CONCLUSION
It seemed to Guy Preston that the rider who held him in position on his
mustang would break his body in two before his horse had taken many
more of his frantic leaps. You will remember that the only place he
touched the horse was on the small of his back, with his head dangling
on one side of it and his feet on the other; but it seemed to be all
one to the warrior, who shook his rifle and shouted at the soldiers as
if he were in high glee. He struggled to the best of his ability, and
when at last it seemed to him that he would grow wild over the agony
he was in, everything grew blank to him, and from that time he was as
helpless as a dead boy. He knew nothing of the efforts the cavalry had
made to rescue him; and when his captor wanted to stop to breathe his
horse, he threw the boy to the ground as if he had been a bag of corn.
The motion seemed to revive Guy. He struck on his feet, made three or
four efforts to recover himself, and then sank down, regardless of his
fate.
The warriors had all stopped to rest their horses, for they believed
that the pursuit was over. The spot where they paused was in one of
the ravines that led to the "bad lands," and while one or two of their
number remained on the hills to note the movements of their pursuers,
the others gathered around their prisoners and went into ecstasies over
them.
"Hoopla!" said one who seemed to have a little smattering of English.
"Nice time the squaws have to-night. Take um scalp and burn um."
These words aroused Guy and he sat up on the ground. He thought of
Winged Arrow's medicine, and put his hand into his pocket to see if he
could find it; but the Indians, believing that he was looking for a
weapon, rushed upon him and stretched him again upon the earth, while
one drew his scalping knife and yelled as if he were going to use it.
He seized Guy by the hair and passed his knife around it, and when he
arose to his feet he had a handful of it, which he shook in the boy's
face. Guy's heart seemed to stop beating. Were his captors going to
scalp him alive? He put his hand to his head and found, greatly to his
relief, that although his hair was gone, his skin was there as usual.
A roar of laughter was the result, and when it was ended one of the
braves said:--
"Brave boy. To-night stake him out on ground. Then take scalp sure
enough."
It was something to know that they were going to take him to the
village before they began torturing him, and Guy at once became more at
his ease and began to look around among his captors to see if Winged
Arrow was there. He did not see him, and he concluded that he would let
his letter go until he could see him or find some means to send it to
him. What was the reason he had not asked him his name in Indian when
he met him there on the plains? That would have reached him sure, and
he resolved to try it in English. Perhaps the Indians knew enough of
that tongue to recognize it. The Sioux were sitting down in a circle
and some of them were getting out their pipes to indulge in a smoke.
"Do any of you know English?" he asked at a venture.
"Oh, yes, me know it," said one of the Indians, tapping his breast with
his hand. "Me know English a heap."
"Then perhaps you know Winged Arrow," said Guy. "He is my friend."
Guy did not see what there was in this to excite the laughter of the
Indians, but it raised it sure enough, and his captors began passing
some remarks about him in their native tongue which made them laugh
louder than ever. Guy gave it up in despair, and settled back on the
ground again. The Indians either could not or would not understand what
he was trying to get at, and it was useless to try them further. His
mind was so busy with his own affairs that he had not thought to see if
there were other prisoners in the party, but now he found that there
were two--one a member of his own company, who had evidently been worse
treated than Guy was, for he lay upon the ground as motionless as if he
were dead. Guy got up and went to him. He could not bear to see one of
his own kind used as bad as he was without saying something to him.
"Oh, sir, we are gone up now," said the soldier, in a faint voice. "My
back is broken."
"I guess I know about how you feel, for my back is feeling the same
way," replied Guy. "Brace up, and never say die. When we get to their
village, I will see what I can do toward effecting our release."
"Oh, if you could do that, you would win my everlasting gratitude. I
can't bear to be tied up and burned, just because I happen to wear the
blue. Have you a drink of water about you, sir?"
Water was something that Guy did not have, and he began to feel as
though he would like a drink himself. He approached the Indians, who
were now sitting on the ground engaged in the formality of smoking, and
holding his right hand as if he were grasping a cup, carried it to his
mouth and turned it up as if drinking from it. He knew this much of
the signs that Cyrus had taught him. One of the Sioux immediately said
something in his own tongue and pointed down the gully, and then went
on with his smoking.
"There is not any water here," said Guy, returning to the soldier. "We
must wait until we reach the village. Now brace up, and don't let these
people see that you are afraid of them. If you do they will torment you
in every way that they can think of."
When Guy went to speak a word of encouragement to the other prisoner,
he cast his eyes around among the horses that were standing a little
distance away, and saw that there were five of them that belonged
to the government. There were thirty of the Indian ponies, and
twenty-eight savages sitting in that circle on that ground; and by
counting the two who had been sent out as look-outs, it proved to his
satisfaction that the Sioux made that attack upon the cavalry and came
off without losing a man. No wonder that they felt jolly over it.
