WAN NET. HE SIC WARREN K.HOOREHEAD Wanneta, the Sioux By WARREN K. MOOREHEAD New York Dodd, Mead and Company Publishers Copyright, 1890, BY DODD, MEAD & COMPANY ^0 mg i^car fatljer, WILLIAM G. MOOREHEAD, D.D., WHOSE KIND ADVICE, ASSISTANCE, AND PARENTAL INSTRUCTION HAVE BEEN OF INESTIMABLE VALUE, THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE LOVINGLY DEDICATED. 9G9910 CONTENTS CHAPTER I. PAGE Wanneta I CHAPTER H. Scenes about the Village. — The Buffalo DaxNce, — Wanneta MEETS Strong Heart i8 CHAPTER HI. The Day at the Cliffs 27 CHAPTER IV. The Scalp Dance. — Wanneta goes to see Strong Heart . . 46 CHAPTER V. Trouble with the Medicine-Man 61 CHAPTER VI. The Tribe arranges its Annual Bison Hunt 73 CHAPTER VII. Wadaha and Spotted Eagle turn Traitors 91 CHAPTER VIII. Strong Heart and Wanneta at the Agency I06 iv CONTEA'TS. CHAPTER IX. The Scene at the Agency 120 CHAPTER X. Wadaha and Spotted Eagle in a Tight Place , . , .134 CHAPTER XI. The Debate over the Medicixe-Max 148 CHAPTER XII. The Fate of the Medicine-Man 163 CHAPTER XIII. The Marriage of Wanneta 176 CHAPTER XIV. Custer's March through the Black Hills . , . • . . 196 CHAPTER XV. The Illness of Minnehaha 209 CHAPTER XVI. The Death of Minnehaha 222 CHAPTER XVII. General Custer hears of the Tragedy . . « • • 229 CHAPTER XVIII. The Plan of Wanneta and Strong Heart 23S CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIX. PAGE Wanneta Visits Rain-in-the-i-ace 251 CHAPTER XX. The Rescue of Rain-ix-the-face 259 CHAPTER XXI. The Council with General Custer 268 CHAPTER XXII. Conclusion 281 WANNETA TIIE'SJ:OUX... . . CHAPTER I. There was an unusual stir and commotion in the Indian village. The squaws on this particular morning when our story opens, were up at break of day, the smoulder- ing embers of the camp-fires were raked together, and the blaze rekindled. The remnants of food in the tipis were prepared and hastily eaten, and, as soon as the ponies could be caught and brought in from the plain, nearly every man, woman, and child mounted and rode off to the agency buildings five miles distant to receive rations. One little Indian girl and her mother did not go with the others. The squaw was the wife of Two Bears, and her name was Omaha. Two Bears was one of the head warriors and council men of his people, and stood nearly on an equality with the second chief, Gopher. Omaha, his squaw, was named after the tribe of Indians from whom she had been captured, the Omahas. In Indian history it often happens that a woman is seized during a fight or raid upon a village. She is adopted by her captors, and if beautiful, marries one of the braves. The women in the tribe regard her just as highly as they do WANNETA. any of the squaws whom they have known since child- hood. Tv/o Bears and Ornaha had a young daughter about tqn year^ of 'age-, a: ^On some twenty-one years old, and a bright, beautiful girl of eighteen years, who was the pet of the entire village, and bore the name of Wan' ne-ta, or Bright Star. On this day Wanneta was expected home, and Two Bears had gone to the agency for the supplies for the family, leaving his squaw and child to await her return. Three years before, her parents had consented to let Wanneta go East with a missionary to be educated in one of the schools for Indian girls. She had been away for three years, and although at first she would rather have returned to her father's tipi, yet she deter- mined to remain through the entire course. While her mother and little sister are awaiting her return, let us follow her father to the agency and see what is going on there. Two Bears had gone with the rest of the tribe to obtain supplies for his family. Food is issued at all the Sioux agencies on every alternate Wednesday morning, and the occasion is looked forward to with great interest by all the Indians. The day is commonly known as ration-day and is always followed by feasting, dancing, and other demonstrations of joy. There is then issued to every very large family, or to two small families, a keg of meal and a live steer. This would be amply sufficient to keep them in food until the next issue of rations were they at all economical, but they always gorge themselves to the utmost capacity during the next WANN E TA few days and nights ; hence, when two weeks have passed, they are often in sore need of food. The Indians set out, as we have said, on their ponies for the agency buildings, five miles distant from their village. They did not in this short ride observe any order of movement, such as they would carry into effect if going to battle. Each man took care of himself, and in the race for their meal and beef the chief was no better than the common warrior. The agency buildings in the year 1875 consisted of a small, two-story frame house where the agent lived, three small houses where the assistants lived, a long, low building wherein was the store and the distributing office, a large warehouse where were kept the bulk of the stores, and a little log fort which could be used in case of attack by the Sioux. There Avas a large enclosure of some four or five acres close at hand, known as the corral. In this enclosure was driven, the morning of ration-day, enough cattle to supply the entire tribe. The government, which fur- nished all this, had contracts with large firms south of the Black Hills for the supply of these cattle. They were brought by train within about a hundred miles of the agency and then driven overland. All the supplies had to be brought overland this hundred miles also. When the horde of Indian horsemen came in sight of the agency buildings they scattered out over an extent of several acres, and approached in their usual manner with loud '' ki-yis " and much flaunting of blankets, feathers, and streamers. It was a very clear day, and the sight presented by these Sioux — who, by the way, W A N NE TA. are the most superb horsemen in the entire West — as they rode across the prairie decked out in all their trap- pings and finery of the most fantastic hues, was one never to be forgotten. Upon reaching their destination the men dismounted, and, leaving the squaws and children who had been lumbering along in the rear, for the warriors were on the best horses and had given the squaws and children the old and broken-down ones, entered the agency building and stood before the distributing clerk. Here they reported their names, and each head of family, or, in the case of small families, each man who represented some ten or twelve persons, received two tickets on the warehouse keeper. With their tickets they passed in a long row in front of the warehouse platform. Here, upon presentation of one of them, the warehouse man and his assistant rolled a keg of meal out on the platform, and the Indian who had just surrendered his ticket, seized it and bore it in triumph to his squaw, who took possession. This was repeated until as many kegs had been distributed as there had been tickets presented. The second ticket was presented to the employees in charge of the corral. These are counted, and as many steers turned out as there are tickets. The men know how many Indians draw rations, so that the number of animals is just sufficient to satisfy the demand. At a given signal the gates are opened and the cattle let loose. The men have meanwhile mounted their ponies, and as soon as the first steer makes its appearance, they set up a great yell, and the terrified animals pour out of the pen, IV A NN E TA . filling the air with loud bellowing-s. The Indians sur- round the herd and drive it toward their village, the squaws, meanwhile, coming slowly behind with their children and the keg of meal on the backs of the patient, worn-out ponies. When near the village, each man singles out the steer that he prefers and drives it some little distance away from the herd. When a favourable spot is reached for the slaughter of the animal, he sends an arrow or a bullet into some vital spot and thus the chase is ended. He hastily dismounts, cuts the jugular vein in order to let the animal bleed, and then returns to the village, while the squaw skins and cuts up the meat. In some cases the braves help do this work, but more frequently the squaws are compelled to do it alone. Two Bears was somewhat above the average Sioux, and, when he had shot his steer, he dismounted and, taking his sharp hunting-knife, skinned the beast and then disembowelled it, loaded one half of the meat on his little pony, and led the animal to his tipi. There he unloaded, and returning to the plain brought the other portion. The weight was so great that the animal staggered under the load, and when relieved evidently seemed greatly pleased, for he gave a loud whinny, shook his dark brown mane, flourished his heels, and started on a trot to join those of his companions who were grazing on the undulating plain near by. Omaha helped him cut the meat into long strips and hang it upon the little frame-work outside the wigwam. There the sun would dry and harden it so that it could be used later in the WANNE TA week. This habit of drying beef the Indians have prac- ticed since time immemorial, and their buffalo meat is all prepared in this manner. Until recent years the Indians were not furnished with stores in the summer because they could hunt elk, buffalo, deer, etc., and thus gain sufficient for their wants. But smce the year 1879 the buffalo have become very scarce, and in the last three years have been entirely exterminated, so that now rations are issued the year round. But at the time of which \ve are writing, the beef just furnished was the last which the Indians would get until the next winter. Hence the precaution of Two Bears and his wife in drying and preserving this for future use in case their annual buffalo hunt should not terminate as successfully as they hoped. Although expecting their daughter, they did not pause in the preparation of the food. The village was situated upon a little eminence flanked by a small clear brook which had its rise in the Black Hills ten miles distant, and was not as muddy as most of the streams in Western Dakota. From the eminence there was a view of the country for several miles in each direction. Wanneta was expected to come from the nearest railway station on horse-back, escorted by her brother, John Runner. Both Two Bears and his wife kept a very sharp lookout for them, and were rewarded about half-past four o'clock by seeing a small cloud of dust rising far to the south- ward. Dropping their work by the time the horses were near enough for the riders to be discerned, the father and mother had run down across the creek bank and out WA NN E TA several hundred yards on the plain to meet them. The other Indians in the village also ran to the creek bank, and some of them across, and set up a great shout as the couple drew near. (The Indians among themselves are a very affectionate and jolly people. It is only in the presence of whites that they are reserved and stolid. It is a popular error that they never express emotion. A brave may laugh at tortures inflicted upon him by his enemies and he may deride those who are burning him at the stake, but in his wigwam with his family, he is a jolly, whole-souled person from whose lips flow humour, wit, and anecdotes. He has a bright word for every child in the tribe, and his face, instead of bearing a look of impenetrable stolidity, is often wreathed in smiles.) Nearer and nearer approached the horses until they came within speaking distance. Then the father, throw- ing up his arms with beaming countenance and making gesture as if to thank the Great Spirit for bringing his child safe home again, called out in loud tones, — *' Wanneta, Wanneta." His daughter called out in return, '' Oh, my father, my mother," and springing from the pony's back rushed forward and embraced first her mother and then her father, then catching up her Httle sister pressed the child to her breast and kissed her brown face. The first greeting over, there came such brief questions as we are wont to ask one dearly beloved whose countenance we have not beheld for years. After these we think of more serious matters : so with these Indian people. The first greetings were short, but they were just as sincere from these children of the wilderness WANNE TA, as any from the more civilized dwellers in the great cities. Wanneta was standing in a crowd of people on the bank of the stream, friends who had come to welcome her. There were young Indian girls with whom she had played and romped, and there were young Indian youths with whom she had enjoyed many a wild pony race across the plain. There was her aunt, her uncle, her cousin, there was her white-haired old grandfather, the medicine- man of the tribe. He stood waiting for her to run to greet him, and as she approached lifted his hands toward the blue sky above and asked for the blessing of the Great Spirit, Waukantauka, upon his grandchild. What a change there was in Wanneta ! She went away from the Indian village sun-burned, with the com- plexion of a dark prairie rose, with raven tresses, that had never been clipped or trimmed, and which, when she was mounted upon her pony, racing across the prairie, streamed backward in the breeze, or falling about her neck and shoulders formed a beautiful frame-work in which was shown to the best advantage her pretty face. She went away with a freshness and vivacity which is gained from nature alone, like some wild flower that had reared its shapely form upon the green sward of the prairie ; she came back as that same flower which, when taken up and transplanted to some conservatory, loses part of that beauty which it had in its natural surround- ings. The flower may have become whiter and more delicate, but it has lost its wild and characteristic fresh- ness. So with Wanneta. She came back educated, and WA N N E T A robed in garments such as those who have not tasted the pleasures of the out-door life are wont to wear. Two Bears led the way to the wigwam, which was a large structure about twenty-seven feet in height and fif- teen feet in diameter. It was very neatly kept, and was more tastefully arranged in the interior than most of the tipis and wigwams in the village. He threw back the buffalo skin which hung across the entrance and bade his daughter enter. The mother and son followed, as did the medicine-man and a few friends of the family. All seated themselves in the tipi in a circle, and a conversa- tion began which lasted well into the night. Omaha would occasionally leave her daughter's side to see that the meat in the kettle did not burn or to exchange com- pliments with some of her acquaintances and friends. ''' Mother," said Wanneta, '' I am so glad to be with you again. Although I have been away three years, I have not forgotten my friends, nor have I given up all my Indian ways. The school contains many girls from the agencies near here, and from the southwest, and while we studied in the white man's tongue, yet we always talked among ourselves in our native language. I have come back to do what good I can for you and try to per- suade some of our young people in the tribe to go away to the white man's school, but I do not intend to leave and take the white man's road. They treated us very well there, and they did not make us work as hard as you think. I learned a great many new things, and I can be very useful to you, dear mother, in taking care of the household." WANNETA. '' My child," said her father, '' we have too much con- fidence in our children to think they would do wrong. You are a Sioux girl, you are a daughter of a brave father who will do anything for you ; we are glad that you have been to school, we are glad that you have learned much, and we want you to teach us something of what you have learned, and to aid your mother in her work." "My grandchild," said the medicine-man, Wa-da-ha, " you have spoken wise words to us, and I have listened to them patiently. We do not want you to become one of us unless your heart prompts you to do so. No Sioux maiden shall be compelled to do what she does not like. Decide thyself, oh my child, Wanneta. Remember the Indian family to which you belong, a family that has become stronger in late years instead of weaker, a family which is a fair type of the Sioux nation. You are one of a people whose bravery and deeds of valour have been sung in countless songs by all the red men from the far North to the South, and even those pale faces who live in tall houses in the land toward the rising sun tremble when they read of the Sioux who do feel no fear and whose courage is so undaunted that many have been known to die by torture rather than utter a sound of complaint. " You are free to come and go, you can wear your white woman's clothes or you can put on your frock of beaded deer skin, and with your old friend and com- panion of your childhood, your faithful pony, Brown Eyes, you can dash across the rolling prairie, smelling the sweet perfume of the wild flowers, with a stretch of blue WANNETA. II azure above and a green carpet below, as you used to do before you entered the white man's school." Indians are very sentimental and emotional among themselves, and so Wanneta, when she heard these words from her friends intimating their hopes and desires, was much affected. She had looked forward for many days to her home-coming. She had enjoyed many privileges at the school and had learned a great deal, but her proud and free Indian spirit longed to get into the open air again. In nearly every case where Indians have sent their children away to school they have taken up their old mode of living on their return to the reservations with but few modifications. The writer has seen Indians enter the agency store to buy some sugar and coffee, perhaps from the store-keeper. Two whom I have in mind could talk English as well as their interpreter, yet they confined all their remarks to the Sioux tongue, and although conversation engaged in by those near by per- tained to them personally, and they undoubtedly under- stood every word, yet they did not betray the least sign of intelligence, nor could you have told that they knew anything about the English language. So as Wanneta left the school and began her long journey homeward, every mile of the distance gone over on the cars rendered her more and mor^ impatient to be with her people, and, indeed, such was the condition of her mind that when vithin sight of the station where she was to meet her brother she could scarcely restrain herself from giving a ew screams of delight. As the talk proceeded in the wigwam, a great struggle 12 WANNETA. was going on in her mind. Should she live as her parents did, or should she take the white man's road ? It was a question too important to be decided on the impulse of the moment, and she thought it would be best to spend some time considering the matter. '' Father," said Wanneta, '* you remember the stories that you used to tell me three years ago. Many happy evenings did we spend in this wigwam listening to them. Suppose that you, if you cannot think of one, call in Chief Gopher and ask him if he will not tell us a story of his early life to pass away the hours." Two Bears went out in search of Gopher, and soon returned with him. Gopher was about fifty years of age, rather heavily set, and was the second chief of the village, Rain-in-the-face being the head chief. He was a renowned story-teller, and it was his delight to recount the adventures he had passed through, and the early history of the Sioux nation as he had heard it from the lips of his ancestors. When Two Bears returned with Gopher, a crowd of people anxious to hear the coming narrative entered the lodge or stood in the opening until the space was so filled that there was room for no more. Two Bears drew forth a large pipe made of red pipe- stone, or catlinite, and presented it filled with tobacco to Gopher, who stepped outside, and lighting it with a coal of fire, seated himself in the centre of the circle of his friends and began the narrative. '\ Once, a young woman had been lost from a party who were crossing the plains on the way to the Black Hills to hunt buffalo. There was nothing heard of her W A N N E TA. 13 for nearly a year, and then another party who were going over the same trail for the same purpose discovered her whereabouts. A young man, who had been riding some little distance from the main body, came into camp in hot haste, saying that he had found the woman who had been lost, but that he could not get near her or induce her to come to camp. Some of her relatives happened to be with the party, and they went in great haste to the place where the young man said the woman could be found. But they could not get near her for a long time, for she said they had a strong smell about them and that she did not want to go with them because of this odour, which was very offensive to her. She had lived, she said, with a pack of buffalo wolves, and the wolves had killed buffalo calves for her, and thus furnished her with food. She had a knife with which she cut up the calves which the wolves killed. The meat she had carried to a cleft in some rocks where she lived. She had great quantities of dried meat in this place, which she pounded with stones quite fine and ate raw. She had no way of build- ing, a fire, and therefore could not cook the meat. She was finally induced to go to camp, and after a short time said that she did not notice the smell any more, and at last consented to stay with the people. She lived to be an old woman, and her name is ' I-guga-o-ti-win, The- woman-who-lives-in-the-cleft.' " I have been a great hunter in my time, and I have killed many buffaloes, and can remember when the whole country was black with the herds that roamed over the plains. Soon after my marriage, while travelling from 14 WANNETA one place to another in search of buffalo, when the meat of my family was about all gone, and when we were on the point of starvation, we suddenly came upon a small herd. I shot a bull many times with arrows ; but being very weak from lack of food, I was not strong enough to send the shafts into some vital part, and only succeeded in badly wounding the beast. The bull became so mad, and charged so viciously that I could not get near enough to give him the fatal shot, so I left him and started after the rest of the herd. After I had travelled some little dis- tance, I heard a loud bellow, and, looking back, saw him coming after us. He was charging about, throwing the dirt and sod high in the air, and bellowing in rage. My wife and children in terror left the ponies, and climbed into some trees which were luckily near at hand. I sta- tioned myself upon a steep bank, where I could with safety watch his approach. By the arrows that were sticking in the creature and from the blood that was spurting from his nose, I saw that it was the same one I had tried to kill a few moments before. He was almost out of arrow's reach, but I resolved to try one final shot, and calling to my wife and children to witness, I bent my bow with all the strength that remained, and sent an arrow high in the air, curving in his direction. It was a chance shot, and with great interest we watched the arrow in its flight. It went out of sight, and just as we were about giving up hope, we saw the buffalo crouch nearly to the ground and shake himself, and start off on ? quick trot. After going a few hundred yards he stopped, stood a moment, staggered backward, and fell. We rode WANNE TA. over to where he had fallen, and found him quite dead, with an arrow sticking in his back, as if shot from the clouds. On cutting the animal open, we found his belly and entrails filled with foam and froth. '' I know my hearers would like to learn of the doings of one of the bravest young men that ever drew breath ifi our entire Sioux Nation. What he did happened many years ago, and although he gave up his life in his great effort, yet he accomplished more than many who say ' I am brave.' Our tribe was at war with the Crows, and the wise men and our chief had called a council to know what we should do, for the Crows were marching against us, so our runners reported, with a large force of armed warriors. The council-drum sounded loud throughout the village, and all the braves and old men gathered at our large tipi, wherein we held our meetings, to ascertain what was best to be done. I was then a young man, full of fire and as brave as any in the tribe. As we sat and smoked our pipes and debated, two run- ners entered, out of breath, for they had come in hot haste for many miles, and shouted out : ' The Crows are coming with seven hundred picked braves ; they are only a few hours' distant.' They were coming to avenge the death of one of their young men, who had been killed by one of our young men, Swift Foot by name, in a quarrel. The runners said that the life of Swift Foot was de- manded, or the whole village would be destroyed and the women and children carried away into captivity. We had not time to send to the other tribes for assistance, and as there were but eighty-five warriors in our village, we i6 W A NNET A. were in the greatest distress to know what to do. We should all be killed without doubt. The Crows would soon be upon us, and we must do something, or die like cowards. Just as our chief was about to order the men to arms, the young man Swift Foot entered, and with downcast head chaunted a few lines : ' I have brought this trouble upon you ; I am not afraid to die; I am a brave man ; I will go out and give myself up. They may burn me at the stake, but I will not shrink. I will die as a man. Farewell, my friends. Swift Foot goes to sing his death song.' Before the council could act, approve or disap- prove, Swift Foot, springing out of the entrance, sounded his war-whoop, and dashed off in the direction of the enemy. The Crows did not attack the village, and, as we learned afterward, they seized the young man, carried him back with them, and, in accordance with the wishes expressed in his taunts, burned him at the stake. But he died as should a brave and noble Sioux ; there was not one word passed his lips other than of scorn for his captors. I do not know all that he said, but his death song as sung at the stake was told me by a woman of our tribe who was captive there at the time, and who heard him. It was full of defiance, and was a credit to our people. As nearly as I can remember, it ran as follows : — " ' I fall, but my body shall lie, A name for the gallant to tell. The gods shall repeat it on high, And young men grow brav^e at the sound.'* * This death song, taken from Schoolcraft's " North American Indians," is as he heard it upon the Upper Missouri. It is characteristic of the Sioux and Chippewas. WANNE TA . 17 " Four days afterward one thousand Sioux attacked the Crows, who were eleven hundred strong, and defeated them, taking eighty-one scalps. Thus was the death of our brave Swift Foot avenged. I took four of those scalps myself." With this Gopher arose, and, handing the pipe back to Two Bears, stalked out of the wigwam. Gopher was never known to tell more than one story at one sitting, and this was a signal that the evening's entertainment was over. The other Indians went to their respective tipis, and thus the family of Two Bears was left alone. It was now growing late, and after eating a hearty meal out of the kettle — Indians eat whenever hungry— each one rolled himself in a large buffalo robe and dropped asleep. The owls hooted from the neighbouring cottonwoods, the wolves howled on the prairie, and the Indians, accus- tomed to this lullaby of nature, slept on without fear of molestation. CHAPTER II. SCENES ABOUT THE VILLAGE. The Buffalo Dance. — Wanneta meets Strong Heart. The next morning, when the Indians were up and about their usual duties, two runners came into the camp from the upper Sioux reservation, eighty miles away, and an- nounced that this lower reservation was invited to join them in a great buffalo hunt. This was to eclipse any- thins: the Indians had ever done of its kind, and therefore preparations ought to begin at once. The hunt was to start at the new moon, or about ten days from the time the news was brought. A council was summoned, and the runners were in- structed to return to their people and say that the invita- tion was accepted, and that on the first day of the new moon the entire village w^ould move to the upper reserva- tion, and from there the start should be made. When- ever there is to be a big buffalo hunt, the Indians usually precede it by two or three nights of dancing, in order, as they suppose, to prepare themselves for it. It w^as known, therefore, among those present that a dance would be held that night, in which both men and women would participate. In the centre of the village there was a large square floor of hard-baked earth, several hundred feet in extent, and very smooth and level. This was used for i8 WANNETA. 