and showed by his
manner that he felt some interest in what was said.

“ Sarcumstances have made me run summat ag’in'
Woo-wol-na duriii‘ the last few years, and I don’t
su ) )OSG he‘ll look over the part I‘ve played; but it’s
al t 0 same to me whether he does. or don‘t. We've
had a party hard job of it, Red Bear, to keep out of
your way, and you come mighty near 'cttln‘ ahead
of us but I think we’ve sarcuinvente you at last.
Don“ you think so?”

The Indian answered by darting a quick glancg
around in the woods, the meaning of which was ap»
parent to the trapper. ,

“ You needn’t expect that any of them are coin‘
to help you. My pup is on the watch, and he‘ll let
me known soon enough to keep out of the way of
the Blackfeet." .

It may be said here that it was throu h the as-
sistmiee of Calamity that Nick and Ned and finally
discovered Mioiia. First making sure of her rescue,
tliev then hastily agrmd upon t ieir lan of action.

The trappercirected that thcys iould approach
simultaneous! from opposite directions, and Ned
should take tie girl inc large and start in as direct
a line as ixissible for the northern ridge, passing on
over that until he reached the stream upon the op-

msiie Suit", where he was to await the comlng of
Vhill’les. l‘he latter with the assistance of his dog.
had no doubt but that he. could i-iwily discover them.
His great purpose was to get them out of this (law
gerous val ev as speedily its possible, and at the same
time place them beyond any likelihood of being over-
taken hy the Indians, who, as a matter of course,
would not relinquish the hunt so long as there was
aiiv_prospcct of success. '

inc mountaineers out of ten would have put Red
Bear to death the instant they ained the o portunl-
ty; but Nick Wliiilles, althoug l of a tcrrlb cnatnrc
when aroused, was not vindictive. To him the
crime would have been nothing but minder, and
he had no thought of injuring any one except, in
case of iueVitable necessity.

His object now was to gain time; he wished to
giVe the lovers all the start, possible, and for that
reason lie. was remaining b the camp-fire to prevent
Red Bear dashing away iyor assistance, or calling
his comrades to his aid,

In doing this, it will be seen that Nick incurred

rent net-sonnl risk which, however, was character-

stic 0 him. Despitethevigilanceof Calamity, some
treacherous red-skin mi 'Qlt» steal near enough to
give a fatal shot. In the gloomy depths of the
woods lurked the most daring of red-skins, who were .
“1111111: to risk their lives at an time for the sake of
their leader, or that they initrh secure revenge upon
it: {sec for whom they entertained a hereditary

8 1‘01 .

All this, as I have said, Nick Whittier-i understood
perfectly, but it- produced no drawing back orhcsi.
tation in the part he had marked out for himself. -

The position taken by the tra per was such that it

laced him as near the ride 0 led Bear as was the

tier. This, although apparently done 1) _accideiit.
was for the p )059 of preventing the Inc ian taking
any sudden it vanta p0 of the wen in. At the
same time Nick kep his eye upon ilni, ready to
detect and frustrate any movement looking mwarl
osca . ’ I

Aspgheir- relative positions were a little embarrass-
in , Nick naturall indulged his habit of talking .
w am an opportuni y occurred. _ v

“The gal made a regular bargain With you ‘Red
Bear, or with Woo-wol-na, which is the some t niig,
that when five years come round she should have. I
the :- lit to go or stay, arid why, in thunder. don‘t

yeFBed skit?“ the Queen of the Wooda"rq>ii'odi “
thourflor-  3 ’ r .  '

    

.. (-1

   

‘14

“ al, I don't s‘poso she can hpr that, and so

0 shouldn‘t lilamo licr fur that; but you don’t
rove licr half as much as that yomu,r chap that‘s
walla-Ll 011' will hcr.“

This, of court! i, was uttered in tho Blackfoot tonguo,
arrl tho lnrlian comprchcndcd it. It was touchim:
him in his touchy-cat spot, and his black cycs
2:! ~aznwl wiith an evil light as he turned upon the
(“.321 )“l'.

