old indian days-第6部分

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lost　many　of　their　bravest　warriors；　and　none

could　tell　what　had　happened　to　Antelopehe

who　had　been　believed　the　favorite　of　the　gods

of　war。　　It　was　suggested　by　some　envious　ones

that　perhaps　he　had　recognized　the　strongly

entrenched　position　of　the　three　tribes；　and　be…

lieving　the　battle　would　be　a　disastrous　one；

had　set　out　for　home　without　making　his　re…

port。　　But　this　supposition　was　not　deemed

credible。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　idea　was　en…

tertained　that　he　had　reentered　the　village；　was

detected　and　slain；　and　therefore　the　enemy

was　on　the　lookout　when　the　attack　was　made。



〃Hay；　hay；　hay；　mechinkshe　（Alas；　alas；

my　son）！〃　was　the　sorrowful　cry　with　which

his　old　father　received　the　news。　　His　head

fell　upon　his　breast；　and　all　the　others　groaned

in　sympathy。



The　sunset　sky　was　a　blanket　of　beautiful

painting。　　There　were　camp…fires　among　the

clouds　in　orange　and　scarlet；　while　some　were

black　as　night。　　So　the　camp　fairly　glowed　in

celebration　of　its　heroes；　yet　there　was　deep

grief　in　many　families。　　When　the　evening　meal

had　been　eaten　and　the　people　were　sitting　out…

side　their　lodges；　a　tall　old　man；　almost　nude；

appeared　in　the　circle；　riding　a　fine　horse。　

He　had　blackened　his　face；　his　hair　was　cut

short；　and　the　horse　also　had　been　deprived　of

his　flowing　mane　and　tail。　　Both　were　in　deep

mourning；　after　the　fashion　of　the　Sioux。



〃Ho　ho！〃　　exclaimed　many　warriors　as　he

passed　them；　singing　in　a　hoarse；　guttural　voice。



〃Ugh；　he　sings　a　war…song！〃　remarked　one。



〃Yes；　I　am　told　that　he　will　find　his　son's

bones；　or　leave　his　own　in　the　country　of　the

enemy！〃





The　rain　had　fallen　incessantly　for　two　days。　

The　fleeing　lovers　had　reached　this　lonely

mountain　valley　of　the　Big　Horn　region　on　the

night　that　the　cold　fall　rains　set　in；　and　Ante…

lope　had　hurriedly　constructed　an　arbor　house　or

rude　shelter　of　pine　and　cedar　boughs。



It　was　enough。　　There　they　sat；　man　and

wife；　in　their　first　home　of　living　green！　The

cheerful　fire　was　burning　in　the　center；　and　the

happy　smoke　went　straight　up　among　the　tall

pines。　　There　was　no　human　eye　to　gaze　upon

them　to　embarrassnot　even　a　common　lan…

guage　in　which　to　express　their　love　for　one

another。



Their　marriage；　they　believed；　was　made　by

a　spirit；　and　it　was　holy　in　their　minds。　　Each

had　cast　away　his　people　and　his　all　for　the

sake　of　this　emotion　which　had　suddenly　over…

taken　them　both　with　overwhelming　force；　and

the　warrior's　ambition　had　disappeared　before

it　like　a　morning　mist　before　the　sun。



To　them　a　new　life　was　just　beginning；　and

they　had　all　but　forgotten　the　existence　of　any

world　save　this。　　The　young　bride　was　en…

shrined　in　a　bower　of　spicy　fragrance；　and　her

face　shone　whenever　her　eyes　met　those　of　her

husband。



〃This　is　as　I　would　have　it；　kechuwa　（dar…

ling）！〃　exclaimed　the　Sioux　in　his　own　lan…

guage。　　She　simply　responded　with　a　childlike

smile。　　Although　she　did　not　understand　his

words；　she　read　in　the　tones　of　his　voice　only

happy　and　loving　thoughts。



The　Ree　girl　had　prepared　a　broiled　bison

steak；　and　her　husband　was　keeping　the　fire

well　fed　with　dry　fagots。　　The　odor　of　the

