old indian days-第26部分

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At　last　the　maiden　attained　the　divide　be…

tween　the　Tongue　and　the　Big　Horn　rivers。　

Her　heart　beat　fast；　and　the　sudden　sense　of　her

strange　mission　almost　overwhelmed　her。　　She

remembered　the　only　time　in　her　life　that　the

Sioux　were　upon　that　river；　and　so　had　that　bit

of　friendly　welcome　from　the　valleya　recol…

lection　of　childhood！



It　was　near　morning；　the　moon　had　set　and

for　a　short　time　darkness　prevailed；　but　the

girl's　eyes　had　by　this　time　become　accustomed

to　the　dark。　　She　knew　the　day　was　at　hand；

and　with　its　first　beams　she　was　safely　tucked

into　one　of　those　round　turns　left　by　the　river

long　ago　in　changing　its　bed；　now　become　a

little　grassy　hollow　sheltered　by　steep　banks；

and　hidden　by　a　fringe　of　trees。　　Here　she

picketed　her　pony；　and　took　her　own　rest。　　Not

until　the　afternoon　shadows　were　long　did　she

awake　and　go　forth　with　determination　to　seek

for　the　battlefield　and　for　the　Crow　encamp…

ment。



It　was　not　long　before　she　came　upon　the

bodies　of　fallen　horses　and　men。　　There　was

Matoska's　white　charger；　with　a　Sioux　arrow　in

his　side；　and　she　divined　the　treachery　of　Red

Owl！　　But　he　was　dead；　and　his　death　had

atoned　for　the　crime。　　The　body　of　her　lover

was　nowhere　to　be　found；　yet　how　should　they

have　taken　the　bravest　of　the　Sioux　a　cap…

tive？



〃If　he　had　but　one　arrow　left；　he　would　stand

and　fight！　　If　his　bow…string　were　broken；　he

would　still　welcome　death　with　a　strong　heart；〃

she　thought。



The　evening　was　approaching　and　the　Crow

village　in　plain　sight。　　Blue　Sky　arranged　her

hair　and　dress　as　well　as　she　could　like　that　of

a　Crow　woman；　and　with　an　extra　robe　she

made　for　herself　a　bundle　that　looked　as　if　it

held　a　baby　in　its　many　wrappings。　　The　com…

munity　was　still　celebrating　its　recent　victory

over　the　Sioux；　and　the　camp　was　alive　with

songs　and　dances。　　In　the　darkness　she　ap…

proached　unnoticed；　and　singing　in　an　under…

tone　a　Crow　lullaby；　walked　back　and　forth

among　the　lodges；　watching　eagerly　for　any

signs　of　him　she　sought。



At　last　she　came　near　to　the　council　lodge。　

There　she　beheld　his　face　like　an　apparition

through　the　dusk　and　the　fire…light！　　He　was

sitting　within；　dressed　in　the　gala　costume　of　a

Crow。



〃O；　he　is　living！　he　is　living！〃　thought　the

brave　maiden。　　〃O；　what　shall　I　do？〃　　Un…

consciously　she　crept　nearer　and　nearer；　until

the　sharp　eyes　of　an　Indian　detected　the　slight

difference　in　her　manner　and　dress；　and　he　at

once　gave　the　alarm。



〃Wah；　wah！　　Epsaraka！　　Epsaraka！　　A

Sioux！　　A　Sioux！〃



In　an　instant　the　whole　camp　had　surrounded

the　girl；　who　stood　in　their　midst　a　prisoner；

yet　undaunted；　for　she　had　seen　her　lover；　and

the　spirit　of　her　ancestors　rose　within　her。



An　interpreter　was　brought；　a　man　who　was

half　Crow　and　half　Sioux。



〃Young　and　pretty　daughter　of　the　Sioux！〃

exclaimed　the　chief；　〃tell　us　how　you　came　here

in　our　midst　undetected；　and　why！〃



〃Because；〃　replied　the　Blue　Sky；　〃your

brave　warriors　have　slain　my　only　brother；　and

captured　my　lover；　whom　you　now　hold　a　pris…

oner。　　It　is　for　his　sake　that　I　have　thus　risked

my　life　and　honor！〃



〃Ho；　ho！　　You　are　the　bravest　woman　I

