Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-03-14
OFT on the Panpas |
By q. A. n


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CHAPTER xvI.-ContiuuedJ
Very quietly the troop crept along. IA
watna leading the way, until he ar-
preached closely to the village. Here
they halted for a moment.
Only SIX Of us will 80 in" Mr.. Hardy
said; there will he less chance Of detec-
son-Jamieson, Percy. Herries, my boys
y myself. The others take post close
to the hut we see ahead. II you find that
we are ~6iscoverei, be in readiness to sup
port us. And. Fa.quhar. two or three of
you get matches ready aud stick a blue
ught into the straw roof of the hut. We
must have light, OF we lose oil the advan-
tagc of or 'drearms. Besides. az we re-
treat we shall be in darkness, white they
wall be in the glare"
Thus speaking, Mr.. Hardy followed his
guide. the men he had selected treadiny
cautiously in his rear. Presently they
stopped before one of the huts, and,
pointing to the door, Tawaina said, lit
tie White Bird there;" and then, gliding
away. he was lost in the darkness.
MIR. Hardy cautiously pushed aside the
skin and entered, followed by his friends,
1t was perfectly dark. and they stood for
Q moment uncertain what to do. Then
they heard a low voice saying, Papa.
~ that your" while at the same instant
they saw a CLEAN Of light in the other cor
ncr OF the tent, and heard a rustling
noise. and they knew that an Indian had
cut a slit in the hide walls and had es-
cared; and as Mr.. Hardy pressed his
child to his heart a terrific war whoop
rose on the air behind the hut.
Ethel had lain down without taking off
cvtn her shoes. SD strong had been her
hope of her fathers arrival. She was
therefore no impeachment to the speed of
their retreat. For a short distance they
were %unopposcd. The Indians. indeed.
rushed from their huts like swarms of
bees disturbed by an intruder. Ignorant
OF the nature Of the danger, and unable
to see its cause, all was for a minute
wild confusion; and then. guided by tho
war whoop Of the Indian who had given
the alarm, all hurried toward the spot.
and US they did so several saw the little
party of whites. Loud whoops gave the
intimation of this discovery, and a rush
toward them was made.
"Now. your revolvers." Mr.. Hardy said.
I'VE are nearly out OF the village"
j. or a few minutes the contest was ter
rifle. Tho rush of the Indians partially
broke the line, and the whirl of cleaning
hatchets. the heavy crash of the blows
with the rifles, the sharp. ircessant
cracks Of the revolvcrs, the yclls of the
Indians, the short shouts of encourage.
mcnt FROM the English, and the OCCASION
al Irish cry of Terence. made up a total
OF confusion and noise which was bewil.
dering. Scarce q shot of the whites was |
thrown wa. and " heap of dead lay
across the pass.
The Indians in front were mown down !
by the long rifles like grass before the
mower. and those behind, after one mo- +
ment's hesitation. broke and fled; in an
other W minutes the fight was over. and |
the Indians in full flight to their village. !
The party now crowded round Ethel. |
with whom not a single word had vet
been exchanged since her rescue, and
warm and hearty were the congratulate
lions and welcome bestowed upon her.
The morning broke over the white men |
occupied in the burial of two fallen COM
panions. and upon the Indians assembled
ut a short distance beyond the village. |
The men sat upon the ground in sullen |
despair; the womcn walled and wruny /
their hands. /,
Now that it was day, they could see
how terrible had been their loss. Inward
of sixty of their number We're missing.
The chief had fallen. as had several of
the most valiant braves of the tribe. Pres
emily Tawaina rose from the midst of tine
warriors. His absence the preceding
evening had not been noticed.
My brothers," he began, "the Great
Spirit is very angry. He has hidden his
face from his children. Yesterday he
blinded their eyes and made them fool.
tsh; last night he made them as water
before the white men. Why were the
ears of the chiefs closed to the words of
Iawaina? If he had set out with little
White Bird. the great white chief would ]
been glad, and the Ratchet won
nave been buried in peace. But the chiefs 4
W. Id not hear the words of Tawaina.
Ihc Stag said Kill! and the war chiefs
shouted Kill! and where are they now?
Their wigwams are empty, and their
women have none to bring in the deer for
food. The Great Spirit is angry"
Tawaina took his seat; but, as he Ind
anticipated, no one rose to speak after
After a profound silence of some
minutes duration. he again rose.
What will my brothers do? The fly
ing fires will burn down our village, aud
there is no retreat. The guns that shoot
loading carry very far. We are
ms water before them. We are in the
hands of the white chief, and our bones
Will feed the crows. What will my broth.
ers do? Let there be peace between us.
men who would have harmed the
Little White Bird are dead; there is no
more cause for quarrel. Let us bury the
Take horses and cattle for your
and forgive us If we have done
wrong. If the white men were IN the
plains Tawaina would say. Let my yo,n.
men charge: but they hold the pass. and !,
the guns that shoot without loading are
too strong. Have ! spoken well?"
lhere was a low murnlur Of applause.
The feeling that the position Of the white
men was %impregnable was general. and
they felt convinced that those terrible
would devils. some unknown
scheme which would end i n the total an.
of the tribe.
Iawaina then laid aside his arms and.
Attended by six Of the principal chiefs.
green boughs in token of amity.
advanced tOward the mouth of the gorge.
Hardy. with Eve Of the whites. and
Perez to interpret. advanced "a meet