Army and Navy Weekly — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

1096 about his neck from. a twisted horse-hair cord—nodded several times. ‘SMe know Blueskin. Yes. Take um white pappoose. Make her squaw some day !’’ Another chorus—this time of guttural laughter— seemed of itself proof enough that English as she is spoken was understood by the entire party. Tom ’s hot blood surged furiously through his veins. Yet to what end would be the angry speech which rose to his lips? And with a tremendous effort he choked down his wrath. ‘‘What are you going to do with me?”’ “Duiuno yet. Mebbe make you Injun. All same like -him—Straight Arrow.’’ The speaker nodded in the direction of one of the party, who thus far had not spoken, or indeed shown by look or sign the slightest interest in all that had taken place. Straight Arrow was by far the youngest of the party. He wasa lithe, dark-skinned )oung fellow, wearing a rather fanciful deerskin rig profusely adorned with beads. His faceitself not unpleasant— was free from the disfiguring paint with which the features of the others were streaked. He glanced round as his name was spoken and Tom fancied that the dark eyes which met his own showed a faint shadow of friendly interest. Yet this might have been only imagination. Then hour after hour the party rode on in unbrokewm silence. The country grew hilly and irregular as they ad- vanced. Soon the rising land, patched here and there with verdure gave place to scrubby growths of pine. Behind the foothills in the distance was a lofty range —one peak which rose pillar-like above all the rest having its summit in the clouds. There was no noon halt made excepting as the horses were allowed to drink at a hillside stream. Some parched corn and dried beef were passed rgund—Tom receiving even a larger share than the others. And while the horses were slaking their thirst Straight Ar- row filed a gourd with cool water which he silently extended to Tom. ‘Thank you ever so much,’’ said Tom heartily. And though the young Indian made no reply Tom saw a faint smile flit across his dark features. ‘So he understands English,’’ was the captive’s thought. And then as the march was taken up again .Tom’s brain became busy with conjectures as to the reasons for his capture. He did not for a moment be- lieve that any bodily harm wasintended. He was more inclined to think himself in the hands of a party of thieving Sioux rather than bloodthirsty Apaches who by all he had heard were by no means so easy-going toward their prisoners. But having plundered him why had they not turned him adiitt? Unless indeed his captors feared he might belong to a party in the vicinity who being advised of the outrage would pursue and take signal vengeance. ARMY AND NAVY Possibly their intention was to take hima long dis- tance into the wilds, and there leave him to shift for himself without arms or a horse—which simply meant a lingering death. But conjecture as Tom might, he had no way of find- ing out whetber he was right or wrong. All he could do was to wait. Regarding Phil, Tom did not feel any great anxiety. He knew that his companion was almost sure to en- counter the prospector or hunter whom they had seen in the distance, and through his aid sooner or later Phil would again return to civilization. About nightfall a bals was made among the foot- hills, whieh they had fairly entered. Rather to his sur- prise, Tom’s arm was released, aiid he was .allowed perfect liberty of action-a fact which ‘confirmed him in his previous conjectures. No one gave the slight- est heed to his movements—indeed Tom got the idea that his escape would be looked upon with perfect in- difference. A fire was built on the banks of a narrow strean). No game had been met with during the day, so that, as on the march, jerked beef atid parched corn were served out. Straight Arrow, reticent and impassive of feature, approached Tom, who was sitting moodily on a fallen tree trunk. ‘Why young white not go?”’ ‘¢Go--where?’? was ‘J'om’s very natural query. ‘¢Anywheres. Injun no want him. Only want horse an’ gun.”’ ; ‘(Nice job for me to start off on foot—no compass, no provisions or firearms. How would you like it, Straight Arrow?"? ° “TInjun not mind. Not mind much, anyways. S’pose hard for young white. But——”? Straight Arrow pulled himself up and seemed to con- sider. ‘“Me like um white. Tell you why. My mudder Sioux squaw. She marry white man. Him ol’? Duteh Geary—all time in mountains, hunt for gold. Mebbe you hear ’?bout him.”? Tom nodded. Dutch Geary was the prospector whose name Bruton had mentioned in connection with that of Phil’s father. How strange! And Tom knew such marriages were very common on the plains. ‘(My mudder die. Den | leave ol? Geary cause one day he try strike me. I live on reservation. Some time ’go off on hunt like now.” ; From the young Indian’s further explanation ‘l'om gathered that the little party of Sioux belonged to the nomadic class that will never settle down to agricul- tural pursuits like many of the reservation tribes. In winter they were content enough to aecept govern- ment rations; but in summer, ostensibly for hunting, more or less of them drifted out on the plains—the white man and his property being considered as lawful plunder whenever circumstances permitted. (TO BE CONTINUED.) LSS Mh ex | COnnicloooks.Ccom