Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1917 — THE QUARTERBREED [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE QUARTERBREED

A Tale of Adventures on An Indian Reservation

B y Robert Ames Bennet

CHAPTER XX-r-Continued. ’ | —ll— an apology, Dupont hastily unfolded the deed, skimmed through it, and grasped the fact that -it purported to convey to him a full ’half-interest in the mine. He had started to read it over more careftlly when an oath from Vandervyn caused him to look up. The younger man pointed along the coulee bank to where the road topped the spur ridge of the butte. "The devil I” he exclaimed "What brings him back here?" ."Cap! It sure is Cap!” muttered Dupont “Noin d’un chien ! You don’t think he’s get-an to the game, do ydu?” " Wouldn’t do him any good if he had." “Then why d'you'think he’s —* * —-‘4&o —etrter —-the —contest !” —dl'vtoed” Vandervyn; “There’s time enough to wire Washington and have him putun<ler ar-r-est -for <ll s<>beying -orders.” “Hold on!” cautioned-Dupont. "What if he does try his luck? In the mountains' there ain’t no horse nor mare -nelther-cttir break up your pinto coiirbine.” ’ 3 Vandervyn’s face cleared. “You i’ll chance it if— v -"Ain’t no chance to it,” put in Dupont. "It’s a dead cinch." ’’He’ll think he’s going to do me,” exulted Vandervyn. “Let him register. He’s come back foj* the mine first; then Marie. if don’t want hes to see him or to know he has come back. You ihave yolir deed. Suppose youi si art at once.” "If she’s wlllipg. I’ll see,” qualified Dupont. "Look put you dorilt slip up. I I’ll tend to ipyW. S® long—good! hick!” Ho rode off down the butte side of ~fhe coulee.

Vandervyn cantered straight across, and met Hardy a few yards below the tent of the commissioners. , "Good day, captain," he spoke in c-ivil greeting. “I am surprised to see yon back here. Have your orders been countermanded?” *’No T ,” replied Hardy, with equal civility. “I have resigned.” Vandervyn could not conceal his hnk astonishment. “Not—not resigned; from the army,?” “Yes. I telegraphed the war department. received an answer, and uty 'resignation and’application 'for leave of absence to my .commanding officer at Vancouver barracks. As an officer.lt was not proper for me to enter the contest.” “Ah!” Vandervyn’s smile gave place tn :a look of pained surprise, “So you Intend to enter the contest. But do you think that' quite honorable, captain, in the circumstances?* “I <do .not care to discuss questions of honor With you, Mr. Vandervyn,” replied iHartJywrith utmost coolness. “That I can well understand.” conntered Vandervyn. “Knowing that we can make no protest, you intend personally to take advantage of <the information that you pledged yourself to keep secret.” _ Hardy dismounted without nepTyfag. and placed himself nt the end of the line of registering entrymen. The sun

was far down in the sky whpn he came bef4®e__the.„secretary'g_ table, \t the end of the line. Vandervyn roseyrom his easy seat to take a position beliind him. The secretary hesitated and looked inquiringly at Vandervyn. He met with a nod to proceed. \ “You wish tp register T' came tHe curt question of the chairman. 11 “Yes,” repli ed Hardy with equal curtness. . • “Is an army officer entitled to enter the contest ?”questioned the smalleM commissioner. “You need not debate the matter,” said Hardy. "I have resigned my-eom-misslon.”. Again Vandervyn nodded, and there were no further objections raised. Hardy and he signed the register, and made their thumb prints,, and were duly described in writing by tha- secretary. Hardy at once mounted his mare, and rode away up the coulee. He did ,

