Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-26

| face with his blanket and soon within the
chieftain's teepee he lay fast asleep
The young man is not handsome after
| all, whispered the woman in her husband j
| ear.
"Ah. but after he has killed the red eagle
| he will seem handsome enough" answered
| the cheftain
| That night the star men in their burial
| procession in the sky. reached the low
| northern horizon before the center fires
| with the teepees had fiickered out The
ringing laughter which had fIoated up
| through the smoke lapels was now hushed
and only the distant bowling of wolves
broke the quiet of the village. But the
| hull between midnight and dawn was short
| indeed. Very early the oval-shaped door
| flaps We're thrust aside and many brown
| faces peered out OF the wlgwams toward
| the top Of the highest blum.
| Now the sun rose up out of the east Tho
ed-painted avenger stood ready within the,
! camp ground for the flying OF the red eagle.
| He appeared, that terrible bird He hoy
cred over the round village as IL he could
| pounce down upon II and devour the whole
| tribe.
| When the first arrow shot up into the sky
| the anxious watchers thrust hand quickly
over their half-uttered "hnnu." The sec
ond and the third arrows flew upward but
| missed by a wide space the red eagle
| soaring with lazy Indifference over the little
| man with the long bow. All mis- arrows he
| spent in vain. 'Ah, my blanket brushed
| my elbow and shifted the course of my ar
| row. said the stranger the people gath
! cred around him.
| During this happening a woman on horse
| back halted her pony at the chieftains
! teepee 1t was no other than the Young
| woman who cut loose the tree bound cap
/ tive.
| While she told the story the chieftain lis
| tened with downcast face. Il passed him
| on my way: he is near" she ended
| Indignant at the bold impostor. the wra TIL
| ful eyes of the chieftain snapped fire like
| red cinders IN the night time His lips
| were closed At length to the woman he
| said: How, you have done me a good
| deed Then, with quick decision. lie gave
| command to fleet horseman to meet the
| avenger. 'Clothe him in these my best
| buckskins," said he pointing to a bundle
| within the wigwam
| In the meanwhile strong men seized
| lktomi and dragged him by his long hair
| to the hilltop. There upon mock pillared
grave they bound him hand and feet
| Grown-ups and children sneered and booted
| at lktomis disgrace. For a half day he
lay there, the laughingstock of the people
| Upon the arrival of the real avenger Iktomi
was released and chased away beyond the
| outer limits of the camp ground
| On the following morning at daybreal-
peered the people out of half-Open door
| flaps.
There again IN the midst of the large
camp ground was a man in beaded buck
| SKINS. In his hand a strong bow and
| red-upped arrow. Again the big red eagle
| appeared on the edge of the bluff He
| plumed his feathers and tapped his huge
| wings.
The young man crouched low to the
ground. He placed the arrow on the bow
drawing a poisoned flint for the eagle
! Inc bird rose into the air. He moved
| his outspread wings one, two. three times
| ana. 10, the eagle tumbled from the grea
| height and fell heavily to the earth. An
| arrow stuck In his breast, He was dead,
| so quick was the hand Of the avenger
| so sure his sight. that no one had seen the
| arrow fly from his long bent bow
| In awe and anna zement the village was
dumb And when the avenger plucking
| red eagle feather, placed It in his black
! halr. loud shout Of the people went up
| 10 the SKY. Then hither and thither ran
singing men and women making a great
feast for the avenger
Ihus he won the beautiful Indian priu-
cess, who never tired of telling to her
children the story of the big red eagle