old indian days-第25部分

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as　the　oriole　sits　with　his　mate　before　their

swaying　home。　　Yet　I　seemed　to　be　never　lonely；

because　you　were　there！〃　　He　finished　his　plea；

and　with　outward　calmness　awaited　her　reply。



The　maiden　had　not　lost　a　word；　but　she　was

still　thinking。　　She　thought　that　a　man　is　much

like　the　wind　of　the　north；　only　pleasant　and

comfortable　in　midsummer！　She　feared　that

she　might　some　time　have　to　furnish　all　the　fuel

for　their　love's　fires；　therefore　she　held　her

peace。　　Matoska　waited　for　several　minutes　and

then　silently　withdrew；　bearing　his　disappoint…

ment　with　dignity。



Meanwhile　the　camp　was　astir　with　the　re…

turning　youths　and　maidens；　their　horses'　sides

fringed　with　the　long　meadow　grass；　singing

plaintive　serenades　around　the　circular　rows　of

teepees　before　they　broke　up　for　the　night。



It　was　a　clear　and　quiet　night；　the　evening

fires　were　kindled　and　every　teepee　transformed

into　an　immense　Chinese　lantern。　　There　was

a　glowing　ring　two　miles　in　circumference；　with

the　wooded　river　bottom　on　one　side　and　the

vast　prairie　on　the　other。　　The　Black　Hills

loomed　up　in　the　distance；　and　the　rapids　of　the

wild　Cheyenne　sent　forth　a　varying　peal　of

music　on　the　wind。　　The　people　enjoyed　their

evening　meal；　and　in　the　pauses　of　their　talk

and　laughter　the　ponies　could　be　heard　munch…

ing　at　the　bundles　of　green　grass　just　outside

the　teepees。



Suddenly　a　chorus　of　yells　broke　cruelly　the

peace　of　the　camp；　followed　by　the　dashing

charge　of　the　Crow　Indian　horsemen！　　It　was

met　as　bravely　and　quickly　by　the　Sioux；　and

in　the　clear；　pale　moonlight　the　dusky　warriors

fought；　with　the　occasional　flash　of　a　firearm；

while　silent　weapons　flew　thick　in　the　air　like

dragon…flies　at　sunset。



The　brave　mothers；　wives；　and　sisters　gave

their　shrill　war…cry　to　inspire　their　men；　and

show　the　enemy　that　even　the　Sioux　women　can…

not　be　daunted　by　such　a　fearful　surprise！



When　the　morning　sun　sent　its　golden　shafts

among　the　teepees；　they　saw　it　through　glisten…

ing　tearshappy　tears；　they　said；　because　the

brave　dead　had　met　their　end　in　gallant　fight

the　very　end　they　craved！　　And　among　those

who　fell　that　night　was　Brave　Hawk；　the　hand…

some　brother　of　the　Blue　Sky。



In　a　few　days　the　camp　was　moved　to　a　point

further　up　the　Cheyenne　and　deeper　into　the

bosom　of　the　hills；　leaving　behind　the　deco…

rated　grave　lodges　belonging　to　the　honored

dead。　　A　great　council　teepee　was　pitched；　and

here　the　people　met　to　credit　those　who　had

earned　them　with　the　honors　of　the　fight；　that

they　might　thereafter　wear　the　eagle　feathers

which　they　had　won。



〃The　first　honor；〃　declared　the　master　of

ceremonies；　〃belongs　to　Brave　Hawk；　who　fell

in　the　battle！　　He　it　was　who　compelled　the

Crows　to　retreat；　when　he　bravely　charged　upon

them　and　knocked　from　his　horse　the　Crow

chief；　their　war　leader。〃



〃Ho；　it　is　true！〃　exclaimed　the　warriors　in

chorus。



〃The　second　honor；〃　he　resumed；　〃belongs

to　Matoska；　the　White　Bear！〃



〃Hun；　hun；　hay！〃　interposed　another；　〃it

is　I；　Red　Owl；　who　touched　the　body　of　the

Crow　chief　second　to　Brave　Hawk！〃



It　was　a　definite　challenge。



〃The　warriors　who　witnessed　the　act　give