| not return until Vandervyn and the commissioners had left for the agency. That evening he drew up the legal notices required in the posting of a mining claim, and paid three or four of the older prospectors to check them for errors. To all who inquired, he described trail by which he had 'gone into the mountains, and frankly that he knew of none other that led to the nearest of the four pruminent peaks which had been named as the corners of the mineralland boundary. The rest of the evening and most <>f . the following“day fie spent in grooming his mare. He gave her no grass 1 and little water, but a good allowance of oats. Both morning-and -afternoon, he took her out for short titles up the : coulee. juid each time -Hrfntird- urnt 'the hank. H>* <’td not cross over to the reservation side, much less go to the agency. The day set for the opening dawned still and clear, with the promise of burning heat by noon. After breakfast the more uneasy spirits —began wandering about the camp or fidgeting with their packs. Nearly all the older and more experienced ineu gave their ponies a <>ats, ami stretched out to lounge in ihe shade of their tents. Two hours before the time set for the start Vandervyn appeared, ami crossed over to the tcamp. He was riding his pinto and leading a pack, pony. When the old prospectors saw his heavy pick and shovel an_d_larg&__ g >orly hwfied.. pack offood and bedding, they cracked many dry jokes on the grand Reliances of the tenderfoot. Their own picks and shovels were as light as such tools coCid be made without impairing their efficiency, and Their packs were as lean as Vander-1 vyn’s pack was swollen.

Hardy ailone divined the deceptive mockery • etf his rivaFscumbersome display. Birt he was bound by his word and could say nothing. It was he, and not Vandervyn, who was looked upon with suspicion by ’the \crowd. Soon there was a gathering of n moblike group, that rumbled awhile, and ended by presenting Itself before Hardy as a committee of inquiry. - "You been agent at this here reservation,"explained their spokesman. “We want to know if you’ve got a frame-up to have some feller meet you with your’pack animals over TSi”iSe mountains.” * “No,” replied Hardy. “There are four days’ rations in my saddlebags. A poncho ds all one needs in sleeping •before a fire this time of year.” “You ain’t got no tools,” criticised a man who had been drinking. “The same Is true of several among you,” llnrdy rejoined. One of the cowboys who was included in this remark called back resonantly:: “You’ve been into the mountains. I bet you a blue chip you’ve got a good prospect spotted, ready for branding.” =“£ am not making any bets,” said Hardy. ‘“You have heard all I know about tiwaL- Mr. Vandervyn has made the trip several times. He was with me during the one trip I made. I have t*6 objection to your questouing him about it” ’ ' There was some muttering over this. But Hardy’s manner was so cool and quiet that the incipient mob left him, ami straggled over to where Vandervyn had hired an expert to throw the diamond hitch on his ridiculous pack. Hardy turned his back on them, and set to grooming the satiny coat of bls mare. His unconcern was well founded. Whatever means Vandervyn used, they were sufficient To satisfy the crowd. The muttering soon ceased, and the men dispersed.

CHAPTER XXL The Race. The commissioners came down from the agency barely in time -to make their identification of the contestants. Last of all Hardy and Vandervyn identified them- i selves and hurried over to the end of the waiting line. There was a scant five minutes remaining. Vandervyn was a-quiver with eager excitement, and made no attempt to conceal the fact. He smiled and waved his hand to thecommissioners, and looked about wi th spafkHng eyes. There was no anxiety or envy or malice in his lo k. Never had he appeared handsomer or more boyish. The other commissioners had climbed into the touring car. One of them held up his watch. Another commissioner arose, thrust a small pistol above his head with a melodramatic nourish, and fired. At the signal the line of contestants wavered and plunged forward-into the shallow stream. Thera were, however, quite enough hasty ones to raise a wild splashing and turmoil, as, whooping and yelling, they spurred their -ponies through the water and whirled away at a gallop. *' Some wheeled up the coulee; a few rode straight across at the steep bank. Vandervyn. wildest and noisiest of all, headed downstream for the road, spurring his pinto, die was followed pya large bunch. - -

