B
7
=
REE Rw re na ERAT
TT
a
ET SN
and his daughter, Marie.
ing been promised the agency.
the valley.
trouble.
ast AB TY
4 apa
CHAPTER IV—Continued.
——
The hostess signed her Indian boy to
take the box irto the parlor, together
with the ice bucket, in which was still
left a bottle of champagn As he
obeyed, she bowed her dismissal of the
guests from the table,
“J, shall now permit myself
fatigued,” she said. “Good
Mr. Vandervyn. Good evening,
Hardy.”
Vandervyn nodded, and follows
pont with a nonchalant bearing
drew attention from the slight
tainty of his step. Hardy lingered for
a word of appreciation: “This has
been a most enjoyable evening, Miss
Dupont.”
She chose to disregard the sincerity
and warmth behind the formal phrase.
“You are very kind, Captain Hardy.
But pray do not overestimate, Where
all else is off-color, three-quarters
white seems dazzling.”
“Believe me, it is not a
contrast or comparison,” he protested.
“Not even In New York or Washing-
ton—"
“You flatter
tired—"
He bowed
the sting «
grave smile
standing at hie
behind the gt
Dupont
poured out
the perilous operation
champagne. He fum
would have
dervyn jumped
him. Thrust
man, he lo
chair near Hardy.
“Shelipp'ry—ben
plained with ]
threw
aproarious
that gobe-n
to smooth
him a
gquarest trader in the U.
ash time I
shent me
ti'bil'ties, "1
'n’' wrote
owe no man nushing
back his head
laugh.
“Poor but
Jake,” remarked Vander
the champagne
they gave
for.”
“I got the goods,” sald Dupont,
ing himself together and seberin
tongue with effort. YNothir
being square, That
makes at them there chiefs,
Cap. Won't let me help out the bu
and squaws what's aching for wy
good pay In trade goods, and
ing all risks on the ore smelting
N. G. What'll the tribe do af
git their last fssue Xt spring
That's what I'd like to know.”
“Yes, captain,” sald Van
“Next spring will come the last i
of goods that for in the
government treaty th this tribe,
They will be in a bad TX if something
is not done to get them used to white
ways."
“How about a new treaty, to parti
tion the reservation and give land in
severalty to each head of a family?”
suggested Hardy.
“That would take
bring about, and meantime the young
bucks should be tatight to work, Why
wouldn't #t be a good idea for us to
take charge of the mine—pay all who
want to work at fair wages, and take
the risk of getting our money back
out of the ore shipments?”
As Vandervyn made the suggestion,
he smiled ingenunously, and his hand
some, flushed face shone with philan-
thropic enthusinsm. Hardy's face light-
ed with a responsive glow, He smiled
into the boyish blue byes,
“The proposal does you credit,” he
responded. “You may count on me to
contribute my share.”
“You will, will you, Cap?” exclaimed
Dupont. He reached out his thick-fin-
gered hand. “You're in, hey? Put it
there, old pard! Just you make them
damn ki-yi-s savvy they've got to
hustle for what we give ‘em, like No-
gen done, and we'll round up fifty
thousand aplece before snow flies.”
“What's that?’ demanded Hardy, in-
stantly stiffening to stern rigidity.
He foiled to catch the furious glance
from Vandervyn that sent their half-
fuddied host lurching over to the
whisky bottle. When he did turn, the
chief clork ret his hard glance with a
knowing wink and a chuckling com-
wert “ae Med I”
to be
evening,
Captain
1 Du-
that
uncer-
question of
me. And now, ns
and left
f her polite rebuff wm
. The Indian boy,
jest at
took
dropp
up
rched
back his
down-
with M'rie
show 3
oy
=
n
y' I jush took my pen |
shere lish, *
t good n
wt goods of
skeshule
‘eroxs tha'
nmin to}
grammar, rich
Yyyn as he fi
wy 1
glasses, You tok
gif
t
}
-
an
the
sore
on
me
1
is provided
ri
it
a long time to
MH
» Raia
Hardy did not
ordered.
“Oh--you
this low
into
Course
three of
i
1
“Explain,” he
dream
some
os
mean Jal
ade stuf
pipe
may
solid
stand
“Bhi
yr trond 0 1
n a streak o gold.
of you wouldn't
us
if it did turn «
for
dividing up
the pro-
it a bo-
©
“ Your idea would be to give all the
profits to the if we had
bought the ore and taken the risk its
out worthless?”
i the acting agent,
‘chien !” mu
“That ain't no way
man, Cap. Won't yo
no more ore?”