have　ever　seen。　　Your　lover　wag　betrayed　into

our　hands　by　the　treachery　of　one　of　his　own

tribe；　who　shot　his　horse　from　behind。　　He

faced　us　without　fear；　but　it　was　not　his　courage

that　saved　his　life。　　He　resembles　my　own　son；

who　lately　fell　in　battle；　and　according　to　the

custom　I　have　adopted　him　as　my　son！〃



Thus　the　brave　maiden　captured　the　heart

of　the　wily　Crow；　and　was　finally　allowed　to

return　home　with　her　lover；　bearing　many　and

rich　presents。　　Her　name　is　remembered　among

the　two　tribes；　for　this　act　of　hers　resulted　in　a

treaty　of　peace　between　them　which　was　kept

for　a　generation。









VII





THE　FAITHFULNESS　OF　LONG　EARS



Away　beyond　the　Thin　Hills；　above　the

Big　Lone　Tree　upon　the　Powder　River；

the　Uncpapa　Sioux　had　celebrated　their

Sun　Dance；　some　forty　years　ago。　　It　was　mid…

summer　and　the　red　folk　were　happy。　　They

lacked　for　nothing。　　The　yellowish　green　flat

on　either　side　of　the　Powder　was　studded　with

wild　flowers；　and　the　cottonwood　trees　were　in

full　leaf。　　One　large　circle　of　buffalo　skin　tee…

pees　formed　the　movable　village。　　The　Big

Horn　Mountains　loomed　up　against　the　deep

blue　sky　to　the　westward；　and　the　Black　Hills

appeared　in　the　far　southeast。



The　tribal　rites　had　all　been　observed；　and

the　usual　summer　festivities　enjoyed　to　the　full。　

The　camp　as　it　broke　up　divided　itself　in　three

parts；　each　of　which　had　determined　to　seek　a

favorite　hunting…ground。



One　band　journeyed　west；　toward　the　Tongue

River。　　One　followed　a　tributary　of　the　Pow…

der　to　the　south。　　The　third　merely　changed

camp；　on　account　of　the　grazing　for　ponies；

and　for　four　days　remained　near　the　old

place。



The　party　that　went　west　did　not　fail　to　real…

ize　the　perilous　nature　of　their　wanderings；　for

they　were　trespassing　upon　the　country　of　the

warlike　Crows。



On　the　third　day　at　sunrise；　the　Sioux　crier's

voice　resounded　in　the　valley　of　the　Powder；

announcing　that　the　lodges　must　be　razed　and

the　villagers　must　take　up　their　march。



Breakfast　of　jerked　buffalo　meat　had　been

served　and　the　women　were　adjusting　their

packs；　not　without　much　chatter　and　apparent

confusion。　　Weeko　（Beautiful　Woman）；　the

young　wife　of　the　war…chief　Shunkaska；　who

had　made　many　presents　at　the　dances　in　honor

of　her　twin　boys；　now　gave　one　of　her　remain…

ing　ponies　to　a　poor　old　woman　whose　only

beast　of　burden；　a　large　dog；　had　died　during

the　night。



This　made　it　necessary　to　shift　the　packs　of

the　others。　　Nakpa；　or　Long　Ears；　her　kitten…

like　gray　mule；　which　had　heretofore　been　hon…

ored　with　the　precious　burden　of　the　twin　babies；

was　to　be　given　a　heavier　and　more　cumbersome

load。　　Weeko's　two…year…old　spotted　pony　was

selected　to　carry　the　babies。



Accordingly；　the　two　children；　in　their　gor…

geously　beaded　buckskin　hoods；　were　sus…

pended　upon　either　side　of　the　pony's　saddle。　

As　Weeko's　first…born；　they　were　beautifully

dressed；　even　the　saddle　and　bridle　were　dain…

tily　worked　by　her　own　hands。



The　caravan　was　now　in　motion；　and　Weeko

started　all　her　ponies　after　the　leader；　while

she　adjusted　the　mule's　clumsy　burden　of　ket…

tles　and　other　household　gear。　　In　a　mo…

ment：



〃Go　on；　let　us　see　how　you　move　with　your

new　load！　　Go　on！〃　she　exclaimed　again；　with

