The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-01-16


folly In having come to the cabin at
this crisis; he had deliberately trapped
himself.
He hesitated, In doubt as to his
course. The cabin was bullet proof;
there were shutters for the windows,
and these were In place and secured
by bars OF iron; the door. too. was
barred. Thus, for the moment, he was
safe enough But he well knew that
should the Indians besiege him, they
must win in the end. That their pur'
pose was wholly hostile was made
manifest by their presence In such
numbers and in silence. He had not
believed that the Modocs would mo-
lest him. despite their war against
the settlers He had been wrong. He
realized too late, that his Intimate
knowledge of them was deemed dan
gerous to their safety at this time,
and that they did not dare trust his
faith to them as against that to his
own people
He put his lips near the peep hole
and called peremptorily:
Leaping Bull. Leaping Bull"
There was ohorused grunt OF as.
constituent from the Indians: mo-
ment's silence. Then the voice OF
Leaping Bull answered the summons:
How"
Why do you come like foes to the
| wi8wam of your brother?"
! We come to learn truth from White
Bear. to talk without crooked words"
|Leaping Bull knows that White
Bears words are always straight that
his tongue'is not forked" Y
The chief grunted an assent.
Speak. then, Mason commanded.
White Bear is a Modoc," the In
dian said, he is my brother Is he
now faithful brother to Leaping Bull
and to all the braves, his brothers?"
Mason was silent, in sheer perplex.
| ity Low CALCULATIONS from the In
dams showed how they interpreted
his delay in answering. Leaping Bull
| continued;
The Modocs war against the white
men. The pale-faces are the blood
brothers of White Bear. He was their
brother before the Modoes welcomed
him to their tribe VIII he help his
white brothers Against his tribe?'
The chief paused Tor a reply.
This time Mason was ready:
"Leaping Bulls words are straight
words White Bear will never aban-
don the people of his own blood. He
has loved his brothers, the Modocs.
but he can no longer love them when
they make war against his own race"
There were angry mutterings from
without at this clear declaration, but
these were hushed as Leaping Bull
spoke
Then White Bear must die! Leap
ing Bull loves him, but he must do his
duty to his own people. Since White
Bear is the enemy of the Modocs, he
must die
Mason, who had been thinking deep
ly, was now quick to speak again:
81 have kept my faith with you, by
telling the truth. II my life must pay
the price of my being faithful to my
people, then | am willing to die"
But Leaping Bull said;
IF White Bear will give his prom.
ise to remain here not 10 go forth
with the enemies of the Modocs, he
shall live"
Mason answered clearly:
mo, | thank you, Leaping Bull. but
cannot make such a promise"
Then" the chief repeated solemn
". White Bear must die"
Now Mason was ready with sug
gestion
White Bear wishes well to all
Let him bargain a little with his broth
ers. the Modocs. He is here; he can.
not escape But you know him. He
is shut up in his cabin. You must
take him. 1t will not be easy. You
must fight to take him. You know his
strength and his skill. You cannot
burn his cabin; you must come in to
take him. You know how strong his
cabin is. how true his rifle is. Some
of your braves must fall, even many.
But these White Bear will spare, he
will walk from the door without his
rifle. and give himself into the hands
OF the Modocs to Stay him--on one
condition"
A rumble OF amazed exclamation
sounded from the band. Mason con-
tinued:
"Leapins Bull knows the house Of
Sllas French in the valley
The chief muttered an assent.
Well. my condition Is this: That
neither you nor any of your tribe harm
Mrs French nor her husband, nor
her children. nor her property. ! ask
their lives and safety in all ways from
you, in return for my sparing your
braves from my rife. II you refuse.
shall kill many more Of you than they
are swear iti--before you drag me
from this spot Your braves are worth
more to you than this one family.
But you must spare them forever.
What is your answer"
Leaping Bull called some Of the
leading warriors to him, and consult
ed with them.
Finally he chief spoke again TO Ma.
sons