buming　fat　was　delicious；　and　the　gentle　patter

of　the　rain　made　a　weird　music　outside　their

wigwam。



As　soon　as　her　husband　had　left　her　alone

for　he　must　go　to　water　the　ponies　and　con…

ceal　them　at　a　distanceStasu　came　out　to

collect　more　wood。　　Instinctively　she　looked　all

about　her。　　Huge　mountains　towered　skyward；

clad　in　pines。　　The　narrow　valley　in　which　she

was　wound　its　way　between　them；　and　on　every

side　there　was　heavy　forest。



She　stood　silent　and　awed；　scarcely　able　to

realize　that　she　had　begun　her　new　life　abso…

lutely　alone；　with　no　other　woman　to　advise

or　congratulate　her；　and　visited　only　by　the

birds　of　the　air。　　Yet　all　the　world　to　her　just

now　was　Antelope！　No　other　woman　could

smile　on　him。　　He　could　not　talk　to　any　one

but　her。　　The　evening　drum　at　the　council

lodge　could　not　summon　him　away　from　her；

and　she　was　well　content。



When　the　young　wife　had　done　everything

she　could　think　of　in　preparation　for　her　hus…

band's　return；　including　the　making　of　several

birch…bark　basins　and　pails　for　water；　the　rain

had　quite　ceased；　so　she　spread　her　robe　just

outside　the　lodge　and　took　up　her　work…bag；　in

which　she　had　several　pairs　of　moccasin…tops

already　beaded。



While　she　bent　over　her　work；　getting　up

from　time　to　time　to　turn　the　roast　which　she

had　impaled　upon　a　sharp　stick　above　the

glowing　coals；　the　bride　had　a　stream　of　shy

callers；　of　the　little　people　of　the　woods。　　She

sat　very　still；　so　as　not　to　startle　them；　and

there　is　much　curiosity　among　these　people　con…

cerning　a　stranger。



Presently　she　was　startled　by　a　footfall　not

unlike　that　of　a　man。　　She　had　not　been　mar…

ried　long　enough　to　know　the　sound　of　her

husband's　step；　and　she　felt　a　thrill　of　joy　and

fear　alternately。　　It　might　be　he；　and　it　might

be　a　stranger！　She　was　loath　to　look　up；　but

at　last　gave　a　furtive　glance；　and　met　squarely

the　eyes　of　a　large　grizzly　bear；　who　was　seated

upon　his　haunches　not　far　away。



Stasu　was　surprised；　but　she　showed　no　fear；

and　fearlessness　is　the　best　shield　against　wild

animals。　　In　a　moment　she　got　up　unconcern…

edly；　and　threw　a　large　piece　of　meat　to　the

stranger。



〃Take　of　my　wedding　feast；　O　great　Bear！〃

she　addressed　him；　〃and　be　good　to　me　to　bless

my　first　teepee！　O　be　kind　and　recognize　my

brave　act　in　taking　for　my　husband　one　of　the

warriors　of　the　Sioux；　the　ancient　enemy　of　my

people！　I　have　accepted　a　husband　of　a　lan…

guage　other　than　mine；　and　am　come　to　live

among　you　as　your　neighbor。　　I　offer　you　my

friendship！〃



The　bear's　only　answer　to　her　prayer　was　a

low　growl；　but　having　eaten　the　meat；　he　turned

and　clumsily　departed。



In　the　meantime　Antelope　had　set　himself

to　master　the　geography　of　that　region；　to

study　the　outlook　for　game；　and　ascertain　the

best　approaches　to　their　secret　home。　　It　was

already　settled　in　his　mind　that　he　could　never

return　either　to　his　wife's　people　or　to　his　own。　

His　fellow…warriors　would　not　forgive　his　de…

sertion；　and　the　Rees　could　not　be　expected　to

welcome　as　a　kinsman　one　of　the　foremost　of

their　ancient　foes。　　There　was　nothing　to　be

done　but　to　remain　in　seclusion；　and　let　them

say　what　they　would　of　him！



He　had　loved　the　Ree　maiden　from　the　first

