Adventure Magazine Cover — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

Gentlemen of the North “MUST we wait until night before starting home?” she eagerly asked. “T believe that is the chief’s idea. He knows the country and the Indians far better than we do. We must take no foolish risks.” “Tf you were alone would you start now?’”’ she asked. In truth I should have, but I said nothing. “Then pretend ’m aman. Let’s go at once,” she cried with a show of impatience, and she stood and began gathering up the robes. = My imagination was incapable of detect- ing anything masculine in her splendid womanhood. I could not suppress a small smile at her suggestion. Instantly she was the woman of the X. Y. post and was commanding: “Call the Indian! once.”’ Flat Mouth appeared on the scene before I could remonstrate with her. In Chip- pewa she repeated to him her intention of starting for the Red River. He shook his head, saying— “We must stay here a little longer.”’ “You two can stay. I will go alone. The country is perfectly safe. The Sioux have lost the trail entirely.” I have no doubt she would have taken a pony and set forth if I had not stopped her, saying: “Vou can’t go alone. from the Pillager.’’ 7 “Til take orders from no one,’ she haughtily informed. ‘I suppose I may have one of the horses, seeing that they belonged to the Sioux?” “No.” “Very well, I can make it afoot,” she calmly said. ‘“What’s the matter with you?” I angrily inquired. ‘“‘Can’t you reason? Or is it your temper?” °* : I thought she was trying to annihilate me with her furious gaze. By an effort she mastered herself and quietly retorted: “My temper is nothing to you. We’re thrown together by a series of mishaps. I appreciate your coming to find me, but if your coming makes you feel any responsi- bility for my acts I’m sorry you came.’’ ‘| ©The Lord forbid I should ever have to be responsible for such a bundle of spite as you seem to be,”’ I peevishly protested. She smiled with her lips, turned and a Tell him we start at We'll take orders IOI walked towards the plain. I caught up with her and demanded— “What do you plan?” “T’m on my way to the X. Y. post,” she lazily informed. “Unless you return to cover at once the Pillager and I will tie you.” “You would never dare!” she gritted, turning on me like a cat. All my silly resentment dropped from me, and I gently explained: “Miss Dearness I should never dare to look a man, red or white, in the face if I allowed you to start alone for the Red. I won’t threaten again to tie you, but if you start for the Red I'll go with you. It’s hardly fair to let the Pillager go with us as he is of a different race.” : She fought the battle with herself, her red hair being a true gage of her temper. Suddenly she surrendered, murmuring: “T was wrong. We'll go back to the chief.” - “Vou’re tired. Your nerves are out of tune. Ina few hours it will be night; then we can go.” “Tt isn’t my nerves,” she contritely corrected. “It’s just temper.” “My temper is off the key. Of course I spoke foolishly when I said I would tie, you.” “T’ll obey orders.” z Flat Mouth had watched us without’ a lineament of his strong face betraying that he could either see or hear. When we joined him he gave her a quick look and walked towards the horses. She remained silent, not inclined to talk. I waited some minutes to see if she desired companionship, then went after the Pillager. The chief was crouching behind some cherry trees and had, I observed, shifted the horses deeper into the growth. He was staring intently out on the plain. He motioned for me to drop beside him. My heart gave a thump, for I had been so positive we had shaken the Sioux off our trail that this hint of their presence weakened me for a moment. ‘“‘Assiniboins,”’ he said. ‘Where?’ I demanded. He pointed to the northern rim- and by much staring through half-closed lids I managed to make out some dots. ‘“‘Buffaloes,”’ I decided. ‘‘Assiniboins,” he repeated. “Then they’re friendly. They won’t (EO@AMicel exvoxe) “SEO mM