19 friendly contests in running, as a ball ground, and for gambling and general assembly purposes. The Indians are great gamblers. Their ball game is something like our baseball, but differs from it essentially in having some of the points of foot-ball. Lacrosse is taken from the Indian game of ball, and is but a modification of it. Many of the Indians hurried to the ground, smoothed rough places here and there, and did otherwise what they could to prepare for the dance. Fifty men brought large saplings and several hundred buffalo hides, and constructed a tem- porary lodge, twenty-five feet high and thirty by sixty feet on the ground. This was considered amply large enough for the dance. It was now beginning to grow dusk. Every Indian who expected to take part entered his tipi and put in good order his very best suit. He then took down from one of the posts a mask made from the hide of the buffalo. This had the horns attached, while a strip of buffalo skin fell down the back, ending in a tail and two hoofs, one on each side. This mask he strapped on his head ; the skin was fastened around his body by a heavy leather thong, and the hoofs hung down and struck upon the ground. When dancing they clashed together and made a clattering sound, such as bison make when galloping over hard earth. While the people are getting ready for the dance, let us take a look around the Indian village. It stands upon a high bluff above a clear creek. It contains about six hundred warriors and about two thousand women, chil- dren, and old men. The lodges or tipis are almost entirely W A N N ETA made of buffalo hide, although a few of them are of sap- lings supporting a dome-shaped shell of clay. This shell is about a foot in thickness, and in cold weather makes the wigwam warmer than do the skins, but in warm weather a clay house seems damp, dark, and gloomy. The wigwams are not arranged with much regularity, although there is some order in the placing of three rows nearest the stream, which are about fifty or sixty feet apart. Two Bears' wigwam is about a hundred yards from that of the Chief Rain-in-the-face, while Chief Gopher, the story-teller, has his tipi not far from that of Two Bears. Gopher is the richest Indian in the tribe, owning a hun- dred and ten ponies. His children have all married, and are settled in the upper end of the village. He lives alone with his aged wife. Rain-in-the-face, the leading chief at this time, is about thirty-two years old, tall, command- ing, and of pleasing address, although at times very stern and relentless, and possesses a temper which, when fully aroused, sweeps and rages and turns him into a demon, as the fearful cyclone sweeping across the prairie turns a scene of beauty into a wilderness of desolation. Rain-in- the-face has a squaw, Wa-wa, and a son, Strong Heart. He has no other children. So much for the surroundings of the village and its leading characters. There are many squaw men, whites who have married Indian women, and who live off the tribe, and a number of worthless persons. We find these in our civilized communities, as well as in the barbarians' home ; it is a thing to be deplored, but one for which there is no remedy. W A N N E TA . Evening has settled down, and the sun-light has faded. Dark forms can be seen here and there hurrying toward the dance-liouse, some in groups of three and four, talk- ing and laughing, others singly and silently wending their way to the scene of the festivities. There are a number of fires upon the open space. Their ruddy glow lights up the scene and gives a weird effect to the moving figures. The dance has not yet be- gun, nor have all the persons who shall take part arrived. The ground outside the house is being used by the small boys and girls of the tribe as a play-ground. You can see them running here and there with merry shouts and laughter, chasing a dog or tripping up a companion, just as our boys and girls do in our country towns on the evening of some political meetmg or great gathering. Now and then a row of boys will form a circle about some fire and for a few moments carry out in pantomime the dance their fathers are to begin later. You see their merry faces, hear their glad shouts and vigorous stamp- ing, as they circle about the blaze. Presently the drummer takes his position near the door of the dance chamber. He strikes upon the tom-tom, and the boys and girls instantly cease their boisterous merri- ment, and in subdued tones and with stealthy tread ap- proach the building. Some of the boldest enter, while the others lurk about the entrance or apply their eyes to crevices in the walls, and give themselves up to longings to be a grown man and dance. As the drummer pounds upon the tom-tom, the dancers file into the structure until some sixty or seventy are 22 WANNETA. present. All do not dance at once, but from time to time those who are tired retire, and their places are taken by others. The head-dress of buffalo horns is very heavy, and a warrior cannot dance over two hours without great fatig-ue. Meanwhile the women join in the chaunt. Some few of them are selected to dance at intervals with the men. It is considered quite an honour for a woman to dance, and consequently the dusky belles of the plains prink and paint exactly as one of our society belles would to attend an Inauguration Ball or distinguished reception in Washington or New York. The dancers have all entered and taken their positions. The musicians are seated by the drummer, and the or- chestra, consisting of one drum and three flutes, is ready to strike up. At a given signal they begin. The men sing a dismal tune of some ten or twelve notes, repeated over and over. The women sing the same tune with a few variations. The whole makes a harmonious sound, although very monotonous to any ears but those of an Indian. The music given herewith is that used in the buffalo dance. BUFFALO DANCE SONG. Lfcjz_:4 — ^ — J — . ^ — Jiz^ — ^ ^ - — J-^ — ^ — ^ ^tfc ^ Repeat. Chief Rain-in-the-face joined in the dance, as did his son, Strong Heart. Gopher was too old to participate, but the entire family of Two Bears, except the youngest child, decked out in great extravagance of hair, feathers, and paint, took part in the ceremonies. WANNETA. 23 After half an hour had passed the women with- drew from the circle, and the men continued about the centre pole of the house, each in turn invokino- the aid of the Good Spirit Waukantauka on the coming hunt. Suddenly a new and pleasing- feature presented itself At a given signal ten of the most beautiful young women in the entire tribe, led by Wanneta, sprang into the centre of the house, and forming a line not far from the men, began a low chaunt. They were decked out most gor- geously, and looked really charming. There was no hor- rible buffalo mask about their shapely shoulders; they had come for a ceremonial such as is always given when a buffalo dance is in progress, known as the love dance. In this, young braves and maidens are at their best, and often become betrothed. It is an event looked forward to by all the young people. When the maidens entered, the married men who had been dancing withdrew, and the young men threw off" the masks and appeared in feathers and paint, dressed with great care and taste. The column of young women advanced with a graceful motion, similar to a shuffle. The young men advanced on one foot hop- ping ; then, when the lines were about ten feet apart, all turned suddenly and danced backward to opposite sides of the house. The lines delayed a moment, then the squaws came to the assistance of the orchestra, and a new tune, much more lively, was struck up, and the young men began the love chaunt. A rude translation of some of the lines may be of interest: Young Man : '' My dear, will you take my hand and 24 WANNETA dance across the floor? I am strong and brave; none can treat you so well." Young Woman : *' Who are you thus to speak ? I will not take your hand." Youfig Man : *' A trial will assure you that I am not so bad. I think you will prefer me to other braves here." Young Woman : " Since you are so bold, I will dance across this room once, if you are sure you prefer me to another." So the conversation ran, very dull to us, but full of meaning to the Indian. Wanneta had danced forward and back again several times. She saw no one she fancied ; in fact, it was the first dance she had attended for three years, and she was somewhat bewildered. She remembered that Rain-in- the-face's son Strong Heart was a friend of hers before she went East, but supposed that he had forgotten all about her. She had not seen him since she returned, and could scarcely imagine how he looked. When the second call came, and the time for each girl to be led across the floor to the other side, she noticed a large, broad-shouldered, finely-dressed young brave approaching her, his face full of expression and his eyes intently set upon her face. There was something familiar about the features ; could it be Strong Heart ? He was near ; he asked to dance with her ; she con- sented, and before she could realize where she was, they were across the room and responding to each other in chaunt. " Do you not know me, Wanneta? " WANNE TA. 25 '' Yes ; you are Strong Heart, the companion of my childhood." '' Have you forgotten your old friends?" " No ; how could I ? I am the daughter of a Sioux, and as such I would feel ashamed to forget any one whom I had known and with whom I had played." And so they talked and chaunted back and forth. The half hour allowed for this dance seemed but a few mo- ments, and both were very sorry when it was over. The people looking on were struck with the beauty of Strong Heart and Wanneta, and many said : " How well they look ; how they keep time ; what a fine son our chief has ! " or, '' Two Bears ought to be proud of his daughter." As the dance was concluding, Strong Heart said : ** Wanneta, let us take a ride on our ponies in the morn- ing. I want to talk with you. Would you not like to see the rocky glen where I gathered ferns for you when last we romped across the plain ? There are some beauti- ful ones there now. Will you go? " And as she left him and rejoined her companions outside, she whispered "yes." The bright faces vanished and in their place came a crowd of masked warriors shaking bows, spears, and guns, and calling on the Great Spirit for plenty of buf- faloes. Around and around the post they circled, now bending low to the earth, now straightening up and deliv- ering a piercing yell. The fire light, the shadows of the dancers, the doleful singing of the squaws and the drone of the orchestra make a combination of sight and sound which when once heard can never be forgotten. 26 WANNETA. Thus the dance went on all night long. As soon as one Indian became tired, another took his place, and as there were plenty of men in the village the ceremonies could have been continued for several days without dif- ficulty. As soon as the sun was fairly above the eastern hills those who had taken part repaired to their tipis, where they were glad to pass nearly all of the day in sleeping and smoking. Wanneta had stayed up no later than midnight in anti- cipation of what was coming, so when Strong Heart rode toward the tipi on his fleet pony, she was ready to accompany him. Her father had brought in her pony. Brown Eyes, and when her escort was drawing near, she leaped nimbly upon the animal's bare back and with a series of short yells galloped out to meet the chiefs son. Nearly all Indians ride bareback. Strong Heart advanced to meet her with a smile upon his face, and as soon as he was beside her, with a common impulse both lashed their ponies into a mad run and raced away across the rolling prairie toward the north. CHAPTER III. THE DAY AT THE CLIFFS. There are portions of Dakota, in fact there are large stretches of country, where the soil is so very poor that little grows. Such sections are known as the Bad Lands. There are some spots in these Bad Lands which are, as it were, slight oases in the desert, places where a few shrubs and ferns flourish. There are many valuable minerals throughout the region, and as the great gulches and cliffs have been formed by volcanic action, the geology of the section is exceedingly interesting. There are, too, many fossil remains in the organic rocks throughout this section, and surveyors in the interest of science have been known to travel from the far East in order to visit and study the freaks of nature as here exhibited in awful grandeur. These Bad Lands begin quite suddenly, the southern portion being the most picturesque. Small streams break through here and there, and for some twenty-eight or thirty miles the gulches are filled with wild flowers and ferns, although no trees grow, and the effect is very beautiful. Imagine some vine trailing its green length up the side of a tall pillar-shaped rock, or a spray of ferns or pink flowers sprouting out from the crevices in a ledge many feet from the ground. These beautiful things stand out against the background of the dark, frowning 27 28 IVAN NET A. volcanic rocks, and seem all the more lovely because of their dismal surroundings. It was to one of these places that Strong Heart and Wanneta were bound. Of course their thoughts w^ere upon matters far removed from geology and kindred sub- jects. The horses had proceeded but a short distance before they settled down into a steady gait, and so the ground was passed over as if on the wings of the wind. When about five miles from the village, far ahead toward the north could be seen looming up and clearly outlined against the azure sky, the first rocks and ledges of the Bad Lands. In the clear dry air of the north-west, distances are very deceptive, and a mountain or hill may look not more than three miles away, when in reality it is ten or fifteen. Wanneta and Strong Heart were not deceived by this, for they were accustomed to the dry atmosphere. They rode on, chatting pleasantly together, and not expecting to reach the glen for at least an hour. '' How much more enjoyable," said Wanneta, " is this life than that which I led at the school in the East ! Here I have no dismal walls to surround me, no one to dictate what I shall do, none of the rules which bind my free spirit and make me feel as did that poor red bird which I once saw in a cage, vainly beating its wrings against the bars in a mad but hopeless effort to escape. Never again w^ill I leave my people ; I am a Sioux girl, not a pale face ; I will live as such." Strong Heart was not given to sentiment as much as his fair companion, but he gave a tremendous grunt of W ANN ETA. 29 approval, which, although it might lack in elegance, still made up for the deficiency by coming from his heart and being exceedingly emphatic. Indian-like, he passed over her remarks without any comment, and, changing the subject hastily, he said : '' What did you think of the dance last night?" "Oh, I liked it very well," she -replied; "I had not been at a dance for three years, as, of course, they have nothing at the white man's school except one totally dif- ierent from ours. I saw one or two of these, and did not think much of them. I had a very good time, but as you were the only young man that I remembered or cared to dance with, it would have been rather tedious had you not been there." '' Many of our people thought we looked very well upon the floor," said Strong Heart ; '' they said that you did just as well as if you had been at our dances once a week for years, instead of having been away all the time." They rode on in silence for a while, and then conversa- tion began again. Strong Heart asking Wanneta what the white man's idea of the Indian was. He had seen many white men on the reservation and on his travels, but he had never been to a large city, and he did not know how many there were of them and what was their mode of life. ''You would be surprised," said Wanneta, ''to know the ignorance of most whites about our customs and habits. Many whom I saw in their country would pass me upon the street and turn around and look at me as if I were some wild animal. You know, Strong Heart, that were a white man to go through our village we would 30 WANNETA. talk among ourselves and wonder who he was and w^hat he \vanted, but unless he asked questions or showed in- terest, no one w'ould crowd about him and be so rude as to stare at him, ask him impertinent questions and laugh aloud at his replies ; yet they call him a civilized being, and they look upon us as savages. Another thing I could not understand was how their men could cheat and de- fraud each other, saying with open face ' this dress or horse which I have for sale is the finest to be bought in the city, and I am selling it at less than I paid for it, when they know that which they offer has not cost them half what they sell it for, that it is a very poor dress or horse, as the case may be, and w^orth very little. Were one of our tribe to defraud his neighbour in such a bold-faced manner, he would be driven out of the village." '' Ugh, ugh," grunted the young man. '' But they have some very beautiful writings and say- ings about our nation and about other Indian nations in the West, some of which I read or our teacher read to us, and w^hich we committed to memory. There was a great man named Longfellow, who wrote some beautiful poetry about the Indians, which, while in some particulars un- true, is still so beautiful that I wish you could hear it." '' Say some of it for me, Wanneta," said Strong Heart, "• I should like to hear what the great story- teller of the white men has to say about us. It would interest me." Wanneta continued,—'' He w^rote a big book full of these stories, w^hich of course when I translate to our people, as I brought one of the books with me, I cannot WAN NET A. 31 make rhyme as he did, for he wrote it in his own lan- guage. But I can make it very interesting. To-night, if the people will come to the lodge, I will read them what the great story-teller has to say." The young man gave another grunt, and she con- tinued : — '' He writes a beautiful story about our red pipestone, and as I remember some of it, I will say it for you." Then Wanneta began to recite, translating into the Sioux tongue, Longfellow's celebrated '' Peace Pipe," which begins : — "On the mountains of the prairie, On the great red pipestone quarry, Gitchie Manitou, the mighty, He, the Master of Life, descending. Stood, and called the nations. Called the tribes of men together," etc. Strong Heart thought it was very well done, and he expressed his approval, saying that his people would greatly rejoice to hear the poem recited, and he should tell all whom he saw to assemble at the large dance- house, where she would read it to them. Wanneta hoped to get the Indians interested in some of these poems, because she thought it would do them great good. She had a very peculiar character herself, and while she wanted to be free, independent, and Uve with the tribe, she still wished to retain some of the white man's ways and to give the other Indians an idea of what the white men said of their people. They were now close to the Bad Lands, and the grass and flowers which had been growing so profusely under 32 WANNETA foot had almost entirely disappeared. They traversed a distance of nearly a mile before reaching the base of the cliff along the bank of a small but muddy stream. To the right and left of this stream there was a stretch of reddish earth, with nothing green upon its surface. Where the water flowed and irrigated the soil within a short distance on each side, the vegetation flourished ; but even the banks of the stream soon began to present a desolate appearance, and when the young Indians passed into the opening of the glen from which the stream issued, almost everything that had life had died out, save here and there large ferns and coloured flowers growing in crevices and openings. " Let us get off" here and walk, Wanneta," said Strong Heart. So they dismounted, and the young man made fast the halters of the horses to a good-sized stone. Indian halters are of platted horse-hair and are twenty feet long, so that if the end be fastened, the animal has sufficient length of rope to graze. An Indian never goes out alone without being armed, so Strong Heart had taken his Winchester with him and about thirty-five or forty cartridges. They had seen one or two deer grazing in the plain as they approached the Bad Lands, but as the young people Avere not on a hunting expedition, he had made no attempt to shoot them. Walking up the gorge nearly a mile. Strong Heart gathered ferns here and there until Wanneta's hands were full. With the agility of his race he scaled almost precipitous places, plucking here a beautiful fern, there a WANNETA. II wild flower, and at her bidding came and went. As he would, perchance, slip and fall, or stumble, when making- a supreme effort to gain her approval, she would laugh uproariously, and her loud yet musical voice echoed from side to side of the gorge until it died away in the distance. Thus the time passed pleasantly. About one o'clock they sat down on a ledge of rock, and, with their feet danghng, began to eat some little corn-cakes and dried beef which he had brought in a beaded bread-sack, such as braves generally carry when hunting. But sud- denly something happened which drove all thought of pleasure out of their minds, and caused the ferns and flowers which Wanneta held in her hand to fall into the narrow defile below. Just after Strong Heart had opened the bread-sack and had given the corn-cake to Wanneta, they heard voices far up the gulch echoed clearly toward them by the rocky walls. They knew instantly that the sound was made by the Crows, old enemies of the Sioux nation. Both were aware that, while there had been no hostilities for some time, the last depredations committed had been by the Sioux of their own village, so that, should they be seen, they could expect little mercy at their hands. Like his father. Strong Heart was kind and considerate to his friends, but revengeful and cruel to his enemies. No sooner had the sound reached him, than he caught Wan- neta by the arm and pulled her back, while he glanced up and down the defile. He saw an opening in the rock about two hundred feet beyond them, nearly on a level with the ledge on which they had been seated. Running 34 WANNETA. hastily thither he looked in, and returned to Wanneta, saying, '' Come quick ; get in here. The Crows are coming. Keep perfectly still." Hurrying to the opening, they found a space a trifle larger than their bodies, leading into a small, irregular room, such as is commonly known as a fissure. This had once an opening above and below, but, fortunately for our friends, a contraction in the rock, or some upheaval in past ages, had slipped a large slab across its top. This had broken, and a part of it falling into the crevice below, had wedged itself tightly. It formed an uneven floor, which had a dip or slope toward the west, w^hich was hard to stand upon, but which afforded a safe retreat. There was no way for a missile to reach the interior, ex- cept through the opening in front. '' Wanneta, if they see us and fire, you must keep back in the corner, so that a shot cannot reach you. Help me fill part of the opening." There were not stones enough to make a barrier more than breast-high, but Strong Heart was in hopes that it would suffice as a protection. It was nearly five minutes before the enemy, who were advancing through the gulch, had come near enough to be seen by those above. The feelings of fear in Wan- neta's breast had passed away, and she now had consid- erable curiosity as to the movements of the Crows. Of course, the presence of the two in the cave was unknown, and they would, perhaps, have been passed unnoticed, but for the flowers and ferns which had accidentally dropped into their path. The mounted Crows v/ere carefully picking their way in and out among the boulders. They WANNETA. 35 had passed the cave, which was about eighty feet above them, and would, in all probability, have gone on, not supposing that any Sioux were near at hand, when one of their number discovered the freshlv-broken ferns and flowers lying in a little heap near the wall of the defile. As soon as he saw them he uttered a grunt of surprise, dismounted, picked them up and showed them to his companions, who immediately gathered about and looked up and down, this way and that way. They saw the cave entrance, but as it was partially filled with stones and its interior quite dark, they could not, of course, tell whether or not it was inhabited. Five or six dismounted from their horses and started on a quick run ahead of their party. They soon came to a level stretch of nearly half a mile in extent, and saw the ponies tied at the other end of it. An Indian pony knows an enemy or a stranger, and gives an alarm on their ap- proach, just as a farmer's watch-dog lets it be known when a person of a different community passes the farm house or a stranger enters its gate. So the two horses, hearing the patter of the Indians' feet, were on the alert, and recognizing, perhaps, that something unusual was taking place, pricked up their ears, snorted, and sprang back as far as the halters would allow them. When Strong Heart had made them fast he did not expect to be gone long, and so had tied them to a stone of about three hundred pounds weight. The animals struggled vainly to escape, while the Indians quickened their pace, in or- der to capture them before they could break away. Brown Eyes, Wanneta's pony, gave a great plunge, and 36 WANNETA. overturned the stone to which she was tied ; the rope around the end of it slipped off, and thus freed her. The stone in faUing tightened the knot in the halter of the other animal, so that, although it struggled frantically to escape, it was unable to join its fleeing companion, and fell an easy prey to the exultant Crows. Brown Eyes dashed down the rocky bed of the stream, and would have soon been out of danger; but, quick as thought, one of the Indians caught up his gun and sent a well-directed shot after the fleeing mare. Although this grazed her flank and wounded her slightly, drawing considerable blood, it proved a blessing rather than a curse, because it frightened the animal so that she redoubled her speed, dashed across the plain in furious haste, and traversed the twelve miles between the scene of the capture and the Sioux village in less than an hour. The sight of Brown Eyes dashing into the village, cov- ered with foam and blood, created great excitement, and it was not fifteen minutes before seventy mounted Sioux warriors, on their fleet ponies, with resounding whoops, were following up its trail to learn whether or not the son and daughter of two of their most prominent people were in trouble and needed assistance. The Crows, meanwhile, led the captured horse back to their companions with exultant shouts. Those who had halted where the flowers were found had been looking all about, but could find no trace of trail or see any living being. Some moments were spent in consultation, and it was advised to go down the canon to where the rocky ledge, up which our two friends had clambered, began WANNETA. 