Tomahawk Trail

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 165, 15 July 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

Tomahawk Trail

By Harry Williems

r | , III-. la-| of the laic corners justified space fur themselves ami <«qiiattoil I.iilnr fashion with the rest. The ...lcncl stepped forward and raided im hand fur silence. An expectant I I .i'h st'ltled on the gathering, the I c i ucklo and hiss of burning birch .i'"iii' breaking the. stillnese. I "Friends," he began quietly, "our, reeling to-night partakes runic i.f ■ iho nature of a thanksgiving rVar-t ' iii.iu of our usual general council. J : link we should begin with prayer.' Mr. (iage, will you lead us ''.'' " i All knoll, while the missionary, in I i-'.i-ar, manly sentences, gave thanks j i" the Almighty for their deliverance j from the peril which had beset them. "To night," resumed Neill, '-we are gathered together to do honour to one of our nil .11 her who has displayed bravery and skill ahove the average, and matched hie cunning against that oi the redskin to save us all. weeks ago I called a meeiing i.i deckle whether or no Hod (.'ale .-iioiild be allowed to join our com- , I'.my. 1 am happy to say that,' despite our rule that every man should have a full outfit, and a year"* I provisions, there was not one dis- i M-nting vote. That day, friends, we; cant our bread upon the waters; it I has been returned a thoimand-fold." A little ripple of applause rose from the listeners. Good old colonel. He «a<=. hitting the nail right on the head, in real slap-up style too. "I won't embarrass Hod by saying any morn a Unit what lie has done." continued Neill. "Instead, I'll toll what we arc going to do for him. In this great country of ours a young fellow ran make a start on nothing, but it's much letter if he hae a little something." He lifted a buckskin bag from I he ground and turned to Kod. "In this bag is a sum of 200 dollars, a small token of the affection and gratitude we all feel for you." His head in a whirl, Rod stepped forward and took the extended hag. "Speech!" called squeaky-voiced W'harton. "Speech!" was echoed from all sides. "I —T don't know how to thank \nii," he said haltingly. "This ha,-, all been such a wonderful surprise. F do wish to remind you, though, that when you are saying all sorts of kind things about, my trip to the fort, do not forget that but for Kuth and Red I couldn't have got away."

I "Tlfroe cheers fur the barricade >u*!er.-!" \elled Murphy, laughingly. \ I hey were -hen with a will. KutH's I ' act! was J >i11 k with plea.-uro, while II he *li\ .1 iiiiiiiy blushed redder than bis hair ami tried to elYa.v him-clf : bell uid his la I her. i "Now, the money i- all right for | the future." resumed the colonel, ! "but we think that you should have -omethiiiLT for immediate use. I "All right, Oil/' he called, "bring ■ him in." I A lane opened in the audience and Hod's heart almost .-topped beating. Out from the darkne.-s eamc Wyatt I leading the splendid grey he "had ridden from Fort. •ludson. "A present from Captain Talbot," Uaid Neill. j The grey snorted and danced with mock alarm as he noared the fire. Rod caught his breath -the saddle—he knew it and knew its story. Those deep butterfly panels, the hand-tooled j leather, the silver conchos; there ! could be no mistake. He had seen it J banging in Selimalz's wagon, and : others had told him that it once I belonged to the little gunsmith's son, A arl. who was drowned in the flooded johio while trying to save a child. ! His eyes misted as he thought of the little man giving away the only link j with his dead son. "Herr Schnialz," he said gently, "you mustn't do this. Won't you ■ please take it back?"

A Fine New Serial By An Old Favourite

I "Ach! Il.it i = :, ii".l.liii?. My Car;. In- wi.uhl link irl ri-jhd .l.ii you clioulci ! i: i f ill. lie ia- jo,,M Mi'ii !llio<|i|i'i' M~ you. -•) "jiud, c— c > iirmr. my ( ail. my' ' sir I." The Hull , m,iii's lip tjlll \ t>rc<] and In- lowered hi.- lira.!. I! o<l dipped his han<t haul. 1 le mrn p<l o\ or to Caleb, who -a\.- him the rein?. Tlil>it caught lii.s eyes. Hand and beautifully made. A glint of \ mota 1 on the .-addk- horn. Spuiv. j Hand made. al.-o. and as \vell| fashioned as the hit. Lipht dawned.! He l'cmcmhered how Cobh had thrown j tomethiiiLT into the r-hadowes as he! approached the smithy a feu* hours; before. He pu.-hed throii-h those crowding round t hnire the outfit. The blacksmith was e-ittinj; in t: io shadow.*. j "Mr. Cobb," Hod sai<l, "I never - knew that you could do such wonderful work. They're liner than anv-j t hiiijr I'vu c\ it seen." " J •• I'ut ! Thai \s nothing." replied ■ Cobb. "If I'd had more time I'd have made \ ou a real set." A booming note fr.im the wa-.'nii i tyre the buzz of talk. Neill lunnouiiced llid.l, it War, time to v.a.

I'rci-h In;*-, were heaped mi the fire, ji'ie Humes liijlitiiiji 11 J » ! : in' <-iiv|i- of lmppy ' fares as they idemoli-hed all Iliat 11st- cmod women , iihil lii'i'ii at sui-li pains to prepare. I Later, v lien the <j:\ ! lieiiii". hail dUipeived l.i the u.i'j.iii-. Kixl was ahiiut 1., slide i.t'twi-en I lie rulies when Gage -pnke in iiiin I'jiiin ihe <la rkner-f-. " 1 \ e In , , iii'jli i vim MimPl liinji, K'ml. ! wliieli will liik in vim ju~t as loii.lt a- yiiu want it. It'.-! my nwn copy of 'he l!i i:|i-. I\ era ri'ie'l i: e\fr since I started in the mi.--ioi! field. In the ..M-k \..iril l;n<l :i e,,m;.!..te alpha!.et lin the I ,-,.,. MJ| , 1;,,i-nau,-. You'll ' iind it iif-el'ul. i .i'.ml niLjiit. hid.' , j lie 'J. 'lie almost before lloil Ui.id time to ,-iammer his surprised I i: a 11 ks. I ( To be continued.)