Hardy started after these last, holding his mare to her usual steady trot. When he came up the road to the head of (the gulley, those who had gone before him were all quite a' distance ahead, with Vandervyn still in the lead. Midway between the mouth of the vnttoy it ml the agency, the longstriding mare began to pass ponies whose riders had thought better of their whirlwind start. Others were still Toping in swift pursuit of Vandervyn. Hardy walkcd the mare up the slope of the agency terrace. He saw nothing of Dupont or Marie, and the Indians had moved away with theib tepees'. But in the rear of the warehouse he caught j* glimpse of two In-, dian policemen removing the load from Vandervyn’s pack pony. His face clouded. He put the mare into a galE p. All the way to the head of the valley Hardy held to a steady gallop. One after another, he passdli the remaining leaders.- The best of..the ponies were no match In spe.ed with the big thoroughbred". At last only Vandervyn was ahead. As Hardy overhauled and forged past Vandervyn, the young fellow turned and met his gaze with a look of mocking hate. Har<’v glanced back several times, prepared to fling himself Hat alongside the pommel of his saddle. His uneasiness did not lessen when a few minutes later Vandervyn halted, and scrambled down from the traiLto get a drink out of the creek. The crease in Hardy’s forehead deep cued. Ahead, the walls of the canyon were sloping back into the widened valley where had. been the first Indian camp. Dogs, Indians and tepees, all, were gone. Only a brush-walled dance lodge remained to mark the camp site. As the mure pounded past, she curved her outstretched neck toward the lodge and whinnied. Hardy heard no answer to the call, but his frown suddenly deepened.

He reached forward and stroked the mare’s sleek neek. Hot as had been the race from the agency, she had not turned a hair. His frown relaxed. Yet his tight lips showed that he was still uneasy. He balanced himself in his stirrups, anu began to ride as lightly as possible. Ascending the mountainside, he was compelled to citht’enthimself with the mare’s nervous, long-strlded walk. But whenever the trail was not too steep or rough, he put her into a trot, and varied the pace with an occasional short gallop. An hour passed. He was already well into the mountains. He came to a succession of steep climbs and descents that held the mare down to a walk. Presently he thought he heard hoofbeats behind him. He listened. He had not been mistaken. An unshod horse was coming up with, him at a .steady jog trot. It seemed Impossible that Vandervyn’s pinto could have so recuperated from that whirlwind heading of the rush as to be able to take this steep trail at a trot. Hardy gazed back, expecting to see one of The cowboys As he went down ever a ridge crest, the rider came up the ridge back across the Intervening gulch. The man snatched off his broad-brimmed hat to wave a salute. The sun glinted with a golden sheen on the unmistakable blond head of Vandervyn, __i_ At the first small break in the descent Hardy dismounted, unsaddled, and sponged* out the mare’s mouth and nostrils with water from his canteen. He then shook out and refolded his Navajo saddle blanket, and started to resaddTe. But before he buckled the cinch-strap he shifted the pistol from his breast to a front pocket in his riding breeches;

He was vigorously grooming the nure when Vandervyn came jogging down through the thickets of tall brush that grew close on each side of the trail. He did not pause in his rubbing until the nimble-footed unshod pony ambled into view, less than a dozen yards up the trail. Then he glanced about, straightened, and stood staring. The pony was a pinto. Vandervyn. smiling with insolent exultanee, rode to him, his right hand jauntily poised on his hip, over the hilt of his revolver. His eyeschallenged his rival with an audacious, provoking stare. But Hardy looked only at the pinto. There was no sign of sweat lather on his rough coat, no weariness in his gait. He was fresh — “Lots of come-back to a bronco, cnpTidn,” puffed Vandervyn.’ to see that you've stove up your mare. She's too highbred for a rocky road like this- By t you might take off her shoes and travel’ light, the way I’ve j done.” j The pony was now ambling down i the slope past the mare. Hardy lookedj at the Unshod hoofs. Tne< were coy-' ered with a coating of ciay mire from bottom of the last gulch, and the beast’s shuffling pace did not expose the under surface of toe hoofs. Whether the pony had or hajd not been recently unshod could not be seen. “Great horse, my little old pinto,

eh?” mocked Vandervyn." **By-by I Til tell Marie you’ll be along later.” _ g Hardy perceived in it Hash why he had seen neither the girl nor het father at the agency. Swiftly he wheeled about to mount. Startled by the quick action, Vandervyn spurred his pony, and went down the steep descent at a gait far from easy on even a moun-tain-bred Itorse's knees. Hardy followed at a walk. The opposite rise was gradual. He let the mare take it at a slow trot. At the top was a fairly level stretch of trail. Vandervyn was far ahead. Hardy put the mare into a fast gallop. A few minuted brought her up so close behind the loping pinto that Vandervyn spurred his boast to sprinting speed. Hardy followed at an easier'yet swift pace that brought him near, as the pinto sl.gt kened to a lope. A steep ridge made a break in the game. The pinto crossed it at a .jog trot. The mare had to walk. Beyond

