THE SIOUX STROKE.
When the scout had halted, of course the others stopped and Jehiel
found himself close beside the object of his meditations before he
had fairly recovered from his day-dream. But close ahead he saw a
camp-fire, and the silly lover was at once transformed into the brave
scout.
He rode to the front, and took his stand beside Kelly with his gun
cocked and ready for service.
"White men, and a hard-looking lot they are too!" exclaimed Kelly.
Seated around the camp-fire were a dozen men, who, as soon as they
discovered the party of our friends, sprung to their feet, and stood
ready with their guns.
"Come on," said Kelly, "we may as well be bold about it, for we are too
close to back out now."
The strangers stepped out in front of their camp, and waited for the
scout to approach.
He had seen too many of that class of men before on the plains and
in the mountains, not to know that he had come across a gang of road
agents, through he was at a loss to imagine what they could be after,
in that section.
He knew that these outlaws were frequently in league with the Indians,
and he did not know but this party were in some way connected with the
Sioux, from whom he was endeavoring to escape.
The leader of the party of whites was the only good-looking one in the
crowd; the rest wearing a hang-dog, ruffianly look, as if they had been
life-long murderers. The leader saluted Kelly with:
"Hello, stranger, which way are you going?"
"North," replied Kelly, "as you can see, if you use your eyes!"
"Yes, I see; but what are you going for?"
"It is not evident to my mind that it is any of your business where we
are going," replied the scout. "I don't mind telling you, however, that
we are bound for the village of the Blackfeet."
"What may I call your name? It strikes me I have seen you somewhere
before to-day."
"You may call me Robinson Crusoe, if it will do you any good, though
that isn't my name; and it is barely possible you have seen me
somewhere, for I have been there several times."
"Where?"
"I told you _somewhere_!"
"Well, where are you from?" asked the stranger.
"Home!" replied Kelly.
The stranger laughed and said:
"I am not likely to get much information out of you! I believe there
are some men in this western country who dare not tell their names."
"You do, eh? Well, I am not one of them," replied Kelly.
"Who said you was?"
Kelly made no reply, but turning to his party, said: "Come on," and was
about to start when the stranger again accosted him with--"Won't you
stop and camp with us?"
The scout noticed the looks which the ruffians bestowed upon the Indian
girl, and did not like them, and he replied:
"No, I thank you. We have plenty of provisions, and will make our camp
a few rods away."
"All right," said the leader, "I will come over and make you a visit
after supper."
Kelly rode on about eighty rods, and halted beside a stream, saying, as
he dismounted:
"We will camp here. But," he added, "you can all make up your minds to
leave here before daylight."
"Heap good!" said Gray Eagle. "White Panther knows what is best, and
Gray Eagle trusts his life with him. White Panther has said he would
take him to his village."
"Yes," replied Kelly, "and I will do it; you need not worry any more."
The wounded chief was taken from his horse and laid upon the soft
grass, and while Kelly went to find a good place in which to secure the
horses, Snowdrop set about getting the supper. In this occupation she
was assisted by Jehiel, who, as we have said, was desperately in love
with the beautiful squaw.
Shortly after Kelly had returned to the fire, the leader of the other
party came into their camp, and entered into conversation with him.
"You were not brought up on the plains, though you seem to be an old
hand at camp-life," he said.
"How do you know that?" asked Kelly.
"Because you do not look like a plainsman or a common trapper, neither
do you use such language as is common with that class."
"I see," laughingly replied Kelly. "You think if a kitten is born
in an oven it must surely be a loaf of bread! But you are mistaken.
I have spent my life, or all of it that I can remember, west of the
Mississippi; and I never went to school a day in my life. Manners and
language are like the small pox, contagious; and if I have caught more
than most men in my calling, it is my good luck, not education."
"Well, will you tell me your name now?"
"I don't know of any reason why I should not, as I never done any thing
to disgrace it. It is Kelly; my friends call me Lew, for short--"
"What! Lew Kelly, the famous scout? Your name is well known all along
the frontier, and I am glad to meet you, though I must confess I am
somewhat disappointed."
"In what respect?" asked Kelly.
"Why I expected to see a great burly fellow, who could whip his weight
in wild-cats, but you are not much older than I am; nor much, if any,
larger."
"A gentle hint that you think you can whip me," said Kelly.
"No, sir, nothing of the kind; and I hope I may never have any occasion
to try it."
"You will be liable to get the worth of your money if you do," replied
the scout. "But will you tell me your name?"
"You may call me Curtiss, if you please--those fellows over there call
me Captain."
"Well, Captain Curtiss, it is none of my business, perhaps, what you
do, or what becomes of you, who you are, or where you are going; but I
shall not be doing my duty unless I tell you that you are liable to get
into a pretty lively muss before morning."
"What makes you think so?" asked Curtiss.
"I have every reason to believe that a large body of Sioux are on our
trail, under Red Pine, the fellow from whom I rescued this girl. If
they do not try to recapture her, then I am no judge of Indian nature."
"I am much obliged to you," said Curtiss. "I will be ready for them, if
they come. And now, good-night."
After he had gone, Jehiel sat beside Kelly and talked for nearly an
hour. It was arranged between them that they would remain on guard, and
Jehiel said:
"Come now, Lew, you turn in and sleep till midnight, and I will take
the first trick at watching."
"Wait a few minutes," replied Kelly; "I want to see how they are fixed
over there;" and he proceeded to inspect the camp of the strangers.
