The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-02-05
Eyes. You stay, eat dinner with US, :

|
dler and kept for the delectation of
such guests.
"Come out on the porch, Peppajee.
VT smoke" 5. u IL
Peppajee rose, gave his blanket a
hitch, and followed his host.
where fadder? Where boys?" he
asked, politely, as they seated them
selves.
''They went for horses. They come
back soon."
Peppajee smoked in luxurious silence
for time, then began, suddenly: me
got heap wano pony. Me trade him
yo'. Him wano-heap wano. Him go
fas'-lak dat" He drew hand rapid
ly through the air. Him no buck, him
no keeck, him go all places same.
Mebbyso rocks-lava bed-him go
s-l-o-w-him no fall. Mebbyso wano
road, him go, 60, all same deer. Meb-
byso heap dark-no moon, no star
him no los, him go all time home.
Mebbyso ride all day, no stop for eat,
for drink, him go all time fas'. Heap
wano pony. Yo' trader"
Will applied match to his newly
rolled cigarette and puffed vigorously
He knew something of the way of the
red man; he is full of guile as when
he rode rampant the plains, seeking
whom he might devour-that is to say
scalp.
what for you trade wano pony?'
he demanded, suspiciously. what fol-
you no keep him."
easily; his eyes narrowed "Vinie
she ride all the time Vinie heap lazy
l lick. She no care, she ride all time
same. Vinie no stay wicl1iup-no cook
no make moccasin for SELL MebbysC
me keel deer, me come home, Vinie
gone. Me hat skin deer-haf cook
Vinie come back bimeby, me lick. Nc
good. She go mex day all same" HI
paused, dramatically, then continued
ME trade pony. Me git noder pony
mebbyso me make buck little. Vinie
she see, she no ride-Vinie heap 'fraid
No walk-heap lazy. Vinie stay home
cook deer, make moccasins for sell
me no lick. Wano."
The explanation was logical and con
lincing. Will, more trustful then thar
he is at present, smothered any lin
, gering doubt, and inclined his ear tt
Peppajee's specious reasoning.
"All right. We eat; then I go lool
at pony. Mebbyso I trade"
The eyes of the Indian sparkled
"Yo' got wano pony-mebbyso max,
buck Nttle?"
Will nodded. "You saw him out il
, the corral. Little black pony, wano
You spur him, he buck. You ride hin
=, to wickiup, you spur him-heap scar
Vinie.'
Peppajee looked down at his mecca
sins. Huh. Me no got spur
"Oh, well, there's an old pair il
the blacksmith shop I'll give you,
, said Will, firing of the lingo" Pep
:, PAIGE grinned; evidently the prospec
pleased him. Still, he chung to his In
dian caution.
':Me go look; mebbyso me trade
Mebbyso me want ten dollah, So" H
raised both hands, the fingers an,
thumbs extended, and the negotiation
were postponed until after dinner.
"Mebbyso, me ride yo' pony. Wano
MebbysO me trade"
GAIL right" said Will, and led tn
, fiery little black from the corral, an,
held him while Peppajee transferred
his saddle. The horse was a beautiful
creature to look upon, but lacke.
stamina for hard gallop over tn,
rough, surrounding country, so Will
considered the trade all in his favor
Peppajee's pony was a plump littl
pinto, kind-eyed, sure-footed, ant
sound.
The black threw back his head AM
eyed his prospective owner askance
Some horses seem to possess a consti
tutional aversion to our red brethren
and Mohawk was one of these. PeDpa
jee hesitated, one moccasined foot il
the stirrup.
Him no buck heap?" he queried, an
prehensively. The belligerent, back.
ward glance of Mohawk filled his In
dian soul with misgiving: Peppajee
was victim of civilization. He hac
allowed most of his accomplishment
, to grow rusty from disuse while he
tarried long at wine-or, to be explicit
cheap whisky. He no longer rode a IL
Centaur. 1 doubt if he could even
properly scalp an enemy; l am inclined
to think he would have botched the
job disgracefully. Will fastened tc
reassure him.
HE never bucks with me, unless
spur him." he said. Il don't know
ne added conservatively, chow he'll
act with you. He never had an Iniuu
ON top of him. He don't seem to take
to the idea.''
Huh" grunted Peppajee, stung by
the distasteful epithet. He mounted
and settled himself and his blanket
firmly in the saddle. "Yo' let 20 him
head. Mebbyso, Injun ride TO- yo
bawn!"
Ned and Dick, who were WATCHING