37 its ascent. The ledge was about five feet wide, and ran slantingly up the side of the canon until eighty feet from the ground, then it was quite level in extent for nearly a hundred yards, the further end being in front of the cave in which Wanneta and Strong Heart were secreted. In other words, it was a sort of a road formed by nature, a freak which cannot be explained, but which is of frequent occurrence, and which, like the entire country embraced in the Bad Lands, is due to volcanic action. Two of the warriors began the ascent at the lower end of the ledge. Intense excitement reigned inside of the cave as these two braves clambered upward. Strong Heart's eyes were flashing, his sinews stretched to their utmost tension, and his whole frame bore the aspect of stern defiance. He grasped his trusty Winchester, and made ready to fire upon the approach of the foremost In- dian. Wanneta stood in the corner and whispered to him some suggestions, but as a warrior cares little for the ad- vice of a woman when there is a fight on hand, he silenced her with, '' Be still, Wanneta." He decided upon a very strange and bold course, and bidding her stand with six or seven cartridges ready to throw into the magazine of the gun, he stuck his head and shoulders out of the aperture, and called out in the Crow tongue, '' Stand back. I will shoot the first man that comes upon the ledge. We desire peace. You are on our land, where you have no right. Our nations have not had war for many moons. Stand back, 1 say. If you advance, or shoot, I will open fire." The Crows debated a few moments among themselves, 38 WANNETA then one of their head warriors stepped forward, and, throwing back his head, called out in the Crow tongue, '■'■ Come down and surrender. We will not harm you ; we wish to exchange you for two Crow prisoners in your camp. Come down, or I will order my young men to shoot." Strong Heart turned to his companion, and said, "■ Shall we surrender, Wanneta? " She drew herself up, and proudly answered, '' No. Surrender means probably death for you and worse than death for me. No ; there are only thirty of them. Make them keep off." Cautiously screening his head and shoulders behind one of the irregular-shaped rocks in the opening. Strong Heart called out, " We will not surrender. We will stay here. Call those two men off the ledge, or I will fire." Then, turning to Wanneta, he said, *' I have only thirty- six cartridges. I must not waste the ammunition. Here, take my hunting-knife." He drew a keen, bright blade, fitted into a handle made out of a deer's front foot, from his sheath, and placing it in her hand, said, '' Wanneta, hide this in your dress. If they capture or kill me, advance to the head warrior as if to shake hands, and say, 'how,' run the knife through him, and then plunge it into your own heart." She took it with a slight shudder, half afraid, but a few moments afterward grasped it with a firm hold, and stood ready to carry out her friend's instructions. The two Crows on the cleft stood irresolute for a few moments, then turning, ran back to their companions. WANNE TA. 39 The band withdrew up the canon, secreted their ponies in a sheltered spot, and advanced on foot to the attack. They were armed with muzzle-loaders, and bows and arrows, being evidently just coming in from a hunting excursion. There were thirty of them, and there was not one Winchester in the entire band, so Strong Heart stood a fair chance if he could make his shots count, and, at the same time, keep himself well secreted. It had taken the Crows some time to go down the gulch to the horses and return, so that, with the time taken for the parley, nearly three-fourths of an hour had passed by. Strong Heart and Wanneta had heard the Indians say that one of the horses had escaped, wounded. This greatly gratified them, for they knew that it would reach camp, be seen by their friends, and that a party would be sent for their rescue. The Indians talked quite loudly, when describing the escape of this horse, as it was not known to them that the Sioux were secreted until too late to keep this from their knowledge. The Crows, too, were well aware how near the Sioux village they were, and they would not dare to remain very long for fear of the approach of their enemies. They returned after hiding their horses, and ran up and down the canon, secreting themselves behind rocks, or standing where they thought the bullets of the enemy would not reach them. Strong Heart, knowing well their superior numbers, reserved his fire as long as pos- sible, and it was not until several volleys of arrows had whizzed through the entrance, or splintered themselves against the rocky walls on each side, that he fired his first 40 W A N N E T A shot. He lay down on the bottom of the cave and fired through a little opening, scarcely three by four inches, as it was too dangerous to shoot standing, the rocks in the opening being but breast-high. Wanneta crouched in the corner at his side, for had she remained at the rear of the cave a glancing shot might have injured her. The arrows and bullets that entered through the opening flat- tened themselves against the wall behind, doing no dam- age. Strong Heart wished to keep the Crows from ascending, because they would then have a better com- mand of his stronghold. If they shot from the creek-bed upward their missiles passed through the opening against the ceiUng and glanced to the rear wall, where they fell harmlessly. Hence the importance of keeping the enemy from reaching a height equal to their own. Crack, crack, came two loud, deafening shots, from the cave, at two reckless Crows who had run from cover to- ward the ponies, the firing having made some of them unmanageable. The shots were excellent ones. One warrior was killed outright, and the other had his arm broken at the elbow. Strong Heart hastily slipped two new cartridges into the places of those discharged, it being very important in a fight like this, against great odds, to keep the magazine of the gun filled. Two more shots disabled another warrior. Then four Crows, armed with bows and arrows, came on a dead run with loud '' hi-hi-hi's," up the rocks, in order to secure a position that would command the cave. Strong Heart had to spring to his feet. He delivered two shots, about three seconds apart, which tumbled two WANNE TA 41 of the braves into the gulch below ; the other two losing- heart, turned and dashed back to their companions, one of them being shot through the back of the head as he ran. As Strong Heart dropped to the floor several ar- rows and bullets passed close to his head, one of them making a scalp wound about three inches in length, but not stunning him. The Crows became convinced that he had plenty of ammunition, and a superior gun. So they ran with the speed of the wind back to their ponies, and held a consultation. The sudden death and disabling of six of their number considerably disheartened them, and from their loud words and " ki-ky-ing," the companions in the cliff thought that many were counselling a re- treat. Nearly half an hour passed in the debate, and just as our friends were hoping that they were to be left alone, the remaining warriors, with loud yells, charged down the creek, grasped the bodies of their dead and wounded, and rushed back to shelter. Strong Heart meanwhile sent two shots, which, at this short distance, with a steady hand, could not fail to do damage. One man was shot through the lungs, and another one had his right hip broken. The Crows did not remain in hiding long, but soon came with a wild rush down the canon, stripped nearly naked, with all the knives they could command in their hands, and one or two tomahawks and rifles, evidently designing to storm the place. As they swept by they scattered out, then came together again at the beginning of the terrace or ledge, and charged up in a body. As soon as they were in full view. Strong Heart, knowing that this was their last charge, resolved to take 42 WANNETA the risk of being shot. He screened himself as well as he could, and resting his rifle across the stones, poured twelve of the sixteen shots in the magazine of the gun into the advancing crowd. Those in front staggered back, and those behind tried to push forward. There was a pause for an instant. Taking advantage of this. Strong Heart slipped in five new cartridges, and opened another rapid and destructive fire of eight shots upon the enemy. This was too much for them, for with half their number dead and dying they turned around with loud yelps and ran back to the horses. During the last charge, Wanneta's heart failed her, and she was groaning and moaning in her corner of the cave, expecting every instant to see Strong Heart stagger back and fall. As soon as the remaining Crows fled, Strong Heart placed his last cartridges in the gun, and saw that he had but seven shots left. He looked out cautiously through the hole, and counted seven dead and four wounded men upon the ledge. Two of them seemed but little hurt, and had rested themselves upon their elbows. As the clatter of the ponies going up the canon gave a sense of security to the brave young Sioux, Wanneta could not help recognizing how great a man her friend was. Among our people a deed like his would not give one great renown, but among the Indians, who esteem bravery above everything, it is different. Strong Heart would now be the hero of the whole Sioux nation. His smile, his word of commendation, would be sought by all, and any who could would do him honour. His brave WANNETA. 43 Indian spirit exulted now that he had vanquished his foes, and, rifle in hand, he pushed down the barrier and leaped out on the ledge, threw back his head and uttered the long, Sioux war-whoop. As it echod and re-echoed through the rocky walls of the gorge, there came an answer fron^ the distance of loud re-echoing war-whoops, mingled with the welcome sound of the clatter of horses' feet. The Sioux were coming, led by Rain-in-the-face. As Wanneta and Strong Heart heard this glad sound, the one answered it with the loudest yell that he had ever given, while the other laughed hysterically, alternating her mirth with sobs, when she thought of the danger passed, as she stood in the doorway ready to behold the glad sight. At this moment, just as the horsemen came in sight, one of the wounded Crows, maddened by the sound, drew himself up to a sitting posture, presented his piece and fired, the ball taking effect through Strong Heart's left shoulder, breaking the collar-bone and pierc- ing the shoulder-blade. The instant that the savage fired he fell back among his dying companions, weak from the loss of blood. Strong Heart dropped fainting from the shot, and Wanneta, with mingling emotions of pity for him and scorn for his slayer, grasped his rifle, cocked it, and would have fired upon the two remaining Crows had they made a motion, but as their guns were empty, she left them to meet their fate at the hands of the coming Sioux, and bent over her fallen friend. She quickly tore off part of her dress, staunched the flowing blood, and called out loudly to Rain-in-the-face, who was a few 44 WANNETA. hundred yards distant, to hasten. She lifted the head of poor Strong Heart into her lap, and, holding him as gently as she could, called his name again and again. Her poor heart was well-nigh broken, for she thought him dead. The tears streamed down her cheeks as she remembered his brave defense of her and the noble spirit which he had shown. The horsemen were near at hand, and raising her head, still holding Strong Heart, while the blood flowed from under the band- age across her deer-skin dress, colouring it crimson, she called, " Come quickly ; bring water. Strong Heart is dying." Two Bears and Rain-in-the-face dashed into the creek, filled the little bread-sacks that they carried with water, wet their blankets, and hastened up the ledge to where Wanneta was sitting. The other Indians took charge of the bodies of the wounded and dying, went through their usual horrible yells, and were instituting a hasty scalp- dance, when Rain-in-the-face called to them to desist and come near. The chiefs had tenderly bound up Strong Heart, had brought him to his senses by dashing water in his face, and, while praising his noble bravery and telling him to be strong and of big heart, they carried him tenderly down into the creek-bed. Fifty of the warriors followed the trail of the Crows, while the others scalped the bodies of the slain and rode on ahead to take the news to the village. The Indians took turns in carrying the wounded man on a sort of rude litter made from their blankets, one having I WANNETA. 45 hold of each corner. Their progress was necessarily slow, but they could not place the brave upon a horse, as the pain of the wound was so extreme. As it was, they made good headway, and, shortly after dark that night, entered the village, where a scene of great excitement awaited them. CHAPTER IV. THE SCALP-DANCE. — WANNETA GOES TO SEE STRONG HEART. Strong Heart was now the most famous man in the Sioux nation, and although he lay ill and very faint in his father's lodge, his name was on every lip, his exploits were being recited at every fireside. The young men of the tribe would have given all they possessed to have been with him in his bold fight. Seldom in the annals of the Sioux nation had such a slaughter taken place, nor was there any record of one man having kept at bay thirty Crow warriors. Strong Heart did not receive all the glory ; many came to Two Bears' lodge to see Wan- neta, who had shared with him the perils of the fight, and to offer her their congratulations on her escape from capture. It had been the custom for many years in the Sioux nation to hold a scalp-dance in the large council-house, whenever any particularly brave deed was done. As every one knew what had taken place that day, all were clamouring for the usual dance. Although Strong Heart was quite ill, yet his recovery was vouched for by one of the squaw men who knew a little about medicine, and who had set the collar-bone. So the chief gave his consent that the dance should take place that night. About nine o'clock a crowd gathered inside, and in the 46 WANNE TA. 47 immediate vicinity of the large building where the buf- falo dance had been held, a crowd which rivalled in num- bers that large assembly. Those who were to take part were differently dressed from those who had taken part in the buffalo and the love dances. The idea prevalent that a great quantity of ornaments is worn during this dance is erroneous ; in a scalp-dance there is a lack of costume instead of a great profusion of finery. None but men were allowed to take part, and all the ornaments be- tokened something savage, something brave. For in- stance, two or three scalps are fastened to the pole m the centre of the lodge around which the dancers cir::le. The leaders carry each a scalp, but those who are not for- tunate enough to have taken any, are allowed to take part also. A necklace of bears' teeth and claws is worn, brace- lets made of panthers' teeth, and a scarf, beautifully beaded and fringed with rattlesnake rattles, is thrown over the shoulder. Each warrior sticks in his hair eagle plumes to designate the number of scalps he has taken. A warrior who is entitled to three eagle feathers is a big man in his tribe, and one Avho can wear fifteen or twenty, like Strong Heart, stands a very fair chance of being elected as next chief. In the scalp-dance the women stood outside the door, a few of the favoured only being allowed to come in, and at certain intervals they joined in the wild song with the braves. Most of the music, however, was furnished by the Indian orchestra, consisting of several tom-toms and a number of flutes, the orchestra being larger than that on the last occasion. 48 W A NN ETA, The dancers were most hideously painted, and pre- sented a most ferocious appearance. As they filed into the house, and forcing their way through the crowd, began to hop first on one foot, and then on the other, in a circle around the centre pole, they looked savage, in- deed. As the dance went on, one would stamp upon the earth with all his might, and lifting himself erect, would brandish his scalping-knife, and give a war-whoop, in which he would be joined by all. The noise was simply deafening. In the centre of the circle, with his back against the pole supporting the rafters above, sat the chief medicine-man of the tribe. One half of his face was painted black, and the other white. He had before him several little sacks filled with herbs, rattles of snakes, claws of wild beasts, skulls of animals, and other odds and ends. These he shook ever and anon, sometimes over the heads of the dancers, as they passed him, and at other times toward the spirits supposed to be circling in the air near by. His hideous face, wrinkled with age and ghastly with paint, reflected the varying passions of his soul. Truly no demon from the infernal regions could have presented a more frightful aspect, or could have gone through more diabolical incantations. Wanneta stood near the dancers and watched their evolutions for some time. At last, wearying of it all, she sought her father's tipi and, throwing herself upon the pile of skins, gave up her mind to meditation. The excitement of the day and the scenes through which she had passed would have unnerved any but an Indian girl. Wanneta's strong spirit scarcely knew what fear was, W ANN ETA. 49 and in the security of her father's wigwam, while thinking over what had taken place, she was highly gratified with the results, more especially because she was fond of adventure and because the day's doings had given her great notoriety in the tribe. Indians will do almost any- thing to gain the approval and applause of their own people. Wanneta thought of the noble Strong Heart lying wounded in his father's tipi, and deciding upon the impulse of the moment, ran out into the open air, passing many fires, and winding in and out among the tipis until she reached the lodge wherein he lay. It was ten o'clock, and none of the Indians had as yet turned in. Wawa, Strong Heart's mother, was prepar- ing a little broth for her son at the camp-fire back of the wigwam, so before entering the tipi, Wanneta spoke a few words with her. *' How is he getting on?" she asked. ** Oh, he is feeling much better, although the wound those treacherous Crows gave him pains him severely. Would you like to go in and see him?" Wawa entered the lodge, followed by Wanneta, and going over to one corner where Strong Heart was lying, said, '' My son, here is Wanneta come to see you, and find out how you are." Strong Heart turned his head toward the new-comer and made a slight motion with his right hand for her to sit down. She found a seat on the pile of soft furs on which he lay, and from the little light shed by the small fire in the centre of the tipi, could see that he was suffering sharply. His face she could not distinguish 50 WANNETA. plainly, but she judged from his heavy breathing that he was feverish. '' The medicine-man has little that will do you good, Strong Heart. I have some medicine which I brought from the school, which my teacher gave me, that may be better. Shall I bring it to you ? " *' Yes," murmured Strong Heart, " bring it here." At this Wanneta ran quickly home, opened a little wooden box, took out one or two morphine powders and some quinine. Then running hastily back to Rain-in-the- face's lodge, she seated herself close heside Strong Heart, telling Wawa to bring a little water. Raising the sick man's head carefully, she gave him one of the morphine powders and then a drink of water. She sat patiently beside him for nearly an hour, holding his hand and watching the deep sleep into which he had fallen from the effects of the drug. She explained to Wawa the use of the powders and left them, so that should Strong Heart suffer during the night, he might be given another. The squaw man in the tribe, who knew a little of medi- cine as practiced by white physicians, had been there and had rudely set the broken collar-bone. The medicine- man had been there also with his rattles and drums, mak- ing the usual hideous noise to drive away the evil spirits. Wawa had great faith in the medicine-man, but neither her son nor his father placed any confidence in him, Strong Heart himself being especially wearied by the noise that the old fraud made, so he was very glad when he had gone. Whatever Wanneta might think of the Sioux people, she had learned enough at school to lead her to believe her grandfather a fraud as a physician. WANNE TA 51 although in other ways he might be very agreeable. She resolved to see him and find out if he would not give up the care of Strong Heart to her and the squaw man, Richards. It would not be worth while to make known this idea to her parents, as they would not approve of it, neither would it be best to tell any one save Rain-in-the- face himself. Therefore she decided that as soon as her grandfather should be up in the morning — for he would sleep late on account of his efforts at the scalp-dance — she would see him and extort, if possible, a promise from him. Having decided on this, she gave herself up to thoughts about Strong Heart himself for a few moments, and then, with a slight parting pressure upon his hand, returned to her father's tipi. Wanneta slept beside her little sister until late the next morning. Her father and brother had been attending the scalp-dance, and did not return to the lodge until broad daylight, so that when they arose, about noon, Wanneta had been up for some time, and was on her way to the tipi of her grandfather. As is the custom in Indian tribes, the medicine-man al- ways lives on the outskirts of the village. His lodge is looked on with some superstition by the other Indian^, as there are in it objects which seem to them to be more or less akin to the supernatural. Although she had been taught to pay no attention to such things, and to regard them without fear, it was with some hesitation that Wan- neta entered the lodge. Her grandfather, not imagining her mission, received her very cordially, bade her be seated, and asked her what news she brought. ^2 W A N N E TA, '' I have come," said the girl, '' to ask a favour." ** Wa-da-ha would grant a favour to his granddaughter; he well knows that she would ask nothing foolish, and her brave spirit, as shown by what she did yesterday, en- titles her to many favours." Pleased w4th the words, Wanneta became quite bold, and broached the object of her coming without further delay. '' I want to give Strong Heart the white man's medi- cine, of which I have a supply, which was given me in the East. It will do him good— make him strong; it will do more for him than all the noise which you make about his bedside." '' My child," said Wa-da-ha, '* it is a good plan to give him good medicine, but it is not best for the great medi- cine-man not to see him, as there are many evil spirits hovering about which I must drive away." Wanneta's heart sank when she heard these words, but she did not give up, and said, '' Give him to me, grand- father. I will take as good care of him as you could, and I am sure he will get along better under my care. Please do this, oh, great medicine-man, and I wdll do any- thing for you that you may wish." Wa-da-ha thought a moment before replying. '' My child, if I do not cure the chiefs son they will say my medicine is not as good as yours ; they will laugh, and say the great medicine-man has failed. No, my child ; I cannot give him up to you." " Oh, this you must do," cried Wanneta. '' I will give him good medicine, and, if you will only say that I can take care of him, I will tell the people that it is your WANNETA. 53 medicine that is doing him so much good. You shall have all the credit and the honour of making him well, the son of great Rain-in-the-face." This put a new phase on the matter, and the old man knew well the potency of the white man's medicine, and in his secret heart was compelled to acknowledge it. He therefore reasoned thus with himself: '' If I accept, I get all the credit of this great healing, and many in the tribe will make presents to me to conjure their enemies and cure their sick. Therefore, I shall accept, and it shall be known that great Wa-da-ha's medicine is so powerful that even dangerous gun-shot wounds can be cured with it." Turning to Wanneta, he said, *' My child, you bother me much, and you are very forward, for one so young, but it shall be as you wish. I give up Strong Heart to your care, with this condition. You must tell every one whom you meet, and who shall question you as to the condition of the patient, that great Wa-da-ha's medicine is doing a wonderful work, and that the patient is rapidly recovering." And, with that, the old rascal began mut- tering to himself, and strode back into a dark recess of his wigwam, where he rattled some bones and other trinkets probably to frighten the girl. Wanneta knew^ what he was about, and, with a merry laugh, sprang out of the lodge and ran rapidly home, full of delight at her success. As she tripped gayly past the lodges and exchanged salutations with those whom she met, she thought of her dear friend who was now under her tender care, and of whose recovery she felt certain. She entered the tipi of her parents, humming a little tune which she had learned 54 WANNETA in the Eastern school, and as bright and happy as the birds ni the bushes fringing the stream, who, with glad songs and cheerful chirpings, were flitting hither and thither in search of food. Two Bears and his son, John Runner, turned out shortly after she came, partook of food prepared by Omaha, and then stretched themselves in the sun, lighted their pipes, and indulged in a quiet smoke. Scarcely had they settled themselves, when a number of young people came running up to the wigwam, and called loudly for Wanneta to come out. "■ You promised us," they said, "■ to read from the great story-teller's book the words he wrote about the Indians. We should like to hear what he has to say," and they forthwith seated themselves. Wanneta was rather sorry that she had told any but Strong Heart of the book, be- cause she could not expect to escape in less than two hours if she attempted to read, for as soon as they had heard one story or poem they would wish another. However, she got the book from its place in the little trunk, which was one of the relics she had brought from the East, and opened it to Hiawatha's fishing. This pleased the young men very much, but the girls did not show as much pleasure as when she began with Hiawa- tha's wooing, which interested them all equally. As the reading of this poem w^ent on, they expressed their ad- miration in various ways, some by grunts, and now and then by laughter, when the author attributed to the In- dians customs far removed from their every-day life. On the w^hole, the poem was considered a great success, and I WANNETA. 55 when the book was closed, it was with great reluctance that the crowd dispersed to their homes. Wanneta did not go to see Strong Heart until night was coming on, when, fearing that the medicine-man might be carrying on his noisy incantations, she wended her way thither to see how he was getting on. Entering the tipi, she found both Rain-in-the-face and Wawa present, also Richards, the squaw man. Richards had been feeling Strong Heart's pulse, and said that the morphine, in putting him to sleep, had greatly reduced the fever, and that he was in hopes that no serious inflam- mation would set in. If he could be kept perfectly still for some weeks, the collar-bone would knit together sufficiently to allow him free movement of the muscles of the upper arm, breast, and shoulder, but, if he should move about much, he might be maimed for life. Both his parents thought it most desirable to keep him quiet, and as the party who had pursued the fleeing Crows re- turned that afternoon with a number of scalps, and it was almost certain that the Sioux village would be attacked when the Crows could muster sufficient strength, Rain- in-the-face gave orders that, when the buffalo-hunt should come off, all the warriors with their families should not go with it. Some should stay and guard the village, otherwise the whole village must be moved with them. It was feasible to take the wounded man to the agency and leave a few braves as a guard while all the rest went on the hunt. The Crows would hardly dare attack the Sioux if stationed at the agency. Rain-in-the- face resolved to call a council in one or two days, and $6 WAN NETA. leave the matter to the decision of the principal warriors in the tribe. As soon as the squaw man, Richards, had taken his departure, Wanneta seated herself at the side of Strong Heart, and asked him a number of questions as to how he felt. Rain-in-the-face went directly to the council-house, stopping on the way to arouse the drummer and take him with him. This functionary, upon his arrival at the build- ing, sent out a prolonged call and began to beat the tom- tom. The men of the tribe, hearing the sound, flocked to the council-chamber to ascertain the cause of the summons. When a goodly number had silently stalked within and taken their seats in order of rank, the chief gravely lit his large catlinite pipe, and blowing a number of whiffs up- ward, passed it to the sub-chief, Gopher, to be sent around the circle while he made his speech. '' Brothers," said he, " I have called you together to take measures against the probable attack of the Crows upon us. We struck them a fearful blov/ yesterday, and they will seek vengeance. I want twelve of you to stand guard to-night over the village, at various points, and all of you to place your guns and ammunition in readiness, so that you cannot be surprised. The buffalo-hunt will take place in eight days, and I think it best for my son to be left at the agency buildings, with fifteen or twenty young men to guard him. I know you all want to go on the hunt, but I shall ask twenty of you to volunteer to act as his guard until he recovers sufficiently to follow us on the hunt. Who will remain ? " WANNETA. 57 Thirty young men at once offered themselves as Strong Heart's guard, twenty of whom the chief accepted. He then told the braves assembled to be ready to start for the upper Sioux reservation eight days from the next, and, having given these directions, he dismissed the council. The news quickly spread throughout the vil- lage, every one expressing himself as entirely satisfied with the arrangements. Indians are usually two months on their annual buffalo- hunt. They take everything with them when they go on an excursion of this kind. It must be understood that in setting dates, Sunday is counted the same as a week-day. John Runner and several other young men were com- missioned to visit the agency, inform the agent of the de- cision of the tribe, and get his permission to erect tipis just back of the government buildings, for the accommo- dation of Strong Heart and his guard. Rain-in-the-face was to accompany the main body on the hunt, and Wawa would stay to take care of her son, assisted by Wanneta. As Wanneta sat in the wigwam talking with Strong Heart, the news was brought to them of the decision of the council, and also that the medicine-man was coming. Both Strong Heart and Wanneta had hoped that they would see no more of this individual, but they were to be disappointed. Wa-da-ha had heard it noised about the village that the young girl's medicine was stronger than his own, and that the probable recovery of the chief's son was due to the effects of the drug she had administered, so the old rascal bent his steps in the direction of the tipi in somewhat of a rage. As Wanneta and Strong Heart 58 WANNETA talked, they could hear him approaching, chaunting a weird song, and rattling his necklace and chain of odds and ends. In a few words Wanneta told her friend what had taken place that morning in the lodge of her grand- father, and asked his advice. Among our people it would be considered very im- proper for a young girl to take care of a wounded man when his parents were at hand to do this, but Indian cus- tom considers this entirely proper. The way the Indians live, separated from each other by a simple door of thin hide, permits many things which with us would be con- sidered impossible. Therefore, when a warrior is injured or in distress, there is not a woman in the entire tribe who will not do all in her power to assist him to recovery. Whether such a woman be attached to him or have not the slightest affection for him, makes no difference. Her Indian nature prompts her to do this, and should any member of the tribe let another suffer unheeded, she would be severely censured, and, perhaps, driven out of the nation. '' You did well," said Strong Heart ; '' your medicine is good, and I have much faith in it. I shall tell old Wa-da-ha that his noise disturbs me greatly, and I do not want him here." '' No ; do not do that," said Wanneta. " He is a great man in the tribe, and exerts a powerful influence ; were you to tell him this he would be furious, call a council, and I should be denounced as instigating a revolution against a man supposed to be endowed with power from Waukantauka, the Great Spirit " WANNETA. 