He soon returned, and to the inquiry of Jehiel, he said:
"The fools have all gone to sleep, and left a big fire over there. If
the Sioux should come, they will get the first slice, that's sure."
He gave the fire a kick, and rolling himself in his blanket was soon
asleep.
The camp-fire of the strangers had burned low and no unnatural sounds
could be heard, when Jehiel awoke the scout to take his place.
"You should have called me before, Jehiel, you will not get much sleep,
I am afraid."
"Who keers a durn? I'll be ready when you are!" and Jehiel sought his
blankets and sleep.
Kelly began his watch, keeping in the shade of the bushes, and for
nearly an hour he heard no unusual noise. Then the breaking of a twig
between himself and the camp-fire of the strangers alarmed him, and
he crouched down to the ground the better to watch the movements of
whatever was prowling around.
The object was moving as stealthily as a cat, and Kelly could not
discover it until it passed an open spot where the fire light reflected
upon it, when he made the somewhat alarming discovery of a Sioux
warrior; and he had barely time to notice that he was in his war-paint.
The question arose, what should he do? The problem was solved by the
Indian himself, who was now coming straight toward the tree behind
which the scout was concealed.
Nearer and nearer he came, until the brave scout could hear him
breathe, and as he passed the tree could have touched him.
The Indian halted to listen, and apparently satisfied, started on.
He had taken but one step when the scout sprung upon him, and with a
single blow of the keen-pointed knife the Indian sunk to the ground
without a groan.
It was but the work of a moment for the scout to secure the horses, and
lead them to the camp.
Here he gave Jehiel a kick which brought that worthy to his feet with
"Durn yer pictur'," when he was interrupted by Kelly placing his hand
over his mouth, and saying:
"Keep still, and saddle the horses; the Indians are here."
Then he silently awoke the chief and said, "Let us go." Gray Eagle and
Snowdrop were soon ready for a start.
"Here, Jehiel, you take the chief and the girl and go on down the
creek; I will join you in a few minutes."
"Where are you going?" asked Jehiel.
"I am going to tell the strangers to be on their guard," and the brave
man, unmindful of his own peril, mounted his horse and started for the
camp of the strangers; while Jehiel, and the chief and his daughter,
went down the stream.
Kelly had got about half-way to the other camp when a dark figure
sprung from the bushes in front of him, and struck at the head of the
scout.
He missed his mark, but not so Kelly, who reached out and dealt the
Indian a blow between the eyes which brought him to the ground.
Spurring over the prostrate body he drove into the camp of the
strangers, shouting as he went:
"Up, men, for your lives! The Sioux are here!"
A hundred dusky forms sprung up as if by magic, and the air was filled
with murderous yells. Drawing his revolver he shot right and left, an
Indian falling with every shot.
The first thought of the brave scout was to join his party as soon
as possible, but his afterthought was worthy of him. He knew that to
insure the safety of Jehiel, Gray Eagle, and Snowdrop, he must go in
an opposite direction, and thus lead the Sioux in pursuit of himself
rather than his friends.
The impulse was a brave and noble one, well worthy of the scout, and he
turned his horse, resolving to trust to his speed.
A row of angry, painted faces met him, but he charged through their
ranks, shooting two Indians as he went.
Then he became aware that another horse was close beside his, and
turning in his saddle he beheld Snowdrop, who had followed him, and was
now close by his side.
"Come on, girl. Ride for your life!" he shouted, "and keep close to me."
He turned his horse in the direction of the stream, and in a few
minutes both horses were dashing through the water, and up the opposite
bank. The scout never paused except to see that the Indian girl was
safe across, and having satisfied himself on that score he dashed ahead.
Meanwhile the camp of the strangers was the scene of a bloody conflict.
The white men were battling desperately for their lives, but they had
been surprised, and the scout knew from the rapid and incessant firing,
that the battle could not last long.
He halted and listened to the noise of the conflict upon the opposite
side of the stream. All at once it ceased, and as he was wondering
which party had met with success, there came to his ears a wild,
prolonged shout, which was answered by a single yell of defiance.
"That sounds as if them white men had passed in their checks, and the
Sioux had won the battle." He looked at Snowdrop as he spoke, and her
eyes were looking sorrowfully in his own, as she said:
"My father is a prisoner. He has tried to follow me and the Sioux have
found him. Now he must burn."
"I guess not," replied the scout; "but why didn't you stay with him and
Jehiel?"
"Snowdrop had rather _die_ with the White Panther, whom she loves, than
_live_ with any one else!"
"Well, you are a queer one, though, when I told you I did not want you.
I have one wife already, and that is all the law allows a white man.
But, I'll tell you, Snowdrop, there's Jehiel is in love with you head
over heels, and he will take you if you'll only give him half a chance."
"The White Panther saved my life, and I will never cook meat for any
other man!"
"Oh, fudge! You'll get over that before long."
"Never. What will Snowdrop do now they have taken her father, and will
burn him?"
"Keep cool, little gal! They have not burned him yet, and I have
promised Gray Eagle that I would give him the scalp of Red Pine, and
I'd do it. They have probably got Jehiel too; and now, girl, it's
about daylight, and I want you to ride as fast as you can to the
village of your people, and bring back all the warriors you can get.
I will stay here and wait for you, and when you get back we will give
them Sioux particular fits!"
Without a word the Indian girl obeyed, and was soon lost to the sight
of the scout.