River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-08-13

I preeaution to equip himself with both
spear and tOmahawlz, and he presented
I on the whole the appearance of very
/ formidable guard.
Night wore on, and could hear,
ever and anon, voices in oratorical
pitch. which knew came from the
council where ! was the subject under
I august consideration. II took them a
long while 70 come to a verdict with
regard 10 my disposal. and | continued
F t. hear them murmur, as If in hot dis
pute over the method of nv doom.
Nearly two hours must have dragged
Y by since I had been brought to the
chiefs tepcc. Suspense was gnawing
deeply within me. can never give
/ anyone the faintest idea of the misery
which I suffered there in waiting to
3 learn my doom / tried earnestly to
WOO AN Indifferent mood. to think of
/ friends far away; but every effort to do
. 50 only served u unnerve me more.
The chiefs wigwam was a large
two-roomed tepce. Suddenly a light
stir in the opposite room attracted my
attention. In another moment my eyes
caught the dual CLEAN of a knife blade
I NsAA NAAA+- AAAE BstA "A "a AAAF AEDEt NaIAA-
Z tion close to where my head reclined
ON the skins
What did II mean2 Instantly was
al alert. Did I have secret foe in
that village, who intended to put me
ont Of the way before the ComancheS
could butcher me bv inches? l could
easily have alarmed my guard, who
kept his old position before the door;
z but what proof had l that he was not
7 in league with nv secret assassin?
Il lay perfectly quiet, watching
anXiously the small opening made in
the bark partition near my head. Was
I il an enemy?
Presently the knife blade was with
/ drawn. and through the opening came
a low, cautious whisper which thrilled
me through and through.
white man, listen, quiclxr
voice. Instantly I shifted my head
until my ear just res ted against the
slit in the bark of the tepee.
white man remember Bioka?' said
( the voice close TO my ear.
INSTANTLY | recognized both voice
/ and owner. BioISa was an intelligent
I kiowa boy of sixteen whom | had
seen at the fort with some traders of
I his own tribe. ! had made the boy
some trifling present, and while the
I traders had remained at the fort Biolza
was much Of his time at our camp. In
/ that way l had become well acquainted
with the young Kiowa.
! But how came Biol1a at that villageP
Z / had been told that the kio-as and
Comanches were inveterate enemies
and were constantly warning against
Z each other. However, BiOka soon ac-
counted for this
..'Bioka has been to the council of
the Comanches. II e has heard. whis-
E pered the boy. Listen, The Kiowas
/ have come - the village of the Co
manches. Their hate is buried. and
I together they will war against the
whites. Bioka was forced To come,
though he cannot love the bad Co
manches. who killed his IA ther'
The whispers were so gent that
they did not disturb INV sullen. sphinx
| like guard, smoking away before the
tepee and listening to the din still kept
up at the council.
Almost breathlcssly / listened to
Biogza a. he whispered To- me the YER
diet Of the council. Owing 10 the chiefs
eloquence | was not to be burned at
the stake; but as I was firmly suspect
ed OF being a government scout, who,
if escaped. would carry word to the
/ fort III the combined secret prepare
{ tions of the Comauches and Kiowas for
war. ! was TO be given a novel kind of
slaughter
when the moon came mp and fur
nished sufficient light I might expect
to be called forth from the chiefs
tepee. Owing to an old tribal supersti-
tion among the Comanches they Will
not begin war or endauger themselves
in the deep darkness of night. If a
warrior Is - unfortunate a. to lose his
life in the dark of night. il is believed
that he must forever grope in darkness.
Therefore. the Comanches would
take no risks. until the moonlight re-
.;sved the darkness. Then ] was to he
placed On my own poly. and be made
70 swim the river below the village.
The Indians would permit me to gain
the Opposite bank and revel in the be-
lief that ] was free. b1lt Just a. ! would
strike the underbruSh over the stream.
the Comanche and kiowa braves. who
were t. be waiting ready mounted
back in the woods. would swim the
river and dash after me in rival chase.
Thus they had arranged for an exciting
fox chase with me in the unpleasant
capacity of Reynard. Comanche or
hiowa. whichev was able to catch
me first. would add mighty laurels TO
his T'roweSs as a warrior. 30 there was
no little rivalry among my duslxy hunt
erS
.'All this | understood from the brief
account which Bioka poured into my
ear. During the excitement which pre-
vailed At the council. the KiOwa boy
had encountered small difficulty in en-
teEing the chiefs tepee unseen
''Bioka was not one 70 desert a friend
in need. and before he left me he un-
folded = scheme or ruse by which
might hope u elute my savage pur-
suers- But must promise To obey his
instructions to the very letter IL |
would escape. of course I was only
TOO glad "a promise strict compliance
with Bioka's directions
When the moon neared the zenith.
relieving the dense shadows which
ruled the forest. the stir and hustle in
the Indian camp informed me that the
time TO begin the chase had arrived.
The chief himself entered the lodge
where lay and led me outside TO
place where NV horse stood bridled and
saddi,.d-
= The chief conducted me a. led NV
horse down 20 the edge of the river
The rival warriors. TeadF noun ted.
waited Ike crOuehing panthers behind
the trees.
he made great feint of friendly in
tentiOns toward me, and when we
reached the bank OF the stream mo-
toned fcT ne q mount I quickly
SbsVsd As ] gTaspei the rains he