59 "■ Be still," whispered Strong Heart ; ** he comes." With many gestures and much ado, the medicine-man entered the lodge. Approaching the bedside, he danced around several times in circles, shaking a rattling gourd above the patient, and calling upon Wakausica, the Evil Spirit, to leave and torture no more the spirit of brave Strong Heart. Our friends listened a few moments, and then Wanneta, springing to her feet, grasped her grandfather by the arm, and excitedly cried out, " Be still ; you promised to leave him to me. Why are you disturbing him ? Can- not you see he does not want you here ? " '' Child," said Wa-da-ha, '' they say in the village that your medicine is greater than mine. I will not have it so. Go; leave him to me! You have not kept your promise." " I have kept my promise," cried Wanneta ; '* I appeal to Strong Heart for proof. I have told them that your medicine is great. Do not drive me away. Let me stay ; oh, let me stay." Wawa came forward at this moment, and said, " Your medicine is great, oh Wa-da-ha, and I have said so to all who have been in the lodge to visit my son. We have given him the white man's medicine, and it has done him good." This admission from the mother of the young man car- ried great weight, as she had always been a believer in the power of the medicine-man. But it did not satisfy him. He flew into a rage ; he raved and stormed ; he called all the evil spirits to visit the lodge ; he declared that he 6o WANNETA. would never enter it again. His denunciation was terri- ble, and although it startled Wanneta and Strong Heart greatly, yet it did not shake their faith in the white man's medicine. Not so with Wawa ; she was frightened nearly to death ; she had always been taught to believe in the medicine-man, and his curse of her house completely un- nerved her. Seating herself in the corner, she swayed her body from side to side and uttered low moans. She should not be in the least surprised, so she muttered, to have a death in her family before long. After delivering his speech, Wa-da-ha walked nerv- ously back and forth a few moments, and then deciding upon a fearful action, sprang forward, and, walking around Wanneta and Strong Heart, invoked upon their heads the wrath of the bad spirit, Wakausica. Having delivered himself of this last curse, he sprang out of the doorway and vanished in the falling darkness. CHAPTER V. TROUBLE WITH THE MEDICINE-MAN. As Wa-DA-HA left the lodge, Wanneta sprang from the ground, and, running over to Wawa, said : *' Do not be- lieve him ; he is very angry because I have given your son good medicine. He had no reason to curse us as he did. Do not believe in him. Do not fear him, but trust in the white man's medicine. It is strong ; it is power- ful, and will work great good." " Yes, mother," called out Strong Heart from his pile of skins ; " Wa-da-ha is an old fool ; he does not dare re- peat what he said in our lodge before father, as he would have him dismissed from the tribe. He is jealous, and cannot act with reason as long as passion possesses his soul." " Oh, my children," whined Wawa, ^' what shall we do? Our house has been cursed, and there may great trouble come upon us. What shall we do? oh, what shall we do?" and she rocked herself back and forth, moaning meanwhile. Wanneta saw that Strong Heart was getting excited, so she gave him one of the morphine powders to induce sleep and to quiet his restless brain and soothe his nervousness. Then, thinking she had stayed long enough, she arose and went to her father's tipi. News flies very swiftly in an Indian camp, and it was 6i 62 WANNETA. not many moments before every one in the entire tribe had heard the startling news that their great medicine- man had flown in a rage and given Wanneta, Strong Heart, and the wife of their head chief a terrible cursing. Nearly every one discussed the matter, and eagerly sought details of the affair. The majority of the Indians sided with the young people, as the deeds of valour of Strong Heart were still fresh in their minds, and they could not believe that he and Wanneta had done the medicine-man any injury. As soon as Wa-da-ha reached his own tipi, he threw off the costume he wore, put on the most horrible one he possessed, and, painting his face in yellow and black stripes, rushed forward to the council-house. The medi- cine-man, as well as the chief, has a perfect right to call a council. Upon reaching the building, he was about to order the drummer to sound the assembly call, when a heavy hand was laid upon his shoulder, and Chief Rain- in-the-face, with flashing eye and heaving breast, sternly said, '' Come here ! " Wa-da-ha suffered himself to be led into the council-chamber, for he did not dare dispute the word of his chief. It was pitch-dark in the great room, the little fire having been allowed to die out. " Wa-da-ha," said the chief, " you have cursed my fam- ily. If you give good reasons I will forgive you, as I think you spoke when your mind was consumed with fires. I never did you a wrong, nor has my son, nor my wife, nor Wanneta, your granddaughter. You are a con- ceited old fool, and your age and long stay in our tribe alone saves you from being kicked out on the prairie to W ANN ETA. 63 shift for yourself. Go now. Never enter the lodge of Rain-ia-the-face until you have said you were wrong. If you ever utter aught against me or mine, or attempt to influence any of the tribe against their chief, 1 will bind you hand and foot and give you to the Crows." With this the chief thrust him out of the building, and leaving him to nurse his wrath, strode to his own wigwam, call- ing out to the Indians in the village as he passed their tipis to assemble at his lodge to hear a few words. About a hundred and fifty followed him, and he spoke briefly, teUing them what had happened, and asking them to treat the medicine-man with their usual respect, but not to listen to any idle tales that he might carry. Meanwhile, Wa-da-ha, who, by the way, like nearly all medicine-men, was, as the Sioux say, ''a coiled snake," was rushing hither and thither, gnashing his teeth, and fairly foaming at the mouth at the prospect of being out- done by the chief. What should he do for revenge? If he did anything openly, his life would pay the forfeit. If he did anything secretly, he might be found out. As he thought the matter over, his wrath centred mainly on Wanneta, because it was she who had the credit of Strong Heart's recovery, and it was her medicine that had been administered. Yet she was his grandchild, and why should he do harm to one who was of his own kin ? ''Bah!" he said, "I do not care; she has done me wrong, and she shall pay for it. How can I be revenged? The great Wa-da-ha shall use his most subtle ways, and have revenge many times over for his wrongs. I believe that girl is falling in love with that young man, Strong 64 IV A NNE TA Heart, and wants to be his squaw. I will see if I can wound her by prejudicing him against her. I have it! I will see Spotted Eagle, a handsome young brave who is greatly taken with Wanneta, and who asked me to com- mune with the spirits and thus affect her heart toward him. I will tell him how he can win her, and I will send him to play the flute before her lodge. I will then send word to Strong Heart that Wanneta has listened to Spot- ted Eagle's flute-playing, and given herself to him. Ah, ugh ! " and the medicine-man grunted gleefully to him- self and rubbed his hands in delight. His face, a few moments before contorted with passion, black and lower- ing like some awful thunder-cloud, was now even more hideous. With a snake-like glitter in his eyes, and a ghoulish expression upon his face, he seemed ready and willing to tear the very heart out of one whom he wished to injure. The hunter does not fear the lion or the tiger, either of which will face him in the path with undaunted courage, half as much as he does the poisonous cobra, which, lurk- ing secreted in the grass near the path, strikes at a moment when he expects no danger and then escapes by crawling. Wanneta and Strong Heart had more cause of fear from this snake in human flesh than they had the day they were beset by the thirty Crows. With mutterings and ravings, the medicine-man made his way around the village, in order that he might not be observed, to the wigwam where Spotted Eagle lived. Spotted Eagle was a very handsome young man, and, although somewhat wild and reckless, bore a fair reputa- WANNE T A . 65 tion. He was handsomer than Strong Heart, but in point of personal braverv and integrity he was far beneath him. He was a young man such as you may find in any of our large cities. Many like him have I seen in New York or Washington, who, dressed in the garb that betokens civ- ilization, still have indelibly stamped upon their counte- nances treachery, immorality, ignorance. Spotted Eagle was a dandy, or what the Indians call '' heap much dress young man." All that he lacked to be admitted into the same class as the Eastern dandy was the cigarette habit ; but as Indians know little about cigar- ettes, and generally stuff them in their pipes when they get possession of any, this habit was to him unknown. Spotted Eagle had cast side glances at Wanneta since her return to the tribe, and his conversation with the medicine- man had clearly indicated to the latter that the young man was deeply in love with the Indian maiden. Old Wa-da-ha was a good judge of human nature, and he knew that Spotted Eagle would eagerly enter on any scheme that would result in the winning of the girl. The medicine-man reached the tipi out of breath, and entered without ceremony. Spotted Eagle was reclining upon a large bear skin, smoking a small pipe. As soon as Wa-da-ha entered, he sprang from his seat, and, advancing, greeted his guest. Without beating about the bush, the old rascal began : '' Young man, I have a way by which you can win this girl. By so doing you will get as your squaw one of the finest women in our entire tribe. She would be glad to have you make your advances, and you had better go and play the flute to-night." 66 WANNETA Spotted Eagle presented the medicine-man with a val- uable pack of furs in recognition of his services, and promised to begin the flute song the very next evening near Wanneta's tipi. Nothing of importance took place in the village the following day, Wanneta's visit to Strong Heart being rather brief. As it was the custom to give notice by some little pres- ent or token before commencing the flute song, in or- der that the maiden might expect her lover. Spotted Eagle sent by messenger to Wanneta's lodge that after- noon a very handsome silver bracelet that he happened to possess, and a little piece of well-tanned deer skin, upon which was engraved, in Indian poetry, a sentiment, the whole having about the same purport as a valentine with us. Wanneta was without the lodge sewing for her mother when this arrived, carried by a small boy, to whom Spotted Eagle had given a handsome tobacco- pouch for his services. No sooner had she glanced at the articles than she interpreted their meaning. At first, a feeling of anger possessed her, then she looked upon the matter as a joke. She did not know who had prompted the young man to send the gifts, or she would have treated the entire case with contempt. The Indians, when courting, observe several methods. One is playing the flute. They have a little reed flute, not unmusical, and of a very weird sound, which is used for this purpose alone. The brave who desires to wed approaches within a hundred yards of the wigwam of his intended, just after dusk some evening, and, seating him- WANNETA, 67 self, begins a plaintive melody. If the maiden favours the suit, she comes forth from the wigwam, shyly at first, but growing gradually bolder, she advances toward the spot where her lover is seated. As she approaches, he pours into the tones of the flute the feelings that possess his soul, and what is lacking in beauty and perfection, is atoned for by their sincerity. As Strong Heart had made no advances as yet, she decided to accept the whole matter as a joke, and dismiss the young man that even- ing, telling him that she could not love him and that he must not hope. So she waited rather impatiently for dusk to come, at first with some trembling, and later with considerable expectation of the fun in store for her and the amusement she would receive from the young man's efforts. She told her father and mother frankly of his coming, and of her feelings for Strong Heart, and as they knew well that Spotted Eagle's reputation was fair, but not good, they looked upon the matter as a huge joke, and teased Wanneta not a little about it. In any civilized community attentions from a young man like Spotted Eagle would be thought insulting to a respectable girl, but, as we have already said, the Indians, good and bad, mingle very freely in their social life. No young man will continue his advances to a girl if they are not wanted, nor will he say anything improper of one who bears a good reputation. An Indian girl, leading a life in the open air, becomes hardened to things which we consider horrifying, yet, at the same time, she is pure and above reproach. 68 WANNETA Scarcely had the sun disappeared over the vast stretch of prairie, than the plaintive notes of a flute were heard issuing from a clump of bushes about a hundred yards from the tipi. The player was evidently in a desperate strait, for he piped and blew with all his might, and made such a noise that it called forth the remarks of all in the village within a quarter of a mile of the scene. The In- dians do not like to court with a flute, and they do it with reluctance, as it makes too much publicity. In or- der to understand clearly what takes place, imagine some well-known man in New York taking a hand-organ in front of the residence of the lady he admires and grinding out tunes. Of course, there would be a great deal of merriment at his expense, and it would take considerable nerve for him to continue any length of time. So it is in the Indian village. As soon as the notes of the flute are heard, about half the youngsters in the camp, who are longing for a good time, flock thither, and the young man who is musically incHned has his hands full in keeping the youngsters away, and at the same time continuing his strains on the reed. As it was, Wanneta nearly reached him before there was any disturbance, and then a rather remarkable thing occurred. Just as she was about to speak and dismiss the young man, Chief Rain-in-the-face, who happened to be in that end of the village, passed by, and, seeing her, stopped instantly. His ear caught the music, and he immediately guessed its import. Strong Heart had told him that he intended to ask Wanneta to become his squaw as soon as he was strong WANNETA. 69 enough to get about, so the chief was greatly surprised to see her going to meet this young man. He looked at her a moment as she paused, and said, '' Wanneta, who calls you with a flute?" '' It is Spotted Eagle. I go to tell him to go away. I do not care for him." '* Wanneta," said the chief, '' you are very indiscreet. This young man is not a proper person, and you must not go to see him. Go back to the lodge." " Chief," said Wanneta, " I was foolish. I was wrong. I came out to laugh at the young man, and tell him to leave. I ought not to have come at all." '' I will tell him to leave," said Rain-in-the-face, and, striding rapidly over to where Spotted Eagle was, said : *' Spotted Eagle, Wanneta does not want to hear your music. She does not care for you. Go at once." Spotted Eagle stopped playing, and, looking up in a sort of half-ashamed way, said : *' The great medicine- man, Wa-da-ha, told me she thought a great deal of me." '' He did, did he ? " hissed the chief. " That old villain shall not live one hour in the tribe. He is a liar. Go to your lodge, and do not bother Wanneta." '' You are our chief," said Spotted Eagle, '' and I will obey you, but you have no right to tell me whom I shall court and whom I shall not. That is for me to decide." A crowd had gathered by this time, and Rain-in-the- face, becoming angry, let his passion get the better of his good nature, and said : *' Leave instantly, young man. Go!" IVA ,VA'£ TA Turning on his heel, the chief strode toward his tipi, while the crowd gathered around the disconsolate lover, some to hoot, and others to laugh. Although somewhat of a coward, Spotted Eagle could not stand being tor- mented, and, losing all patience, he seized an Indian boy standing near and planted a vigorous kick in his ribs. The boy went down with a howl ; there was an instant of surprise upon the part of his companions, and then a number of them, from twelve to sixteen years old, assailed the Indian on all sides. The flute was broken in the scuffle, and Spotted Eagle w^as pretty badly used. He succeeded in knocking some of the boys down, and at the sudden approach of a number of men who heard the noise they fled, leaving him to make his way back to his wig- wam. He returned thither without further molestation, about the maddest Indian upon the whole Sioux reserva- tion. His neatly trimmed buckskin leggings were soiled and torn ; the beaded work on his beautifully embroidered shirt was torn off in places, and the shirt disfigured ; while his handsome face was cut and scratched and terribly swollen. The medicine-man came around to see him about ten o'clock, and found him in no pleasant frame of mind. This reckless voung man had little respect for Wa-da-ha, and had no use for him except to further his own ends, so that as he had reason to believe that he had been tricked, he gave him a good round cursing as soon as he entered the lodge. The medicine-man relied too much on the services of Spotted Eagle to get out of patience, so he took the abuse W A N N K TA. 71 in good nature, and in return proposed that they hold an indignation meeting to determine whether the medicine- man was to be next to the chief in the tribe, or whether this upstart girl from the East was to decide their affairs. This was a very rash move, and they might have known that it would bring no good to themselves, but as in every case when anger blinds the senses, we harm ourselves only in endeavouring to injure others. Wa-da-ha and Spotted Eagle, as they talked, became more and more excited, until a number of others, attracted by the noise, entered the wigwam to see what was the matter. By dint of persuasion and the use of his great influence, the medicine-man induced some fifteen or twenty to accompany him to the council-house. There he sounded the assembly cry, beat the tom-tom, and lighted the fire. He soon had the satisfaction of seeing a goodly number gather to hear what was to follow. He began a red-hot speech, in which he greatly enlarged and magnified his wrongs, and was about to denounce the chief; but when he had reached this point in the oration, and had, as he thought, fired his hearers with his own spirit, the chief suddenly appeared in the entrance. Rain- in-the-face had heard what was going on, and with twenty-five of his braves came to take the medicine-man prisoner. He expected to hand him over, as he had threatened, to the Crows. As the chief entered the door- way, Wa-da-ha caught sight of him, and called out in loud tones, '' There he comes, there is your chief. Until to- day I was respected, but I have been greatly wronged ; I am no more the great medicine-man, Wa-da-ha, in his 72 WANNETA. eyes. Warriors, judge between me and Rain-in-the-face and see which " '' Stop there, I say," cried Rain-in-the-face. " You are exciting our people to take up arms against me. This is treason. Stop, stop, or your hfe shall pay the forfeit. These my braves will stand by me." '' I will not stop," cried the medicine-man, " I will speak;" and he called on those who believed in him to come to his support. Only a few obeyed, as most of those present preferred their chief. Rain-in-the-face sprang forward, followed by two other men, w^hile John Runner and Two Bears stood irresolute which side to espouse. Springing into the centre of the throng where the medicine-man was standing, Rain-in-the-face seized him, and com- manded his warriors to bind him, which they at once pro- ceeded to do. The greatest excitement reigned, and for a few moments a conflict looked inevitable. Fortunately no blood was shed, and some excited adherents of Wa- da-ha's cause were forcibly held and thus kept from using their arms. The council broke up amidst a tre- mendous din, and Wa-da-ha was carried to the chief's lodge, where he was laid near the entrance, bound hand and foot. CHAPTER VI. THE TRIBE ARRANGES ITS ANNUAL BISON HUNT. The noise and confusion during the excitement at the council-house was terrific. Of course, every one in the entire village heard it, and hastened to learn its meaning. Among those who feared the worst was Wanneta. She had heard rumours that the medicine-man, Wa-da-ha, had attempted to raise an insurrection against the chief. Her heart was filled with terror, and she remembered the fearful cursings her grandfather had uttered in the lodge of Rain-in-the-face. Was it true that these curses were effectual, or were they empty words, such as the teachers in the school had told her? She believed that they were of no avail, yet she feared. While she was in this state of suspense, the thought of her friend. Strong Heart, came to her. Should she go to his wigwam to see how he fared during all the excitement and turmoil? Did he need her? It was nearly eleven o'clock, and high time that she was in her father's tipi, but she could not resist the temptation of paying another visit to him, so she sped swiftly through the darkness in the direction of his wigwam. There was no one about the village, for every one had hurried to the council-house. Reaching the tipi, Wan- neta entered noiselessly, for her moccasined feet made no 73 74 WANNETA. sound upon the hard floor of the lodge. Her breath came quick and fast as she stepped to the side of the room where he lay, for it was pitch-dark, the fires having gone out. No one was there but Strong Heart, both his father and mother being at the council-house. Strong Heart was conscious of a presence near him, and called out: ^^ Who is there?" ^' It is I — Wanneta," she replied. ''What brings you here so late?" he asked. She knelt by his side, and told him briefly the story of the night's doings. When she had finished, he seemed more im- pressed by the part that Spotted Eagle had played than by the doings at the council. '' Wanneta," he said, '' I am very much hurt at what you have told me. I have a very high opinion of you, and think more of you than you fancy I do. Why did you set out to meet this man ? He is bad ; he could do you no good, and he may boast in the tribe that he came near winning you to be his squaw." '' Oh, will he do that?" she wailed; '' surely you are mistaken, Strong Heart!" *' No ; he is an unscrupulous scoundrel, and w^ill do al- most anything to further his ends or give him more no- toriety." At this, Wanneta sank down and moaned aloud. She could perceive, by his tone and manner, that she had wounded Strong Heart deeply, and that he felt her action much more keenly than she had ever imagined he could. ''Oh, Strong Heart," she said, "I meant no harm. I WANNETA. 75 was only intending a little fun, as a young and foolish girl often will. Surely no harm can come of it." *' I hope there will not — I sincerely do," replied Strong Heart. '' Have I ofifended you ? " she asked. '' You saved my life at the cliffs, and for that I can never do enough for you. I " '' Stay ! " said the brave ; " you have done much for me already, and I am cruel to speak to you of this matter further. It is a mere trifle — not worth half the talk we have wasted on it." At this moment a noise of men out- side, and loud, angry words were heard. ** Listen, Wan- neta, you have been with me but five days, yet I know you well ; you are a dear, noble girl, and — and— I love you ! Do you not care for me?" As she was listening, with bated breath, to every word he said, the noise out- side suddenly increased, and before the young folk could speak again, the space in front of the wigwam was filled with a crowd, who dragged a man, bound and gagged, toward the entrance. They laid him in a back cor- ner, and stationed three of their number as guard over him. While this was being done the throng outside increased, and the greatest uproar prevailed. Some were shouting, '' Kill him, kill him ! " Others^ '' Hear Rain-in-the-face, he wants to speak ! " Wanneta crouched near the side of her wounded lover and listened in affright to the mob outside. Suddenly there arose a well-known voice above the storm, which cried, '' Silence, the chief speaks ! " 76 WAN NET A. There was an instant hush, and Rain-in-the-face spoke to them from his tipi entrance, as follows : " Friends, you have seen some stirring doings during the last half hour. An hour ago I was sitting in my wig- wam, little dreaming that mutiny was about to spring up in our village. Suddenly there came to me a runner. He said, ' The medicine-man is going to the council-house ; there will be trouble.' I paid no attention to this. Then there came another runner soon afterward and he whis- pered, * The medicine-man is in the council-house and has a large gathering ; he is trying to turn the people against you.' Then I called some of my trusty warriors, and we went there. You know the rest. We have taken this vile reptile and tied him so that he cannot use his fangs to do more mischief. What shall Ave do with him ? He de- serves death, but if he will promise to return to his voca- tion without further trouble, on account of what he has done for the tribe in the past, I will release him. What say you? " '' Kill him, kill him ; he is a dog, he is a traitor; let him die!" Thus cried the mob, growing larger and fiercer each moment. '' Well, it shall be as you wish ; bring the wretch for- ward." Wanneta waited to hear no more ; she ran forward and clasped the chief by the arm. " Spare him, he is my grandfather ; he did not mean half what he said ; he will promise never to displease you again. Oh, spare him for my sake!" and she threw herself at the feet of Rain-in- the-face. W A N N ETA . 77 '' Get up, my child," said the chief. " This man has done deeds worthy of death ; he miist die ; the people demand it." '' Oh, ask them again. Hear me, oh friends ; you all know me well, how I have worked for the good of the tribe ; do not kill him ! What he said was in the heat of passion ! He is doubtless sorry for it now. Oh, spare him ! " " What say you, people? " cried the chief. There was a short consultation, then the mob cried as if with one voice: '' Let him go. Kill him for the next ill word that he utters." Turning to the guard in the tipi, Rain-in-the-face said : ^' Bring the man forward and unbind him." They loosened the thongs and led him out to the chief. " You heard what was said, old man ; what have you to say for your- self?" '' Let me go. Chief; I will do as becometh a medicine- man after this. I will not find fault with anything you may do; pray let me go." " Well, go, and see to it that you never enter my lodge again ; that is the condition. The next time you come in here, whether to bring good news or bad, you die." Then turning to the crowd, the chief called out : " To your homes. Let the guard appointed for to-night begin the watch ; the rest of you to sleep." The people dispersed, and there was silence soon throughout the entire camp. At midnight, there was no evidence of the scenes that had just taken place, and from all sides could be heard from the tipis the snoring of sleep- ing braves. 78 WANNETA Wanneta lay upon her couch several hours before she dropped asleep. She thought over and over again those three words, " I love you," Avords that have been spoken millions of times in every language, words that are as dear to the lonely heart of the savage maiden as to those that beat in the breasts of her civilized sisters. She was happy in her thoughts, happy that he had forgiven her for her indiscretion ; her only regret was that their con- versation had been so abruptly ended by the quelling of the mutiny. But she should see him again soon, she would tell him something in return, and with these thoughts she fell asleep. The time hung very heavy on Wanneta's hands dur- ing the three days following \Va-da-ha's unfortunate at- tempt. She went to see Strong Heart morning, noon, and night, but had no chance to speak with him upon the subject which lay nearest her heart. The excitement of the night had given him a fresh attack of fever, but his father and mother would give up the care of him to no one, not even Wanneta. So it was that four days passed before she could see him alone. Then she was the bearer of news of such importance that, on hearing it, both Rain-in-the-face and his squaw left for the council-house, leaving Wanneta and Strong Heart alone. Two messengers had arrived from the other Sioux reservation, saying that the buffalo hunt would begin the next day, and that the tribe must move immediately to the upper camp, which was to wait until the lower one had joined them. The runners said, also, that they had heard of the slaughter of many Crows by WA NNE TA . 