old indian days-第7部分

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

Away　in　the　woods；　down　by　the　rushing　brook；

was　her　tannery；　and　not　far　away；　in　a　sunny；

open　spot；　she　prepared　her　sun…cured　meats　for

winter　use。　　Her　kitchen　was　a　stone　fireplace

in　a　shady　spot；　and　her　parlor　was　the　lodge

of　evergreen；　overhung　on　two　sides　by　inac…

cessible　ledges；　and　bounded　on　the　other　two

by　the　sparkling　stream。　　It　was　a　secret　place；

and　yet　a　citadel；　a　silent　place；　and　yet　not

lonely！



The　winter　was　cold　and　long；　but　the　pair

were　happy　in　one　another's　company；　and　ac…

cepted　their　strange　lot　as　one　that　was　chosen

for　them　by　the　spirits。　　Stasu　had　insisted

upon　her　husband　speaking　to　her　in　his　own

language；　that　she　might　learn　it　quickly。　　In

a　little　while　she　was　able　to　converse　with

him；　and　when　she　had　acquired　his　language

she　taught　him　hers。



While　Antelope　was　occupied　with　hunting

and　exploring　the　country；　always　keeping　in

mind　the　danger　of　discovery　by　some　wander…

ing　scout　or　hunter；　his　wife　grew　well　ac…

quainted　with　the　wild　inhabitants　of　No　Man's

Trail。　　These　people　are　as　full　of　curiosity

as　man；　and　as　the　Sioux　never　hunted　near

his　home；　they　were　entirely　fearless。　　Many

came　to　the　door　of　Stasu's　lodge；　and　she　was

not　afraid；　but　offered　them　food　and　spoke

to　them　kindly。　　All　animals　judge　by　signs

and　are　quick　in　reading　tones　and　gestures；

so　that　the　Ree　girl　soon　had　grandfathers　and

grandmothers；　after　the　Indian　fashion；　among

the　wolves　and　bears　that　came　oftenest　for

food。



Her　husband　in　the　field　had　also　his　fellow…

hunters　and　friends。　　When　he　killed　the　buf…

falo　he　always　left　enough　meat　for　the　wolves；

the　eagles；　and　the　ravens　to　feast　upon；　and

these　watched　for　the　coming　of　the　lonely

wild　man。　　More　than　once　they　told　him　by

their　actions　of　the　presence　of　a　distant　camp…

fire；　but　in　each　instance　it　proved　to　be　a　small

war…party　which　had　passed　below　them　on　the

trail。



Again　it　was　summer。　　Never　had　the　moun…

tains　looked　grander　or　more　mysterious　to　the

eyes　of　the　two。　　The　valley　was　full　of　the

music　and　happiness　of　the　winged　summer　peo…

ple；　the　trees　wore　their　summer　attire；　and　the

meadow　its　green　blanket。　　There　were　many

homes　made　happy　by　the　coming　of　little　peo…

ple　everywhere；　but　no　pair　was　happier　than

Stasu　and　her　husband　when　one　morning　they

saw　their　little　brave　lying　wrapped　in　soft

deerskins；　and　heard　for　the　first　time　his

plaintive　voice！



That　morning；　when　Antelope　set　out　on　the

hunt；　he　stopped　at　the　stream　and　looked　at

himself　seriously　to　see　whether　he　had　changed

since　the　day　before。　　He　must　now　appear

much　graver；　he　said　to　himself；　because　he　is

the　father　of　a　new　man！



In　spite　of　himself；　his　thoughts　were　with

his　own　people；　and　he　wondered　what　his　old

grandmother　would　have　said　to　his　child！　　He

looked　away　off　toward　the　Black　Hills；　to　the

Sioux　country；　and　in　his　heart　he　said；　〃I　am

a　coward！〃



The　boy　grew　naturally；　and　never　felt　the

lack　of　playmates　and　companions；　for　his

mother　was　ingenious　in　devising　plays　for

him；　and　in　winning　for　him　the　confidence　and

kindness　of　the　animal　friends。　　He　was　the