was a long stretch of broken country that favored the pinto. He could jog over ground that held the mare to a walk, and.canter where she could no more than trot. On such a frail he was fully equalto traveling at these paces for twelvehours jit a stretch, ail the tirae in the lead of the mare. Of this Hardy was as well aware as was Vandervyn. Though he steadily lost ground, he kept on in pursuit, coolly studying the landmarks ahead and “lifting” his mare along over the heartbreaking trail. —To have gi ven way to Ilie -impatience that betrayed itsetf-hr-his flashing eyes would inevitably have lost him the race by overstraining the mare. He held himself grimly in hand, and eased the going for his eager mount with consummate horsemanshi p. When they reached better ground, Vandervyn was again Tar ahead. But Hardy had his reward for his restraint in the resilient stride of the mare as she swung into a full gallop. Up and down the long, easy slopes, around a curving mountainside, and along the “level bench of a stream bank, she held to the cross-country racing pace that rapidly rolled up mile after mile of the trail. In less than half an hour she brought her rider around a sharp bend only a few hundred yards behind the pinto. Vandervyn, over-confident, was jogging along the level when the sound of the approaching hoofbeats threw him into a half-panic. There was still a long stretch of easy trail ahead. He put his pony into a gallop. The long-legged thoroughbred, still running as smoothly as clockwork, continued to gain. Vandervyn beg’an to swing his spurs. The pinto started •to pull ahead. Hardy held the mare to the sanie speed as before. It was a speed that he knew she could maintain for miles. He could that the pinto was being forced to a killing pace—a pace that must strain if not break hiin before they came to the next rough ground. On up the valley rushed the pursued, now barely holding his own. The cruel Spurring and whip-slashing could not -sting the failing beast to greater ex"ertions. He was blowing hard; his rough coat was lathered with sweat He began to lose. v ~ At last the trail made a sharp turn, and started to zigzag up the mountainside. The pinto was staggering when he reached the foot of the ascent. The quicker and longer gtride of the mare soon brought them up at Vandervyn’s heels. The pitch of the mountain was too precipitous for Hardy to risk passing-on the lower side of the narrow trail with the mare, and Vandervyn- kept the pinto close to the upper side. “You have no right to block the trail.” said Hardy. “Allow me to pass.” Vandervyn looked over his shoulder with an insolent sneer. “Go on and pass, if you’re in a hurry. You’ve got all outdoors to do it in. If there’s not room enough, shoot me in the back and take the trail. I’ll not get out of it for you.”

Hardy did not reply nor did he attempt to force a passage. At Jast, twelve miles from the g9al 'of the heartbreaking race, came tfte opportunity for which he had been waiting. The trail smoothed out in another easy stretch. For thfe' he_imd been holding the mare in hand. He started at a canter, and gradually let her strike into her long, swift gallop. Vanderyyn saw them coming, and at once put spurs to his luckless pony. As before, Hardy held the mare down to her best long-distances speed. The mare came up alongside the pinto and forged ahead. —Hardy eyed Vapdervyn with utmost wariness. And, as before; at the head of the canyon of Sioux creek, Vandervyn turned in the saddle, and looked full at him with a hateful, mocking smile. He pulled in his staggering pony to a Walk the moment Hardy swung into the trail ahead. At once Hardy eased down the mare to a trot. Though he saw no third pinto whiting in the thickets, his eye; grew hard and cold with grim determination. He was examining his rifle

