The west shore., April 01, 1889, Page 183, Image 13

THE WE8T SHORE.
183
Here, then, was an opportunity, and she would at
least try to escape. The girl waited to hear no more.
Throwing her rifle to her shoulder, a weapon which
the savages invariably allowed her to carry, knowing
her good marksmanship, she whistled to Bruno, and
struck her pony a sharp blow. The animal bounded
away, and she urged him on recklessly heedless of
rocks, logs and underbrush which confronted her at
every turn. She never paused to look back, bat she
heard a piercing scream from Nitia, which was fol
lowed by a hideous war-whoop from some of the
braves, and she knew how utterly futile would be her
attempt to escape. What could she do or say? She
had no plausible excuse to offer for her sudden flight,
and she knew the braves would surely kill her or in
llict a punishment, compared with which death would
be a happy relief.
Suddenly her pony jumped to one side, so swiftly
as to almost throw her from his back. At the same
instant a huge grizzly emerged from the chaparral,
coming directly toward her. Bruno was at his head
almost immediately, holding the fierce-looking beast
at bay, thus affording Dess an excellent opportunity
for a shot. She smiled as the idea struck her that
here was the loop hole for escape from the vengeance
of the savages. Aiming quickly, she fired, just as the
Indians, wild with excitement, rushed upon her. The
bear fell to the ground, with the report of her gun,
with a bullet in his brain.
Turning around, the girl confronted her pursuers
with an assumed smile of exultation on her face.
" Look, chief, can the braves do better?" and she
leaned forward and patted her horse's neck, caress
ingly, while Bruno sniffed about the dead body of his
shaggy antagonist
The Indians looked at each other in mute aston
ishment The proof of her innocence of the sup
posed attempt at flight was too strong for doubt
At length the apparent absurdity of their conduct
dawned upon them, and one and all gave vent to min
gled exclamations of approval of her conduct and
amusement at their own foolish idea. Dess pretend
ed to bo greatly surprised, and demanded an explana
tion. This increased their mirth. Finally, the chief
rode up close beside the girl, and while his brave
commenced the work of divesting the huge grizzly of
bis outer covering, told her how he and his followers,
thinking she was trying to escape them, had panned
ber, determined to recapture her at any cat. At the
conclusion of this brief recital, though her heart hy
lib molten lead in her breast, she laughed right
rily. She was surprised the neit moment to thick
bow lightly she had managed to treat the matter, ana
he thought how cunning and artful the two yean
which she had served in Indian captivity lad ren-
dered her. For this sho was sorry, but nevertheless
knew it to be her only resource,
" And Nitia; did she, too, think Naoma a fool? M
Dess asked, as that individual slowly approached them.
At sight of tho hugo grizzly, Nitia gavo uttcranco
to glad and prolonged exclamations of delight, whilo
the chief soon related to her how Dess had pursued
the great beast and killed it As ho spoke, bis eyes
rested on the girl with an expression of coarse admir
ation that made her shudder. Nitia was quick to noto
the light that shone in tho old chiefs eyes, and her
dusky brow grew black and sullen. Dess turned
away and prepared to reload her ritlc. Boon Watam
ni declared it time to return to tho camp, and, leaving
his braves engaged in cutting up and packing tho
grizzly on ponies, he, Nitia and Dess turned thcii
horses' heads toward tho lodges.
Doss was greatly displeased with tho marked at
tention which tho old chief persisted in bestowing
upon her, and sho would have gladly avoided him
had it been in her power to do so. As they ceared
the wigwams, ho rodo up close- besido tho girl, leav.
ing his wife behind, a dark, forbidding look on her
face, and a dangerous glitter in her piercing black eye.
" Watumni likes tho white girl much," tho old
chief said. " Ho mako her his wifo very soon."
" Aro you mad?" sho asked, fiercely, looking him
firmly in tho eyo as sho spoke. " You have a wifo
and can not marry another."
Just then Nitia rodo past them, giving Deis a
warning look which tho girl could cot wholly under
stand. Sho knew only that it meant for her to to si
silent, what more sho knew not
" Iho chief's wife shall U Nanma's) slave," tho
old chief said, utterly ignoring tho girls look of ilia,
pleasure. "Naoma mako bravo i-juaw. No weak
blood in whito girl. All brave, wise. No Ibdiao
squaw like her, and Wat am id loves her for that Uno
norm more and Naoma will rnarry with him."
At this !m allowed his pirrciug black eyes to wn
uVr at largo over tho surounditg country, apparently
considering tho ruatU-r duly arracgr.L
Heartsick and d ajond'-i.l a sho was, Prsa could
thick of nothing to My or ilt that might tslhly
tend to soothe, the rcfll'd filings of Nitia, whosU
knew was fiuprralrd almost Uyoiid control Hho
was surprised, however, on rrarhitg tU UJg's, to
i that every sign of diapason tl disappeared
from tho Indian woman's fsxr, who butilr dismount
ed from h'-r own hit and advanced to Uu Itt aid
with tho air of oco who Ms hf inferiority.
Watumni UkM upon Nitia's actions u in Heat
its. her approval of his approving marriage, a&d a
nuilocf exultation lightM up his desky fawaaU
itched his discard! wifo M Drta It their privaU
wicwam, carefully Ustuwitg ot-jo lr alt tho attea-
t ;u that WOUW wu vj
UkM,