A Prairie-Schooner Princess

he boys, who, worn out from the excitement of

astrous consequences to the young survivor of the tragedy, fo

in their hands, and Mrs. Peniman, still grasping her revo

Indian both boys started vio

d. It was he who so mysteriously saved us last night. He is a Frien

d in the little exclamation wa

eants have done! They have rifled the Carroll wagon and carri

with horror. "They have taken the dispatch-box? Oh, Joshua, that box had i

sband

rible catastrophe. I should hav

ought-who would have s

king and listening impas

no want

an started and loo

an, pulling at his beard,

e said in a low tone, and told her of the scrap of paper, the print of a white man's boot at the re

were not disturbed, our horses were not taken; it almost looks to me as

nt thinking intently. Then going to his own wagon he return

to Neowage. Silently t

said after a mome

you s

two, t'ree, five hunnerd. Drive my people way from hunting grounds.

is a Sio

dian n

white man. When he was dying he told me tha

pulse he told the c

his arms folded across his bare brown chest, his head

t papoo

es

eep in

She sleeps with my little girls in that wagon," pointing to the c

dian no want paper. White m

our point. But I don't know. It's be

rowded to the back of the wagon, and Ruth, Nina,

e to say their father was not shooting at him nor scalping him, nor even being sc

w, and Mrs. Peniman got down from the w

a Peniman; and presently the whole family were gathered about the oi

rls shrank closer to their mother and peered at him with fearful eyes, but the boys watched his every movement with fascinated gaze, and Lige began men

tle attention to them. His eyes were fastened upon Nina, and whether it was her

uptly and said, "Me go now." Then turni

let Quaker family get harm." Then as he turned to where his pony was standing, its bridle tra

s also hastened to shake hands with him. But Nina sprang up from her place and ra

at him; "you were good and saved

U WERE GOOD

height upon the golden-haired little

y knew from the smile on hi

u name?"

ith a shy little smile, "Th

e Indian, and mounting h

troubled. It was not alone that their worst fears of the perils of the plains had been realized in the attack of the nig

y represent, or what enemies her family may have had. The thought is forcing itself upon me that we should not keep her with us, t

ery bit of information, every letter, address, paper, ever

the girl her

ime in St. Louis, but she does not remember the address in either place. Her mother's parents are dead, I believe, and I judge from things she has told me that there must have been some trouble wit

nnah, but h

of our own family in this trip across the plains, but have we the right to

h, Lige, Sam, Joe, and Nina excitedly discussed the events of the night before. She still grieved for her parents, but littl

appy with us," si

h we might keep her with us,"

rrible details of the Spring Lake massacre, and also of the depredations of the Sioux on the South Fork of the Platte. Sam and Lige, who were standing near, overheard a mover relating to their father the circumstances of a hideous murder of a party of emigrants which had occ

s that forbade them to turn back, and after a few hours of

een founded at Bellevue, the first permanent white settlement in Nebraska, on the west side of the Missouri River. To

y them. What white settlers there were in the country at that time were settled along the streams and rivers, leaving the space between unorganized and wild. As they travele

game that was everywhere in great abundance. They saw great herds of elk and antelo

for the boys and their father had but to go out with their guns for a

the settlements were so far apart that many times they traveled for days without ever seeing a house or human. When they did find a "settler" or squatter, his home was on

racious appetites of her young brood she realized that they should ha

ough western Iowa she suddenly leaned out

there I want to investigate. It looks to me as if the Lord

ed nimbly down. Seeing her leave the wagon,

her? What do you

reen object between his fingers. "Look, Mother,"

gerly, "that's what I thought! That's w

reen vine with small leaves and delicate t

s!" excla

me kind of a wild pea. I am almos

eniman, Lige and J

alo peas! I have often read o

r?" asked Sam, who was in a

out and gather all you can, children;

people ran about gathering the

and they're so big, look!" and he held up a round green ball about as larg

r soaking them in water Mrs. Peniman put them on to boil with a pinch of soda, then drained off that water, p

t way, and on the next evening Mrs. Peniman made them into a pea soup, which was pronounced delicious by

rness that the road over which their prairie schooners rumbled was a broad, hard highway, with scarc

iman told him. "It is an old, old trail, the first highway ma

ho resented any one having been

s with about a hundred men, intending to cross the mountains and build a fort for the American Fur Trading

m, who was always interested i

r great losses and hardships seven men reached the Columbia River, where they built a fort which they called Astoria, after John Jacob Astor of New York, the president of the fur company

" put in Joe, "I should think the

rs and emigrant trains that began the rush to California in 1849. This is also sometimes called the 'Mormon Trail,' because it was over this very road that we are traveling now that the Mormons passed

sting when you think of who's been over this old road before. How much easier and pleasanter it is to lear

ng, and shortly before sunset they saw in th

always on the alert,

udying a map spread out

"that is the M

whooped Lige, "hurray,

To them the experiences that lay beyond the

ng little trading-post of Florence, where the unhappy Mormons had passed such a tragic winter many years before, and as they left it and drove over a small hill their eyes fell upon a sight grander and more beautiful than Moses

r first great council with the Indians. It was called Council Bluffs in memory of that event, which was the begin

ey drove into the trading-post, whic

t and a few feathers in their hair. The squaws with their papooses strapped on their backs stood stolidly about, some in blankets, some in ugly calico "Mother Hubbard" wrappers. These Indians were mostly Omahas, with some Pawnees, Arapahoes an

seeking information, dogs were barking, children crying, men arguing and swearing, while the patient oxen hitched to the wagons breathed gusty sighs of rest, and the few wome

Peniman went in to make some purchases, followed by David and the little girls, Joe and Lige stood ou

talking with a group of Indians. Suddenly

s, and longish red hair was holding out a string of beads and jabbering in his

denly. "He's stringin' you! That string

and the man, turning several shades redder

ou little pup," he roared,

know, but the Indian turned and walked away, carrying the pel

fist. At this moment Mr. and Mrs. Peniman came out of the store, followed by Ruth, Sara, and Nina Carroll. Joshua P

ew wide and his mouth fell open, and the fiery colo

e fixed upon Nina, with the look of a man

d Joshua Peniman. "Joe, what h

with an Indian. Say, what do you think, the old cheat was tryin' to trade that youn

hem. With eyes fixed on the face of the little Princess he stood moti

look, seized Nina by the

led upon Jos

he demanded. "W

He too had seen the expression,

ere did she come fr

shua Peniman, whose conscience would not let him lie

ame is Ruth Peniman. She comes from the

ed at him wi

you are you'd better ma

amily are crossing the plains to Nebraska. The little girl you just saw co

and cast a snarlin

ess again, or his name'll be on a coff

"In with you, boys," he said in a low v

gons again and on the ro

e trading-station could not hear him. "What is this mystery that is following us? It is evident that Nina is in danger from some one-for some reason

n, scarcely above a whisper, "that horrible

sort of a shock when his eyes fell upon her. He w

y-what can it mean?" cried Mrs. Peniman, and g