'l‘leo iii-u «1‘ ‘ii‘dlnllfiy washurning in hisdark naturc,
7‘. i l mriir- liiil‘.’ll was :;i.i'll,':,'itlill:.{ to his tongue; but
i ‘i"‘:l7't' w! ii, and tho Word-:11 ‘\Vl)llill llllvfffiptlkb‘n
r.‘ '2» l «.1, l'ilJ‘l'Hl, and ho lookol down in the tire im-
. u . , .

 w::‘:, llnd lioar, if you haw- anyiiiing to say “

 l Iii -!;.  'le lllioll'l'h‘inml the movement, and Wis l-

I' l i, ) v.1 '\‘lll' u'o him.

’3 ". (Li :. in liau maintaiwnl silcncc.
" ‘t' )l n4 ain’t ;:.-t. rome to sing,r your (loath-song,
-  lnin't if )lIl“: to hurt you, that is as loiigas

you b imam. ;. Hurst-If~niigluy! no—whut would I
want to l'. 1."! a poor rod swamp like you for?”

. "'l'lic Woi' ?: o!’ in ' hrot'nvr are tho words of a
roward," iv-plicd lb: Bt‘ill‘, turning dcilantly upon
um. “ L--t hiiu lay down his gun and meet me
with his knife."

“ Nobody is ufcard of ye, Rod Boar,” rcplied
f‘lick, not disconccrtml in the lcast. “ I‘ve raised
the bar of big-.n-r lnjuns than you, but what's the
use? I won’t l'cnl any hotter for wipin’ you out,
and you hain‘t got any chance to wi )0 mo out."

At this jnncturc calamity boum ed into view,
and his uppcarance meant that danger threatened,
that it was time for him to be on the move.

Stooplng down, Nick caught up the rifle of the
lnillau, and said:

“I‘ll h-avo it out here, where you can find it at
daylight ag’in; but you see I don‘t care ‘bout gettin’
hit in the hack. Good-by, Ru-d Bear.“

As he was passing out of the circle of light on the
other side of the clearing, the trapper looked back,
and saw the infuriated Blackfoot with his tomahawk
raised over his head. The next instant it had left
his hand. As Nick sprung to one side it whizzed
past him, almost grazing his shoulder.

At the same moment Red Bear gave utterance to
a whoop intended to draw his warriors about him,
and Nick concluwd it was time for him to make
tracks; and so he did, plunging into the woods and
runninr with the speed of a deer.

Ned l ackintosh was rudcnt enough, when he left
the camp with Miona, 0 take a very different direc-
tion from that which led toward his destination.
When assured that he was beyond sight he turned off
sharply to the right and made all haste toward the
Edges. which for so long a time seemed to have shut

em in.

Whitties was confident that they had traveled a
goodly distance by this time, for both of them were
too Wise to ermit any thing—not absolutely beyond
their contro ~to irevent their making all haste out
of what they mig t properly view as a literal Valley
of Death.

So the trapper did not bother to look to the right
or left, but kept straight on toward the mountain
intent only upon reaching ‘it as close in the rear 0
his friends as possible.

He knew the Blackfeet were swarming through
the valley, searching up and down in eve direction
for their prey, and, as he had remarked to s friends,
this pars stent pursuit would be kept up so long as
there was the least prospect of success.

The ground was very rough and uneven, and the
wood became more open as be advanced; but he
and his dog bounded forward like a couple of cham-
olses, scarcely heading the obstructions any more
than those animals.

Once over the rid e and into the stream that
{10ch northward, wit his faithful addle in band,
he would fear no ursuit from his oes. A day or
two would carry h m beyond the Blackfoot country,
into a territo where they would be sure of meet-
ing friends an where all danger of Miona‘s recap-
ture would be ended.