“I shall investigate before
said Hardy, and he rose to
evening. Good evening, M:
He went Dupont
him, and grunted incre
thousand-—made it fifty
he didn't jump at it!”
“Told you so,” snapped Vandervyn.
we'll fix him ye LW
up our If one fai
ck, we'l lay the
tribe, even
Of
turning
“I an
“Nort
not a trader.’
Dupont.
nt a white
m trade n
I de
leave,
. Yandervyn
gaped
ously:
“(3
out.
“Fifty
y [Ore
1 3 ¢ g
sieeve, is to take {
wher
cabin, he
d the uneasy with a look
“Amounts to
v Vanders
at night. Hq
the board-baeke fonl! No
thing.”
vered ded him
the game
1 tot
chance
“It's Up to Us to Bluff Him or Throw
Down.”
to deal with him, and you know what
that means, Next thing, he'li have it
all out of the chiefs—the mine—every-
thing.”
“No, no, Mr, Van! He can't find out.
They don’t know about what you and
me Nobody saw us--nobody. If
there'd been nn fresh track anywhere
inside a quarter-nifle, I couldn't have
missed it.”
Vandervyn shrugged, “I'm not so
sure of #imt, You are not a full-blood
tracker. Pat what if that is covered?
It's bad enough. As soon as he finds
out about the mine, he will kick the
whole bunch of us off the
That's the kind of fool he is
of the tribe”
“Yes, and Jake is a member by mar-
Redbear cringed at the word, “But
He won't put me in.”
“Wait and see when he finds
how things have been going here,
him find out anything against you,
it's harile in the jug, with his
gone glimmering."
The halfbreed
desperate,
Corners
wr
out
and
Job
looked up, his eyes
his face set in the grin of
He muttered a curse,
" ged
boy! en
We're wi
a
d rat.
hat's it,
dervyn. “Don’tday
vou. But ren
a bluff, It's up to
or throw down."
“I don't understand yo
“Here it is, then,
He doesn't know
ord of Lakotah.
The tribe
know Er
cours
down,
we'
15 to bluff him
wmber,
ve
off,
#
a
Ww
Ww
doesn't
1. You are the interpreter,
Get that?
Redbear
“No. I
don't
We'
there is a
“Yes, you do,
Hardy that
1 stirred
translate the t
You can
ied the Moros,
of the
Charlie, ve alrea
lot
dy
of bad
easy to
that
told
up. will
fT
alk of ‘hiefs
as many
this
iH. AH
m as there
mt The chief
ers of tribe,
the
1oved
to
good
» ¢hiels for the |
if he | h
I become the agent. 1
trouble over Nogen, and
the government keeps
the tribe for =n
talk, Now trot
rewed up.”
ald Redbe
time going bs
Vandervyn. “I'll st:
ter not to expect you
uncil, Get buss
in the police, Tell
wrod to wait nt the gus
caves ti
“Don't
A
waste
TY
i
~
ate
r the
work
are orde
until
i i y are then a {
post themselves behind Hardy,
armed. If the chiefs get angry
are to close up around Hardy,
the council is und
to rch aroun
ma
Ar I
Redbear responded with
and started off at a jog trot, Van
dervyn amiled, turned his pony about,
and rode back to the cabin. Without
dismounting, he reached down and
{ knocked, the door opened a secant inch
{ and Oinna peeped out at thé visitor,
| “Lo.” he said in on Indifferent tone,
{ “I brought word to your brother that
{ he was wanted at once. Told him I
would let you know, He will not be
{| home until after the council.”
“Thank you, sir,” murmured the girl,
“No trouble at all,” replied Vander-
vyn. “You don't happen to have a
tirink of good water handy, do yen?”
Instinctive hospitality overcame the
girl's shyness,
and handsome face appeared as the
door swung open.
“I boll the water. Do you like tea?”
she asked in a flutelike voice.
“All right”
When she returned to the door, he
was tightening Kis saddle girth, He
kept her waiting several moments be-
fore he turned to take the cup of tea,
The hand that held the cup was rough
Crom hard work, but the girl's cheap
calico dress was neat and clean and it
covered a form as supple and erect as
a rood. Unlike her brother, she had in.
| herited only the good features of her
an
onger
i nod,
| parents, The blend of types apparent
| in her face was far from unpleasing.