a　light　blow　of　the　horse…hair　lariat；　as　the　an…

imal　stood　perfectly　still。



Nakpa　simply　gave　an　angry　side　glance　at

her　load　and　shifted　her　position　once　or　twice。　

Then　she　threw　herself　headlong　into　the　air

and　landed　stiff…legged；　uttering　at　the　same　time

her　unearthly　protest。　　First　she　dove　straight

through　the　crowd；　then　proceeded　in　a　circle；

her　heels　describing　wonderful　curves　and

sweeps　in　the　air。　　Her　pack；　too；　began　to

come　to　pieces　and　to　take　forced　flights　from

her　undignified　body　and　heels；　in　the　midst　of

the　screams　of　women　and　children；　the　barking

of　dogs；　and　the　war…whoops　of　the　amused

young　braves。



The　cowskin　tent　became　detached　from　her

saddle；　and　a　moment　later　Nakpa　stood　free。　

Her　sides　worked　like　a　bellows　as　she　stood

there　meekly　indignant；　apparently　considering

herself　to　be　the　victim　of　an　uncalled…for　mis…

understanding。



〃I　should　put　an　arrow　through　her　at　once；

only　she　is　not　worth　a　good　arrow；〃　said

Shunkaska；　or　White　Dog；　the　husband　of

Weeko。　　At　his　wife's　answer；　he　opened　his

eyes　in　surprised　displeasure。



〃No；　she　shall　have　her　own　pack　again。　

She　wants　her　twins。　　I　ought　never　to　have

taken　them　from　her！〃



Weeko　approached　Nakpa　as　she　stood　alone

and　unfriended　in　the　face　of　her　little　world；

all　of　whom　considered　that　she　had　committed

the　unpardonable　sin。　　As　for　her；　she　evidently

felt　that　her　misfortunes　had　not　been　of　her

own　making。　　She　gave　a　hesitating；　sidelong

look　at　her　mistress。



〃Nakpa；　you　should　not　have　acted　so。　　I

knew　you　were　stronger　than　the　others；　there…

fore　I　gave　you　that　load；〃　said　Weeko　in　a

conciliatory　tone；　and　patted　her　on　the　nose。　

〃Come；　now；　you　shall　have　your　own　pet

pack；〃　and　she　led　her　back　to　where　the　young

pony　stood　silently　with　the　babies。



Nakpa　threw　back　her　ears　and　cast　savage

looks　at　him；　while　Shunkaska；　with　no　small

annoyance；　gathered　together　as　much　as　he

could　of　their　scattered　household　effects。　　The

sleeping　brown…skinned　babies　in　their　chrysalis…

like　hoods　were　gently　lowered　from　the　pony's

back　and　attached　securely　to　Nakpa's　padded

wooden　saddle。　　The　family　pots　and　kettles

were　divided　among　the　pack　ponies。　　Order

was　restored　and　the　village　once　more　in　mo…

tion。



〃Come　now；　Nakpa；　you　have　your　wish。　

You　must　take　good　care　of　my　babies。　　Be

good；　because　I　have　trusted　you；〃　murmured

the　young　mother　in　her　softest　tones。



〃Really；　Weeko；　you　have　some　common

ground　with　Nakpa；　for　you　both　always　want

to　have　your　own　way；　and　stick　to　it；　too！　　I

tell　you；　I　fear　this　Long　Ears。　　She　is　not　to

be　trusted　with　babies；〃　remarked　Shunkaska；

with　a　good　deal　of　severity。

　　But　his　wife　made　no　reply；　for　she　well

knew　that　though　he　might　criticise；　he　would

not　actually　interfere　with　her　domestic　ar…

rangements。



He　now　started　ahead　to　join　the　men　in　ad…

vance　of　the　slow…moving　procession；　thus　leav…

ing　her　in　undivided　charge　of　her　household。　

One　or　two　of　the　pack　ponies　were　not　well…

trained　and　required　all　her　attention。　　Nakpa

had　been　a　faithful　servant　until　her　escapade

of　the　morning；　and　she　was　now　obviously　sat…

isfied　with　her　mistress'　arra