Filled with these cheering thoughts, Nick pressed
forward and soon found himself ascending the slo
toward which his eyes had been turned so longing y
for a day or two Past.

“On, up he cl inqu until at last he reached the
culminating point. Here in the pale moonlight be
cast his cyes anxiously down the other slope. He
could just discern the course of the stream, along
whose banks somewhere near at hand, lay the
canoe, which he had used several months before in
making the same journey.

The descent upon the other side was much more
abrupt, and in a short time Nick Whiflles was at the
bottom. Then a few hundred yards further he
stood upon the bank of the stream.

Just then a fantste J struck his car, and turninghis
head, Ned Mackintos stood before him. Nick im-
pulsively caught his hand.

“ Where's the gal?"

"She‘s all right," laughed Ned, at his 8 emess
and while he spoke Miona came smilineg orwn
and joined them.

*‘ Didn’t you have any trouble?"

“None at. all," replied Nod. “As soon as we got
fairly away from the campfire, we struck a bee-hue
for the ridge, and never sto ped till we reached
this point, where we waitc your coming. We
haven't seen an Indian on the way, and count our-
selves very fortunate."

" You are indeed, by ni‘lfihty if you ain’t.” .

“Are we not out of danger?“ asked Miona,
with a glowing face. ,

‘.‘ We ain’t yet, but soon will be. if good luck toilets
us. These varmiats ain’t“goin’ to let us alone.
1&unoc of mine ain‘t fur on."

search was begun, and in ofew minutes ended
‘ ‘ i

“. .

t'

Beadl

 

I V

e’s Half-Dime Library.

 

in discovering the little boat stowed awa ' under a
clum ) of heavy huslu-s. It was placed in t to watcr
and t c three took their scats 'ust as the cars of all
hoard the same ominous, (ll‘t'llt s-d tremolo whistle of
tho Blackfeet startlineg m-ar thcni.

Nick muttercd an expression of impaticncc.

“ There the varmints arc ug’in. by mighty I"

 

CHAPTER XVIII.
JOURNEYING 'ro Tm: mun-v LAND.

Tmi: fugitivm, includina, (lalamity, were seated
in the canoe, and Nick hii‘ilcs was holding tlw
paddle in his hand, when the well~kiunvn whistle
of tho Blackfoot was hcard. Tim worst of it was
that it soundwl down—stream, so that it looked as
if they would be compelled to run a rantlot.

Dipping the addlo softly into t ic stream, he
began cautious y moving with tho current, listcn—
ins: and watching, whilc (..‘alaniity, in the prow of the
canoe, with his paws resting 23011 the gunwalc in hid
(filcli—fasliionul manner, was vigilance and watch-

ll Iii-388.

All the wonderful skill of Whifllcs and his do was
now called into exercise and. he warned the overs
not to attempt to move or speak even in a whis sr.

The moon, faint though it was, was i ulnst t em,
for the owl-eyes of the rod-skins woult be on the
alcrt, and a little inudvertency at such a time would
prove fatal. Nick kept as close under shore as pos-
sible, and moving with a tardiness that at times
Illilléle his progress less than that of the current it-
Sb‘ .

Something less than a quarter of a mile was pass-
ed in this manner when the same whistle reached
their ears again. This time it came from a point di-
rectly below them, and was instantly answered from
a point above. '

At‘the same moment, Calamity gave utterance to
his warning whine. At that time they were in the
shadow of the shore, and close to a sort of tiny bay,
about arod in depth. Into this Nick instant] sent
the canoe, for the time had come when a. h t was
necessary.

Nick was uite confident that the canoe was not
seen by the lackfect as yet. Red Bear had been
wise enough to know the point aimed at by the fa i-
tives, and upon being freed from his durance at t c
camp-fire, had summoned his warriors and started
upon a fierce and immediate ursuit.

In the deep shadows of t e cove, overhung by
dense shrubbery, the darkness was impenetrable.
The occupants of the canoe could look out on the
creek and see the surface of the water reflecting the
Me moonlight, but when they withdrew their gaze

hey could not see each other‘s faces.

