Part 20 (2/2)

”No! no! Don't be in a hurry I'ainst you now, and he's a good un and powder Wait and see”

Half an hour later, as he was sitting there, with a rude bandage around his throbbing head, and talking with Little Mink, who had taken a great fancy for the paleface hunter ned the beautiful gun, Frank heard a startled exclamation from the border of the thicket near by

”hello, there, Jerry! Coet acquainted!” he cried out, as his eyes fell upon the astonished face of his chum thrust from the scrub

”Talk tothe scare ofmy chum had been carried off by the redskins, I find hierous, Frank?” asked Jerry, advancing cautiously, with his gun held ready

”As mild as an old lady's cup of tea Wouldn't hurt a fly Sit down, and I'll tell you all about them,” said Frank

”First, I want to know are you hurt ine my alarm when I saw the print of little moccasins Why, I was sure some frisky red had knocked you over the head with a warclub, and then toted you off to be burned at the stake I followed as well as I could, bent on rescuing you at the peril of my life, to meet up with a reception like this”

Frank was coust that came over the countenance of his comrade

But when Jerry had heard all his chuenerous heart was stirred at the thought of their wrongs

”That greedy half-breed ought to be made to walk the plank, that's what!

Just to think of the nerve of hienuine dyed-in-the-wool chief out into the cold and taking his place! Why, he's a usurper, that's the truth! And look here, Frank, didn't you hear what Mr Mabie said about a fellow named Pierre La Motte?”

”I must have been away at the tierly

”Why, there was a detachment of the sheriff's posse at the ranch house just before we ca for that sa or other”

”Hurrah! That's just what I was hoping would happen We can put theo after hi Elk says, when the one away forever, the Crees will send and beg their chief to return, and forgive the past It's all right! I'll bring hi Elk had already learned that another stranger was in ca considerably eht be Mr Mabie himself

However, he was soon set at his ease What Frank had to say about the bad half-breed also gave hi his head sagely, while his beady eyes fairly glittered with satisfaction, as in i taken away froe by the much-feared sheriff's posse

CHAPTER XVIII

AN INVITATION TO COME OUT

”About ti up, eh, Bluff?”

”There they come now, Mr Mabie, and--Jerusale out of the tent

”They've got an old Indian in tow, as sure as you live!” cried Bluff

”Where is he? I've just been wanting to get an Indian picture the worst way Show hi hastily forth, of course clutching his beloved cauess I know that old buck It's Running Elk, the chief of the Crees So must have happened out of the usual order,” said the ranchman

When he learned what Frank had to say Mr Mabie proved himself just such a man as the others had believed hi there in stoical silence, with his blanket thrown over his shoulder, and held out his hand