Part 39 (1/2)

Out of all the nu like dead men upon the trees only one youth finds the torture unendurable

He cries aloud foron about him

Instantly he is cut down, the stick is removed fro squaws, amidst a storm of feminine vituperation He is the only one whose heart is faint He will never be perht He must live with the squaws all his days He is considered a squaw-nity that can be put upon him

Thus are the braves ht two men who had taken no part in it, except that of secret spectators, ait was alht, but not of fear

Ten ht theuardianshi+p of the fierce General

Here they mounted, and, without a word, proceeded with all speed in the direction of the Agency

At the door they halted, and Seth spoke for the first ti the Sun-dance Parker had already dismounted, but the other reht off,” he said quickly, ”an' git Hargreaves an' his wimminfolk clear, too Guess you'll e for it Rosebud 'll let you in Guess you'll find plenty o' conals”

”Yes,” Parker nodded ”They're ht This is a carefully planned surprise”

Seth glanced at the eastern sky

”Four hours to daylight,” he uess there's ”

He rode off with his faithful dog at his heels,for the ford, and watchful of every shadow as he went His night's as yet only half done

Crossing the river he cli a wide detour he came to within a hundred yards of the front of Nevil Steyne's hut Here he halted and disround he scanned the sky-line carefully in every direction At last he see, who promptly took them in his powerful jaws and quietly sat down in front of the horse's head, moved cautiously forward

In a fewasleep, tethered by long ropes to picket-pins One of these he released and led back to his own

Then he reain he circled wide of his destination, and this time struck into the woods that lined the river His way now lay down the black aisles of tree trunks which he pursued until he caain dis's care,hut

There was neithernor door on this side, a fact which he was evidently aware of, for, without hesitation, but with movements as silent as any Indian, he crept round to the front, and sidled to theHere there was a light shi+ning dully, but noa view of the interior Heat the doorway, listened intently A few seconds satisfied hi about He knew at once that Nevil was out

With a satisfied sigh he e, keeping close in the shadow of the woods A couple of hundred yards from the hut he stopped and took up a position just within the shelter of the undergrohence he had a perfect view of the open plain in front, and yet was sufficiently sheltered by the echoing woods to hear the leastthat way And so he waited

Nor did he wait long Eyes and ears trained to this sort of ere kept ever on the alert But it was his ears which told hih the woods The sound was faint and distant, but he heard it There was noho the brush he made his way into thein the shadow of one of the forest giants he waited The footsteps caain; for his ears told him that he was not yet on the track which Nevil would take

At last, however, he caain Guided by a wonderful hearing, he knew that he was in a direct line between the ainst a tree, his eyes and ears straining So right across the path which Nevil must take, and on this path Seth kept his eyes

Thehi been detected His thoughts were on what theforth; on what it would mean to him when Rosebud was removed from his path She alone stood between him and that which he had schemed for ever since the arrival of the memorable letter from his brother He was in a mood of intense satisfaction He knew that at last he was to realize his desires, that at last he was to pay off a long score which he owed Seth of White River Farm