Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-05
CHAPTER ",

and even this was but for brief half
hour. One after another jefferson
City, Sedalia and Fort Scott were left
behind him, but not until the train
pulled into Ninita and band Of Chero-
KEGS stalked beneath the car windows
In sullen grandeur Of buckskin legsins.
red blankets and eagle plumes, did Gin
Chi rub his eyes, give smothered ex-
clamation OF horror and reach up to see
II his pgtail was still there.
Now began weeks OF patient search,
weeks OF wandering on horseback among
the various reservations, from tribe to
tribe, from Cherokees to Arapahoes.
from Comanches to Chickasaws. from
Creeks to Pottawatomies, from Sacs to
Pawnees. Often and often, when a
halt was made in some village. chief
wearing silk hat stalked out to greet
the silent Englishman, but that long,
hard face, with ito small, CLASSY eyes.
was each time turned in vain upon the
headgear OF the noble req man as Gin
Chi timidly handed him plug of tobac-
co. 1t was not the hat that Prince
Louis had given to Mr.. Smith OF Hous-
ton street.
Once, and ono, only. Mr.. Joshua
Merritt unsealed his mysterious lips,
when an Indian agent expressed
hope that he might be successful in his
search for the coveted treasure.
"Oh, yes, that's So" murmured the
collector, as If speaking to himself;
that's SO. shall find it; I find every
thing look for; yes, that's SO; it's only
q question Of time; no doubt you have
heard what I am looking for now?"
. Yes, sir, said the agent, "and I can
hardly believe it, but you know more
about these things than do"
Yes, that's SO; that's so; you see,
this hat is not like any other hat in the
world"
And hence you deem your collection
incomplete without it,"
Yes, that's so; that's So" came from
Merritt slowly; and then he added,
land I'd give my head to get that hat
on it,.
rs it cooked hat, all gold lace?" in
quired the agent, humoring this harm
less mOnomaniac.
oh, no; but you must excuse me if I
refuse to describe it. I must be wary
yes. that's so; there may be some COM
petitor in the field, that's so; must be
wary, he might snap it up"
mo doubt you have some proof of its
existence?"
"Oh, yes. that's so; that's so; SO 900
worth OF proof-ycs. that's so-twenty
years hard work, that's so-agents, cor
respondents, detectives, emissaries,
that's so-but I'm on the track at last.
may find it on some chiefs head-yes,
that's SO.
But what tribe does he belong to-"
Cant tell, that's so-can't tell-but
II necessary shall visit every one Of
them. l shall ransack every village
that so-it must be here-thats So
that's So"
About the middle of the month, IS
Josh and Gin e hi-the former noun teu
on a tall, raw-boned, shaggy maned,
piebald horse. and the latter on an In
dian pony as fat and sleek as himself
emerged from a deep gulch, through
which they had been patiently toiling
for six hours, they suddenly found
themselves surrounded by band of
half intoxicated Indians, whose war
paint and wild demeanor BODIED no good
to the adventuresome pale-face and his
yellow skinned companion. They were
hickapOOs, and i'll a state OF violent
agitation, for Unitel States troops had
lately driven them back from an at
tempted ioray across the Mexican
border. A number OF them had been
slain. As they formed circle around
the two lone travellers, executing war
dance and shrieking like bowling
dervishes, Gin Chi gave himself
up for lost: but Joshua Merritt
from his lofty perch looked down
upon the dancing, bowling, Ges-
ticulating band, with mien go
dignified, an expression SO stolid and
rigid, that the Indians fell back
abashed, uttering their deep cultural
"hows" with respectful demeanor.
The Englishman ordered Gin G hi to dis
tribute tobacco. Not until he had made
certain that his' teil was still in place
could the poor l.6n SesQver his wits
slow and wndmill-like wave9 Of his
long arms. Merritt directed the sick
apoos to conduct him into the presence
OF their chief, Peeconowah, whose
name was we'll known to the great col
lector. The village was reached in half
an hour, and in solemn silence the
bucks squatted around the two visitors.
Pipes were produced and smoke !, but
still the chief OF the kickapoos
came not. The Englishman began to
grow uneasy. He had not been treated
with such discourtesy since his arrival
among the redmen. He arose and be-
gan long harangue, spoke OF the
mighty Empress, upon whose domain
the sun never sets, ana as one Oh Her
rich and powerful subjects, demanded
that Peeconowah should come out OF
his wigwam. The fact is, the chief
was sleeping off a dehauch and
was not in fit condition to meet
his distinguished visitor. The
sad failure OF his attempted foray
across the Mexican border had soured
this noble red man and he had tasted
deeply OF the insidious firewater; but as
the sun went down Peeconowah. lean
ing heavily upon two OF his braves.
made his appearance. wearing his army
blanket in very careless and undigni-
fed manner. while upon the back of his
head an old-fashioned, broad brimmed.
bell-crowned silk has seemed to be
clinging desperately. As the chieftain
took his place among his braves, the
hat slipped off ana rolled on the ground.
Quick as flash Merritt's long legs
snapped him into an upright position,
end picking up the hat he replaced it
upon Peeconowah's head, with re-
spectful bow; but tho keen observer
would have noticed that as he did SO he
turn00 down the lining and glanced at