The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-01-17

sherry, and we will talk" His fac
hardened. The cold, deadly look return
ed to the gray eyes, and our breakfas
was soon finished
Shouidering my rifle, | stepped out o
the stockade and slowly walked down
the valley. On the distant hillside
antelope grazed; down the valley be
fore me | could see few deer runnin,
for cover to the willows by the stream
Now and then grouse rose before m,
and flew rapidly away. Resisting al
temptation to shoot at anything,
walked steadily on. Climbing a hill,
sat on red rock and musingly gazed a
the vast plains to the northeast, at the
foothills of the range, and at the rugged
rocky range beyond love the Rocky
mountains, and never tire of their face
| wasted hours in looking and in think
ing of the many tales | had heard of the
range. When the sun WAS high above
me started for the willows. There
neatly shot the heads off of six grouse
Then jointing light trout pole, |
whipped the clear pools of the south
fork Of the Teton, and was soon reward.
ed by a string Of fine half-pound trout
Then came the pleasant walk back
through the cool, dry air, and over the
crlspy grass of the north. What a lux
ury life was in the valley of the Teton !!
| | turned my spOils over to the smiling
indian woman who acted as cook for
Burr. The rest of the day I spent on
horseback, running antelope with lot
of half-blood Indians. At eight o'clock
supper was served and eaten. The
sherry was brought out, and ] scattered
on the table handful, my last, of Rosa
| Conchas that had never paid duty, and
as we sat smoking, Burr told me this
story:
"In the fall of 1868 I thought it
might be profitable to start trading
post In the Yellowstone valley. Learn
ing from the Blackfeet that the Sioux
were camped on the south side of the
river, | determined to ride over and see
what arrangements | could make with
them. | crossed the Belt mountains. and
riding down the valley, was soon at
their camp. | on the north side Of the
river, they on the south. / sat on my
horse and hailed the camp. No answer.
| could see plenty of Indians walking
about and again [ hailed. No answer.
| shouted myself hosrse and the only
notice taken of me was by an old buck,
who walked to the river bank, looked at
NE, made an insulting gesture, and
slowly walked off. | went there to
trade, and, having got angry at the
treatment, though | well knew that !
ought to leave the valley at once, l,
like fool, resolved to cross the stream
and brave the danger. So | forded and
rode into the camp. | spoke to no one;
no one spoke to me. The sullen braves
turned their backs on me as | rode up
the street. The young girls looked
curiously at me. Riding slowly along,
| cooled rapidly. | saw that was not
wanted, and | at last fully realized that
[ was in danger. | did not dare to ride
to the south, but of the camp, nor did l
have courage enough to attempt to re-
cross the river.
Before me stood great tent made of
buffalo skiing. 1t was the largest | had
ever seen. | halted, dismounted, and
stood silently at my horses head. No
one noticed me. Indians went past me,
apparently not seeing me. At last a
young woman came and stood before me.
Looking right into my eyes she said:
What do you want?' l looked her
cOldly in the face and made no reply.
Smiling, she asked: What brings you
here?' Steadily | gazed into her eyes
and was voiceless. She left me and dis
appeared into the great lodge. Soon an
Indian warrior in full paint, with bow
and strung arrow in his hands came to
me. Speaking Blackfoot, he said: why
are you in this Campo To him l re-
piled: { | wish to trade with you
More men came. They took my horse,
and Selling hold of my arm they led nue.
into the great lodge. Here [ was seated
and council was held. l sat and lis
tened to them talk Of what it was best
to do with so presumptuous white man.
Some were in favor of trading. The
large majority of the Indians were in
favor of torturing me. 1t was soon de-
cided that | should be tortured; and
they sat and discussed the many
methods. After two days talk it was
decided to burn me. | was in strange
condition mentally. / would listen to a
plan of torture, as though it were some
other man they were talking about; and
| would comment to myself On that plan
as giving VIC Cudp but I1SAAc CuduCC lOI
his life. But when the dusky brave,
who talked Blackfoot, told me that |
was to die by fire the next day, under
stood perfectly that was the man they
had been talking about, and / replied:
| know it, Clustering around me they
asked if | had understood all the talk.
Yes; l had Then why not answer
the maiden when she spoke to you |
came, not to talk to squaws, but to trade
with men, No use; could do nothing
by soft talk, and, having played my
hand, finally resigned myself to my fate,
81 noticed that the girl who had first
spoken to me in front of the lodge was
watching me. She would quickly glance
at me aud then drop her eyes on the
buckskin shirt she was embroidering
with Crow hair. Several times | noticed
this, and once [ replied with a smile.
The lodge emptied All were gone ex-
cept the girl. She quickly came to my
side, apparently to refold some buffalo
robes, and in whisper said: You are
to die tomorrow. Tonight | will have
the best horse in the camp saddled and
standing on the outside of the lodge. !
will have the tent cut from the outside.
You jump through, mount and ride for
your life. You may escape. You will
burn if you stay Then with smile,
The mare is mine. She is the fastest
animal in the valley of the Yellowstone.
| give her to you She left me and soon
resumed her work. As she wove the
hair of many Crow scalplocks into the
shirt, l sat looking thankfully at her.