The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-03


promptly began to question Squaw
Charley.
You have not told me of your cap
ture," he said. or of the fight that
came before it. Were you taken in
the north-in the country of the White
Mother-or in Dakota:"
The Indian nodded.
Dakota: e
Swiftly the pariah's whole aspect al
tered. A moment before. satisfied as
to food, happy and comfortable. he
had squatted down in his blanket.
But now. his shoulders bent. his chin
sank to his breast, his eyes grew dull
and sullen.
Were you in the Mauvaises Terres?'
Queried the evangelist
Squaw Charley shook his head
ION the Powder?'
There was a silent assent
''The soldiers pursued Maybe they
surprised you-which?7
To answer the Indian rose slowly
With one of Lancaster's crutches he
raked out some ashes and leveled them
upon the hearthstones. Next. across
them, STOPPING and using a finger, he
drew a varying line that showed the
trend of a stream. Far up toward its
source. in a bend, he placed bits of
bread from the table TO indicate the
lodges Of his tribeSmen Slivers from
a stick showed that the tepees had
been set thickly in a grove of tall cot
tonwoods. White beans. from a filed
pan on the floor near by him, stood
for the warriors that had fought. His
fingers moved more quickly as by
means of handful of corn that Dali
las had put in his leather pouch he
planted the United States troops or
three sides of the Indian campground
and moved them forward to the at
tack.
Adroitly he Unanswered the Oppos-
ing forces. with advancing here and
retreating there, groans when the
white men felt the fight too keenly,
low whoops to picture an Indian gain,
little puffs of the breath to betOken
flying bullets. The OnlOokers saw the
battle as it ragged about the tepees
Charley moved il in a semicircle, told
them that the firing began at day
break and continued until dark.
All at once he changed the picture.
/ Twelve beans were rapidly counted out
and laid in rows, and he mourned soft
~ over these to show that they were
slain warriors. Five kernels of corn
a line of pale faced dead-were placed
beside the bean rows This done, he
covered the lantern with the grain
sack and leaned back against the logs.
AYE, aye" cried David Bond sadly,
twelve braves and five troopers per-
ished. Seventeen souls went to their
Maker to mark the greed of the white
man and the yearning to harry off the
redl Why do the Indians not stay in
peace and quiet upon the lands set
apart for them and not go abroad
stealing and slaughtering? Why do my
own people not give back to their
brothers the country that is rightly
theirsY'
Once more Squaw Charley stopped
forward and, resting his weight on one
/ hand, traced the return march of the
/ troopers to a crossing of the Missouri,
where the command had buried its
dead; from there he drew the route
southwark to the ferry and Fort Bran
non. Here he stuck the splinters in q
circle to picture the stockade below the
| barracks. at last, rising, he drew his
blanket close about him, put the grain
sack over his tangled hair and, with 4
parting look toward Dallas and the
evangelist, went slowly out.
Perfect quiet followed the pariah's
going. His recital of the conflict, dumb
though it was, had powerfully stirred
the little audience, for as he had pro-
ceeded with his crude mimicry the i'm.
agination of the others had filed in
the scenes he could not sketch.
The section boss spoke first. Not in
capable Of feeling, yet disliking tc
show emotion because it might be
counted a weakness, he FASTENED tc
clear the air. Say, Dallas" he drawl
ed, with survey of the battlefield, ''he
ought t. had some red Mexican beans
fer his Injuns." But the remark failed
to appeal
David Bond made q Shakedown fol
himself beside Lancaster's bunk, using
an armful of hay and the robes and
quilts from his pung. However, tbs
fact that he needed rest or that his
couch was ready did not tempt hin
from the fire. Long after his host dis
appeared behind the swinging Navajo
blankets he sat by the hearth. And
Dallas stayed with him, Marylyn'G
sleepy head pillowed in her lap.
The elder girl felt strangely draw
to him. He returned the interest he in
spired. Like Lounsbury, he marked
the unusual character of this woman
of the far frontier. But he saw further
than had the younger man: With bel
father and sister she was all firmnes:
and strength, as if she held herself tt
be the mainstay OF the family, We
now and Een unwittingly she betray
ed qualities that were distinctly oppo