Scarcer five minutes had passed when the soft
rustli of a stealthily-moving Indian was heard. It
was a amiliar sound 0 Nick; he had heard it man
a time in years past. and he could not be deceive .
The trapggr knew, from the peculiar sound, that the
red-skin d parted the bushes within six feet of the
glance, and was peering into the gloom in search of

em.

It was a trying ordeal, where men, woman and
dog knew that their lives depended on absolute, ut-
ter silence, but all stood it well. Like so many stat-
ues, carved in stone. they sat, motionless, speechless,
and almost breathless.

For two minutes the Blacldoot waited and listened,
and then withdrew, and in the same stealth , eat-
like manner continued his search along the anks
above them. ‘

The Indian had not been gone long enough for the
whites to attempt to breathe freely, when a second
enem gut in an appearance.

a slig t ripplin of the water, caused all to turn
their azo tower the creek; they saw a dark, round
body outing u on the surface, which they instantly
recognized as t e head of an Indian, who was swun-
ming in the deep water.

Nick Whifiles, with the instinctive sagacity that
distinguished him, made up his mind that discovery
was inevitable, and be grasped the buck-horn handle
of his knife to make sure it was ready. ’

Swimming against the current, the savage moved
very slowly, so as to make his search as thorough
as ossible, and doubtless his black eyes were scruti-
nizmg the dark shore, on the alert for the first indi-
cation of the hiding- flame of his victims.

Curiously enough, t e Indian swam on by the cove,
and had nearly passed out of the range of vision,
when he seemed suddenl to discover his oversight,
and turning back, swam irectly into the opening.

The water was so deep that he continued swim-
mln ' even when abreast of the canoe, and within an
arms length of the shore. He was groping about
with his hand, to make certain of not nussing any-
thing within, and be an at the upper side of the
half-circle, made by t e indentations, and proceeded
to make the circuit of the cove. >

Such a search could not fail to be effectual, and
as he came around where the boat lay, his
hand touched the gunwalc, and he slid it rapidly
along, withtheinstant conviction that he ha dis-
covered his pro .

“‘Hoohl“ he exclaimed, as he reached his arm
further over. .

But, just then, something was laced upon his
shoulder which quietly but powe ully forced him
under the» surface of the water and held him

there.

It was the iron gripe of Nick Whiflies that forced
hie: under, and against which he was powerlessto
r

'l'helndlanntruggledfler ,andindohgio
Nick felt.“ ornament nonmalik neck. '

yuan-n”.

 

It was an ornamcnt so peculiar in its construction,
that he rccognized the wearer at onco as Red Bear.

A thrill of amazcinent ran through the huntcr at
tho discovery, for it sccnn-d as if the young chief
was doomed to haunt thcm.

“ Iii-an t’othor way, nick, or the liOtlt will upsct.‘
said Nick, as ho. brace-.4. himself in the canon.

Ills command was oln-ycd, and cullingr into play
his ininwnsc strength, ho (ll‘¢~\\' the liinp. almost life
loss hotly into the boat, depositing it at his own fcct.
'l‘hcrc was a. gas n, and a sirngglv, an I. as ltcd licar
gained conunam of himself, Nick spoke hurriedly
in tho Blackfoot tongue:

“ 13mm stir or speak, or I‘ll drive my knifc through
'ou. ’

’l‘hc Indian did not more, and but for his hurried
liirczcilthing the lovers would have luditwed he was
( ca .

Nod Mackintosh felt that it was misplaced mcrcy
to spare this treacherous rcd'skin, and ho was impa-
ticnt that Nick should have drawn him into the boat
out of dangcr; but therc was no gainsuving the trap-
pcr, who certainly was cntitlcd to have us way.

For 11qu an hour the
the end of which time Tick frlt satisfied that thl
Blackfeet were all up the stream out of their way,
and consequently the coast was clear.