moment　he　beheld　her　by　the　light　of　the　blaz…

ing　embers；　and　that　love　must　satisfy　him。　　It

was　well　that　he　had　never　cared　much　for

company；　but　had　spent　many　of　his　young　days

in　solitude　and　fasting。　　It　did　not　seem　at　all

strange　to　him　that　he　had　been　forced　to　re…

treat　into　an　unknown　and　wild　country　with　a

woman　whom　he　saw　in　the　evening　for　the

first　time；　and　fled　with　as　his　own　wife　before

sunrise！



By　the　afternoon　he　had　thoroughly　in…

formed　himself　upon　the　nature　of　the　sur…

rounding　country。　　Everything　on　the　face　of

the　map　was　surveyed　and　charted　in　his　mind；

in　accordance　with　his　habits　and　training。　

This　done；　he　turned　toward　his　secret　dwelling。　

As　he　walked　rapidly　and　noiselessly　through

the　hidden　valleys　and　along　the　singing

streams；　he　noticed　fresh　signs　of　the　deer；　elk；

and　other　wild　tribes　among　whom　he　had　chosen

to　abide。　　〃They　shall　be　my　people；〃　he　said

to　himself。



Behind　a　group　of　cedars　he　paused　to　rec…

onnoiter；　and　saw　the　pine…bough　wigwam　like

a　giant　plant；　each　row　of　boughs　overlapping

the　preceding　circular　row　like　the　scales　of　a

fish。　　Stasu　was　sitting　before　it　upon　a　buffalo…

robe；　attired　in　her　best　doeskin　gown。　　Her

delicate　oval　face　was　touched　with　red　paint；

and　her　slender　brown　hands　were　occupied

with　a　moccasin　meant　for　him　to　wear。　　He

could　scarcely　believe　that　it　was　a　mortal

woman　that　he　saw　before　him　in　broad　day

the　pride　of　No　Man's　Trail；　for　that　is

what　the　Crow　Indians　call　that　valley！



〃Ho；　ho；　kechuwa！〃　he　exclaimed　as　he

approached　her；　and　her　heart　leaped　in　recog…

nition　of　the　magnetic　words　of　love。



〃It　is　good　that　we　are　alone！　I　shall　never

want　to　go　back　to　my　people　so　long　as　I　have

you。　　I　can　dwell　here　with　you　forever；　un…

less　you　should　think　otherwise！〃　she　exclaimed

in　her　own　tongue；　accompanied　by　graphic

signs。



〃Ho；　I　think　of　nothing　else！　I　can　see　in

every　creature　only　friendly　ways　and　good

feeling。　　We　can　live　alone　here；　happily；　un…

less　you　should　feel　differently；〃　he　replied　in

his　own　language　with　the　signs；　so　that　his

bride　understood　him。



The　environment　was　just　what　it　should　be

when　two　people　are　united　in　marriage。　　The

wedding　music　was　played　by　Nature；　and　trees；

brooks；　and　the　birds　of　the　air　contributed　their

peculiar　strains　to　a　great　harmony。　　All　of

the　people　on　No　Man's　Trail　were　polite；

and　understood　the　reserves　of　love。　　These

two　had　yielded　to　a　simple　and　natural　im…

pulse；　but　its　only　justification　to　their　minds

was　the　mysterious　leading　of　the　twin　spirit！

That　was　the　sum　total　of　their　excuse；　and　it

was　enough。



Before　the　rigor　of　winter　had　set　in；　Tatoka

brought　to　his　bride　many　buffalo　skins。　　She

was　thoroughly　schooled　in　the　arts　of　sav…

age　womanhood；　in　fact；　every　Indian　maid

was　trained　with　this　thought　in　viewthat

she　should　become　a　beautiful；　strong；　skillful

wife　and　motherthe　mother　of　a　noble　race

of　warriors！



In　a　short　time　within　that　green　and　pine…

scented　enclosure　there　smiled　a　little　wild　para…

dise。　　Hard　by　the　pine…bough　wigwam　there

stood　a　new　white　buffalo…skin　teepee；　tanned；

cut；　sewed；　and　pitched　by　the　hands　of　Stasu。　

Away　in　the　woods；　down　by　the　rushing　brook；