the　coup　to　Matoska；　friend！〃　persisted　the

spokesman。



Red　Owl　was　a　brave　youth　and　a　close　rival

of　Matoska；　both　for　war　honors　and　for　the

hand　of　the　prettiest　maiden　in　the　tribe。　　He

had　hoped　to　be　recognized　as　one　who　fought

in　defense　of　their　homes　by　the　side　of　Brave

Hawk；　that　would　please　the　Blue　Sky；　he

thought；　but　the　honor　was　conferred　upon　his

rival！



There　was　a　cloud　of　suppressed　irritation　on

his　dusky　face　as　he　sullenly　departed　to　his

own　tentan　action　which　displeased　the　coun…

cil…men。　　Matoska　had　not　spoken；　and　this

caused　him　to　appear　to　the　better　advantage。　

The　worst　of　it　was　that　Blue　Sky　herself　had

entered　the　ring　with　the　〃orphan　steed；〃　as

it　was　calledthe　war…horse　of　her　dead

brother；　and　had　therefore　seen　and　heard　every…

thing！　　Tanagila；　or　Hummingbird；　the　beau…

tiful　charger；　decorated　according　to　custom

with　the　honors　won　by　his　master；　was　led　away

by　the　girl　amidst　resounding　war…whoops。



Unable　to　remain　quiet；　Red　Owl　went　out

into　the　hills　to　fast　and　pray。　　It　was　sunset　of

the　next　day　when　he　again　approached　the

village；　and　behind　a　little　ridge　came　suddenly

upon　Matoska　and　the　girl　standing　together。　

It　was　the　first　time　that　they　had　met　since

the　〃green　grass　parade；〃　and　now　only　by　ac…

cident；　as　the　sister　of　Brave　Hawk　was　in　deep

mourning。　　However；　the　lover　had　embraced

his　opportunity；　and　the　maiden　had　said　that

she　was　willing　to　think　of　the　matter。　　No

more　words　were　spoken。



That　very　night　the　council　drum　was　struck

three　times；　followed　by　the　warriors'　cheer。　

Everybody　knew　what　that　meant。　　It　was　an

invitation　to　the　young　men　to　go　upon　the

war…path　against　the　Crows！



Blue　Sky　was　unconsciously　startled　by　this

sudden　announcement。　　For　the　first　time　in　her

life　she　felt　a　fear　that　she　could　not　explain。　

The　truth　was　that　she　loved；　and　was　not　yet

fully　aware　of　it。　　In　spite　of　her　fresh　grief；

she　had　been　inexplicably　happy　since　her　last

meeting　with　Matoska；　for　she　had　seen　in　him

that　which　is　so　beautiful；　so　compelling　in　man

to　the　eyes　of　the　woman　who　loves。　　He；　too；

now　cherished　a　real　hope；　and　felt　as　if　he

could　rush　into　the　thickest　of　the　battle　to

avenge　the　brother　of　his　beloved！



In　a　few　days　the　war…party　had　reached　the

Big　Horn　and　sent　out　advance　scouts；　who　re…

ported　a　large　Crow　encampment。　　Their　hun…

dreds　of　horses　covered　the　flats　like　a　great

herd　of　buffalo；　they　said。　　It　was　immediately

decided　to　attack　at　daybreak；　and　on　a　given

signal　they　dashed　impetuously　upon　the　for…

midable　camp。　　Some　stampeded　and　drove

off　a　number　of　horses；　while　the　main　body

plunged　into　the　midst　of　the　Crows。



But　the　enemy　were　not　easily　surprised。　

They　knew　well　the　Sioux　tactics；　and　there　was

a　desperate　struggle　for　supremacy。　　War…club

was　raised　against　war…club；　and　the　death…song

of　the　arrow　filled　the　air！　　Presently　the　Sioux

were　forced　to　retreat；　with　the　Crows　in　hot

pursuit；　like　wolves　after　their　prey。



Red　Owl　and　Matoska　had　been　among　the

foremost　in　the　charge；　and　now　they　acted　as

a　rear…guard；　bravely　defending　the　retreat　of

their　little　army；　to　the　admiration　of　the　enemy。　