when a turn (ft the trail suddenly giive him his first view of the broken-topped I mountain and the ridge-side whete f Redbear had made the second attempt 'to assassinate him. As he looked at the shattered summit, his hazel, eyes r flashed. He thrust ffie rifle hack into its sheath, and drew the mare down to a walk. Behind him he heard a muffled drumming of unshod hoofs. Vandervyn was coming up at a gallop, 'to When the mocking trickster came up behind Hardy, he reined in to a jog trot, and, as before, rode past him with his hand on his hip. There were marked differences between the third pinto and the two first. He was taller and leaner, and one of his feet was white. Rut Hardy appeared to be too dejected to heed the fact As the pinto ambled away in the lead, Vandervyn and looked back at his riyal with all the hate gone from his.face. “By-by again. Old than,” he bantered.' “Sorry I can’t stay to keep you company. The lady is waiting—and the mine. It may also please you to hear that I have a duly signed and- witnessed contract with the tribe, giving me a fee of 20 per cent on all moneys- appropriated in pstyinenl- to the tribe for their miljoral lands. Let’s hear you congratulate me. Show you’re game-!” But Hardy did not raise his eyes. As soon as Vandervyn Was out of sight around the castellated rocks ar rim top of the ridge. Hardy stoppedthe mare and dropped from -the saddle. His shapely inouttr was curved nr a resolute iinfl_his baud was rapidly transferring from the saddlebags to his pockets a pocket ax. a handful of pistol cartridges and the legal no- - tires for posting a mining claim. He glanced up the stope, and, seeing no sign of Vandervyn, stripped off the mare’s bridle, sponged out her nostrils and mouth mt-waier in. Ida canteen. Hardy took the steep slope at an unhurried pace. He reached the place where he had found the bloody trail <>J Redbear. Up the cleft the climbing was not- stiff. He came out on the valley slope, extremely hot and dry Tilt not out of breath. Drawing an airline across to the opposite mountainside, where he had seen the light of Ti-owa-konza’s campfire through the darkness, he started down into the valley at a jog as brisk as that of the t hird pinto. He was almost spent as he tottered through the pines up the last slope. The camp was gone, but he knew the nearest way to the spring. He rested two or three qpnutes, repeatedly cooling his head in the spring and rinsing out his mouth, but drinking only if very few sips. Again refreshed, he half filled his canteen, and started on up the easy mountain slope at a steady jog. Ten minutes brought him over the summit to the sharp pitch above the mine. He stared down at the terrace several moments, however, before he made out the figures of a man and woman waiting at the first turn Of the trail. There could be no doubt that the two were Marie and her father. It was no less certain that Vandervyn had not yet arrived. Even had he suspected his opponent’s stratagem, he scarcely could have covered the seven miles of trail in as short a time as Hardy had taken to make the three miles across country. The two watchers never thought to look about and up the mountain. They had not yet looked about when be came down upon the Crest of the spur. A large,-newly cut stake gave him a hint where one of the upper corners of the claim should be located. He cut his own stake, drove it, and tacked on one of his legal notices. Another stake Indicated the other upper corner, and he swiftly-repeated the—making of hjs own stake and posting of the .notice, ■/. At the curb of the mine shaft he posted another notice. He was now in plain view from the cabin, but out of sight of the watchers down on the trail. On the terrace, as he wqs working the third stake into a bed of loose rocks, he heard an angry exclamation over near the cabin. Dupont rind Marie had come around the end of the building, and were staring at him. In a frenzy of disappointed avarice, the trader reached for his revolver. Still more swiftly Marie flung herself upon him. ' , J. “Leave it to him —he is so near! Let them play out the game!” Hardy ran across to cut his last stake. Between the ax-blows could be heard the hdofbeats of a galloping horse. He tacked the .notice on, chopped a small hole with his ax in the hard soil, and set it up. The mine was his own. - CHAPTER XXII. l The Owner of the Mine. At that moment Vandervyn loped up over tlje edge of the terrace, waving his hat to Marie. Then he caught sight of Hardy, over beyond the girl, and the exultant yell died on his lips. He put the curb on his pony, and sprang off beside Dupont and the girl, his face frightful with rage. ----- T -~ —— —-His voice was high-pitched and light, almost airy: “Sos—he cut across afoot! He thought to do meF’" 7 ' 1 “Has, you mean!’ + snarled Dupont. “Got his notices posted. That’s his - ■■ - '**' .■ Vandervyn whirled and snatched his rifle from its saddle sheath. Marie caught her father’s arm to drag him aside; but he was already backing away, his eyes fixed apprehensively on Hardy. It- was time for bullet's to come streaming from the Automatic pistol. Hardy could have drawn and , opened fire while Van Servyn was free-