young　chief　and　the　hero　of　No　Man's　Trail！

The　bears　and　wolves　were　his　warriors；　the

buffalo　and　elk　the　hostile　tribes　upon　whom　he

went　to　war。　　Small　as　he　was；　he　soon　pre…

ferred　to　roam　alone　in　the　woods。　　His　par…

ents　were　often　anxious；　but；　on　the　other　hand；

they　entertained　the　hope　that　he　would　some

day　be　〃wakan；〃　a　mysterious　or　supernatural

man；　for　he　was　getting　power　from　his　wild

companions　and　from　the　silent　forces　of

nature。



One　day；　when　he　was　about　five　years　old；

he　gave　a　dance　for　his　wild　pets　upon　the

little　plateau　which　was　still　their　home。　　He

had　clothed　Mato；　the　bear；　in　one　of　his

father's　suits　as　a　great　medicine…man。　　Waho；

the　wolf；　was　painted　up　as　a　brave；　and　the

young　buffalo　calf　was　attired　in　one　of　his

mother's　gowns。　　The　boy　acted　as　chief　and

master　of　ceremonies。



The　savage　mother　watched　him　with　un…

disguised　pride；　mingled　with　sorrow。　　Tears

coursed　down　her　dusky　cheeks；　although　at　the

same　time　she　could　not　help　laughing　heartily

at　the　strange　performance。　　When　the　play

was　ended；　and　she　had　served　the　feast　at　its

close；　Stasu　seemed　lost　in　thought。



〃He　should　not　live　in　this　way；〃　she　was

saying　to　herself。　　〃He　should　know　the　tra…

ditions　and　great　deeds　of　my　people！　Surely

his　grandfather　would　be　proud　of　the　boy！〃



That　evening；　while　the　boy　slept；　and　Mato

lay　outside　the　lodge　eagerly　listening　and　snif…

fing　the　night　air；　the　parents　sat　silent　and　ill

at　ease。　　After　a　long　time　Stasu　spoke　her

mind。



〃My　husband；　you　ask　me　why　I　am　sad。　

It　is　because　I　think　that　the　Great　Mystery

will　be　displeased　if　we　keep　this　little　boy　for…

ever　in　the　wilderness。　　It　is　wrong　to　allow

him　to　grow　up　among　wild　animals；　and　if

sickness　or　accident　should　deprive　him　of　his

father　and　mother；　our　spirits　would　never　rest；

because　we　had　left　him　alone！　I　have　decided

to　ask　you　to　take　us　back；　either　to　your　peo…

ple　or　to　my　people。　　We　must　sacrifice　our

pride；　or；　if　needs　be；　our　lives；　for　his　life　and

happiness！〃



This　speech　of　Stasu's　was　a　surprise　to　her

husband。　　His　eyes　rested　upon　the　ground　as

he　listened；　and　his　face　assumed　the　proverbial

stoical　aspect；　yet　in　it　there　was　not　lacking　a

certain　nobleness。　　At　last　he　lifted　his　eyes　to

hers；　and　said：



〃You　have　spoken　wise　words；　and　it　shall

be　as　you　have　said。　　We　shall　return　to　your

people。　　If　I　am　to　die　at　the　hands　of　the　an…

cient　enemy　of　the　Sioux；　I　shall　die　because

of　my　love　for　you；　and　for　our　child。　　But　I

cannot　go　back　to　my　own　people　to　be　ridiculed

by　unworthy　young　men　for　yielding　to　love　of

a　Ree　maiden！〃



There　was　much　feeling　behind　these　words

of　Antelope。　　The　rigid　customs　of　his　people

are　almost　a　religion；　and　there　is　one　thing

above　all　else　which　a　Sioux　cannot　bearthat

is　the　ridicule　of　his　fellow…warriors。　　Yes；

he　can　endure　severe　punishment　or　even　death

at　the　hands　of　the　enemy　rather　than　a　single

laugh　of　derision　from　a　Sioux！



In　a　few　days　the　houshold　articles　were

packed；　and　the　three　sadly　turned　their　backs

upon　their　home。　　Stasu　and　her　husband　were

very　silent　as　they　traveled　slowly　along。　　When

