The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-02-19
AT a Wife Race |
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eRo YOU think Malabar will run?"

H.=. NJ i AtkA eNAk wal 49,
D The girl did not reply, but her
lips began to tremble. The face of the
man bending toward her grew dark,
but it was the darkness of despair, not
of purpose.
perhaps if he knew what You have
told me-" He h%esitated. 'Malabar is
brave and strong and noble. He would
not stoop to a small deed"
II promised him with the new year
that he should run for me at the green
corn dance. IL did not,know then,"
looking piteouslyin into the gloomy, deli
cate face above her. "Malabar would
not stoop to a small deed-no. But this
is not small. He has let it be known
that he will run for me. He would not
turn from his purpose a hairs breadth
not if he saw something in front that
would crush him. And-and it is right
for a great warrior, Ankona, but it is
hard"
"We will fly, White Egret, into the
deepest Businesses of the Everglades"
she cried, hoarsely. "There are places
where even Malabar's relentless arms
would be powerless."
But White Egret only looked at him
with sorrowful eyes.
"We are Seminoles, Ankona," she
rebuked gently. "You know our laws.
You would be the last one to break
them"
His arm fell back impotent. Yes,
he would be the last one to break
them.
perhaps Malabar will not be proof
against the black drink this time,"he
suggested. "He has killed. and it will
be made strong. Others have died. But
no, no! Malabari is a great chief, and a
better man for the tribe than 1. He has
tasted the black drink before and will
not die"
"You say we'll, Ankana," broke in a
stern, powerful voice, and a figure,
dark, toweringand implacable, stepped
from the gathering shadows. 81 shall
not fall before. the black draught. 1t
would not be a fit ending for a war
rior."
White Egret threw back her head
and regarded him steadily. Ankona
bowed his head.
You heard ala" he questioned in g
strained voice.
GALL" calmly. cit was childish pratt.
tie. I shall run for the White Egret
for have I not said it, and has she not
made her promise? 1t is only when we
forget our promises that we become
weak and childish. Aakona is youns
yet, and should be humored. I vii
let him run the race with me, and
will give him one-third the distanc,
start as due to his weakness. Now
go!"
They went, with a single d%espairins
glance toward each other. Ankona'
face wa hlond{ess and set -bloodles.
with pride crushed, set with foreknowl
edge of utter inability to cope will
this man of iron will and strength
Better be crushed than allowed to ex
list by s%ufferance.
Other forms were appearing from
the transformations in full headdres:
and leggins, carrying the guns they
Adu pu1C1luSCu. "Illc . IduGTS
squaws with camp equipage, medicine
men stalking solemnly and mysterious
~, with eyes bent upon the ground;
children and dogs, some from the CAM
on White River bay, some from Okee
chobee, some from the shifting camT
among the keys-all coming for the
great annual green corn dance, where
tribal laws were to be made, marriages
celebrated, and criminals punished.
These criminals were now moving
unmatched, unnoticed, in many cases
unknown, even, among the others
Whtever crime they had committed
during the year had gone unpunished
at the time, but now tribal honor
brought them here to expiate theil
misdeeds.. On the morrow they would
be placed in closely shut tents, and al
most suffocated with steam made by
pouring water upon hot stones. After
that they would drink of the black
draught. If they died, they were guilty
On the other hand, if they were strong
enough to survive, their innocence
would be clearly established. Later
the racing for wives would take place
Malabar was known to every one
revered, feared, honored. All knew
that he was to race for a wife, and that
before the race he was to drink the
dreaded black draught. Ordinarily
they would have scoffed at such alb.