Guy spoke such words to the other captive as he thought would serve
to encourage him in the ordeal which he knew was coming, and by that
time the lookouts came in from the hills and the Indians all got up in
readiness to resume their march to the village. But before they went
they determined to examine the pockets of their captives and see what
they could find that was worth stealing. In obedience to a sign from
one of his captors, Guy got up and the Indian thrust his brawny arm
into his pants. His pocketbook was the first thing he pulled out. The
small amount of money that Guy had was looked at and thrown aside,
the Indian not knowing what the bills were. The next thing was Winged
Arrow's medicine; and when the savage unfolded that and looked at it,
he uttered a grunt which brought all his companions to his side. Guy's
heart beat against his ribs with a sound like a trip hammer, for he
knew that something was going to happen now. First one Indian examined
it and then another, all uttered grunts indicative of surprise or
indignation, he couldn't tell which, and another savage, the same one
who had gone through the motions of scalping him before and was ready
to do it again, for he held his knife in his hand, quietly put it in
his belt and made no move toward Guy. The Indians now became excited
and wanted to get to their village as soon as possible. The talking and
laughing suddenly ceased. The horses were brought up and at a sign Guy
and one prisoner mounted; and when it came to the captive who was too
weak to help himself, he was not jerked and hauled around as he was
before, but an Indian lifted him in his arms and put him on the horse
as tenderly as if he had been an infant. There was something in Winged
Arrow's medicine after all, and when he saw how prompt the savages were
to obey it, it made the chills creep all over him.
"No one need ever tell me again that the Sioux are nothing but savages,
and have no hearts at all in them," muttered Guy, as he fell in with
the others and rode down the ravine. "But that paper is not through
yet. If it pass Red Cloud and the other big chiefs at the village, I
shall really begin to believe there is SOMETHING in Indian medicine."
The ride now was a very intricate one, and Guy marveled greatly when
he saw the Indian who was leading turn first into one gully and then
into another, and never seem to be at a loss which way to go. If a
body of troops ever got in there with Indians all around them, their
destruction was certain. The next thing was the village which came into
view. A sudden turning of one of the gullies, when everything seemed
to be deserted, and there were the tepees scattered along both banks
of a little stream which came murmuring down from the hills. That was
too much for one of Guy's companions in trouble. He dismounted from
his horse, stretched himself out at full length beside that stream and
drank as if he had not seen any water for a month.
Guy's fear and anxiety increased now, for he longed to see Winged
Arrow, to tell him what had been done with his medicine and to ask
him if there were the least grounds for hope for any prisoner besides
himself. Somehow he could not get it out of his mind that his men had
seen the prairie for the last time, but that was too dreadful to think
of. The Indians along the stream took but little notice of the party as
they rode through the village, with the exception of one who gazed at
them as if there were something on his mind. This one fell in behind
and walked along with them until they came to a lodge which he entered
without ceremony. It was Reuben who was hunting for Winged Arrow.
There was something about Guy's shoulder straps which attracted his
attention, and he wanted to see his friend before it was too late. The
lodge he entered was the one Winged Arrow occupied, and he found that
person just getting ready to go out.
"He has come," said Reuben.
"So I have heard, and I am going to see about it," said Winged Arrow.
"I wonder if he has that letter with him."
Reuben shook his head. He did not know what had passed between the
Indians and their captives on the way up.
"It will be hard enough for me to help him, even if he has it with
him," continued Winged Arrow. "But if he has forgotten it, it is all up
with him."
The young braves hastily left the lodge and followed along after the
party until they came up with them standing in front of the chief's
tepee. One glance at the boy who wore the shoulder straps and Winged
Arrow saw that he was the same one he had once met on the prairie. Guy
saw and recognized him at the same moment, and something like a smile
of confidence lit up his face.
"I am sorry to see you here," said Winged Arrow; and his face assumed a
gloomy expression.
"And I am sorry to be here," said Guy. "Now we will see if your
medicine amounts to anything. There are three prisoners here----"
Winged Arrow turned his head away and raised his hand, as if motioning
for Guy to stop.
"If I can get you out safe, you must be satisfied," said he. "I had
hard work to get that other man free, and I don't know whether I shall
make it with you or not."
Guy lost all his confidence from hearing Winged Arrow talk this way,
and he began to think that his own escape, which had seemed so bright
when Winged Arrow first came there, was not so sure after all. He
watched his friend go into the chief's tepee, and from what he had read
he knew that no one had a right to do that, and in about five minutes
he came out again; but his face was still gloomy.
"Get off that horse and come with me," was what he said to Guy.
The boy lost no time in obeying him. He saw that his first object must
be to get out of sight of the Sioux, and he soon saw the necessity for
that, for savage glances were cast upon him as he passed along, and he
remained close at Winged Arrow's heels, while he led the way toward
his father's lodge. Once inside, he breathed more freely, although he
was ushered right into the midst of the Medicine Man's family. He did
not have time to see who was there, but followed his guide to a remote
corner of the tepee and seated himself on a pile of blankets pointed
out to him.