She kept her soft brown eyes shyly
| downeast. Yet she must have watched
him covertly through her long lashes,
The tea was hot. He sipped it slowly
and gloated on the girl's confusion. Un-
to endure the strain, Olnna
{at last faltered in timid desperation:
i “You —you are Mr. Van. Charlie—he
{ said you and he are partners.”
“Partners? repeated Vandervyn with
a quick frown. “He sald that?”
The girl shrank back. *Please,
he didn’t mean anything wrong.”
“What did he
“Nothing—only that,
ay of talking.”
right. Don’t
ured her w
iz friend!
end.”
th ank you
We have
"
able longer
more
Please, It's
nly his w
be afraie
ith 1
fi
the girl forgot
‘ basal
OTS She raised
hough she blushed s i
pable to turn he raze away from his
rdent blue « yes.
n ah” he
ing
drew out her na in
tone that he would have
a pet dog
smiled even
Her gaze
look fr
n
a rk
back.
“O-poen me
the caress
trembled,
wavered
as she
ime closer,
before ti his glow
He
her,
ut but
he agility of a
i as Mal
r of th
fiddle
ghe cried.
the
oul
that?”
way to
riding
ald you were
“You.
om his
1 water vo
bolled some
lucky del:
with me?
“I wish to spe:
plied Marie,
“Going to hire
maid?’ he asked, and he called over
his shoulder in a rough tone: “Hurry
up in there. You're keeping Miss Du-
pont waiting.”
“You should not speak that way to
Oinna. She is not a dog” reproved
Marie. “See: yon have frightened
her— It's all right, Onna. Mr. Van
didn't mean to be eros”
The girl had stopped in the door-
way, her eyes timidly dowheast. With.
out looking up, she came around to Ma-
rie and offered her the cup of lug
warm tea that she had brought
obedience to Vandervyn's command,
Marie took a sip and paused to peer
down into the dark brew.
“Merci!” she cried.
sugar.”
“You were good to me,”
plainédd Oinna.
Marie laughed and handed back the
offering.
“You child! Drink it yourself. I
can guess how few sweets you've had |
at school. Come on, Reggie.”
Vandervyn mounted, and their po
niles started off ep a lope, The young
Stopped hers to get a drink
The y 1 eo only oreek
had to wait whil
for tea. But
you're here.
?
it sister,
©
it
1k to that
her for a
“It is half
naively ex.
man kept his eyes to the front,
Miurie soon ginnced about,
“Look 1” she sald.
He turned and saw Olnna with the
blg granite-ware cup to her uptilted
lips, draining the moist sv r from the
bottom. The action wax laughably
childish, but the girl's attitude was the
perfection of grace. Marie caught the
that flitted across Vandervyn's
face, and her eyes flushed,
“So I was right!” she exclaimed.
“You were flirting with her.”
“I—flirting with her?’ he
ingly queried, and he turned sideways
in his saddle, to stare wide-eyed at his
companion, from the tip of her dainty
riding boot up to the feather felt hat
on her coal-black hair.
Under that prolonged scrutiny the
of the girl's anger
rose, and her eyes sank
had Oinna's. He smiled.
good to look upon,
Midmorning was past
walked thelr ponies up of
{ the terrace, The bare level, back of the
| warehouse, was dotted with
stolid, half-naked Indians.
“Took!” exelnimed the girl,
“What {8 it?” he asked.
“Don't you see? There is not
* child among them. Let
and find out what Pere thinks of it.”
CHAPTER VL
searlet changed to
a8 coy iy as
The girl was
when they
the slope
groups of
fi
is
Thunderbolt.
not at home, When
either In
' Marie
lool
Hi
the
rooms
for
GOoOr
another
{ d'un chien!
to risk all our scalp
game?’
“1 shall see
do what 1
Cap, you sure ain't going
by bucking his
inte, and then
consider ght,” replied
Hardy, “Miss Dupont, I ask you to
stay close I I ask you to
t have your Indias y¥ take my mare
down to RBedbeur's with orders
{ for her to ese if she hears any fir
| ing” 7? Mr. Yandervyn, you may remain
i here or join myself and Hedbear, as
you prefer.”
