168 RECREATION. 



and I'm blowed if this old hag didn't "I don't like it, but if gentlemen 



take it from her. I want her to give will admire me, I can't send them 



it back. Make her do it, Viv. You away/' 



should have authority here." This failed to propitiate him, and 



"What do you want to be giving when the friends left he sprang on 

 candy to Indian girls for?" began his pony and dashed off without so 

 Vivyan ; then, catching a full view of much as a glance at her. Half an 

 her face, "Ah, I see," he went on. hour later, as the 2 gentlemen were 

 "Well, all I have to say is, if you are going back to the post on foot, 

 going to bestow candy whenever you Straight Oak passed them at a gal- 

 see a pair of beautiful eyes you'll be lop, then returned and circled around 

 kept moving. Here, what's the them 2 or 3 times on a lessening ra- 

 trouble, Bob ?" and he turned to a fat- dius, opening the vials of his wrath 

 faced half-breed, who stood near, as he did so and pouring on the un- 

 grinning broadly. conscious New Yorker the vilest epi- 



"She say," replied Bob, after con- thets and grossest insults known to 



suiting the old woman, "that she the the Indian tongue, 



gal's mudder. She say she take it "Ah," remarked Pyne, regarding 



away to keep for the gal, so that the the fellow with interest and smiling 



kids at home have some. She say if amiably at him. "There's a rider 



she didn't, the gal would eat it all her- worth while ! I noticed him at the 



self." agency. I suppose he is trying to en- 



"There ! You see it is all right," tertain us. Gad ! we should encour- 



interrupted Vivyan. "Come along." age him," and he waved his hand and 



"But the candy is the girl's, and she called out, "Good enough, old chap !" 



should have it," persisted Pyne. which the Indian understood about as 



"Oh, dash it," groaned Vivyan, well as Pyne understood Sioux, 



"you can't change Indians' ways. Shaking his rifle savagely, Straight 



Don't you c ee we are being laughed Oak turned and disappeared over the 



at?" and almost by force he dragged bank of the Blackwater ; but if the 



his friend away. white men had looked behind them 



The young brave, Straight Oak, when they entered Vivyan's door, 



regarded the scene with great in- they would have seen him lurking 



terest. When Pyne presented the about the post entrance, watching 



candy, a scowl of hate and ferocity them stealthily. The fires of jealousy 



darkened his brow. When the moth- were consuming him. Loving the girl, 



er appropriated the gift, his laughter he thought Pyne's attentions must be 



was the loudest of all, but it was sar- prompted by feelings akin to his own, 



donic, not mirthful. The poor beg- and it infuriated him. Besides, his 



gar was in love with the girl. He had own affair was in a doubtful state, 



painted his face in several colors and which did not improve matters. He 



draped his heavily beaded blanket so had not yet approached her father, 



as best to display his shining body for knowing it would be useless ; he 



her sake ; and that she might admire owned not the number of ponies the 



him to her heart's content he had elderly chief demanded for her hand, 



posed in full view from where she though he knew of a Crow village up 



guarded the family food. Then to country where he could easily steal 



have this pestilential white man come them. Nor was he even sure of the 



with his paper bags ! No wonder his damsel. Several times the 2, wrapped 



fingers fumbled the fastenings of his in one blanket, had stood in loving 



gun cover. Now and then the girl converse, but no pledges had passed, 



sent him an appealing glance, as if to What wonder, then, if his soul 



say, burned when a stranger, and a white 



