St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-07-07

AAS oiSAb VI tnelE uopElul eApeQl
ton, the frightful peril of their sit
uation, were, lost sight of in the alb
sorbing desire for revenge which
burned in every man of them as they
| gazed upon the stricken, stiffenine
| heap of animals. All were for giving
chase Immediately. They believed they
could easily oyertake the Sioux among
the drifts of the lower lands, where
creeks and snow-flled ravines must
cause him to shift his course contin.
ually.
Boys" said Gordon, when some .oi
them had hastily begun to strip for
the chase, boys, this is my particu-
lar affair. You make camp and fix it
for fghtin'. I'll either get that Sioux
or he'll fetch his tribe back an get
us"
Cy Gordon was their captain. He
had been a hay and wood contractor
for many years in the Sioux country,
and his word was law to this little
band.
There was no need to argue that no
man could have even guessed at the
daring and disaster they had looked
upon. The performance had been
too aPpallagly simple and easy. 1t
I had come as unexpectedly as the flood
Of cloudburst or the bursting of a
gun.
While his men stood vengefully
watching the flying Sioux, Gordon
stripped himself of superauous wrap
pings, stocked his pockets with. frozen
bread and cartridges. slipped on pair
of snowshoes kept for emergency,
frightened his belt, and launched him
self in pursuit.
Horse and rider were again 10 more
than speck upon the vast snow
field. Gordon, with an. "express" rife
under his arm, took the long, swing
ing stride of the accomplished snow
shoer. In an hour the sEeeiS upon the
snow had not grown smaller.
At high noon, by the sun, upon
broad fat where all Grass held the
snow, Gordon came almost within bull
let range of the Sioux. An hour later,
among a tangle of tlrifted ravines.
there was an exchange Of shots, and
the sioux's pony dropped in its tracks
The Indian lodged cut Of light, and
Gordon pushed warily on with grin
of hate under his iciclees
He took up the Siou& tracks, and
noted with satisfaction shat She IN
dams moccasined feet punched
through the light crust ali every other
step. In just little while!
But he followed for an hour or mere
among seemingly interminable tan.
gle of gullies without catching
glimpse of the wary dodger. Then he
into a wider valley, to find
that the artful rascal had escaped out
of range and out of sight upon wind
swept stretch of river ice.
Gordon ground his teeth and swept
over the smooth surface, sweating.
despite the sharp cold, from fierce ex-
ertion, At a turn of the river he saw
the Sioux; but there were others, more
than a score of them, mounted and ap-
the runner. The mule-kill-
n camp or town was close at hand.
Exhausted from his long run, Cor
kon, in his own language, threw up
Fhe sponge" He hastily sought the
soyer of river drifts and scooped him
self a kind of rife pit. Then, with a
pile of cartridges between his knees
md slapping his hands to keep his
myers ready for action, he waited, |
to do what execution he could |
,efore the end.
There was considerable parley among
he Sioux, and THIN only single In
1ian advanced toward the white man.
This one came on afoot within gum
hot, then stopped and shook his blan-
ret, in token that lie wanted to APP
1roach and talk.
: Gordon laughed. The situation
eemed to him grimly humorous. He
notioned to the Indian to come on, and
,ept him well covered with his rife.
! moment later, however, he lowered
lis gun.
Whatever fate awaited Gordon, he
new that he stood in no danger of a
reacherous stroke from the approach
ng Sioux. 1t was the chief, Red Cloud.
onward with hand outstretched.
Ny young man has killed your mules"
tas Red Clouds greeting in the Sioux
ongue.
Gordon understood. Eyes" he said,
and I will not take your hand until
ou have done right
The grave old chief drew his blanket
bout his shoulders with shrug.
Now listen" he said. .If one of your
oldiers had approached a party of my
oldiers and had killed all their horses,
nd so crippled them and escaped, your
eople would have made him big cap
ain. It is so. My young man is very
rave. He did as he was told. You
annot come here and take my country
not yet. I have watched your ad-
lnce and complained to your soldiers
White River. When I saw they did
OF go out and catch you as our Great
ather has said they should do. sent
" young man to stop you. You will
nd your soldiers at the three forks of
'hite River. Now go!"
And without another word Red Cloud
armed upon his heel and stallzed away.
This time Gordon was glad enough
) obey tie Injunction to go" Three
ays later his little party filed in at the
lilitary camp on White River, and
hen. some time afterward, their boxes
freight had been recovered, not so
uch as a blanket or a pound of sugar
I'D been taken by Red Clouds Sioux.