The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-05-03

l
cam. s.rsirh. down ibe stream. riding
abrcas,. a party on each bank. Those
werv the days of the mnEale-lcader,
and The brvthers had but sho, spieee.
Seeing the useiessness Of either hghi
or hghi, aud trusting 10 their kno~l'
edge of Indian tongues and their wit
10 save them, The two showed them
selves and made signs of amiiy.
"l,n, they we're mistaken IN their
Indians. for these turned out 10 be
Hunkpapas, the widest of the S'oaA,
baspd seldom seen at any trading
post. They showed, neither surprise
nor emotion al sight of the white men,
but as they came mp, treated Armand's
greetings in the Sioux with looks and
grunis Of contempt.
when these Indians had crowded
about them, snatched their guns and
tied their hands, the brothers wished
that they had died fighting. They saw
that these Sioux were merciless and
highly ineensed against them, also that
the crafty fellows held them in great
contempt for their elumsey attempt at
spying,
"rhs ksl1rs were taken 10 the VII
\
lage, poped hand aad fo9s, aad bundled
into M smvty tspss, rhss saws ap
utterly tiicn, sud talked 10 each other
as dying men, Yet they would have
given much for the opportunity NJ
showing these Hunkpapas what they
were made Of.
'"As it WAS, the Sioux had wholly un-
derestimsted the quality Of their cap.
tives.
soon after dark the Indians began
pounding medicine-drums, yelling and
dancing, and by ssrsis words which
they caught from the drummers' loud
chantings, Armand and Tony knew
that their time had come. They were
not keps icas in suspense. Presently
a number OF naked and ssinted bucks
broke into the tepee and dragged them
ont into a mob dancing round bon
| frs,
pHere the feet Of this brsthrrs were
freed, and they were placed in stand
ing posture, back 10 back, and tied to-
gether at tho waist, Their jackets
and shirts were raised, and the raw
hide was passed round their naked
bodies. This was done to give the
chiefs women chance TO fight for the
captives' clothes, performance al
ways hugely enjoyed by the braves.
When all was ready for the torture to
begin, the men seated themselves in n
great circle, except one old chief, who
came forward and addressed the cap
tiyss. speaking to them in tones of
contempt.
''You are no true French traders"
said this old fellow. You are sneaks.
II you had complaint TO make to us,
why did not you come like men, and
make your talk straight You wished
to know why we attacked your tepee 7
Sons Of our yoa1g men were chasing
buffaloes near by, and your horses ran
away In their front, One Of our shunt-
ers gathered some OF these horses and
was driving them back when your big
man with red hair came gp and shot
| him.
"We have roasted that man and given
his flesh TO the dogs. We shall let our
women deal with yog.N
"Tbe brothers we're convinced that
this old chisf had spoken truth. "We
might have known" groaned Armand,
"it was that poor fool Heron who
brought us to this !"
"I'ye got my hands Free" said
Tony, speaking in French. He had
been working at loosening his buck
skins in tbs tepee, and as bis hands
were little wider across the palm than
at the wrist, be had, while the chief
, was taking, been able TO pull one
through its loop. He had kept on
strainiag and tagging just the same.
Armand had no tins 70 reply. A
: lot Of women had broken into the cir
Gle, and these now pounced upon them
! tooth and nail, Tony seized the first
who leaped at him, doubled her across
. his knees, and jerked her knife from
3 its sheath, In twinkling he cut the
! rops at his waist, cleared the scramb'
ling old squaws out OF the way, anc
slashed the strings at his brother
7 wrist.
e "Armand snatched a frebrand, drop
0 ped in the struggle, and the two rush
D ed upon this circle Of braves alread,
! closing in on them,
"Well, they made reputation
2 They fought like two grizzlies at bay
, A haDf.dozep Hunkpapas, some OF then
a severely injured, went 10 the groun'
. before the brothers we're dragged 4
q earth,
/, "Thsn. while the Indians were tyin'
0 .hsm up again, ready for the torture
, a strange thing happened. A woman
, getting chance to dive in while Ar
mand was on his baek under heap o
d braves, had torn on bis moccasns ant
6 got away with them.
"Ths moocasins we're fine new pal
$ Of elkskins. handsomely beaded. anc
z the woman ran nssr 10 the fire TO ex
Y anime and admire her capture, In tw'
b seconds she was back among the men
: holding up one Of the moccasins AM
0 screaming. 'wotawe! Wotawe ksng
/ Mazsi at tbs top Of her lungs.
Q There were shouts and exclama
tions Of astonishmsnt. A chief seize'
4 the moccsxin and examined il. On II
e tongue. between tbs lapy Was paintet
i the totem OF old Iron cybw-simply th