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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1889)
THE WE8T 8H0RE. 237 man's near crezy to talk to you. An' so the Iojuns have had you all thia time, when we all thought you dead an' gone, Ba you got away eomehow, did you? BU Bat Dess interrupted her with a merry peal of laughter. " It is no use for you to ask any more questions, auntie," she said, " I thall not answer a single one until you have given us something to eat I am nearly famished, and I would be willing to wa ger a round dollar that Bruno is, too." " Why, bless your dear little heart! " the good la dy exclaimed, as she hurried away to prepare supper for her very welcome guest " IIow lucky it is that you spoke of it; I'd never 'a' thought of it never." It was broad daylight, and the savages were pre paring to devour their breakfast, when Watumni, missing Dess and Nitia, ordered one of the women to go and arouse them. The woman obeyed, but only to return in a short time with the startling announce ment that their wigwam was deserted. A howl of rage was raised by the infuriated braves, and they started off in all directions in search of the two wo men, who they at first believed were concealed some where near, among the thick growth of chapparal. The rage of Watumni was fearful to behold, when one of his braves soon returned with the announce ment that two of their best ponies were gone. The savages were soon mounted on horsos and sent off in pursuit of the fugitives. Little difficulty was found in tracing them as far as the creek, where, it was clearly evident, they had entered tho bed of tho fitream; but whether their courso had been with or against the current they did not know. A party was dispatched in each direction, Watumni going with those who traveled toward the source of the stream; and, in his rage and excitement, he soon had bis pony in a foam of perspiration. Tho ground was still damp where the fugitives' horses bad emerged from the water, and a horrid cry of exultation arose among the savages, who were now assured that they were on the right track. . . Thinking that the women could not bo far in ad vance, they taxed their ponies to their utmost s.eed. Presently they came to the spot where tho faKitiv.. bad separated. They wero somewhat puzzled l know bow to account for this; but they pushed on, M"" five following Nitia. while about the saw um r burried in pursuit of the white girl. They V' h ly disappointed, as twilight gather. l nui " ' L. I 1 in fetvllt was soon so dark that they could no ' track, of the noble little steed w hu h U U t white captive so swiftly away; but they; l en their speed unUl near the hour of aulugU fully convinced that they wero in pursuit of Naoma, as they called her, and well aware that she had taken as straight a course, as jHissible toward tho little val ley of Oitk Dale. As the hour approachnd midnight, they found their animals so much exhausted that they were utterly unable to keep up auy thing like a decent pace; Ad gored and dispirited, they dismounted, pick eted their ponies and started cff on foot, hopicg to intercept the wlito maiden iu her flight, feeling as sured that she would uot puriuo her journey after nightfall. They were disappointed in their anticipa tions, however; for when it was light enough w see, they found that tho horso tracks which they had fol lowed the previous day lay Iwforo them, still showing signs of a moderately rapid (light. Watumni was perfectly enraged, and, when onoo they had approached so near m to look dowu upon tho littlo valley of Oak Palo, his desecration was fearful to behold. Seeing that the fugitive had out witted them, tho savages, crushed and humiliated at the escape of their prize, returned to tho lodges, there to receive tho news that Nitia had cunuiugly evaded her pursuers, and that, as far m they had bwn able to discern any traces of her (light, sho had taken a most direct routo for tho reservation. With this information, tho whole truth dawned upon tho intellect of tho old chief. Nitia had ln-como jealous because of his approaching marriage with tho white woman, and, in const cjueuco thereof, had aldwd her to cscae. Ho cursed himself bitterly for having Ikcu such a fool as to leave tho lxautiful Naoma to tho solo chargo of Nitia. But alas! a still greater lu. miliation awaited him. Two weeks had not elapsed ero ho and his braves were surprised one morning to find themselves completely surrounded by a detach meutof troops from the, reservation, with Nitia, who had piloted them thither, in their midst Watumni hkw that resistance was useless, but tho sight of Lis wife so angered him that ho raised his rill to bis shoulder, and ho would have shot her lel on the njx.t, had not one of tho troops approached at that In tUnt and seized tho weajxm from his grasp, Th Indians wern taken to the reservation, but, ,epitA tho i (Torts of tho whites, they could not obtain Lflicirut evidence, to Implicate fither Watumni or llutiti with tho 0k Ilo ruassac ro. Watowni IcsUt ,., that am of tho Oregon braves-all of whom bad U , u killed iu tho war, ho said -had acted contrary M th adviwof their chief wb'u they niad tho attack mi 0k DIo; aud as the ro was no evUrnco to disk. i,r..ve tho sertion, it wss finally Ukm for truth. lh,ro m not st(Ti :ient whito testimony to criminal tl,. m, and tley were not awaro, at tho tlm, of the rt llt, ,'c of l,it0 "l11"' ml UI "a ,0 lha ,,.t of tho fray. Nitia considered Lerself avenged,