79 one young man, and they came to learn the truth of this report and to offer their warriors, in case the Crows should march against the tribe in large numbers. While Wanneta and Strong Heart are exchanging con- fidences, let us leave them for a few moments and turn to the council-house, where the meeting is being held. As soon as the chief and the messengers arrived — this was in the morning, about nine o'clock— the town-crier beat his tom-tom, shouted aloud the news as he ran through the streets of the village, and by this means called together two-thirds of the people in a few mo- ments. The chief, sub-chief, and several head warriors, occupied the centre of the lodge. Next to them sat the two messengers who had brought the news, while the others were crowded together, some sitting and some standing. '' The runners to our village from our brothers above," said Rain-in-the-face, " bring news that the buffalo hunt will begin to-morrow. It is therefore necessary, for all who wish to go, to begin preparations, so that we can set out to join our brothers by noon. The twenty young braves who are to remain at the agency and guard Strong Heart during our absence, had better move there at once. I wish, also, to have several squaws go with them to prepare their food. Any that do not want to go on the hunt must settle back of the agency buildings, where they will be safe, should the Crows take the war-path. Our brothers who have brougfht us this news had better remain and go with us this noon, in order to show us how to join the upper tribe, in case they should have 8o WANNETA moved on ahead of us. I shall send my swiftest runner to notify the tribe that we start at midday, and will be with them to-morrow night. John Runner will bear the news, and start at once on his fastest pony." When the chief had ended, the council at once broke up, and each man hurried to his tipi to pack his effects. John Runner was the chief messenger of the tribe. Without delay, he set out on his journey of eighty miles, and, by the time the tribe was under way, was thirty miles distant on his swift and lonely journey northward. The best runners in the tribe were always selected to bear news. They rode until their horses gave out, or until they reached their destination. If the horse broke down, they continued the journey on foot. Indians often run one hundred miles at the rate of seven and a half miles an hour. The moment Rain-in-the-face and Wawa left the wig- wam, Wanneta ran quickly to her lover's side, and looked anxiously into his face. The buffalo robe which hung at night in front of the entrance had been thrown back, as is the custom during the day-time, and sufficient light en- tered for her to make out clearly the various lights and shades that came and went on his manly face as she talked with him. '' We have not been alone, Strong Heart, since the night that grandfather was brought in, tied hand and foot. '' I have a great deal of news for you. The runners have come to the camp with the word that our people m.ust move at once for the buffalo hunt. Therefore the escort WANN ETA, 8l and the squaws which will cook for them will soon start for the agency buildings, where a small temporary village will be erected. I suppose that, with the stragglers who do not go to the hunt, and the guard, there will be, all told, nearly fifty of us there. The Crows, w^ho are furious at their defeat, will not dare to attack us so near the fort of the pale-faces, where the soldiers will be sent by the Great Father at Washington in case of need. It will be very quiet, and I am sure you will get on much more rapidly than here, where you are disturbed by constant excitements." *' I shall be very glad to go away from the noise, as I can get well much faster where it is more quiet. When I am well and strong, I love excitement, I love warfare, I love the chase ; but when ill I am as a weak woman and want none of these things." '' You must get well as soon as you can. Strong Heart, and then you will be able to do all these things. The squaw man, Richards, says your shoulder is doing very nicely, but that you must be patient and very careful, or you will be maimed for life:" *' I will be very careful," said Strong Heart, '' for my people may have wars with the Crows on my account, and I want to help them defend our homes. I can be of great help if I am strong and well, but if I have a shriv- elled muscle, or a shortened arm, or a crooked shoulder, I am as a child and not as the brave son of Rain-in-the- face." As the young man spoke of war and brave deeds he naturally became excited. Wanneta, seeing this, and 82 WANNETA. wishing to change the subject, told him that her horse, Brown Eyes, had been only very slightly injured by the bullet the Crow had fired, and that she was almost well enough to be ridden short distances. After this they both relapsed into silence. The Indian, as I have said, is as a rule very uncere- monious in love matters, although there are some excep- tions. He uses a great deal of ceremony before he goes to war, and the medicine-man carries on incantations and other orgies, but when an Indian deals with matters which pertain to his heart, and selects a bride, he wastes but few words and little time. He is often rejected in his brief and almost loveless courtship, but if he wants a squaw very badly, he does not become discouraged, but keeps on regardless of rebuffs. There are many customs prevalent among our Amer- ican Indians which, looked at through the eyes of a white man, are absurd. On the other hand, if we put our- selves in their place we should certainly do no better, and very possibly worse. Their treatment of women and the way in which many select their squaws, by barter, is ab- horrent to our ideas. What the Indian believes he be- lieves with his whole soul, what he loves he holds sacred ; for his friends he will do a great deal, but for his enemies he has no respect, never forgives them, and always speaks of them in utter contempt. Strong Heart had met a number of whites on the agency, and by contact Avith traders and others had learned to speak a little English. Wanneta spoke it quite purely. When she told of her pony, or of the Crows, WA NNETA. Zi Strong Heart's eyes would flash fire, and he would become nervous and agitated. But when she spoke of herself, this sterner nature gave place to a more quiet one. .''Wanneta," said he, "when you were here the other night I wanted to tell you how much I thought of you, and I was just about to do so when the interruption took place. Wanneta," he repeated, and stretching his right hand out toward her and taking hers in his own, he whis- pered softly into her willing ear his great love for her and his hopes that the affection was returned. She knelt down by his side, and taking his right hand and holding it closely in both her own, looked steadily into his face and repeated the words he asked her to say. "You are sure that you love me very much?" said Strong Heart. " Yes, dear Strong Heart — more than any one I have ever known." " My shoulder hurts me so much that I cannot raise my head, and therefore cannot take the lover's kiss. Will you not kiss me, Wanneta ? " Without replying to his request, she bent over the couch of bear-skins, and, placing her hands on each side of his head, tenderly kissed his pale lips two or three times, and then straightened back again, with her soul brimful of such delight and ecstasy as true love alone can awaken in the breast of woman, be she savage or civ- ihzed. '' I loved you," said Wanneta, " from the day that we went to the cliffs; and so deep is mv love, that I will never leave you so long as there is anything that you need 84 WANNETA which my hands can bring to you. Gladly will I minister to your every want, dear Strong Heart." *' You are a good, kind, noble girl, VVanneta," said Strong Heart. She took his outstretched hand and held it in her own for a few moments, but just as he was about to say more, the chief and his wife came in with the news of the meeting at the council-house. Wanneta arose, and leaving her lover, ran back to her father's lodge to help her mother pack up for the buffalo hunt. Two Bears brought up his ponies from the plain near by, and tied the halters to stakes securely driven into the ground, so that he could have them at a moment's notice. He then stripped the buffalo covering from the lodge- poles, bound these together, and fastened one end of them to the pony's back, while the other was allowed to drag upon the ground. Upon this mass of poles the lodge cover- ing was bound, as was also a small stock of provisions. Of the remaining horses, he expected to use two as pack animals to bring back the meat taken in the chase, and the swiftest as his riding ponies for his own and his wife's use. Taking down the lodges and packing took but little over two hours, so that the whole village was in motion shortly after noon. It took active effort on the part of Wanneta to gain the consent of her parents to remain with Strong Heart, but by dint of much arguing and by suggesting that her little sister be left with her, she finally carried her point. '' You know, mother," said Wanneta, " that I have not seen you prepare the meat of the buffalo for a long time ; WANNETA. 85 besides, it is my duty to stay and take care of Strong Heart ; therefore, I cannot go with you." She had told her mother of Strong Heart's declaration of love, and had obtained the consent of her parents to become his squaw, in case he should ask her to take this step. Be- fore the tribe started, some of the young men promised to put up a substantial lodge for Wanneta, and they told her that she was to have no fears, as it would be as well made as her father's, and would be ready for her before evening. The breaking up of the village was a scene that one would long remember. Here and there a delayed Indian was taking the buffalo covering from his wigwam poles. The little wicker-work of poles looked most barren and desolate when stripped of its covering. It seemed hardly possible that human beings could live in such places, es- pecially in the dead of winter, when there is but a quarter of an inch of protection from intense cold without. Yet they Kve, and are happy, and, until the white man came to change all, even thrived in these miserable abodes, preferring a life of danger, privation, and want, to one of ease and luxury, where food and clothing are plenty, but the word freedom is unknown. The loud shouts of the men as they called to one an- other, and the angry ejaculation of some brave whose squaw was not doing her share of the work, rang out upon the air in unison with the laughing of children and the barkings of dogs. Presently a few who are all ready start out, their lodge-poles dragging and leaving a trail upon the ground. They are joined by hundreds in the next 86 WANNETA. half hour, and, a few moments later, the whole village is on the move across the prairie. As we listen, sounds of laughter and singing become fainter and fainter, and then cease altogether, except an occasional " hi-hi-hi " of some exulting crave, heard from the dim distance. .Where there was a populous village two hours before, is now a barren waste, littered with broken kettles, bones, and splintered arrows. Hard-beaten circles show where the wigwams stood, and well-defined paths leading down to the water's edge mark the site. Wawa remained, as did Wanneta and her sister. About twenty squaws and old women, too feeble to go on the hunt, who were to cook for Strong Heart's escort, to- gether with some thirty stragglers, were all who stayed behind. They made, in all, about seventy-five persons. As soon as the village had broken up, some of the braves made a litter out of the lodge-poles, covering them with soft hides and skins, and tenderly placing Strong Heart upon it, began their five miles' march to the agency. The squaws and others, with some twelve or fifteen head of horses, and the material for the erection of a number of lodges, followed. The agency was reached without mis- hap, the site for the village pointed out by the agent, and before sunset, all the tipis were up and everything going on as smoothly as if no change had been made. The braves considered it quite an honour to guard the chief's son, and, to show their feeling, two of them stood as sen- tries at his doorway all night. They had learned this from seeing white soldiers guard their camps in the In- dian country. They continued to do this every night WANNETA, 87 until the patient had nearly recovered. The escort was well armed, and had nearly two hundred rounds of am- munition each. Before leaving, the chief had sent a message to the agent, telling him why the little village was placed near him, and asking, in case the Crows should be seen in the neighbourhood, to send one or two runners up the Mis- souri River to find the hunting party, and to telegraph for troops to be sent into the region. Leaving the Indians safely quartered at the agency, let us follow the tribe to the scene of the hunt. They rode across the rolling prairie, skirting the Bad Lands, until darkness came on. They encamped over night, and, at break of day, were again on the march. They moved steadily, reaching the upper Sioux reservation late in the afternoon, where they were received with demonstrations of great joy. The next morning, shortly after sunrise, the whole Sioux nation, consisting of about six thousand per- sons, started for the buffalo country. The movement of this large body must have been intensely interesting, and to those who love to study Indian nature, a trip with a people so numerous would afford every advantage. Their strength would put the Indians in excellent hu- mour, and they would be at their best, for they feared no attack from hostile tribes or from the whites. In the days of the seventies, the whole Black Hills swarmed with buffalo, and it was no unusual thing for Indians, on their annual hunts, to kill many thousands, and carry back for winter use as much dried beef as seven or eight thousand ponies could drag. When we consider .88 WANN ETA. the enormous destruction of buffalo by these hunts, and the still greater destruction caused by the hide-hunters, it is a wonder that the American bison lasted until 1885. Spotted Eagle and the medicine-man, since the latter's defeat, had been very cautious as to what they said and did. They both went with the hunt, and it was under- stood between them that when they had an opportunity they would talk over a scheme to revenge themselves upon the chief. The medicine-man felt especially sore over his treatment, and although in the village he w^as very court- eous and pleasant, when he was by himself or with Spotted Eagle his true nature asserted itself, and all the oaths that his imagination could invent or his fancy suggest, and the curses with which his profession had made him familiar, were pronounced upon those w4iom he hated. They had been out about four days before any buffalo were discovered. There was a guard five miles ahead of the main body ; on each side scouts were thrown out at the same distance, to bring tidings of any herds that might be sighted. A hunting party of such size without guards and scouts in advance would be utterly unable to secure any game, hence the precaution. At last the scouts came hurrying in with the glad news that a herd of fully eight or nine hundred were grazing about five miles away. Every one in the entire party was greatly excited at this, and arrangements were hastily made by the head chiefs for surrounding the herd. The country through which they were marching was rather hilly and very favourable for their plans. A thousand of the best horsemen were selected, three hundred sent ahead, three hundred to the WANNETA. 89 right, and three hundred to the left, in order to drive the herd toward a little basin-shaped valley where the slaughter was to take place. The horsemen galloped well around the herd and approached it from the rear, the wind being in their favour. The women and children were instructed to remain where they were until the chase was over, then they were to come on and cut up the meat. The remaining horsemen advanced cautiously until near the basin, where they awaited the approach of the herd. The hunters who had gone ahead, surrounded and closed in upon the animals in about an hour and a half. They had them under good headway, and turned them in the direction of the basin. The Indians in waiting saw a heavy dust to the northward, and knowing that the herd was coming, made all ready and awaited the first ap- proach. A few moments later, the bulls and leaders dashed over the hills fringing the north side of the basin, and plunged into the hollow. When about half of them had crossed the ridge, the hunters charged, with loud shouts and waving of blankets, and began the slaughter. A number fell at the first volley, few of the men being without guns. The charge of the Indians in front so frightened the herd that some of them wheeled to the right, and the hunters taking advantage of this, com- pletely surrounded them and poured in from all sides a destructive fire. Not one of the animals escaped, and it was a few moments only before the slaughter was com- plete. The ground was red with blood, for the herd had fallen within a small space. The Indian women having 90 WANNETA. heard the firing, and knowing from its sound that the hunt was about over, came forward with the whole camp outfit and began skinning and cutting up the animals. While they were doing this the medicine-man went through some of his ceremonies, giving thanks to the Great Spirit for sending them so much meat. CHAPTER VII. WA-DA-HA AND SPOTTED EAGLE TURN TRAITORS. The squaws, assisted by some of the men, worked late that night preparing the meat for winter's use. For the next two or three days the whole party remained at the spot, to wait until the buffalo which had been cut into thin strips had dried in the sun. When it had once been cut and hung up, there was nothing for it but patience until the sun should do the rest. Then the dried beef would be packed in small skin bags and the openings sewed up very tight. Sometimes the meat was pounded fine or chopped up and enclosed in these skins, but oftener it was packed in strips. While waiting for it to dry, small scouting parties were sent out in various directions for ten or fifteen miles to look for fresh herds. During one of these excursions a party of twenty Sioux came suddenly upon eight Crows, captured them without loss, and brought them safely back to camp. This created considerable excitement in the village, and had it not been for the fact that the Sioux were upon a hunting expedition, and thinking little of war, the prob- abiUty is that the Crows would have been killed or tor- tured on the night of the day they were taken. A rather singular and unexpected occurrence took place, to which they owed their lives and liberty. The old medicine- man, Wa-da-ha, heard of the capture of these Crows two 91 Q2 WA N NE TA . or three minutes after they had been brought in. An idea flashed through his crafty head, upon which he decided to act without delay. He hastened to the lodge in which Spotted Eagle lived, and calling him outside, told him to come at once to the chief's wigwam. The lodge of Rain- in-the-face was surrounded by a space of nearly a hun- dred feet in diameter, so that in case any meeting should be held there would be room for a large gathering. Kxv Indian village is always laid out with a space around the chief's lodge. The location of the lodge may be tempo- rary, but there is always room for a council or dance near the head chief's tipi. They had no more than reached the opening and taken their stations near the entrance to his wigwam, when horsemen approached, driving before them the eight Crows, with their hands tied behind them. A crowd of hooting men, women, and children, gathered about. As the throng increased, Rain-in-the-face, who had been con- sulting with Gopher about some tribal matters, appeared on the scene, and taking in the situation at a glance, called for the village crier, who was bidden to summon a council. In a few moments, the space surrounding the tipi was crowded with men, and without further delay the discussion as to what was to be done with the pris- oners began. '' Rain-in-the-face," said Sitting Bull, head chief of the upper reservation, '' these, our enemies, have been taken by our young men. As you know, the Crow dogs who attacked your son, Strong Heart, were repulsed with great loss. Before we condemn them to death, let us call WANNETA. 93 one of the squaw men who understands their tongue and hear what they have to say." *' Well said, great chief," said Red Cloud, first sub- chief of the upper reservation. " We will hear what these dogs have to say. Go call Richards, the squaw man." Richards was in the crowd not far away, and on hearing his name called came forward. '' Ask these vile Crows what they will do if we let them go," said Rain-in-the-face. Richards asked the question, and the Crows consulted a moment, and then replied : '' We will not take up arms against the Sioux nation." The interpreter repeated their words to the chief, who called it out in loud tones to the assembled multitude. A mighty shout of disapproval went up, the Indians grunt- ing and hooting and making so great a noise that it was some moments before order was restored sufficiently for Sitting Bull to be heard. The head chief raised his voice so as to reach those standing back among the wigwams, and spoke as follows : " If these Crow dogs are killed, their countrymen may attack the women and children left at the agency, and thus we shall lose some of our best people, and have to stop our hunt. I favour letting them go on their solemn promise that they will not disturb us again. We do not want to stop this hunt, neither do we want to lose the women, children, and braves left at the agency." At this the Indians set up another great shout, not as loud as the first, because many of them respected the wishes of their chief, but still enough joined in it to convince the leaders that it would be very hard to keep the warriors from taking the lives of the captives. 94 IVANNETA The medicine-man had been standing back out of sight, and up to the present moment had said nothing ; but he now stepped forward, and raising his voice, called out in loud tones for the assembled multitude to listen. Rain- in-the-face had no regard whatever for Wa-da-ha, but still suffered him to speak, thinking that it would do no harm, and knowing his influence on the tribe. Should he say anything not in accordance with the wishes of his superior, he could be quickly checked. '' My people," called out Wa-da-ha, '' these before you are low Crow dogs, and they certamly deserve death." At this, he was interrupted by a great shout of approval which went up from a thousand throats. Waving his hand for them to be silent, the old fraud continued : *' Yes ; they ought to die over the fire. Their flesh should be cut and scratched, their heads scalped, and they should be made to know how mighty and cruel is the Sioux na- tion. But think, my people, if we do this, as our chief has said, we must stop the hunt ; we shall lose those whom we love who are now living near the agency. We cannot do this ; we cannot lose our annual hunt ; nor would it be at all wise to get the Crows on the war-path, and thus have them cause us much trouble. We are not afraid of them, for we have taken many of their scalps and done them great mischief. Be wise, O brothers ; let these people go, and keep peace in the nation until our hunt shall have fin- ished, and until we are where our people can be pro- tected." At this, some of the warriors objected, and raised a great protest, but most of them agreed to accept the decision of the medicine-man and the chiefs. WANNETA. 95 Seeing, now, that prompt action alone was necessary, Rain-in-the-face and Sitting Bull arose from their seats on the ground, and commanded the warriors to allow the Crows to pass in safety. At this some little objection was made, but when thirty or forty armed Sioux appeared, and marching in front, behind, and on each side of the Crows, led them to the outskirts of the village, there was no hand uplifted to stay the progress of the escort and the prisoners. The Crows were allowed to go with their horses, but without their arms, which were taken from them. It was about dusk when they left the camp. As soon as the council broke up, the medicine-man and Spotted Eagle ran swiftly to the corral where the horses were kept, and securing two of the swiftest animals, set out to overtake them. Each carried a Winchester and a supply of shells. The Crows had ridden rapidly for four or five miles, and then settled down to a steady lope, while they talked over the events of the day. The old medicine-man knew their tongue quite well, and although he would have been ashamed to let his own people hear him speak it, he would not hesitate to betray the secrets of his own nation in the very language of those to whom he would sell him- self. They had not been more than one hour on the trail before they came in sight of the men they were following. It was bright moonlight. The Indians were too busy talking to notice the approach of Spotted Eagle and the medicine-man until the latter were close upon them. At the moment they heard the horses, and turned in alarm, 96 WAN NET A the medicine-man called out, in their own tongue : " Fear not; I bring peace— I have great news for you. Wait; do not run. We are friends." Thereupon the Crows pulled up, and waited until Wa-da-ha and Spotted Eagle drew near, but on seeing that they were Sioux and were armed, they were about to fly in dismay, when Wa-da-ha called out once more, and assured them of his intention to do them no harm, again declaring that he was the bearer of important news. Riding up alongside, the old rascal spoke as follows : '' I am the chief Sioux medicine- man in the entire lower tribe. This man with me is Spotted Eagle, one of our bravest and best w^arriors." At this allusion to himself, Spotted Eagle chuckled glee- fully. " We have been greatly wronged by our tribe, and have been abused and insulted. We seek revenge. We will lead the Crows to the agency, where they can attack the few Sioux left there with perfect safety, as all the rest of the nation is on its annual hunt. I will do this, provided you will agree to certain things which we shall ask of you." "Why do you fight your own people?" asked one of the Crows. " Because," said the medicine-man, '' I seek revenge on them. The young man here seeks revenge also. We wish your warriors to hearken when we reach your vil- lage, and go with us to the spot where about one hundred of my people are encamped. There are only twenty warriors with them, and they will fall an easy prey into your hands." The Crows were greatly surprised by the offer, and did IV A NNE TA . 97 not know what reply to make. They talked together, and turning- to Wa-da-ha, one of them said : " Go with us to our village, and see what the chief says. ' Of course, they were delighted at the prospect of having these Sioux lead them against those at the agency. What the reward for doing this was, made no difference to them ; all they wanted was revenge on the Sioux, and this they would carry out to the letter whenever a chance might arise. "What do you want for doing this, medicine-man?" asked one of the Crows. '' The yoang man here," repHed Wa-da-ha, " wants a young woman at the agency, by the name of Wanneta, given to him unharmed to be his squaw. I want to be made your head medicine-man in return for my services." " Yes, but we know not whether your medicine is pow- erful. We have one medicine-man, and he is very great. Our people would not like to give him up for one who comes from our enemies." " My medicine can be shown when we reach the vil- lage," said Wa-da-ha, *' and you can judge whether it is powerful or not. You must promise us that we shall not be harmed, or we will not go to the village with you." " We grant you safe escort to our village," said the Crow, " and will take you at once to the lodge of the chief, where you shall receive food, and where he will call a council, although it will be very late at night when we arrive." The party rode on in silence for some time. The Crows were rather afraid of their Sioux companions, 98 WANNETA. whose Strange request seemed so unnatural that they could not but believe some trap was being laid into which they would be lured. They were very watchful, and had the medicine-man or Spotted Eagle raised his rifle from the pommel of his saddle, the Crows would have scat- tered instantly and fled like the wind. They rode on hour after hour in silence, this Judas, who was to betray his own flesh and blood to his hereditary enemies, and his' accomplice. About midnight they reached the village, and entered it without disturbing any of the sleeping Indians. Rid- ing straight to the chief's lodge, the young man who had acted as spokesman for the Crows, called out in loud tones : " Black Elk, Black Elk, come out. Here are two Sioux who want to speak with you." At this, the chief arose from his pile of buffalo robes and strode forth from his wigwam, rifle in hand. '' What do you do here, you enemies of my nation ? " said he. The medicine-man, not in the least dismayed, told his story, and made the same offer that he had made to the young men who had accompanied him from the Sioux camp. Spotted Eagle could not understand or speak the Crow^ tongue, and listened to what was said in ignorance. He was somewhat frightened at the warlike manner of the chief, but upon seeing the calmness with which the medicine-man bore himself, he gritted his teeth, and re- solved to brave any dangers, surmount all obstacles, and commit any wickedness that might be necessary if he could thus be able to claim Wanneta as his squaw. The chief having heard what Wa-da-ha had .to say, sent a WANNETA. 