“I'i go along »
may h to fight
Hardy nodded In app
spirited reply, bowed
started for the age
step that
Indians had assembled
in semicircle
ing the rear of the warehouse,
ent first to his cabin
“broke” his rifle and put
the mechanism into hig pocket,
“There shall be no di of weap
Ong our part, * he ordered. “You
will not take your rifles. At close quar
your revolvers will ef-
ctive., Carry them coneealed.”
“We will put on coats” said Vander
“Hime bing *
Meet
ard
wh
he
ned
Tey
Fister,
pe
You
ck here
ation of the
to Marie, and
with a
The
we council
deep, fac
Hardy
where he
plece of
ith you
ave your wij
4]
ris 141 y
BCy ouuGines
wre rial woot rey § £3
was brisk ¥ dignified
t
for th
three row
aE
a
fn
play of
play
oti
be
(re
more
vyn to my ©
direc
todd
v and he ne "oor wy £1
¥, Al if liked on ahesda
noon dinner.
sauntered
back he
the
from
dR
over to tl
rved Red-
drift
y
ip
On the way
bear, out back of
ing unobtrusi
| Indians to
in the
nent treaty
noon,
had
obse
warehouse
gro
Hardy was
intent the
with the
the head
yet arrived,
one
anoth
office On
tribe.
#
i
Hardy
ns chi
| tribe
| Vandi
{day
not
meal,
ie they
Cane
H
As they rounded Hardy’
overtaken by Dupont
the of the
was as stolid as the
were
from
i fac ©
the
direction
sober as an
ithreak.
loose? 11
loophole
in from’
of an ot
(il the
ought
the cells
others info
the slots
{to
i keep in
weil the
at
the
cut
expose the
the chinks had
“you are
it took courage
replied.
pothing, I
“XY on
aper,
“And all
{ he det lared.
“Well, it's best to be ready,
muttere a Dupont,
The girl's eyes sparkled, “I wouldn't
| mld a day or two of fighting. What
fun it must have been in the old days [”
“Funt’ exclaimed Vandervyn.
“lI have no doubt we could defend
the house,” remarked Hardy, “We
could hold out until the arrival of
troops. But there will be no uprising,
no trouble.”
“Oh, captain!” protested Marie.
They passed on into the dining room,
where the silent Indian boy at once
served dinner. It was a plain family
meal, But the china and plated ware
were artistic, the table linen was clean,
{ and the food very well cooked.
Dupont was still gormandizing when
Redbear came with the news that
Ti-own-konza had at last reached the
agency. The halfbreed looked so wor
ried that Vandervyn rose from the
table as quickly as Hardy. Dupont
paused with a slice of pumpkin pie
upraised in his hand,
“What's the rumpus, Charlie?” he
asked. “Old Thwnderbolt ain't gone
on the warpath, has he?”
| “No, he looks quict now. But one
of the headmen told me he sald he
{ would wipe out the agency If the new
| ngent didn't do what he wanted”
Dupont muttered one of the (we
-»
to cut my wall-
she
"”
feel sure,
for
in case”
to file ont of
the
era.
In-
veod
1 chief
if the
1% has
vhatever
ervyn, who
eyes of the
his small,
hear drew
it, and ad-
he 4
nd
Red
hostility,
the Indians re
id. last old Ti-owa
niured a responsi His tone
mild, He first spoke
¢ sogthing iy to his fellow councilors, and
hen addressed Hardy in digni fled re
monstrance. When he sat down again
tedbear stood silent, uneasy and vacil-
lating.
“Interpret,”
quiver wgeod
though
SuUppre
the faces of
mained st At
{ konza
and be
LL
aring were
ordered Hardy,
“J-J--it isn't easy. You mightn't
like it,” mumbled the halfbreed.
“Never mind that. Proceed”
“Well, it's not easy to get it just the
same,” hesitated Redbear. He glanced
at Vandervyn, licked his lips, and be-
gan:
“He says all this land belongs to the
tribe; that the white man has no busi
ness here. He says that he is not
sorry Mr. Nogen was killed, but he is
sorry that you have come here. He
says his people do not like the Long.
knives, who used to kill them, and
they do not want you for agent, be.
cause you are a chief of the Leng.
knives, He says they like Mr. Yan,
and they want him to be their agent.”
How long do you think it will
take Hardy to find out that he
is being double-crossed by Van.
dervyn and Redbear? Will Marie
help him-—or do you think she
is crooked too?