Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1891-08-13

surrounded rs One Of the Indians who
had accompanied us. and who seemed
% b. a mar % no little Importance
among hi rcd brothers. briefly related
my capture. as ! could easily tell from
the gestures made in my direction.
though the WORKS were all creek % me.
-Leering in my face. two stalwart
Cosaanches dragged me- from my sad
die. Pierce hands pushed me against
the post near the fire. which sc0rchei
my face and almost smothered me. and
the circle Of hideous dancers closed
around me.
My advent was the signal for every
dog. squaw and child in the camp 10
hasten - the scene Of excitement and
add to the general uproar. and assist in
the duty Of heaPiug insults upon the
white captive
II noticed that the number Of Indian.
was something immense. and concluded
that they had Seen joined By warriors
from some other tribe. I rightly con-
iectured that they were celebrating
their union with a mighty war dance.
preparatory To a general uprising
against the whites
The dance was renewed with viyor.
the euire population Of the camp. ~ Il
appeared % me. joining in the mad
scene They jumped and whooped
about me-. geSticulating and brandish-
ing their t~omahawks and spears deriv-
ing intense enjoyment from terrifying
me- without iniuring me bodily.
The chief finally terminated the
dance by ordering a special council 10
decIde the question whether il would
not be as well 10 turn their war dance
into a scalp dance. and bsgin their wal
against their enemies by ~calping me
and finishing nv tortures at the stake
! understood this from the chief him
self. who addressed the jewellers in
broken EnEli sh-
y brawny Comanchc brave lei me
10 the chiefs wixTvan- where I was u
be guarded until ny fate was decided
At the grand council
the red warriors rushed away to-
waru the place Of council. I was pushed
into the chiefs lodge. where sank
hopeless and utterly exhausted upon a
pallet Of skins in on corner of the
tePse- Wy guard. with a grunt % dis
approval at being Obliged 10 stay away
from the council, stationed himself on
a large rock az the door of the tepee.
from which he could catch the sound OF
the orators voices az the council. while
he smoked in characteristic stoli4
morosenesS lie had not neglected the
Precautlon 20 equip himself with both
spear and tomahawk. and he presented
On the whole the appearance Of a very
formidable guard.
Night ~ on. and I could hear.
ever and anon. voices in o~ratorical
pitch. which I knew came from the
council where I was the subject un.ler
august consideration IL took them a
long while to come - n verdict with
regard 20 my disposal. and | continued
to hear them murrnur. As X in hot dis
puts over tee method Of nv doom
Nearly two hours must have dragged
by since I had heen brought To the
chiefs fepe~. Suspense was ruawfng
deeply within me-. I can never give
anyone the faiutest idea 81 the misery
which | suffered there in waiting to
learn nv DOOM I tried earnestly to
WOO an Indifferent mood. to- think 81
friends far away but every effort 10 do
80 only served To unnerve M more.
The chiefs wigwam was a large
-two-ro0ned tepee suddenly a sigh
stir IN the opposite room attracted nv
attention In another moment nv eyes
caught the dull CLEAN Of a knife blade
parting the bark Of the tepee's parti-
tom close - chen 49, -
on he skins
VIVA did Il mean Instantly I was
all alert Did I have a secret foe IN
that village. who intended to put me
out of the way before the Comanche~
could butcher me by inchesa | could
easily have alarmed zv guard. who
kept bis old position before The door;
but what proof had I that he was no,
IN league with my secret assassin
4 lay perfectly quiet, watching
anxiously the small op ening uade in
the bark partition near ny head Was
II IN 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. quick
There was no secret enmitv in thai
voice Instantly I shifted my head
until my a just res ted against the
slit N the bark Of the tepee.
White man remember Biokag Said
the voiee close 70 M EAR.
Instantly ! recognized both voice
Eud owner Bioka was an inteIIigen;
kiowa boy Of sixteen whom I hal
seen at the fort with some traders 81
his own tribe. / had made the bcy
some trifing present aud while the
traders had remained at the fort Bioka
vas much Of his time at our camp In
that way had become well acquainted
with the Young kiowa
But how came Bioka At that villare7
had been told that the kiowas and
Conanehes were inveterate enemies
and were constantly warning agains,
each other. However, Bioka o ac-
counted for this.
.Bioka has been 10 the council d
the Comanches. He has heard whis.
pered the boy. Listen. The Kioway
have come 20 the village Of the 60.
manches- Their hate is buried, and
together they Will war against the
whites Bioka was forced 10 come.
though he znnot love the bad Co
manches. who killed his father
The whispers were so gentle that
they did not disturb my suIlen. sphinx.
like guard smoking away before the
tepee and listening 20 the din still kept
up at the council
Almost breathlessly ! listened &c
Bioka Is he whisp cred 70 me the yer.
dict Of the council. Owing Z the chiefs
eloquence I was not TO be burned at