Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-08-27
|ADaughterl
of the Sioux |
By GEN. CHARLES KING. /
Copyright, 1902, by The Hobart Company.
CHAPTER XII.

w nat dCllOH Hdu btth ItSOlNeu
upon, and prompt action, was now
apparent. Stabber, fighting chief
though he had been in the past, had
had his reason for opposing the plans
of this new and vehement leader;
but public sentiment, stirred by We
hement oratory, had overruled him,
and he had bolted the field convention
chief than Stabber, had yet more
power among the 0gallalas, being Red
Clouds favorite nephew, and among
the Indians, at least, his acknowl-
edged repre- sentative. Whenever
called to acco.nt, however, for that
nephew's deeds, the wary old states
man promptly disavowed them. 1T
was in search of Lame Wolf, reasoned
RGy, that Stabber had sped away,
possibly hoping to induce him to call
off his followers. 1t was probably
the deeper strategy of Stabber to OPP
pose no obstacle to Rays advance un-
til the little troop was beyond the
Elk Tooth ridge, where, on utterly
shelterlcss ground, the Indian would
have every advantage. He knew Ray
of old, knew well that, left to him
self, the captain would push on in
the effort to rescue the stage people,
and he and his command might prac,
tically be at the mercy of the Sioux,
if only the Sioux would listen and be
patient. Stabber knew that to attack
the troopers now cntrenching at the
cottonwoods meant Il desperate fight
in which the Indians, even if ultimate
ly triumphant, must lose many
valued brave, and that is not the
thoroughbred Indians view of good
generalShip. Stabber was old, willy
and wise. The new chief, whoever
he might be, seemed possessed of
mad lust for instant battle, coupled
with a possible fear that, unless the
golden moment were seized, Ray
might be reinforced, and could then
defy them all. Indeed there were vet
eran campaigners among the troop
ers who noted how often the tall red
chief pointed in sweeping gesture
back to Moccasin Ridge-trooper
who even at the distance caught and
interpreted few of his words.
That's it, sir" said Winsor, conf
IDENTITY TO Ray. "Ile says more
soldiers coming and-I believe he
knows"
At all events he had so convinced
his fellows, and, even before Stabber
reached the middle tooth-where sat
a little knot of mounted Indians, sig
mailing, apparently, to others still
some distance to the nOrth-With a
chorus of eNultant yells, the long,
gaudy, glittering line of braves sud
denly scattered, and, lashing away to
right and left, dozens of them darted
at top speed to join those already
disposed about that big circle, while
others still, the main body, probably
20 strong, after some barbaric show
of circus eyolutions about their lead
cr, once more refined up for final in
functions from his lips. Then, with "A
magnificent gesture of the hand, he
waved them on, and, accompanied
by only two young riders, rode swift
~ away to little swell of the prairie
Just out of range Of the carhines,
and there took his station To super
NlSt Alit dNtdtk.
Damn him!" growlcd old Winsor.
Hes no charger like Crazy Horse.
He's a Sitting Hull breed of general
like some we had in Virginia" he
added, between his set teeth, but
lay heard and grinued in silent ap-
probation. "Set your sights and give
'em their first yolley as they reach
that scurchcd line" he called tu the
men along the northward front. and
pointed 90 a stretch OF prairie where
the dry grass had lately been burned
away. Five hundred yards viii do il.
Then aim low when they rush closer
in"
Look az the middle tooth. can
tain,' came the sudden hail from his
left mirror flashes, Src," IL was
Field who spoke, and life and vim
had returned 10 his voice and color
Ia his face. lie was pointing eagerly
toward the highest uf the knobs.
whore, an ON q sudden, dazzling uttlr
beams Of light shot forth toward The
Indians in the lowlauds, tipping the
war bonnet and lance of many
brave with dancing brr Whatever
their purpuri, the signals seemed ig-
n"rcd hy the Sioux, for presently two
came sweeping down the long slope.
htraIght for thy point where s.t Rcd