99 number of the young men through the village, calling the warriors to meet at the council-house. He went in ad- vance himself, with a few of his men and the two Sioux, and kindled a bright fire in the centre of the room, so that all present could see the Sioux and hear what they had to say. It was only a few moments before the Crows had as- sembled and filled the large room to the outer door. There were many glances of hate directed toward the Sioux, but as both knew that presence of mind and cour- age would alone enable them to carry their point, they did not seem in the least dismayed or disheartened by the cold reception they were receiving. As soon as all had seated themselves, the chief. Black Elk, took a large pipe with a long stem, which had been lighted and handed him, and drawing from it clouds of smoke, swallowed them, and blew the volume through his nose, then passed it to the Sioux, who did likewise. After the council-pipe had been smoked, Black Elk arose and announced that the medicine-man. Great Wa-da-ha, of the Sioux nation, had come to speak important words to them, and he hoped that these words would be listened to by those present, and that none would interrupt or say aught until Wa-da-ha should have finished. The chief bowed toward the medicine-man, who arose to his feet and began, in the Crow tongue, to explain to those present the object of his visit. The opening remarks are hardly worth giving here, but the closing words, being full of fire, may be ot interest to the reader : ''I was a great man in the tribe. When I said ' come lOO WANNETA, here,' the young men came ; when I said ' go there,' the young men went. I made it rain, I made it thunder, I brought game, I made the fish ascend the rivers, I cured the sick, and I drove the evil spirits away from the tribe. Did they care for me for doing this ; have they respected my old age ? No ; as a reward for my great efforts, they bound me hand and foot — they carried me like a dog, and laid me on the ground. The chief rubbed his hands to- gether gleefully over me. The children hooted at the great medicine-man, and his name, which was once respected, became a by-word. " This young man whom I have brought with me, loved a young maiden. He went to play the flute at her door. The chief knew that this young man was a friend of mine, and, happening along when he was playing to his sweetheart, stopped and listened. Did he pass on? No ! He took the young man and shook him up ; he slapped his face, and broke his flute. What had the young man done ? Nothing ! He was a friend of mine." The medicine-man well knew how to work upon the minds of the Crows, so changing his subject a Uttle, he began in this wise : '' The chief laughs at the strength of the Crows. He says that they are weak— that they are dogs. He says that when they come to his village, he will not torture them as if they were men ; he will take their guns and kick them out, as he did your young men this evening." At this, a mighty shout of disapproval went up from the as- sembled throng. Seeing how well he was getting on, the WANNETA. lOI medicine-man began his final effort. • "■ The ^son o^ the chief now boasts that he killed thirty of your' Voung men with his own hand. Will your people sitJiere vdl-y and Wno^v that these words of slander and contempt are passing Rain-in-the-face's lips? Spring to arms — spring up! Why sit you here idle? Come with me, and I will show you where to strike, and how to strike hard." Then, lowering his voice and bending slightly forward, with an expression upon his countenance well portraying the hellish nature of his soul, he hissed : '' There are one hun- dred Sioux, mostly women and children, near the agency. They have but twenty young men as a guard. Come with me, and in two days you shall have scalps in place of those that Strong Heart took." As he closed the sen- tence, the murmur of approval, which had begun softly, increased to a mighty shout, and the Crow warriors present, with loud '' ki-yis " and cheers, brandished their weapons, and from hundreds of throats issued the war- whoop so loud and shrill that the very walls of the great council-house seemed to rock with the sound. ''AH we want," said the medicine-man, *'in return is, that the young girl at the agency be not hurt, and that she be given to this young man for his squaw, and that you make me a medicine-man in your tribe." The tu- mult here became so great that it was impossible for Wa- da-ha to proceed, and the chief^ Black Elk, arose. But it was not until after shouting, '' Be still— be still," a number of times that he at last succeeded in obtaining something like order. He then assured the two Sioux that they would be protected, and that they should lead the attack I02 WANNETA on^tbfir.agen-cyrtwp .d^ys later, and that if all was as they repf evented t'hcr/ dfemands should be granted. ;'.^ThW-^iVebd.u^cH% broke up, and the whole tribe re- turned to their lodges, with the understanding that a great war-dance was to be held the next night. The medicine-man and Spotted Eagle were shown an empty tipi, which they w^ere to occupy during their stay. Crawling into this, these two wretches congratulated one another upon the success of their scheme, and rolling themselves in the buffalo robes, slept more soundly than many a man whose conscience is clear of all thought of crime or treachery. The next day nothing unusual occurred in the camp, the Crows making ready for the attack upon the agency. At dusk that night the war-dance began. As this is somewhat similar to the Sioux dance, described in the previous chapter, it is hardly necessary to give a descrip- tion of it. The medicine-man, decked out in what finery he could borrow or manufacture for the occasion, was present, and took an active part in the proceedings. The next morning, at break of day, fully one thousand armed Crows, mounted upon good horses, set out for the agency, one hundred and fifty miles distant. They marched quite leisurely that day, so as not to weary the horses, and halted at dusk and slept through the night upon the open prairie without covering of any descrip- tion. Next morning they started at break of day, and by evening that night were within five miles of their destina- tion. Here they halted until daylight, when they pro- posed to make the attaciv. WANNETA. 103 As the Indians were passing a point north of the buffalo- hunters, on the first day of the journey, a lone scout, in the hills four miles away, seeing so large a moving body — whether buffalo or horsemen he could not tell— galloped down depressions and through ravines until he was near enough to ascertain without being observed what this all meant. He was no other than John Runner, the best scout and trailer in the whole Sioux nation. He had been sent to look for buffalo, and was some twenty miles south- west of the Sioux camp when the horsemen passed him. The Crow village was northwest of the Sioux camp, so that in moving on the agency far to the south, the Crows were two points south by one east, or, as the sailors say, south-southeast. John Runner was secreted in a hollow in the foot-hills when the}^ passed, and was scarcely a half mile away as they swung around the edge of the northern Bad Lands, a different section of Bad Lands from those near the agency. Imagine his horror when he saw and recognized the medicine-man, Wa-da-ha, his grandfather, leading these Crows on the war-path. A feeling of sickness came over him at first, which quickly changed, in accordance with his Indian nature, to hatred and disgust. He divined in- stantly the purpose of the expedition, and turning his horse's head, galloped toward the Sioux camp, twenty- five miles away. It was about two o'clock in the after- noon when he started on this journey, and he was a trifle over two hours and twenty minutes in making the trip. The Sioux were quietly engaged in their various pleas- ures and pursuits, some gambling, others singing or prac- :04 ^VA N N E 7' A ticing with the bow and rifle. Suddenly they saw a horseman coming across the plain in mad haste. Just as he reached them his horse stumbled and fell, throwing his rider several yards in advance. John Runner — for it was he — ^springing to his feet unhurt, and with his long hair streaming in the breeze, dashed through the village at full speed, crying : '' The Crows are marching against our people at the agency ! To arms — to your horses ! Quick ! They will soon be there ! " And dashing into the presence of the chiefs, who were smoking their pipes and lolling in the shade of a large tipi, he called out : ''The Crows, with one thousand warriors, are marching against our people at the agency ! To arms instantly ! Call the braves to arms ! " There was a scene of excitement following this an- nouncement which pen cannot picture, and which mind can scarcely conceive. Half a dozen squaws and Indians, beating on tom-toms, with doleful singing, soon brought together all the people in the central square. The chief, addressing the throng, told them what the messenger had seen, and when the names of two of their own people were pronounced as leading these Crow devils to the slaughter of women and children, the indignation that took possession of every man, woman, and child in that entire camp was something terrible to see. In less than an hour about a thousand and five hundred armed war- riors, on fleet ponies, were speeding away southward, while the women and children and old men, with a guard of two hundred braves, were hurrying with loads of meat as fast as possible in the wake of the advancing army. WANNETA 05 Never, in the history of the Sioux nation, had such a host taken the war-path. The combined forces of the two tribes, led by such chiefs as Sitting Bull, Rain-in-the-face, Gopher, Spotted Tail, Red Cloud, and Two Bears, was enough to inspire every warrior with great courage, and give his arms strength and his eye steadiness for the fray. They rode all that night, and in the morning rested but an hour, in order to allow the horses to eat a little and stretch their stiffened limbs before again taking up the march against the Crows. CHAPTER VIII. STRONG HEART AND WANNETA AT THE AGENCY. The two days following the departure of the tribe on the annual hunt were spent very quietly at the agency, Wan- neta tenderly caring for Strong Heart and giving him such medicine as she thought would hasten his recovery. The lodges which the Indians had erected were placed upon the banks of a good-sized stream, and were about three hundred yards from the government buildings. The ground between them and the camp was level, and free from underbrush or trees. A few cottonwoods grew on either side of the stream. Its banks were about ten feet high and quite steep ; the width of the creek was about one hundred feet, and the water, for some distance, was quiet and deep. There wxre a few canoes moored at the water's edge, which the natives used when crossing on hunting excursions, or when bringing fire-wood from the drift-piles on the opposite side. The time passed by rapidly, and neither Wanneta nor Strong Heart had any premonition of the danger that awaited them. In bhssful ignorance they passed the time as only lovers can, until the very night that the Crows encamped five miles from the agency. The Sioux, on the morning of this day, after resting their ponies, took up the march again as rapidly as pos- sible, and about dusk halted ten miles north of the agency 1 06 WANNETA. 107 to rest a little before advancing to find out whether or not the Crows were in the neighbourhood. It was a bright evening, and Wanneta and her lover were seated in the dimly-lighted tipi. The escort of braves were lounging in their wigwams, a hundred yards away, smoking their pipes or gambling with little coloured stones. The squaws had prepared food a few moments before, and all had satisfied the crayings of their appe- tites. One of the employees of the agency had been out hunt- ing, and on his way home, followed the edge of the water for several miles. The river having cut down into the soil, as we have said, to a considerable depth, a horseman could pass along the verge of the stream and be invisible to any one some distance back upon the prairie. In this way he unconsciously passed fully half of the Crow In- dians. The chiefs had called a consultation before attacking the agency, and were in a group near the edge of the bank, discussing whether they should wait until morning, as was their intention when they arrived at this spot, or push on to the assault that night. The half-breed hunter knew enough of the Crow tongue to understand what they were talking about. So he stopped his horse and listened a few moments. He recognized the voice of one of the principal Crow chiefs ; he also, to his great amaze- ment and horror, heard Wa-da-ha, the medicine-man, well known to the agency employees, debating with the hereditary enemies of his nation, as to which was the best way of slaughtering a hundred of his own people. The io8 WAN NET A. half-breed was badly frightened, but becoming bolder as the conversation went on, he decided to listen to all that was said, and if his horse made a sound that should betray him, to leap into the stream, swim across, and escape through the darkness. Indian-like, his horse was well trained, and the animal, conscious of the presence of strangers, stood patiently waiting, with ears thrown forward, on the alert for any movement his master might make. The half-breed stood with his arm thrown over the horse's neck, his rifle in readiness upon his left arm, and, as he Hstened, this is what he heard : " Black Elk is a great chief," said the medicine-man, '' but he knows not the Sioux people as well as I do. They are up early in the morning, and will flee into the agency buildings as soon as they catch sight of us. If we make the attack now, they will not have a chance to fly, and we can surround and cut them all down without dan- ger to ourselves." '' The medicine-man speaks wise words," said one of the Crow sub-chiefs ; '' we will listen to what he has to say." Spotted Eagle had been standing beside Wa-da-ha, and wishing to take part in the conversation, judging that they were talking about the attack, he nudged the medicine- man and said to him : " Tell them to move on at once and plan to surround the village. The camp is several hun- dred yards from the agency, and by making a wide detour we can pass the buildings unnoticed and attack the camp .and escape with the prisoners and scalps before the agent WANNETA. 109 can arouse his men." Wa-da-ha made known Spotted Eagle's idea to the Crows. It was favourably received, and all decided to act upon it at once. '' Let us call the young men together," said Black Elk, *'and march to the attack." With that he gave a war- whoop, which brought all the warriors around him, mounted on their ponies. At the sound the horse of the half-breed became frightened, and it was with great diffi- culty that his master could keep him quiet so as to hear what more was said. '' Young men," said the chief, ''you are to observe the following instructions : The Indian girl called Wanneta, very beautiful and beloved by this young man, is not to be harmed. She is probably in the lodge of the son of Rain-in-the-face, Strong Heart, who is the treacherous dog who killed many of your people two weeks ago in the Bad Lands, and whom you must take alive, if possi- ble, for torture. When we have returned to our village, you are to respect and reverence our Sioux friends here, who have led us in the attack, as if they were your brother Crows. This elder one is to become one of our medicine- men. Spotted Eagle will become a great warrior with us. It is to them we owe this opportunity of striking a telling blow upon the Sioux dogs ; therefore believe and respect them. Now to your horses, and we will advance cautiously." So saying. Black Elk leaped upon his pony and set out at a slow trot across the plain, followed by his Avarriors. As they moved on through the falling darkness, they uttered no sound. When within two miles of the agency no WANNETA. the column turned toward the north, to pass far above the buildings, and slackened their speed somewhat in order that any danger of being discovered and having their plans frustrated might be avoided. Scarcely had the column moved, than the half-breed plunged his horse into the stream, and, holding tightly to the rawhide bridle, swam ahead and directed the animal where to land on the opposite bank. As the last of the Crows were passing the spot, they fancied the wind brought to their ears the sound of a splash in the waters below. Some of them halted their ponies and rode to the edge of the bank. x\s they peered anxiously into the darkness, they could see no sign of the noble animal and its rider who were to bear the news of their coming to the agency and to the camp before their diabohcal work could commence. -Reaching the shore in safety, the half-breed sprang on the animal's back, and, with lash vigourously applied, flew over the plain as fast as his pony could bear him. In an incredibly short time he reached a point opposite the camp, and plunging his froth and foam flecked steed into the water, swam through the depths to the other side, where he scrambled up the steep bank to the plain above. Leaving his horse, heaving and panting, he rushed into the village and called the braves about him. " The Crows are coming with many warriors. Take your rifles and carry the wounded man to the agency building without delay. Do not waste a moment. Run, run, instantly," and catching up his own rifle, the half- breed rushed toward the tipi where lay Strong Heart, WANNETA. Ill followed by all the men in the village. They gathered up the buffalo robes, on which the young man lay, by the four corners, and hastily running to the agency store, rushed pell-mell into it with their burden. While they were doing this, Wanncta and the other women hurriedly gathered a few pounds of dried beef, and with the children that were in the small v^illagc, fol- lowed on their heels. As soon as they reached the build- ings, the employees, some six or eight in number, and the agent himself, attracted by the noise, came running out to see what was the matter. It did not take him long to understand the condition of affairs. He gave instructions that Strong Heart should be carried up-stairs — the main building of the agency was two stories high — and laid on the floor of a room having but one small window. Fifteen of the warriors he stationed at the small block-house, at a point which commanded three sides of the buildings, and the remaining Sioux, with his own men, he placed in various positions at doors, windows, and loop-holes within the warehouse and the dwelling. The women and children were sent into the cellar, with the exception of some of the bravest, who were left above with plenty of calico and linen to bind up the wounds of any that might be hurt. The great gates of the agency were shut and fastened, the doors and windows of all the buildings locked and barred, the agent rolled out a keg of fine rifle-powder, and set three of the squaws to load- ing empty shells, so that they should not run short of am- munition, in case they had to withstand a long attack. He brought up several hundred bags of cartridges and 112 W AN N ETA. distributed them among the men, and laid a dozen brand- new Winchesters in various parts of the house, within the reach of those who were to defend the women and children. When all this was done, they felt quite safe as to the probable result of the attack, thinking that the half-breed had greatly exaggerated the number of the enemy. The main body of the Sioux did not rest more than an hour, and as the Crows were advancing from the north- west, they were coming from the north ; but the Sioux had ten miles to come and were proceeding very lei- surely, while the Crows had about five miles to come and were trotting their horses. The Crows passed without being seen or heard, a mile above the buildings, and, swinging around, came gradu- ally in toward the deserted village. They approached from the eastward very cautiously. Nearly a hundred of them dismounted, and, advancing on all fours, crawled to a part of it nearest the agency, while others surrounded the tipis fringing the stream. All drew from their belts their scalping-knifes and tomahawks, and, upon a war- whoop from the chief, sprang through the entrance of each lodge with uplifted knife and hatchet, ready to brain those supposed to be lying inside. Just as the village was surrounded, the moon, which had been hidden behind a heavy bank of clouds, came out in all its brightness and shed a penetrating light upon the scene. Imagine the disgust of the Indians to find their intended victims gone. Not a soul was there, and all that was left for them to wreak their vengeance on, were WANNETA. 113 several curs which ran howling hither and thither, dodg- ing the vicious thrusts of knife or strike of tomahawk from the exasperated Indians. ''Ah," said the medicine-man to a crowd of assembled warriors, ''some one has heard of our coming and has led the Sioux into the agency. We will get them yet. Come on; follow me. 1 will lead you to the attack." There was murmuring among the Crows, and some openly avowed that he had led them into a trap ; but as everything in the wigwams betokened a hasty flight, and as the crafty old fellow used his most persuasive eloquence, he soon in- duced them to follow his lead. " They shall not escape me," he hissed. " I will get them and deliver them into your hands. You shall have blood and scalps, to pay you for the wrongs which have been perpetrated upon your nation. Come, oh Crows, follow me to victory." Wa-da-ha leaped upon his pony's back, and followed closely by Spotted Eagle, the chiefs and head warriors, while the others trailed along in the rear, dashed toward the government buildings. The trampling of so many horses made considerable noise, and seeing that further concealment was impossible, the Crowds raised their war- whoop, and dividing into two parties, swung around, the one behind and the other in front of the agency. Those within could see by the bright moonlight what an enormous host they had to contend with, and the stoutest hearts quailed as they saw that they were out- numbered thirty to one. The Crows, too, they saw had nearly as good arms as they themselves, and the only 114 WANNETA thing that could save them would be the arrival of troops or the coming of their people from the buffalo hunt. The agent saw that he and his men were in very tight quarters, and doubted whether, with such an army sur- rounding him, he could get a message to the nearest mili- tary post. He did not know whether to attempt to send a scout or not, and resolved to wait until a consultation could be held. As the Crows were cavorting about the buildings, hoot- ing and yelling, and discharging their rifles, the agent called up the women from the cellar, and sending with them a number of men, gave instructions that windows and doors be doubly barricaded. The buildings were very strongly put together, and were of very heavy timber. They could, therefore, resist any number of bullets, but were not at all fire-proof. The three, and the block- house, which have been repeatedly mentioned, were con- nected ; that is, built end to end, so that a person could pass from one to the other without being seen. The last building was the lowest, but the broadest, being square. It was composed entirely of logs. This was the block- house, or fort, and was so strongly built, the ends of the logs being dovetailed, that no Indian could batter it down. The loop-holes commanded the structure from all sides, and it was not possible for the Crows to advance upon it without great loss. The warehouse,- in which was the meat and meal, was at the north. The store and the apartments in which the agent lived adjoined this. The next building was occupied by the employees of the agency ; then came the W A N N ETA . lis block-house. The meat on hand consisted of some seven or eight hundred shoulders and sides of hogs. This was to be issued to the Indians in case the beef supply, for some unforeseen reason, should fail. As this was salted and cured, it was very hard and dry, and while a bullet would pass through seven or eight inches, a barrier of meat a foot thick would afford sufficient resistance to stop any bullet. The squaws and a few of the men worked with the superhuman strength that excitement and danger alone give, and it was not many moments before every door and window from the north end of the buildings to the south was strengthened with this novel but effective bar- ricade of pork. There were plenty of kegs of meal which might have been used, but the agent considered the salt pork better. The Crows did not leave the defenders in doubt long as to what their intentions were. The high board fence which surrounded all, and which, while tolerably strong, was by no means bullet-proof, was not an obstacle worthy of consideration ; still it hindered them from obtaining a clear view of the first story of the buildings. So at a given signal five or six hundred Crows dismounted, rushed to it, each seized a board, and pulled and tugged together, thus tearing down and carrying off in large sec- tions all of the fence and the gates. This surprised the defenders, and although it rendered them somewhat un- easy, did not alarm them, as the fence was of no value as a protection. The defenders simultaneously opened a rapid fire, and had the satisfaction of seeing a number of Il6 WANNETA. the warriors stagger and fall, many of whom were unable to rise, and had to be carried off the field by their com- rades. The agent ordered the braves and his men to shoot all Indians who came as near as the dark line upon the ground which marked the spot where the fence had stood. So they waited with cocked rifles the approach of the Crows to the dead-line. The Indians had heaped the re- mains of the fence in a large pile, and setting fire to it, soon had the whole mass in a roaring flame. They could not resist the temptation of executing a small war-dance about the bright blaze, and having done this, returned to the attack with renewed spirits and redoubled energies. The agent looked on complacently as his fence was being burned, and when asked how he felt about it, remarked, with the usual carelessness of his class, that it was Uncle Sam's money that paid for the fence, and that he did not care what became of it. The Crows formed a ring of about a hundred yards from the agency buildings, and circling around and around, their horses on a dead run, discharged their rifles as they rode. When the horses became tired, those who had been waiting took their places while the first set rested. Thus they kept up an incessant fire. The only effect of this was to fill the strong and heavy weather- boarding full of lead. Perhaps a few bullets entered some crack or crevice and buried themselves in the walls or in the piles of meat about the loop-holes, but there was no damage done whatever. It did not take the Crows many minutes to see that W ANN ETA . 117 their bullets made no impression upon the buildings, and that those inside were emptying their saddles and send- ing their best braves to the happy hunting-grounds at an alarming rate. So they withdrew to the fire and devised new tactics. They left the ponies in charge of some fifty braves and on foot stormed the doors and tried to batter them down. They selected for this purpose two heavy posts taken from the fence, and put each in the hands of a dozen of their strongest men, who went on a quick run at the door. The besieged saw them coming, and were somewhat alarmed at the aspect affairs were now taking. The agent called out loudly to open fire rapidly upon them. As the Crows approached with their battering-rams and crossed the dead-line, they received a shower of bullets which killed five or six of each set. One of the parties dropped the log and took to their heels ; the other came right on, a man falling every now and then, but reached the door with four of their number unhurt. They struck it twice, but were too excited to hit hard enough to break it down. Two of them were shot on the door-step, and the other two, losing all heart, turned and ran swiftly to where their companions were watching. Black Elk then told his braves to try the white man's way of firing, and to aim all together very carefully at the loop-holes. This they did, discharging their arms simultaneously. A thousand rifles fired as one had the effect of bringing the Sioux from the north all the more rapidly as this thun- derous report reached their ears, but it killed three of those within and wounded four. Ii8 WANNETA. As the sound reached the ears of the Sioux, Sitting Bull and Rain-in-the-face, who were riding in front, lashed their ponies into a furious speed, and calling to their followers, who needed no second bidding, came on to the agency. Nearer and nearer they drew, until they could plainly hear the war-cries of the Crows. So intent were the latter upon the new mode of assault, that they did not know of the approach of the Sioux until they were close upon them. The Crows had tried for some time to set fire to the buildings, and some of their best bow-men had been shooting arrows, headed with red-hot coals, at the roofs. Out of some fifteen or twenty shots, three of the brands kindled a space upon the dry roofs of the north and cen- tral buildings. One of the besieged sprang up to put out the fire, but fell back with a bullet through his head. At least five hundred rifles were directed toward the blaze, and, had any one shown himself, instant death would have been his fate. The fire gained rapidly, and those within knew that over their heads an enemv was working Avhich would soon drive them forth, an enemy against which they could not fight with either rifle or knife. Two more brave fellows within sprang up to make another at- tempt. Both fell back, one shot in three places and the other fairly riddled with lead. Just as smoke was pour- ing into the upper stories of the building — so dense that Strong Heart had to be removed to the lower floor — there came a sound which was heard above the roar of repeating arms, and, which sent a thrill of gladness through the heart of every one within those doomed WANNETA. 