Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-10-03
The Indians REVENGE


eastern part of Montana looking for
mineral claims Some of the party
while at Buford claimed to have infor-
nation as to possible rich finds near
the Canadian border, but this was
| secuted by the plainsmen and half
breeds at Buford, who knew every inch
| Of the country 10 be traversed by the
! prospectors. Nevertheless the party
| left Buford, following the east bank of
Cherry creek northward and having
| friendly warning to be courteous to
any Indians they met They had been
gone about a week from Buford when
they came upon a small party of Indi-
ans from the Fort Peck reSerVation-a
buck, two squaws and several young
girls. They freely distributed whisky
among the Indians and later abused
them shamefully. Then they pushed
on, traversing the region through which
flows Poplar river aud the Porcupine.
| They had plenty of supplies, but found
water scarce The season had been
dry, and the creeks were low and filed
with muddy stuff that neither man
nor beast could endure. 1t became
quite evident in a short time that they
must either give up their quest for gold
and push southwark TO the Milk river
or die of thirst. Already they had lost
three of their II horses and were be-
| ginning to suffer themselves.
AT this juncture they were surprised
one morning TO have ride toward them
and from out of the wastes ahead a
young Indian, whose friendly signals
and fine appearance gave them hope
that in him they might find a guide
who would lead them to fresh water.
They offered him whisky. but he re-
| fused it, He spoke a broken English
and quickly understood what their
/ trouble was. The men We're gaunt
eyed, worn with heat and thirst; their
horses We're trembling in every limb.
water" said the Indian. "Water-
one day-two days-much water there"
pointing straight ahead. PLENTY
water, heap gold; white man never
comes; Indian see often. Much
water" stretching his hands wide to
| indicate the quantity.
| In their minds the dried up southern
| erS saw a mountain stream gushing
| forth pearly drops by beds of gold.
They pressed the Indian TO guide them
to the spot and promised him every
| kind of a reward. He consented TO
| lead them and they took the trail at
once. They followed, a miserable
looking set of prospectors. The buck
rode hard. He took them where there
was slipping shale, white levels blister
| ing with heat, wallows in which water
had not run for year. He seemed
made of iron, and they were fast be-
coming as reeds. When night came,
three more horses We're gone, and of
the six men two could go no farther.
They died during the night, and in the
morning but four rode on with the
silent brave.
He pushed on, never touching the
liquor offered him, apparently needing
no refreshment. The way grew hotter
and hotter. rougher and rougher. Two
more horses went down, a third man
dropped, and still no water.
Tonight" said the Indian and kept
on. The three behind him rode with
! death. 1t was almost sunset when
they collapsed. They fell from their
! horses as if shot, beaten in the race for
water. The buck did not halt for
them. He only noticed that the horses
following him, three dust covered, red
eyed beasts, loped easily and distended
their nostrils. They knew as he knew
that water was near
When he knew he was safely out of
sight of the stricken men. the Indian
turned sharply from his westward
| course and rode south. He came to
where the rocks rose from the plain.
where butte faced butte and there We're
shade and GOODNESS of their kind. He
made for a narrow way that took him
to jutting shelf of rock, where plash-
cd thin stream of water, cool as from
the ices of the northern world. He
flung himself from his horse and
plunged his head into n basin formed
In the rock and that overran with
water. His horse showed in beside
him, and galloping up came the three
| horses, survivors Of the prospecting
party. and they drank like beasts that
have fought long with each other.
1t was just sunset when horses and
brave lifted their heads from the pool
and looked far away across the plain
below. They could not see. but some
where out there were the dead who
hours before had ridden with the In
dian the blind chase for water he never
intended to lead them to. Long he
looked out to where they must be, and
then he gave the wild "halloo' and call
of triumph of his race, and the horses
repeated 1t.
He had ridden well to avenge the in
suit given his people by his prospectors.
He had betrayed those who would de-
file an Indian or an Indians woman.
He could return to Poplar river now
and tell his story to those of his kind.
He shouted again, and the horses cried
out and then all disappeared in the
night ON the homeward trail-Chicago