they　reached　the　hill　called　〃Born…of…Day；〃

and　she　saw　from　its　summit　the　country　of　her

people　lying　below　her；　she　cried　aloud；　weep…

ing　happy　tears。　　Antelope　sat　near　by　with

bowed　head；　silently　smoking。



Finally　on　the　fifth　day　they　arrived　within

sight　of　the　great　permanent　village　of　the

three　tribes。　　They　saw　the　earth　lodges　as　of

old；　thickly　clustered　along　the　flats　of　the　Mis…

souri；　among　their　rustling　maize…fields。　　Ante…

lope　stopped。　　〃I　think　you　had　better　give

me　something　to　eat；　woman；〃　he　said；　smil…

ing。　　It　was　the　Sioux　way　of　saying；　〃Let　me

have　my　last　meal！〃



After　they　had　eaten；　Stasu　opened　her　buck…

skin　bags　and　gave　her　husband　his　finest　suit。　

He　dressed　himself　carefully　in　the　fashion　of

his　tribe；　putting　on　all　the　feathers　to　which

he　was　entitled　as　a　warrior。　　The　boy　also　was

decked　out　in　gala　attire；　and　Stasu；　the　matron；

had　never　looked　more　beautiful　in　her　gown　of

ceremony　with　the　decoration　of　elks'　teeth；

the　same　that　she　had　worn　on　the　evening　of

her　disappearance。



As　she　dressed　herself；　the　unwelcome

thought　forced　itself　upon　her；〃What　if　my

love　is　killed　by　my　own　countrymen　in　their

frenzy？　　This　beautiful　gown　must　then　give

place　to　a　poor　one；　and　this　hair　will　be　cut

short！〃　for　such　is　the　mourning　of　the　widow

among　her　people。



The　three　rode　openly　down　the　long　slope；

and　were　instantly　discovered　by　the　people　of

the　village。　　Soon　the　plain　was　black　with　the

approaching　riders。　　Stasu　had　begged　her　hus…

band　to　remain　behind；　while　she　went　on　alone

with　the　boy　to　obtain　forgiveness；　but　he

sternly　refused；　and　continued　in　advance。　

When　the　foremost　Ree　warriors　came　within

arrow…shot　they　began　to　shoot；　to　which　he

paid　no　attention。



But　the　child　screamed　with　terror；　and

Stasu　cried　out　in　her　own　tongue：



〃Do　not　shoot！　I　am　the　daughter　of　your

chief！〃



One　of　them　returned　the　reply：　〃She　is

killed　by　the　Sioux！〃　　But　when　the　leaders

saw　her　plainly　they　were　astounded。



For　a　time　there　was　great　confusion。　　Some

held　that　they　should　all　die；　for　the　woman

had　been　guilty　of　treason　to　her　people；　and

even　now　she　might　be　playing　a　trick　upon

them。　　Who　could　say　that　behind　that　hill

there　was　not　a　Sioux　war…party？



〃No；　no；〃　replied　others。　　〃They　are　in

our　power。　　Let　them　tell　their　story！〃



Stasu　told　it　simply；　and　said　in　conclusion：



〃This　man；　one　of　the　bravest　and　most

honorable　men　of　his　tribe；　deserted　on　the

night　of　the　attack；　and　all　because　he　loved

a　Ree　maiden！　　He　now　comes　to　be　your

brother…in…law；　who　will　fight　henceforth　for

you　and　with　you；　even　if　it　be　against　his　own

people。



〃He　does　not　beg　for　mercyhe　can　dare

anything！　　But　I　am　a　womanmy　heart　is

softI　ask　for　the　lives　of　my　husband　and

my　son；　who　is　the　grandson　of　your　chief！〃



〃He　is　a　coward　who　touches　this　man！〃

exclaimed　the　leader；　and　a　thunder　of　war…

whoops　went　up　in　approval　of　his　words。



The　warriors　formed　themselves　in　two

great　columns；　riding　twenty　abreast；　behind

and　in　front　of　the　strangers。　　The　old　chief

came　out　to　meet　them；　and　took　his　son…in…

law's　hand。　　Thus　they　entered　the　village　in

battle　array；　but　with　hearts　touched　with　won…