Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-28

upon the brush and covered him with his robe
Drawing the sleds nearer to the fire, he searched
their loads and found the silver fox skin in Gibeaults
dunnage bag The sight increased his thirst for
venge. A gust of wind blew the Goals into feeble
life again and reminded him that the fire dying
He rose and chopped wood enough to last all the
night through. Then he sat down to smoke and
reflect upon the course he should pursue The
growing dogs, still brstling, skunk away to curl
themselves up again on their frosty beds The
breeze, departing, left the trees motionless. All
still, save the Pickering light of the Dance
of the Dead Men far overhead. But Standing Wolf
did not look toward the sky, for his mind was
the unconscious figure before him. Should he kill
him now? Drawing his knife, he to do the
deed; but burning log rolled from the fire, and,
sheathing his knife again, he thrust the stick into
place. Then squatting in the warmth of the fire, he
fell to thinking. Hour after hour the night dragged
through; pipe after pipe was smoked; until at last
he began to browse
For sometime he slept When, startled by the
sound of movement, he awoke, he found the half
breed garng. at him. Neither spoke Again
squatted beside the fire, with his gun across his
knees, and watched his prisoner. Presently, the
thief began struggling to free his hands, and find
Wolf vely. AS the Indian needed him not, the
hafbreed grew tired of his profanity and, rising to
a sitting posture, snarled:
well, what do you intend doing with me-"
Dog l would not have your blood upon my
knife; SO will give you to the Redcoats Standing
Wolf replied.
being taken to the police by Standing Wolf.
1T will be easy. My will be here in the
morning" retorted the Indian.
For sometime the halfbreed stared vacantlv at
the fire, though rackng his brains for
of escape. He became disheartened at last dropped
back upon his couch, and fell asleep. Both men
had travelled hard and fast, and need of
rest. Soon Standing Wolf was attacked by over
powerng fit of drowsness and succumbed
1t only for a brief time that he slept yet,
while he slept, he dreamed that he was travelling
upon the Spirit trail to join his departed friends
the Dance of the Dead Men. Awakng with a start,
he caught sight of the brilliant, Pickering glare of
the northern lights above the treetops, and
dered how soon he should join in the dance up there
The thought depressed him, and he tried to dismiss
it from his mind. So he and paced to and fro
before the fire. Then, thinking that the boys might
be drawing near he decided to mount the neighbOr-
ing hill and the trail where it crossed the lake.
Quietly slipping his feet into his snowshoe thongs,
he began the ascent. On gaining the summit, he
stood looking at the lake below; but there was no
sign of his sons.
Soon dawn began to break. The hills and rivers
and lakes took shape Still he fingered; for, with
the coming of light, he thought of his youth of the
time when he was as young as the day, and he and
his people were prosperous and happy because all
that vast region belonged to them. The remem-
brance kindled in his heart resentment against the
white AS he meditated upon the way
which they had wronged his people, how they had
broken an endless trail of destruction across his
country, and had left disease and starvation in their
wake, he grew indignant toward them Along with
this feeling emotion of compassion for the
thief who, he remembered, was, after all, a half
brother of his own people. Should he deliver up
one of his blood to the hated whites? Why
should he not take his revenge?
Just then he the boys coming out of the forest
the distant shore of the lake. So he hurried
down the HILL harnessed the dogs to Spencers sled,
and, quietly cutting the bonds that held the sleep
ing thief, left him to his sumber and to his freedom.
When his sons met him the lake beyond, they
questioned him to the fate of the thief but Stand
ing Wolf evasively replied:
Last night he saw the Dance of the Dead Men ,,