At　last　a　Crow　raised　his　spear　against　Matoska；

who　in　a　flash　dismounted　him　with　a　stroke　of

his　oaken　bow；　but　alas！　the　blow　snapped

the　bow…string　and　left　him　defenseless。　　At　the

same　instant　his　horse　uttered　a　scream　and　fell；

throwing　its　rider　headlong！



There　was　no　one　near　except　Red　Owl；　who

clapped　his　heels　to　his　pony　and　joined　in　the

retreat；　leaving　Matoska　behind。　　He　arose；

threw　down　his　quiver；　and　advanced　alone　to

meet　the　oncoming　rush　of　the　Crows！



The　Sioux　had　seen　him　fall。　　In　a　few　mo…

ments　he　was　surrounded　by　the　enemy；　and

they　saw　him　no　more。



The　pursuit　was　stopped；　and　they　paused

upon　a　hilltop　to　collect　the　remnant　of　their

force。　　Red　Owl　was　the　last　to　come　up；　and

it　was　observed　that　he　did　not　look　like　himself。



〃Tell　us；　what　were　Matoska's　last　words？〃

they　asked　him。



But　he　silently　dismounted　and　sent　an　arrow

through　his　faithful　steed；　to　the　astonishment

of　the　warriors。　　Immediately　afterward　he

took　out　his　knife　and　stabbed　himself　to　the

heart。



〃Ah！〃　they　exclaimed；　〃he　could　not　live

to　share　our　humiliation！〃



The　war…party　returned　defeated　and　cast

down　by　this　unexpected　ending　to　their　adven…

ture；　having　lost　some　of　their　bravest　and　best

men。　　The　camp　was　instantly　thrown　into

mourning。　　Many　were　in　heavy　grief；　but　none

was　more　deeply　stricken　than　the　maiden　called

the　Blue　Sky；　the　daughter　of　their　chief。



She　remained　within　her　teepee　and　wept　in

secret；　for　none　knew　that　she　had　the　right　to

mourn。　　Yet　she　believed　that　her　lover　had

met　with　misfortune；　but　not　death。　　Although

his　name　was　announced　among　those　warriors

who　fell　in　the　field；　her　own　heart　assured　her

that　it　was　not　so。　　〃I　must　go　to　him；〃　she

said　to　herself。　　〃I　must　know　certainly　whether

he　is　still　among　the　living！〃



The　next　evening；　while　the　village　was　yet

in　the　confusion　of　great　trouble　and　sorrow；

Blue　Sky　rode　out　upon　her　favorite　pony　as

if　to　take　him　to　water　as　usual；　but　none　saw

her　return！　　She　hastened　to　the　spot　where

she　had　concealed　two　sacks　of　provisions　and

her　extra　moccasins　and　materials　for　sewing。　

She　had　no　weapon；　save　her　knife　and　a　small

hatchet。　　She　knew　the　country　between　the

Black　Hills　and　the　Big　Horn；　and　knew　that

it　was　full　of　perils　for　man　and　much　more　for

woman。　　Yet　by　traveling　only　at　night　and

concealing　herself　in　the　daytime　she　hoped　to

avoid　these　dangers；　and　she　rode　bravely　forth

on　the　trail　of　the　returning　warriors。



Her　dog；　Wapayna；　had　followed　the　maiden；

and　she　was　not　sorry　to　have　so　faithful　a

companion。　　She　cautioned　him　not　to　bark　at

or　attack　strange　animals　unless　they　attacked

first；　and　he　seemed　to　understand　the　propriety

of　remaining　on　guard　whenever　his　mistress

was　asleep。



She　reached　the　Powder　River　country　in

safety；　and　here　she　had　more　than　once　to

pick　her　way　among　the　buffaloes。　　These　wily

animals　seemed　to　realize　that　she　was　only　a

woman　and　unarmed；　so　that　they　scarcely　kept

out　of　her　path。　　She　also　crossed　the　trails　of

riders；　some　of　them　quite　fresh；　but　was　fortu…

nate　enough　not　to　meet　any　of　them。



At　last　the　maiden　attained　the　divide　be…

tween　the　Tongue　and　the　Big　Horn　rivers。　

Her　heart　beat　fast；