The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-01-08

densely wooded thicket, where 80
men could easily hide themselves.
They directed their course toward
this place and there held counsel.
The chief decided that his compan-
ions should wait in this copse while
he went to the bank of the river hard
by the camp Of the Blackfeet, where
he hoped in the dim light of the
dawn to discover some trace of his
wife. On the bank of the river he
sat down behind a bush and waited
until the women came in the morn
ing with their kettles to draw water.
He hoped to see his wife go down to
the river with the others and to have
an opportunity to release her and re-
turn to his warriors before the day
commenced.
He had been in this place for some
minutes when he perceived the WON
en- going down to the river. Unseen,
he scanned those who passed by, hop
ing to discover his own. He was be-
ginning to despair, when he saw one
coming alone at some distance from
the others. That one was his wife.
He let her pass and go as far as the
river, SO as to make certain that he
did not deceive himself. AS she re-
turned he left his hiding place and
stood before her. Great was the sur
prise of this woman at the sight of
her husband. He did not give her
any time to question him. Your
brothers" said he to her, ARE here
with me, at little distance on the
prairie. | have only just left them
in order to come and rescue you from
your enemies. Let us save ourselves
before the camp awales and rejoin
your own people.
"No." she replied, II will not set
out now. ] must steal something
from those people who made me a
prisoner. Return to your warriors,
and when nighttime has. arrived !
will escape from the Blackfeets' camp
and rejoin you" Inspite of the chiefs
entreaties she would not consent to
follow him then.
He thereupon fastened away to
await with his own people the time
when his wife would leave the camp.
The plan of this woman was not to
rejoin her husband. She regarded
his desertion of her as an insult, and
she had sworn to be avenged should
the opportunity offer On perceiving
her husband in the morning she had
disguised her hatred, and the delay
which she asked was simply pre-
text to give her time to prepare the
means of vengeance against him.
She left the river with her kettle
filled with water and thoughtfully
bent her course toward the lodge of
the chief of the Blackfeet.
AS soon as she had deposited her
vessel she covered her head with her
blanket, and assuming a mysterious
air she sat down aside, as if greatly
preoccupied with some extraordinary
secret To the questions of those
who passed her by she gave no reply
and preserved an absolute silence.
The chief, believing that she was
ill or lamented her captivity, wished
to console her and inquired the cause
of her sadness.
II had a curious dream last night, "
said she. II saw my spirit, and it
revealed to me a great thing. You
shall see il it has deceived me. This
is what it showed me. Some miles
from this camp, in the thicket which
you see yonder, there are 80 warriors
of the Grow tribe who have been
hiding since yesterday. They are
waiting for favorable opportunity
to surprise and massacre us.
''Go and take them by surprise, in
sufficient numbers, so that none of
them escape. In order to accomplish
this hasten to surround the wood on
all sides. Kill all these warriors ex-
cept their chief, whom you will bring
to the camp, as have something to
say to him."
Indians, it is known, have unlimit-
ed faith in dreams. They are revela-
tons to them. Nothing more was
wanted to set the camp astir.
In no time all the warriors were as
sembled around their chief.
Meantime the woman's brothers
and friends were waiting impatiently,
but without anxiety.
The Blackfeet glidei along like
snakes in the grass and soon sur,
rounded the wood where the Crows
were hidden At the given signal
they were to jump up and run in the
direction of the wood, while uttering
their warwhoops.
AT the first cry uttered by the
Blackfeet chief circle of men seem
ed to start up out of the ground, and
it was impossible for the Crows to
leave their hiding place. They per
ceived that they were betrayed, and
that nothing more remained for them
than to sell their lives dearly. They
made heroic efforts to open a path
through the ranks of their enemies,
but the Blackfeet, six times more
numerous, killed them all, with the
eXcentiOp Of tha chief whom thav