Once more he dipped his paddle hcncath the sol
face, and began cautiously floating down the currcnt
still keeping close to the bank, and moving with thi
.tsiunfi: (H1th that had distinguished his actions from

to r81.

Rod Bear lay motionless in the bottom of the ca
noc. Faster and faster rowed thcboat, until gradu-
ally it neared the ccntcrof the stream, where ad-
vantage could be taken of the current.

The hours of darkness were improved, and the
toughened old trapper plied his oar thh ceaseless en~

crgv.

The ni ht wore on, and mile after mile was placed
behind t iem. When the gra light of morning broke
over wood and stream, a1 were asleep excepting
N ick Whiffles.

When the forenoon was well advanced the creek
was found to open into the south branch of the Sas-
katchewan.

Here, for the first time, Nick turned the boat
ashore, touching the beach very lightly, but with
sufficient force to awaken Red Bear, who came to
$8 upright position and looked wonderingly about

In. I .
“Red Bear,” said Nick, “this is the Second time
you’ve been in my power since yesterday’s sun
went down. Just as you was drownin' I ound it
was you; I hauled you out, and saved you. You are
in my power now, and, though I say it myself, there
ain’t many that would be as merciful to you as I am.
But, you‘re an Injin and I‘m a white man, and your
ways and mine ain‘t the same. I’ve took your weap-
ons away from you, ‘cause I can’t trust you; and
I’ve carried you So far away from your warriors that
there ain‘t any more reason to fear ‘em. You can
now ste ashore and go back to your vil e with
Elbe goo -by of Miona, Mackintosh, and Ni -
es.

The Indian step icd sullenly out, and as his feet
touched the groun again, he looked back for a mo-
ment, and then turning about, vanished in the wood.

The next instant the canoe was under way down
the South Branch. When the lovers 0 ened their
eyes and saw him gone, the trapper to] them that
he had left, and there was no more need of thinking
further of him.

Near noon the entire party landed, and a fire was
kindled, while Nick and C
game. It was easil procured, and he prepared one
of the best meals bat they had ever eaten. Then
the had a long rest, after which they re—entored
the r canoe and continued their leisurely way down
the South Branch until night closed about them. A
camp was made, and with Calamit as their sentinel
the entire party secured a long nig t of slumber and
freedom from fear.

The river was followed until its most northern :

oint was reached, when the canoe was left on the
ach, and they made the 'ourne on foot across the
country to the Churchill 1' var, w ere the procured

. a canoe from the Indians, and when t ey disem-

rcmained in this covc, d‘ ‘

alamity went in search of .

barked again, it was at their destination, Fon'r ‘

CHURCHILL.
_ Here Miona joined her mother and father, whose
cave to the imagination of my readers.

Nick Whitlies was looked upon as the hero he re-
ally was. He at first refused the rewards that won
pressed upon him, but, more to gratify the donors
than himself, he accepted a 00}: lo of s blondid rifles,
two magnificent silver-mountc rcvo vers, and a
number of knives. Besides this, Ned succeeded in
inducing him to take a package with the promise
not to open it until after their e arture. In this,
parcel was a phot
neath itaroll of b 113 amounting to two hundred
pounds.

Nick remained at the fort several days but finally
bade all farewell and started southwur on his re-
turn with Calamity, to join Shagbark, and to re-
sume his wild, lonely life in the solitudes of North
America. ‘

A week later, the homeward-bound vessel “Vio-
toria " sailed up through Hudson’s Bay, and through
the straits, into the stormy Atlantic, and on across
the ocean toward London. Among her passen era
were Bandman and his wife and daughter—the c '1d
of the woods—the betrothed of Nod Mackintosh.
who, the happiest of the happy, was one of that ven-
stfigs precious company in its homoward flight or“

sea. '

’

'da.

icy at the restoration of ‘their long-lost daughter I -_

raph of the giver and under- ._

 
   

 

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