"Now whatever happens, don't open your head," said Winged Arrow. "Don't
say one word to me. If you go out of here without me, you are gone."
The Death Angel never came so close to Guy Preston as he did then. He
felt in his hip pocket for the loaded Derringer he had taken pains to
keep about him, but remembered that it had fallen out during that wild
ride after he was captured, and now nothing remained for him but that
letter. He noticed that Winged Arrow did not go any further than the
entrance of the lodge. He took his rifle with the air of one who would
use it if he found it necessary, and seated himself just inside the
flap door and watched everybody that came in or went out. It looked as
though Winged Arrow was going to fight to retain possession of him.
He listened, but could hear no signs of what had been done with the
captives outside. They had been taken away, and Guy told himself that
he had seen them for the last time.
It was pretty nearly night when these events happened, and if the hours
were long to Guy they must have been doubly so to Winged Arrow, who
never changed his position after he seated himself. The Sioux came in
and cooked their meals as they wanted them, but nobody offered Guy a
morsel. In fact he did not want anything, for he was so completely
wrapped up in thoughts of escape. At length the door was raised and a
bundle of something was thrust into Winged Arrow's hands. He took it
immediately and came over to Guy.
"Put these on," said he, in a hurried whisper. "Be quick."
Just then someone outside set up a rapid beating on the tom-tom, and
Guy thought that it was the signal for something of which he did not
like to think; but it was a notice that the social dances, which were
now in vogue, were about to commence. The fate of the captives had not
yet been decided upon.
With nervous haste Guy unfolded the bundle and found an Indian blanket,
a pair of leggings, and moccasins. He looked at Winged Arrow and
saw that he was standing erect and had enveloped himself in another
blanket, so that nothing but his face could be seen. Guy was quick to
follow his motions, and when the change had been effected no one could
have told which of the two was the Indian and which the white boy. The
other Sioux sitting around in the tepee made no remark regarding the
change, and, feeling greatly encouraged, Guy walked over to his friend
and followed him outside into the darkness.
"Keep still," was what Winged Arrow whispered to him. "Do just as I do."
The tepees were all deserted by the Indians, their owners having gone
to the further end of the village to engage in the dance, and no one
saw them as they passed. A little further on and somebody with a horse
loomed through the darkness. He kept on ahead of them, not a word was
exchanged between the two, and it was evident that he was in the plot,
if that was what Winged Arrow's movement proved to be. For two hours
they walked, and then the prairie came into view. Then the horseman
stopped and Winged Arrow and Guy went up beside him.
"There, sir, you are free," said the young Indian. "Don't stop to talk,
but get on and do your best. Don't you be caught again."
It did not seem to Guy Preston that he could leave his friend without
making some acknowledgment. He did not "stop to talk," but he thrust
out his hand which Winged Arrow took and shook warmly.
"Which way?" said he.
"That way," replied the Indian, pointing straight over the prairie.
It occurred to Guy to ask Winged Arrow what he and his friend were
going to do when it became known among the Sioux that one of their
captives had slipped through their hands, but before he could form the
question he was standing there alone. The Indians had vanished in the
darkness.
To jump upon his horse and start him in the direction he had been told
to go was done in less time than we have taken to tell it. Have you
ever seen the prairie? If so you can have some idea of what Guy had to
go through. It was the same thing over and over again. Every little
hill he mounted when daylight came revealed nothing but a lonely waste
with not a living thing in sight. And so it was during the whole of
that day until the light faded away and darkness began to settle down
on the plain. Then Guy thought he saw a horseman on a distant swell. He
stopped and looked at him, but the horseman, if such it were, did not
move.
"Is it a Sioux or a white man?" said Guy to himself. "I can't be worse
off than I am now, and so I will go and see who it is."
For the first time he put his horse in a lope, keeping his eye on the
object and waiting to see what he was going to do. At length another
object appeared by the side of the first, and something that hung down
by his horse attracted the attention of Guy, and led him to swing his
blanket around his head. It was a cavalry saber, and showed Guy that he
was among friends.
We cannot stop to tell how Guy Preston was received by the men who had
long ago made up their minds that they had seen the last of him. The
expedition had stopped to bury their dead and had just gone into camp.
Guy said that the two prisoners who were captured at the same time he
was were in the hands of the Sioux yet, and he could not tell what was
to become of them, and neither did he know what would be done with
Winged Arrow and his friend for assisting one captive to escape. When
he reached the Fort, Colonel Carrington listened in surprise to the
story of his release, and declared his belief that there was something
in Winged Arrow's medicine after all. He moved back to Nebraska in
the early spring, after Fort Phil Kearney had been demolished. His
superiors blamed him for Colonel Fetterman's defeat. They did him an
injustice, for it was Red Cloud's ability and strength that won the day.
THE END
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End of Project Gutenberg's Winged Arrow's Medicine, by Harry Castlemon