119 walls. It was the Sioux war-whoop, and as it ran^r out, bringing gladness to one side and sorrow and chagrin to the other, those who uttered it dashed into sight, and charged without an instant's pause. Now ensued a tight in the open plain, in which a thou- sand Crows, stung to exasperation by their failure to carry the fort, furiously assailed fifteen hundred Sioux. The horses of both parties were tired, and it was a question of a few moments only before one or the other should give way, for Indians w^ill seldom fight in the open plain. After the first few charges the lines drew apart, and a steady fire was kept up on both sides for fifteen or twenty minutes. The moon became obscured in clouds for a time, so that the aim of both parties was very uncertain, and they could not tell whether they were directing their rifles at their enemies or not. So there was a lull in the fight until each should be able to see. In a few moments the moon shone out in all its brightness, and, without waiting further, the Sioux raised their battle-cry and charged the Crows. The line wavered an instant and then broke, and with loud ''ki-yis," the defeated Crows fled toward their own village, pursued by nearly a thousand of the most fleet of the Sioux. A number were killed in the pursuit, but as the horses ot the victors were worn out after their long run, hardly five miles had been traversed before most of the animals showed signs of fatigue, and gradually, one after another dropped out of the race and returned to the agency. CHAPTER IX. THE SCENE AT THE AGENCY. When the Sioux swept down and charged the Crows with a war-whoop of such volume and strength that it seemed to almost shake the heavens, the delight of those inside the little fortress could scarcely be expressed in words. They danced, they shouted, and carried on al- most like crazy people. It was only a few moments before they saw what would be the result of the fight, so all in the fort and in the northern building brought their guns and ammunition and joined the men and women crowded in the agent's house. A scene was enacted here that beg- gars description. Every one was so rejoiced to see the Crows in full retreat, and to know that there would be no massacre and no captivity, that they went through all sorts of antics. As soon as the enemy were in full retreat, the Sioux crowded around the buildings and called to those inside to come out. The doors were thrown open, and every one within the burning building ran into the plain. Six strong braves bore in advance of the crowd the litter upon which lay Strong Heart. This they carried out some little distance and set down in a place of safety. The people having thus escaped, the agent called to the Sioux to dismount, and some two hundred men worked with might and main to save what they could of the contents 120 WAN N ETA. 12 of the houses. The fire had gained such headway on the roof, and was fanned by so stiff a breeze, that there was no possibility of saving any of the houses. The barn and wagon-shed, after being rifled of their contents and the horses there stabled, had also been fired by the Crows. The Indians worked as hard as they could, and carried all the household provisions and pork safely outside the burning buildings. When this was done, the agent and his assistants had to stand idly by and watch the devour- ing flames. There was nothing for him to do but to send to the nearest railroad and telegraph station an account of what had happened, and to notify the authorities at Washington to send instructions and money for the erec- tion of new buildings, and the purchase of horses and other necessary commodities. The Indians found their village undisturbed by the Crows, and, by crowding and sleeping six or seven in a tipi, managed to furnish the agent and his wife and employees with several lodges unti' better accommodations could be secured. The flames mounting high in air, made such a brill- iant light that people fifty miles away saw, by the red haze, that something unusual had happened. The Crows, looking back far distant on their homeward race, saw it, too, and gave vent to their delight in war-whoops and yells as they sped across the prairie. The Indians and whites watched until nothing remained but masses of bright red coals. Then, as it was late at night, they turned in. A guard of a hundred warriors was left to watch the provisions. They spent their time in dancing about the fire and keeping up a series of songs, now and 122 WANNETA. then interspersed with a few war-like demonstrations, such as shouts and yells. They helped themselves very liberally to the pork, and many a shoulder and piece of bacon was devoured after being first cooked over the embers. When the first volley was fired by the Crows as they rode around the buildings, Wanneta, who had left her charge for a few moments to get a bucket of water and speak with those down-stairs, rushed up in great alarm and sat down by the side of her lover, answering his ques- tions and listening with great agitation to the sounds of attack. At first Strong Heart was very anxious to go below and assist, and when the building was fired and they carried him down, it was all Wanneta could do to prevent him from getting up, weak as he was, and joining in the defense. Strong Heart, like all Indian young men, could not bear to see a fight in which his own people were engaged without lending them his assistance. Indians have been known to fight when terribly wounded, and there are cases on record where braves who have been cut and shot a number of times, have sat up with their back propped against a tree or a dead horse, loading and firing their rifles for several hours. The same stoicism was displayed by many soldiers in the late war for the Union. As the fight went on, and the Crows were circling on their fast flying ponies around and around the buildings, Wanneta and Strong Heart sat perfectly still for some time, listening to the dull thud of the hoofs upon the turf and the yells of those within and without. The discharge W A N N E TA 123 of the rifles was so rapid that they did not feel at all afraid, nor were they in the least bit nervous. When one is in a building and there is a fight outside or below, and the shooting is very active, one is not apt to be half so badly frightened as if there were an occasional discharge. In the first case one is nerved to see or hear almost any- thing ; in the other, one listens with bated breath for each report, and thus the imagination, having full sway during the pause, is inflamed by the nervous and excitable con- dition of the mind. As the fight grew hot, those inside cheered and yelled in answer to those without. Every once in a while a bul- let would smash through a glass window, and another, with a dull zip, would bury itself in the stacks of meat behind. The patter of the lead striking the heavy weather- boarding, indicated to the young folk that a very heavy fire was being directed against them. " Wanneta," said Strong Heart, after the shooting had been continued for about fifteen minutes, '' I think we are perfectly safe here, unless they set fire to the build- ings. In case they do this, there is no hope for us what- ever." '' If they do set fire to the building," said Wanneta, '' the men can run up on the roof and extinguish the blaze before it has gained much headway." " No, they can't," said Strong Heart, *' because every Crow will watch that blaze, keeping his rifle turned toward it, and the life of the first man who shows himself will not be worth an old pony." Wanneta groaned when she heard this, but, as there 124 WANNETA was no indication of the building being fired, she kept her usual composure. She gave Strong Heart a drink of water and, leaving him for a few moments, ran down- stairs to see how the defenders were getting along. The lamps in the agency had been lighted at first, but as they interfered with the men's aim, they had been turned down or blown out, and each man handled his gun in comparative darkness, the moonlight outside enabling him to direct his fire with considerable accuracy. While Wanneta was talking to the women, the Crows ceased their circling about the agency, and advanced and tore down the fence, as before described, and tried to batter in the door. Pulling off the boards and wrenching apart the cross- pieces made considerable noise. Strong Heart, hearing it, called out loudly for Wanneta. She ran up and joined him, to tell him what was being done, and then went down-stairs again. After the unsuccessful attempt to bat- ter down the door, the Crows charged in a body against the building, and shot many arrows with live coals at- tached, or threw blazing brands on the roof Wanneta, looking out through a small crack, saw what was being done, and, with a despairing cry, ran up-stairs to tell her lover. As this charge was made, the besieged fired all the cartridges in the magazines of their guns in rapid succession. The Crows were so near that their aim was very effective. They were compelled to withdraw pre- cipitately. '' Strong Heart," said Wanneta, ''your fears were well founded, for these devils have set fire to the roof. As I IVANNETA. 125 was down-stairs 1 saw fifteen or twenty arrows and blaz- ing brands directed against our fort. It is not possible that among so many all should fail to do the fearful work for which they were designed. In case the roof catches fire, we will stay up here as long as we can and then go down. The men below will try to put the fire out." There was a rough plastering on laths against the rafters of the roof, the room being in this way made very high and spacious. There was no attic or garret. So that if a blaze should start, it would burn very little before it would be detected by our friends under- neath. "If the roof does catch fire," said Strong Heart, "you must let me take my rifle and fight with the men. I will do it. I will not be shut up and die like a coward. I will get outside and die like a man." " You must not do that. Strong Heart. Please do not go out — do not leave, for my sake, unless we see that we are to be roasted alive. Then we will run for the river, but not until then." Strong Heart lay still for a few moments, for he did not want to join his companions unless Wanneta wished. Had there been no one there to plead with him to stay, or had there been some one whom he did not love, he probably would have gone below and fought with the rest. He would not have shown weakness, even though his arm and shoulder greatly piined him ; he would have loaded and fired with his ricrht arm, and shut his teeth with the grit characteristic of his people, and would have been the last to complain. Wanneta sat by his side, and 126 WANNETA. did not speak for some time. The noise of the conflict drowned the crackling noise that was becoming louder above, and it was not until a loud snap was heard and a piece of plaster fell from the pointed ceiling to the floor that anything unusual was noticed. Then they could see small flames plying their destructive work in the lath and rafters exposed by the falling plaster. There was no longer any doubt that the building was on fire. The flames spread along the ridge with great speed, and every few seconds another piece of plaster fell to the floor, exposing more of the fire. It was only a few mo- ments before the smoke from above settled down nearly to them. They could remain on the second floor but a short time longer. Wanneta rushed to the stairs and called to the men below. Two of them obeyed her sum- mons, and came running up with buckets of water. One rushed up the ladder, opened the skylight, and was about to step upon the roof, when, with a loud shriek, he fell twenty feet to the floor beneath, shot through the head. Not Avishing her lover to see more of this, Wanneta ran to the steep stairs and called again for assistance. Four strong men came quickly, and, at her request, carried Strong Heart down to a safer place. Going to a dark corner of the room, they laid his bed upon the floor, and then returned to their posts of duty. Wanneta threw herself by his side, and, until the glad sound of the Sioux war-whoop Avas heard, did not leave him. "Dear Strong Heart," she said, "do not leave your bed unless the building burns so far that we cannot stay WANNETA. 127 here longer. Then take your rifle, and give me the rifle of the man killed up-stairs, and wc will all run for the river, take the canoes, and get across to a place of safety." '• Wanneta, let me get up ; I cannot stand it here. 1 hear the death-song of several Crows outside. Let me get out — I must join in the fight : " and as he concluded, he raised himself to a sitting position, and stretched out his right hand for his rifle, which they had placed by his side to be used should the Crows enter the fort. Wan- neta saw that prompt measures would alone prevent him from carrying out his intentions ; so throwing both arms around his neck, she held him fast, and in doing so, hurt his shoulder so that he almost cried out with pain. She pushed him back gently, and made him lie down upon the soft buffalo and bear robes. Then she held his right arm with both hands and prevented him from again ris- ing, and pleaded with all her might. By her efforts and her pleading, she managed to keep him on his back. '' Strong Heart, you told me at the old village that you loved me, and I believe it ; but if you get up and go out, unless it is necessary, I will not believe you — 1 will not trust you." This made him a little angry, for he took it differently from what she had anticipated. He replied instantly : '' If the Sioux nation is in danger it is my duty to aid them, and although I may be suffering from a slight wound, it is no reason why I should lie idly by and let the brothers of my own nation pour out their heart's blood in order that I may escape. No ! I am the son of Rain-in-the-face, the greatest Sioux chief that ever lived, 128 WANNETA. and I will conduct myself as becomes the son of Rain-in- the-face, and will not act the coward. '' I will lie here, Wanneta, until the last moment, and if the roof burns and falls, I will charge with the rest and with you and make a great attempt to reach the other side of the river. ' There was a few moments of silence after this, the lovers listening to the sounds of the rifles, the cries of the besiegers and the besieged. Presently, Strong Heart said : " Come close to my side, dear friend," — she had run to the front to see what was the matter, and was standing a few feet away when he spoke. At his bidding, she came and sat down close to him. '' Wanneta," said he, '' when I told you that I loved you, I meant every word I said. Were you in earnest when you said you loved me in return?" *' I was," she said, " and because I wanted to keep you here upon your couch is the reason I said I would not love you if you went out to fight. It is because I think so much of you and hold you so dear that I do not want to lose you, or have you fall into the hands of those re- vengeful Crow dogs." '' Wanneta, I believe every word you say, and know that your love for me is as deep as is that of any woman for man. I think that I had better speak further upon this matter, because, if I have to go out to the fight, I do not know what will become of me or what will become of you. If we leave together, wx may both escape, or one of us may be killed and the other left ; therefore, I wish to make a very strange request, and want to know if you will promise me you will carry it out. You know, WAN NET A. 129 if they see that I am wounded, they will capture me alive. That means death by slow torture. For you, capture means marriage to some Crow warrior whom you do not love, and who will be a very harsh master to you : there- fore, I want you, dear Wanneta, to make an agreement with mc similar to that which we made the day at the cliffs when we had such a narrow escape. If they come to take me, and I am wounded or fallen and you are there, take this knife " — and he gave her the same hunt- ing-knife that he carried the day they were in the Bad Lands — *' and with it run me to the heart, and then your- self. If I am not so badly wounded, and can handle weapons, I will plunge this knife into the heart of my captor, and then will end both our lives. Should we both be disarmed, and unable to escape a worse fate than death, then I will die at the stake, as should a brave Sioux ; you must, in that case, look out for yourself." " That is too horrible, Strong Heart. Do not talk that way. I will take this knife, as you wish, but I will not use it unless we can signal each other with our eyes, if captured, and agree as to what we shall do." '' Well, so be it," said Strong Heart; '' we will not use the knife unless by your eyes I see you give consent, then for the worst." , ''Suppose this trouble all passes by and we escape?" said Wanneta. '' Then," said Strong Heart, '' will come one of the happiest moments of my life. Then we shall be safe, for our people will leave us a guard of several hun- dred warriors, and they will not make the hunt very I30 WANNETA long, but will go on the war-path against the Crows, who have caused all this trouble. There is yet another thing that I must speak of before more moments pass, as there is no telling what may happen in the next few hours. *' You told me that you loved me, Wanneta, and I be- lieve you. Now I want to know if you will love me still further," — and here he raised himself again to a sitting posture and supporting himself with his right arm, while she instinctively drew near and tenderly laid him against her breast — " I want to know if you will become my squaw. You know I am well able to care for you ; you know how much I think of you, and all that 1 would do for you. Will you consent to this, dear Wanneta, as soon as I am well and strong again ? " An instant's pause, a little hesitation on the part of the Indian girl, and then, as does every woman whose heart is touched by true love, she said, '' Yes." Just then the men came down from above, and an- nounced that three of their number had been shot in try- ing to put out the fire. Those in the little fortress who had been most brave and reckless turned pale. The white men tightened their belts, and nerved themselves to meet the worst. The Indians became desperate, and, for about five minutes, all fired as fast as they could cram cartridges into the magazines of their rifles in the endeavour to drive back the red-skins. These had seen the advance of the fire, and knowing that it would, sooner or later, drive out those within, gathered around, waiting for what seemed to them their certain prey. WAN NET A, 131 Just as matters were getting at their worst, and the men were beginning to be blinded by smoke, and to talk of making a charge for the river, in hopes of thus escap- ing, there rang out upon the air the well-known Sioux war-whoop. Many times, upon the desert, a lonely traveller who has been wending his wearisome journey, day after day, across sandy wastes, sees far ahead, dimly outlined against the sky, the palm-tree, sure sign of springing waters and the rest of an oasis. He quickens his step, his heart is light, his eye re-kindles, and his whole as- pect is changed. So with these dejected and desperate men. When the sound of the war-cry of their nation rang out, it brought to them gladness and the promise of escape. They all cheered in return, but. on account of the great racket outside, of course were not heard. They stopped firing, for fear of hurting their own countrymen. They gathered at the doors and windows, and peered out of the little port-holes to see what was happening. The moon came out very bright for the next ten minutes, and they could discern everything almost as well as if all these doings had been going on by daylight. They saw the Sioux, several hundred more in number than the Crows, dashing on to the fray, led by Rain-in- the-face and Sitting Bull, warriors whose prowess was unequalled. On swept the Sioux leaders, followed by warriors eager for blood, eager for fight. Every one had thrown down his blanket, his bread-sack — everything but his weapons. They charged the Crows at once, and as they wheeled off to the right, delivered a most sting- 132 WANNETA. ing fire. Some of them fired under their horses' necks, others over, while not a few, to show in what contempt they held the fighting powers of the Crows, sat bolt-up- right and discharged their rifles without protection. The result you know. The Crows fled, and the field belonged to the Sioux. The young braves began to scalp the slain, while the chiefs rushed to the agency buildings, and pounding upon the doors, loudly called to those within to open and come out. It did not take the Indians long to congratulate each other upon their escape. Indians are not given to many embraces nor to the shedding of tears. Their stolidity of nature will not permit them to indulge in what they regard as foolishness. Rain-in-the-face, having ascertained that his son was safe, took Sitting Bull by the arm and led him to Strong Heart's side, where he had been laid in a place of safety by the young men. He had told Sitting Bull before of Strong Heart's bravery in killing so many Crows. Sit- ting Bull, usually stern, ferocious, and bloodthirsty, paid the young man a compliment which is worth}^ of being recorded here. " Strong Heart, son of Rain-in-the-face, you have showed that you are rightly named. If I had one thou- sand young men like you, I would drive the Long Knives out of our hunting-grounds forever. Young man, if your enemies ever injure you again, the whole nation will avenge you." Those of the Sioux who had been killed, were placed in an empty tipi and watched over by two squaws, who WANNETA. 133 kept up a moaning and dismal singing all night long. After this was done, some of the Indians and the agent, together with his family, turned in at the little village for the night, but the greater part of them camped upon the plain, with no covering save the canopy of heaven. CHAPTER X. WA-DA-HA AND SPOTTED EAGLE IN A TIGHT PLACE. Wa-DA-HA and Spotted Eagle were with the foremost Crows in the flight, for they well knew the fate that was in store for them, should they be taken by their own people. Therefore, as the Sioux pursued, they whipped their ponies and made them gallop as fast as the tired steeds could, in a desperate effort to escape. Occasionally they heard the well-known war-whoop in the rear, signifying to them that a Crow, whose horse was unable to keep up, had fallen. But as these sounds grew fainter and fainter as the night wore away, they soon gained courage, and trusted that their escape was certain. They rode side by side, a Httle in advance of the Crows, for some distance and, after the sounds of pursuit had died away, let their panting animals lower their gait to a slow walk. Thus they proceeded for a number of miles, when they stopped and encamped for the rest of the night. As they rode along together, both in moody silence, they thought how desperate was their sit- uation, and wondered whether the Crows would wreak their vengeance upon them for proposing an assault which had resulted so disastrously to the attacking party. Wa-da-ha did not care much how affairs went ; he had 134 W ANN ETA. 135 lost his position in his own tribe, and he knew well that the chances were greatly against his being adopted into the Crow nation as a medicine-man. As he thought over these things, he hardened his heart and, crushing down any feelings of fear which may have arisen for the mo- ment, nerved himself to meet whatever the future should bring, whether of good or evil. Spotted Eagle was more of a coward than the medicine- man, and as he rode along, he thought of the foolish and desperate step he had taken. Although outwardly he showed no signs of a tormented mind and uneasy con- science, yet inwardly he suffered intensely. He was not as bad as many young Indians, for, although reckless and dissipated, the only really serious crime that could be brought against him was his late treachery. As the young man thought it over, the question came to him as it had to the medicine-man. What will the Crows do with us now that they have been defeated ? Turning to his companion, he asked, '' Oh, great Wa-da-ha, tell me what shall we do to pacify the Crows. They are riding a little in our rear, and I can hear from their mutterings that they are very angry over their defeat, and that they lay it to us." "Young man," said Wa-da-ha, "the only thing that will pull us through this scrape, will be nerve and grit. If I thought the Sioux did not know of our share in the business, we would escape to-night and go back to their camp; but as they came in such large numbers, all painted and ready for fight, I think they must have learned of our intended attack through a scout. Or they 136 WAN N ETA. may have seen us as we passed around the Bad Lands; therefore, 1 prefer to take chances with the Crows, rather than return to the village and be put to death by my own people. If we were only certain that they did not know of our doings, we could return in safety." '' Well, medicine-man," said Spotted Eagle, '' suppose you get off your horse and let me lead him. Then do you creep back to where the Crows are. When within a hundred yards, rise, turn, and walk ahead of them for some little distance, so as to hear, if possible, what they think of our conduct in this affair. If they are in favour of making us prisoners, the best thing that we can do is to go back to the Sioux, and run the risk of their having discovered our part in the attack." '' Young man," said Wa-da-ha, '' I will do as you say ; but I w^ant you to understand that, if we are separated, we must each stand up for the other in deed and in speech, and that if one of us is taken captive by the Sioux, he is not to tell anything that will criminate the other." *' I agree," said Spotted Eagle. " Then," said the medicine-man, " lead my horse ; I will rejoin you presently." Slipping from the pony's back, he ran several hundred yards toward the rear, until within hearing distance of the Crows. He gained this position without being no- ticed by taking advantage of the little darkness caused by the moon passing through a great mass of clouds. Wa-da-ha heard Black Elk and some of the warriors talking very earnestly too-^ther. and all that thev said was WANNETA. 137 wafted by a gentle breeze in his direction, so that not one word of the conversation did he lose. " No, Black Elk ; the young men are very clamorous for the death of these two Sioux. They have, it is true, taken us to the agency and fulfilled their part of the con- tract, but we did not find a hundred women, children, and old men alone, as they said we would. We found a gar- rison of men, who poured a destructive fire into our ranks. How was it that the Sioux came in just at the right moment and charged us, if these bad men had not sent word to them of our movements? " The chief thought a moment, and then replied : '* I do not think that they meant to lead us into ambush. I think we were seen when we passed the Bad Lands by some scout from the Sioux party, who reported his dis- covery. I think, from what these men say, they have been greatly wronged by their tribe, and that they left seeking vengeance upon the chief and his son in retalia- tion for insults and injuries. 1 should deem it advisable to watch them both closely until we reach our village. Let us then take them into the council, question them closely, and send word by a messenger, with a peace-pipe in his hand, to the Sioux reservation. If the Sioux say that the men are traitors to them, we will spare them, and adopt them into the tribe, as agreed. If the Sioux say that these men are friends of theirs, we will kill them." '' Well," cried one of the warriors, '* the Sioux may send back word that these men are friends of theirs, and loyal to Rain-in-the-face, in order to get them for punishment at home." 138 WANNETA. '' No," said Black Elk ; '^ they will not do that. If the men are traitors, and tried to betray the women and chil- dren left at the agency, they will be only too glad to have them put to death here. You see, if they should propose to torture them at home, some relatives would intercede, and want them spared on conditions. The warriors and head men know that they could scarcely dare to overrule the wishes of these friends. The head men and the chief will want to mete out vengeance and make an example of them. Therefore, they would rather have the prisoners meet their richly-deserved fate at the hands of the Crows, than have them escape any punishment. '' Now, my brothers and warriors, listen. Bind these two as soon as they reach our village, so they cannot es- cape. Send a trusty messenger who speaks their tongue, with a pipe of peace, to the Sioux nation, and find out what they have to say with reference to them. We shall reach our village some time day after to-morrow, and as soon as we get there, I will give orders for the binding of the two men, and will start the messenger on his journey." " Well said, chief," cried the first warrior ; '' it shall be as you wish." The medicine-man, having heard enough to make his ears tingle, and to cause even his strong knees to tremble, ran quickly ahead to Spotted Eagle, and made known to him the whole of the conversation. '' What shall we do? " said the young man, anxiously. " Well," said the medicine-man, '' we dare not try to es- cape now, for they are wrought up to such a pitch that WAN NET A. 139 they will shoot us at once if they suspect us of such an idea. I think the chances may be more in our favour when we reach the village, so we had better go quietly there." *' Cannot we make a dash for it, Wa-da-ha? Couldn't we go to our people, and make them believe that we have done nothing wrong?" '' No, young man," said Wa-da-ha, " if we foolishly at- tempt to escape, we shall be killed without doubt. Go quietly on to the village and bide your time." A few moments after this talk had taken place, three Crows trotted up to where the Sioux were, and told them that Black Elk had given orders that all should encamp for the night, and that under no circumstances should either Spotted Eagle or the medicine-man leave camp without first speaking to the chief. Then the Crows picketed their ponies and, lying down upon the ground, told them to prepare for the night's rest. These Crows were virtually a guard appointed by the chief to watch the Sioux, and see that they did not escape. Early the next morning the march was resumed, and continued until dark. Another night was spent on the plain, and about noon of the next day the warriors entered the village which they had left in such glad spirits and with such certainty of success. The women, children, and old men crowded out to see them enter, and to hear what had been their fortune in the fight. The bodies of the slain had been carried, according to Indian custom, upon the backs of the ponies, and the in- jured had been brought on rough litters, strapped between I40 WANNETA two ponies. At the sight of so many dead and wounded, the squaws set up a mournful wail, and each rushed for- ward to see if her husband or relative had been among those who had fallen in the fight. While this scene was taking place, and the women were crying and weeping over the bodies of the dead, a very different scene was going on near the great council-house. The prisoners — for such they now were — had been closely watched all the morning, and when the whole nation had gathered at the council-house, both Wa-da-ha and Spotted Eagle w^ere seized and, in spite of expostulations, had their hands se- curely bound behind them, and w^ere forced to enter the lodge. The chief stood up amidst a profound silence and directed two of his swiftest messengers to take the best ponies in the tribe, selecting those that had not been fa- tigued by the long march, and go as quickly as possible to the Sioux nation, bearing each a pipe of peace. There they were to learn what was the feeling toward the medi- cine-man and Spotted Eagle. Having charged them what they should say to the Sioux, the chief ordered them to leave without delay, and as they rode out of the camp, he produced the council-pipe and, having lighted it, passed it around to all the head warriors present. No council would be complete, and no ceremony considered properly enacted, without the use of the pipe. It is as essential to the Indian as the reading of the Scriptures in a church service would be to us. The messengers were expected to ride all that da}' and night, and to arrive at the Sioux camp shortly after day- light the second morning. They were to start on the re- IVANNETA. 