To the astonishment of all three. Hardy made no attempt t© "get the drop” on his opponent. Instead, be started to . advance upon Vandervyn at a quick, deliberate pace, his hands hanging empty at hid sides, his face calm and stern. “Put down that gun!” he command* ed. - Vandervyn was leveling the rifle. He took alm straight between Hardy's eyes. His finger kissed the trigger, The slightest twitch would have sent the bullet crashing through Hardy’s brain, and the slightest sign of fear or hesitancy on Hardy’s part would have caused that twitch. He was looking death in the face. Vandervyn was in a murderous fury. Yet Hardy came on—quick, steady, absolutely calm. His gaze passed above the deadly muzzle, along the foreshortened barrel, to the narrowlidded. bloodshot eyes of Vandervyn. His voice rang out again, clear arid sharp with authority: “Put down that rifle —put it down, sir!” The muscles of Vandervyn’s neck twitched. Along the top of the barrel he was glaring back at Hardy—glaring into those hazel eyes that met his fttry-with—the' clear, cool gaze of

absolute courage. The sheer nerve of that steady approach to his rifle “muzzle compelled him to pause. It disconcerted him; it struck a chill into the heat of his frenzy. Still Hardy advanced, swift and steady, his gaze never somuch as flickering. Now his eyes and forehead, close beyond the foresight of the rifle, appeared enormously enlarged to Vandervyn’s distorted vision. Steadily Hardy put up bis hand, took hold of the rifle barrel, and turned the muzzle aside. “Ah-h-h!” gasped Marie. 5 Hardy drew the rifle out of Vandervyn’s relaxing grasp. “Stand aside, sir!” he quietly commanded. “I wish to speak alone with Miss Dqpont.” . Vandervyn had parted-with his rifle as if dazed. At the sound of Hardy’s voice a fresh wave of crimson flooded his face. He stepped back, and jerked out his revolver. Hardy leaped upon him like a panther, and struck tho weapon aside. The heavy bullet whizzed past Hardy’s head. A moment later, Vandervyn, though the younger and perhaps the stronger of the two reeled away, clutching his lacerated trigger finger. Hardy stood-with—the revolver in his hand. He turned U Marie. f “May I ask for a few words alone t with yon?” < : c _. “No!” Vandervyn hoarsely forbade the girl. “You shall not speak with him. Jake, you’re her father —tell her she shall not.” , “You know she don’t never miud what I say,” mumbled Dupont. "Anyway, it sort of looks like Cap is running this here shindy.” - Hardy had not glanced away from Marie. Throughout that supreme test of the,will power and courage of her two lovers, she had stood tense and silent, as if spellbound. She nowlooked from one to the other, her face Inscrutably calm, her black eyes fathomless. “1 will hear what Captain Hardy has to say,” she said. ' Hardy motioned her father and Vandervyn toward the mine dump. They obeyed. “We are alone,” said Marie. Hardy smiled. "I wod the race.” “Was it fair, cutting across country?” . “Fair? Then you did not know of his scheme.” “What scheme? I do not understand^ — “It does not now matter. I won the race and —the mine.” "."/IX "Do you expect me to rejoice with you?” asked the girl. “It has cost my father his half of the mine.” “How so? He is not an entryman.” “Reggie gave him a deed to a halfinterest.” “I see,” said Hardy. “Quite tn keeping. The deed Is absolutely void, and would have been no less so even had the grantor been first to reach here.” “You doubt his good faith!" The girl glanced past him toward the sub len figure of Vandervyn on the mine dump with her father. "So you thought it better to take it. all yourself than ' to let him take It all?” “Yes,” agreed-Hardy. , The girl’s red lips curved In an ironical smile. “I do not go with .the mine—necessarily.” r . “No. But the mine necessarily goes with you—now.” replied Hardy. . " (TO CONTIXOEUJ - . 1 ‘ -

“The Devil! What Brings Him Back Here?”

The Trader Reached for His Revolver.