The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-04-29

roundup anu caILlS-kllilnS.
"a little later we saw three COW;
men cross our trail, a half.mile or so
in advance, and ride rapidly toward
the foothills on our left. McLaran
waved his hat at them for five min
utes or more, hut they gave no sign
of having seen us. Our horses were
not in fit condition to chase them,
and SO we rode on after Two-Strike.
I'VE rested again at sunset; then,
as the trail of the Indians was very
fresh and the stars were shining, we
pushed on At midnight, and at
point fully halfway from our agency
to the Bad Lands, we came upon the
Sioux camp. We ran against brncL
of ponies just at the mouth of a coll
lee, and as these whinnied and snort
ed picket fired two shots at us be-
fore could raise my voice and make
myself known.
Ellis bullets sang close, and the
man was surly and glum when | ask
ed why he had fired at friends. We
rode in among the teepees 70 find
lot of indians outside with guns in
hand They supposed their camp
had been attacked, and they were in
a wild and bitter mood.
with difficulty. among the mony
we found the teepee of Two-Strike.
and the chief standing at its door
way.
"'Have you sent for your soldiers:
was his first question.
"'No, said MacLaren. I have a
message for you from the Great
Father. He asks you to return to the
agency
'''Pm going to the buffalo country,
where my people need not starve. We
wish nothing to do with white people.
You may go back and tell the Great
Father this said Two-Strike. Then
he stepped inside his taepee and jerk
ed its flaps together with snap.
This was had. Twn-Strike had
shut the door of his lodge in his
agents face, and no act short OF Pre-
senting gun could have mora GER
tainly shown hostile intention.
Angry mutterings all round us, too,
warned us of danger. Any hing might
happen, and, l felt my skin prickle
with apprehension.
GAS the ANGRY mute. continued
and wolf-do,s snapped and snarled at
us. Mac raised his voice.
Listen. brothers he said. Your
Great Father nas sent you a paper
which nave brought. | am cold
and hungry and wish the shelter Of
your teepees until morning, when I
can talk with you openly
81 interpreted. but there was no
answer. We stood in silence for
some minutes; then a figure, muffled
in blanket, stood beside us. Comet
said the Indian, and I recognized the
voice of Yellow Iron. an old subchief,
who had more than once proved
friendly to the whites. I was glad
to follow him.
Eve went with the old chief to his
teepee, and while Yellow Iron picket
ed our ponies, his wife broiled some
beef over her fire.
"'Our young men killed some cat
tle,' said Yellow Iron when he came
in. They did not wish our people to
starve.,'
"He spoke grimly and would say
nothing more, only granting at my in
quiries. Our errand seemed to me
worse than hopeless, and was glad
to roll into my blankets and forget
trouble in sleep.
eve were awakened the next morn
ing by the sounds of breaking camp.
Yellow Irons old squaw was actually
taking down her teepee over our
heads when I crawled out Of my COW
ers. She had cooked some meat for
us, and we had slept like tired dogs
through a deal of racket.
well, while we were eating ou-
breakfast all the Sioux pulled out and
left us.
I'VE said nothing, for there was
nothing to say: but when looked at
Mac, after we had finished our meal,
his face was set and logged.
"'Well follow them he said. We'll
show them that they're wanted at
home
''If | hadn't been tired and disgust
ed and fearful, too, of consequences.
I should have had some fun out of
the chase. The sight of lot of hos
tiles making break for liberty, and
their agent and trader running with
them, would have tickled any one
with less responsibility than we had.
"As it was, We rode solemnly
enough at the tall of the string. The
Indians raid no attention 10 us, but
thumped and whacked their loaded
and trayvy-dragging ponies, going up
the Belle Fourche in a cloud of dust.
So we rode. the two of us, for two or
three hours. bringing up the rear in
gloomy silence. Then there was a
sudden change in our program.
Eve were riding between two low
ranges of hills when bunch of cow
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