141 turn trip about three hours after reaching the village, and should their horses hold out, would be back at the Crow camp about two or three o'clock of the third morning after leaving. The chief very gravely opened the debate, and for one of no legal education his arguments were cer- tainly very strong, his rulings excellent, and the decisions arrived at as good as those of our average lawyer. Addressing the people assembled, he stated in as few words as possible the case before them, and before speak- ing, asked of each that he should first listen to what he had to say and then give his own views. Black Elk then went on to say that the two men had kept the agreement made with the Crows, but that on account of their defeat the young braves were very clamorous for the death of both, for they reasoned that it was evident that the Sioux- had led them into a trap. This argument the chief claimed could be easily refuted. The prisoners would hardly have dared return with them, but would have gone over to the Sioux in the attack, had they been decoys. Since the Crows had been defeated, it showed all the more clearly to his mind that the men were in- nocent. Had they not been innocent, they would have thrown off all pretense and joined their own people as soon as the charge was made. Each one of the chiefs made a speech, giving his views of the case. There were so many who wanted to talk, and some had so much to say, that it was well into the night before the council was ended. The drift of opinion of the older people was in favour of adopting the medi- cine-man and Spotted Eagle into the tribe. 142 WANNETA. Upon the adjournment of the council, the Sioux were led to the same tipi which they had occupied before start- ing upon the expedition, and were given quarters there. Three of the Crows watched them that night. The next day there was no council held. But at seven o'clock in the evening one was called, to last all night, if neces- sary, or until the messengers returned from the Sioux nation. The Indians had fortified themselves for this council by eating large quantities of meat during the day-time. The same line of argument was taken up here as at the previous one, and there was little said to interest the reader during the early part of the assembly. But as the hour of midnight drew near, the speeches became more animated. Many persons who had been sleeping, aroused themselves and crowded into the room to hear the de- bate and to learn what the Sioux people said concerning the prisoners. The medicine-man was not allowed to speak for himself until shortly before midnight, when, in response to many calls for him, the chief caused his arms to be loosed and, giving him a place to stand where all should see and hear, commanded him to say on. " Friends of the Crow nation," began Wa-da-ha, " I ap- pear before you not as I should have liked to have come. This young man, Spotted Eagle, and myself have been taken and bound by your people because they imagine that we have tried to betray you into the hands of the Sioux. When first I came to your village some days ago, I was promised power and safety, should I lead an attack upon a hundred women and children who were settled WA A'A'E TA . 143 temporarily at the agency, while their own people were away on a buffalo hunt. I led your people in this attack. 1 did not know that any Sioux other than those whom we expected to attack were near. There was no man more surprised than I to see them, and since that time, in thinking the matter over, it has occurred to me that we must have been observed when we were passing the Bad Lands. *' Now, the point that I wish to impress upon you is the same that your chief has already raised. Would I betray my own nation and come here and live with you without reward ? No ! I want reward. If I were a spy and trying to betray you, would I live in your own town, would 1 have returned from the attack with you, instead of joining my own brothers as soon as they came in sight? What I have done should prove to you conclusively that I have acted in perfectly good faith. Now, then, why am I bound ; why do you not untie me ? This young man and myself are innocent of having done you any wrong. We tried in every way to make the attack a success ; we knew not what would be the outcome, and had we not been molested by the Sioux, we should have swept out of existence all those who were hid in the agency build- ings, and should have taken many scalps. Do not blame us for the defeat. We could not help it. " In a few hours your young men from the Sioux people will be here. Then you will know whether I told you the truth or not, and you will learn from them that I gave up everything I held dear, in order that I might have revenge upon my enemies among my own people. 144 WANNETA Having learned this, I will then ask you if you are hon- ourable Crows, to fulfill that part of the contract and make me a medicine-man as you said you would." After Wa-da-ha had finished, the powwow continued for several hours, and there was a great deal said on both sides of the question. At last, about three o'clock in the morning, horses' hoofs were heard coming in mad haste through the village. The sound approached the council- house and, as every one was Hstening with the greatest excitement, there burst through the door the two young men who bore the news from the agency. They advanced with rapid strides through the assembly to the centre and, standing there, were received by the chief. ''What news bring you?" cried the chief; ''speak. We must hear." Then the one who was commissioned to act as spokes- man replied as follows : " We reached the Sioux village safely and carried the news of the medicine-man and Spotted Eagle to Chief Rain-in-the-face. He called a council immediately upon hearing us, and asked what should be done. We told him that the medicine-man and Spotted Eagle were held by us as prisoners, and we wished to know what they would give if we would release them. At this the chief flew in a great rage, and said to us that unless the two Sioux were immediately released he would have us tortured on the spot. Then we told him that the two men claimed to be bitter enemies of his ; that they had led the attack upon the agency in order that a young girl named Wanneta might be captured by Spotted Eagle, and that the medi- IVANNETA. 145 cine-man, Wa-da-ha, might have vengeance upon the chief by killing one called Strong Heart, his son. At this his rage subsided, and he called for a young man named John Runner, who was chief messenger of their tribe. John Runner spoke in the council, and said he had seen our people marching across the plain, led by these two men. He had not been believed until now, as it was thought impossible that two Sioux would turn traitors and betray their friends. But when they heard our story, and then John Runner's, everybody became intensely ex^ cited and cried out, ' Kill the old medicine-man ; burn the old wretch alive ; burn his accomplice. Spotted Eagle,' and there was the greatest excitement we ever saw. The chief questioned us fully, and we told him that we wished to know whether the Sioux nation wanted to put to death these two men, or whether we should put them to death. If they were traitors to us we wanted to put them to death, but if they had fulfilled their agreement with us we would not put them to death, but adopt them into our tribe. We said also if they had fulfilled their part of the contract with us, we should not deliver them into the hands of their people, since it was the Sioux whom they had betrayed, and not us. The chief flew into a great rage at this, and was about to order the young men to seize and bind us, when we reminded him that he had promised to hear what we had to say without detaining -us. He flew into a fearful rage, and said that he would keep his word, but that he would give us thirty minutes to leave the village. We ran to our horses, and mounted and came as fast as we could." 146 WANNETA. During the recital of this story every one listened with breathless interest, and when the orator had finished, there went up a great shout from the assembled host. The Sioux wanted to put the prisoners to death, and that was reason enough for the Crows to protect them. So the medicine-man, taking advantage of the favourable impres- sion in his behalf, sprang to his feet and called upon those present to witness what the messengers had said, and to take pity on him and his companion, and strike off their fetters. At the order of Black Elk the cords were cut, and both of them released to live as Crows in the future. The council ended by the chief extending what we might call the hand of fellowship to them, and they were further cautioned to select each a squaw from among the Crow daughters, and settle down and live as became Crows. Their adoption into the tribe with due ceremony took place a few days later. Spotted Eagle met a very pretty dark-eyed Crow girl one or two days after being released from imprisonment, and, with his usual impetuosity, began courting her. She enjoyed the courtship all the more as he knew but a very few words of her tongue, and made many laughable mis- takes.^ She taught him, however, as fast as he could learn, many new words, and about a month later he pub- licly announced AUitee, the daughter of one of the promi- nent warriors, as his squaw, and, settling down to the lite * When a man is adopted into a tribe the chief often eives him one or two ponies, and when he is seekin was no regular council in progress, but a number of chiefs were talking over the situation in a quiet way, while the usual band of hangers-on were listening to catch each word that fell from the lips of the rulers of the nation. About seven o'clock, before it had grown dark, seven or eight of the scouts came dashing into camp, and riding directly to the council-house, called out that Custer and his soldiers were no more than twenty miles south of their village. They said that the column was moving in mili- tary order, and that without doubt an attack was medi- tated. Sitting Bull called the council, and as soon as the nation was assembled, addressed the meeting as follows : '' Long Hair is coming with his whole army. There remains nothing for us to do but fight. Therefore, at break of day let all the warriors be armed, mounted upon their ponies, ready to move against the soldiers. Let Crazy Horse have charge of the right of our body, let Spotted Tail take the left, let Young-man-afraid-of-his- horses, with a scouting party, be in front, while I, myself, and Chief Rain-in-the-face will command the centre. Let the women and children remain in the camp, be ready to take down the lodges, and flee into the Bad Lands, should the soldiers march toward our camp. " In case Long Hair wishes to hold a parley, we will hear what he has to say before we attack him." Speeches were made by all the chiefs present, and it was not long before the assembled warriors, encouraged and stimulated by the words of their superiors, had all sworn to defend the village against the attacks of the Lon^ 274 W ANN ETA. Knives, to drive the hated white men out of their territory, and cause them to return whence they came. All that night preparations for the great battle were going on. Knives were sharpened, rifles and pistols were put in good order, and the ammunition was carefully ex- amined to see that it was in perfect condition. At break of day the whole village was astir. The women and children were encouraging their husbands and brothers to be of strong arm, to strike hard and to spare none. The braves were gathering together in bands under the head w^arriors. A- number of these combined v^ere led by a sub-chief, under the direction of the two great chiefs in command. They were quite well organized, and felt confident of success in the coming conflict. As the sun arose in all his glory over the eastern hills, his rays fell upon a strange and picturesque army gath- ered upon the undulating plain. Every warrior had eagle feathers stuck in his scalp-lock, his body was brightly painted, and upon his pony's back he had thrown a folded blanket. This he intended to wave, yelling as he did so, in the hope of scaring the large and heavy horses of the cavalrymen. As the Sioux advanced to the front their guns glistened in the sunlight, their spirited ponies pranced and danced, partaking of the buoyant feelings of their riders. The gentle breeze stirred their plumes, and caused the beaded frocks to rise and fall, or gently wave from side to side in graceful motion. At a long-drawn cry from the chief, the whole assembly advanced at a sharp trot, then gradually disappeared from the sight of the anxious watching women left behind in ( WA NNETA. 275 the village. They had advanced but an hour over the roll- ing prairie, when they saw before them a cloud of dust arising, and knowing that Long Hair was coming, hid themselves in a convenient ravine, to await his approach. Some twenty scouts and warriors, led by Young-man- afraid-of-his-horses, dashed ahead to lure the general and his conimand to their death in this ravine. When Custer's force was about half a mile distant, it came to a halt, to their great surprise, and an interpreter and three or four officers, with an escort of six cavalry- men bearing a white flag, galloped forward. At sight of this one of the chiefs, with five of his warriors, advanced cautiously to meet the truce party, and to inquire what they wanted. When the two were within speaking distance, Custer's interpreter called out : '' We have important and good news for the Sioux nation. Go back and tell Sitting Bull to meet us here directly, and we will hold a parley and read to you dis- patches from the Great Father, in which are promised peace and annuities if the Sioux will return to their reservation." All this was said in such good faith that the hostile Sioux were completely taken aback. Calling out a few words to the interpreter, they galloped back to their waiting army, and, dashing up to Sitting Bull and Rain- in-the-face, informed them that the Great Father had list- ened to their appeals, and that General Custer wished them to come to a parley. The chiefs consulted together. While they were anx- 276 WANNETA ious to fight, they thought it best to hear first what the Great Father had to say. So they sent the advance party back, bearing with them a piece of white buck skin, with the news that they would come to a parley within an hour. General Custer, with his officers, interpreters, and a strong escort, advanced several hundred yards in front of his command, and there awaited the approach of the Sioux. The opposing parties, as they came toward each other, presented a spectacle well worthy of study. On the one hand was an army representing the civilization of the nineteenth century ; on the other, one composed of bar- barians who were yet armed with the weapons of civiliza- tion. A strange and peculiar combination this. Sitting Bull and Rain-in-the-face, with their chiefs and a hundred warriors, came forward to the spot where Custer stood. The other Indians remained in the back- ground and looked upon the proceedings in silence. Custer did not leave the chiefs long in doubt as to what he proposed to do, but, opening his dispatches, read to them the words already quoted on an earlier page. The Great Father offered them peace, and asked in re- turn the surrender of the murderer. After the reading of these dispatches, the general spoke a few words : " I intend in a few days to withdraw my troops from your reservation and leave you to yourselves. The gold- hunters will be driven out, and we shall not again enter this section, unless you commit crimes against the white people who may happen to pass through your lands. ** We do not want to have any trouble with you ; all WAN NET A. 277 we ask is the surrender of the murderer, Rain-in-the-face. Will you give him up, or must I use force to take him?" Chief Sitting Bull rose to his feet, and, turning to Gen- eral Custer, related the full particulars of the murder. He explained in a most forcible way how it happened, and, turning to the young man present, who did this shooting, said : "■ Young brave, tell the general how this thing happened." The young warrior told, with every detail, of the shoot- ing of the messenger and the doctor ; of how they had first fired upon his companion, were about to fire upon him, and how he had shot them in self-defense. Then, straightening up to his full height, and, looking squarely at Custer, he cried out, '' If there is going to be serious trouble over this matter, if you insist upon an arrest, why take the man who had nothing to do with it? Why not take the real person, myself, and let the punishment fall upon him. I am ready to suffer for the good of my peo- ple ; take me instead of the chief." Before Custer could reply Rain-in-the-face sprang to his feet, and addressed the assembly : " I wish to say that this killing was accidental, and that I had nothing to do with it. You have heard the offer of the young man who has just spoken. If he were guilty, he would not make such an offer. You know well. Long Hair, that this testimony given in one of your courts would be accepted as conclusive of the innocence of this man. '' We have listened to the good words from the Great 278 WANNE TA Father, and although our young men are very angry, and it will be hard to pacify them, yet if you will do all that you have promised, we will return to our camp and lay aside our arms. We want the gold-hunters driven out, and we do not Avant to give up our rifles, because we can- not hunt if we do not have them." Custer listened with great attention, and answered : '' I believe now that you have been telling the truth, and think that the Great Father made a mistake in send- ing me here against you. I do not attach any blame to your young man here, nor do I insist upon the surrender of Rain-in-the-face. If you will agree to return to your reservation I will move my men back to Deadwood, and drive out the gold-hunters from the reservation. I am glad we have come to an understanding, and I must say that you have acted in a straightforward manner, and have done all that I could expect — nay, even more. I will wire the Great Father at once of the agreement we have made, and have no doubt but he will approve it. I wish to shake hands with all the chiefs present, in token of good faith." As the interpreter translated this, the Indians expressed great satisfaction, and grunted among themselves their approval. Custer walked around the circle, shaking hands and saying " How, how," with each chief in turn until he had saluted them all. Then Sitting Bull said : '' Chief Long Hair, we wish you to understand that Rain-in-the-face has been wrongly imprisoned, and that, while we return to the reservation, this is the last time WANNETA. 279 that we shall ever ask any favours of the whites. If your people break any more pledges with us, they must not expect to escape without a war. I promise to control my young men this time, but if any more of our chiefs are imprisoned falsely, I will not be responsible for what hap- pens. I have done." " I am very sorry," said Custer, '* that this mistake oc- curred, and I will do all in my power to rectify it. I will tell the Great Father that you took a sensible view of the matter, and that you did not commit any murders. I am certain that he will send you many rations in return for your wise decision. I will take my men away at once, as I see that you are now good Indians. You promise me to return to your reservations without further trouble, do you?" " We give you our word," said Sitting Bull, ''and will do as we say. If you will return to your people, we will return to ours, and there need be no more trouble." Rain-in-the-face, whose impulsive nature had allowed him to become greatly interested in this talk, which made him forget, in a measure, his wrongs, now sprang to his feet, and calling out to Custer and the assembled multi- tude, sard : '' I will overlook this matter of imprisonment for the present, trusting that it is for the good of the Sioux nation. But I want Long Hair to keep all his promises to us, and we will keep ours to him." Then Custer asked the Sioux if there was anything more to be said, and receiving a negative reply, he turned to his officers and said : 28o ■ WA N NETA. " Return to the command and order them to march at once for Dead wood." Then he said, '* How, how," once more, and stalked out of the circle. As the whites withdrew the Indians arose, and gravely wrapping their blankets about their bodies, returned to the waiting host of braves. " ' As they approached the warriors a great shout of anger went up, for the Indians could see that this council had ended in peace, which was not at all to their liking. Custer heard the shout, and knew^ that it rose from thou- sands of men who were thirsting for a fight, and were enraged at their disappointment. He understood readily how hard it would be for the nation to be controlled, and made up his mind that Sitting Bull would certainly have his hands full in quelling what seemed like a mutiny. He decided to do all in his power to influence the authori- ties at Washington to have no more troops sent into the Black Hills. Sitting Bull, Rain-in-the-face, and Spotted Tail went among the warriors and argued with them for a long time before they reduced them to submission. At last they succeeded in quieting their restless spirits, and having secured a promise from nearly all that none should take ) the war-path, the whole army turned about and retraced the trail which they had made in coming out to attack the Long Knives. CHAPTER XXII. CONCLUSION. The Indians wended their way across the plain in silence, save for the mutterings of some disappointed young man who had hoped to return with several scalps dangling at his belt. How different was this return from what they had expected when they set out in the morning ! When within sight of the village, they were met by a party of old men and women, who rushed out to ascertain why they had returned. The chiefs had little to say, and those who had come from the camp to welcome their re- turn got but few answers in reply to their questions. The braves reached the central portion of the village, and dismounting, threw the lariats of the ponies to the squaws, who led the animals to the corral while the men entered the council-house. After all had assembled, while the women and children crowded round the outside. Chief Sitting Bull, who was always the first speaker, said : '' Brothers of the Sioux nation, you see that our trouble with the whites has come to a bloodless termination. While many of the young men are disappointed, and while others are glad that we are to have no war, I my- self might say that I should have liked to strike a decisive blow at these soldiers." At this a mighty shout went up. 281 2S2 WANNETA. " But as it is best for our nation to be at peace, and as the Great Father has promised us many things, I am con- tent to let matters stay as they are. " To our chief, Rain-in-the face, we owe a great deal, for he had been insulted by the whites and asked for no redress. Through his influence the young men decided to remain silent. He has a few words to say to you, and will speak." Rain-in-the-face arose from his seat and addressed the Indians : '' While I think it is best to have peace, yet should the whites break faith again with us, we must not hesitate to strike back with all our might. They have done us much harm, and we have done none in return. I believe that it will not be long before they will break their faith again. When they do this it will give us an opportunity for re- venge, and we have but to wait until that time comes. ** I am content, as is Sitting Bull, to let the matter rest here, but I have solemnly sworn, should there be more trouble, to cut out the heart of Long Hair's brother and thus revenge myself;" and as he said this, his face showed a fearful passion, and he lowered his voice to a fiendish whisper. " I have a few words to say," said Strong Heart. '' I was one of the most forward in this trouble, and was de- sirous of fighting with the whites. But since our chiefs have decided to let the Great Father give us rations and drive the gold-hunters out of our territory, I am content. " My squaw, Wanneta, counselled caution and peace. She knows the great strength of the Long Knives, for she W ANN ETA. 283 was among them for many moons. She aided my father in his escape, and as peace will once more settle upon our nation, we owe her gratitude, as well as the chiefs, Sitting Bull, Rain-in-the-face, and the others." A great shout, intended as complimentary to Wanneta, went up from the assembled throng. The young man thrilled with pleasure as he noticed this recognition on the part of his people of his wife's labours for their good. Turning to the young men now crowding around him, he cried out : " Oh, brothers of the Sioux nation, do not take the war- path again without just cause ; do not fight against the white men, for you will be defeated and destroyed. We may kill off one army, but another and another will take its place. Do as the Great Father at Washington wishes, and you will be happy, prosperous, and contented. I have done." So the council broke up, with general good feeling on the part of all. It was understood that the Sioux from the lower reservation should return soon to their village, and that the agent should make due amends for his part in the arrest of Chief Rain-in-the-face. Wanneta had been near the door of the council-house during the speeches, and had heard all that was said, together with the compliment conferred upon her by her nation. Overcome by the feeling which pervaded her heart, and joyful that there was to be no bloodshed, she rushed back to her wigwam, threw herself upon the bed of bear skins, and had a good cry. Her husband about an hour later came home, and, find- ^84 WANNETA. ing his wife deep in thought, understood at once her feel- ings. Sitting down beside her, he put his arm about her waist, and drawing her close to him, said : *' You now see, my dear, that your wish is fulfilled, and that there will be no war. It was through your efforts that this came about, and to you, above all others, I owe a debt of thanks." As he spoke, all that she had learned that was good and noble in the East came back like a flood overwhelm- ing her. She would have given much to have her teachers know of it all, for they would have been delighted to learn that she had done something to elevate her people and turn them into the paths of peace. The village was broken up a few days later, and Rain- in-the-face and all his command moved back to the lower agency to take up their abode upon the old site. Soon everything was back in shape, and daily life went on in the same old way, and all, especially Wanneta and Strong Heart, were happy. The agent came to the village and in a shame-faced sort of way apologized to Chief Rain-in-the-face for his part in his imprisonment. With him came young Tom Custer himself and his brother, the general. An interpreter led the two white men to Strong Heart's tipi, and there they had a brief talk. " I have come," said young Custer, " to pay my respects to the young woman who so cleverly outwitted me the day that I allowed her to enter her father-in-law's prison. It was a very sharp trick indeed, and I could not resist the temptation of meeting her here in her own home.'* WANNETA, 285 Strong Heart and Wanneta, who were standing in the entrance of their tipi during this speech, both laughed outright, and, shaking hands with their visitors, asked them to sit down. Strong Heart told of his fight with the Crows and a number of other incidents in his life, in which they were greatly interested. As the two brothers left, General Custer turned to the young woman, and complimenting her again, said : "If we had more like you among the Indian tribes, there would be no wars, no misunderstandings, and few crimes committed. I sincerely trust that you and your husband will continue to exert an influence for good upon this tribe. I shall have the Great Father send you a beau- tiful gold medal in honour of this occasion.'* Shaking hands with them both and bidding them good- bye, the famous Indian fighter and his brother departed to join their troops. For many happy months, with no interruptions and without scenes of violence, the village occupied its pleas- ant site upon the creek banks. Let us leave Wanneta and Strong Heart in their hap- piness and the Sioux nation in peace, hearing, as we turn away, the glad song of this Indian squaw as she goes about her household duties with a heart full of happiness at the change in the fortunes of her people and the pros- pect of peace and quietness, THE END. THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH DAY AND TO $1.00 ON THE SEVENTH DAY OVERDUE. OCT 24 19J "Kec'd Mo'tiU ^■'^ '