Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-21
By ELEANOR GATES.
COPYRIGHT 1905 By MCCLURE. PHILLIPS & COMPANY


he made his way to the river. For
there he meant TO plead the God of
David Bond. that he send him chance
| for Valera chance to Stay. Out in
the starlight, therefore, he fell upon
his knees.
But before his simple mind had
framed his petition there entered a
| thought that puzzled and alarmed. He
| pOndered upon it. The God of David
Bond was God of peace, who frown-
ed in awful anger upon fighting and
| bloodshed. The preacher had said so.
| Had taught Thou shalt not killr' Had
| taught that no answers were vouch
| sufed to wicked prayers, but punish
| ments instead How. then, could a
PRAYER of that kind be sent to him?
The outcast was dismayed.
| Then came a happier idea. The God
| of David Bond, being God of peace,
why trouble his ear? Why not pray
| this one prayer for blood to the great
| spirit he had served before-the great
| spirit who marked out the destinies of
! the Dakotas, who was ever strongest
| in times Of war?
| Hurriedly Squaw Charley got to his
| feet and ran to the edge of the bank,
where there were climbing lengths of
| grapevine Degraded. he might not use
| tobacco for rite. But the great spirit
| would understand. In the dark his
, hands felt for and found a dry stalk.
He snapped off a finger length of it.
A second to take flint and steel from
1 hr1nl n
| the bit of vine. Then
But he did not sit upon the ground
with crossed legs. Neither did he pull
upon the vine. He let it go out instead
And sank hesitatingly to his knees
for. again, he had reAembered.
David Bond had said: The red
mans god is poor and stingy. He lets
his people want and starve. He lets
enemies triumph oAer them and de.
stroy But the God of the white man
is rich and good. See how generously
he gives TO those who serve him. Yet
lest you anger him. have none other
because he is Il Jealous God"'
He might not pray to either then
He lifted despairing eyes and saw
above him. divinely luminous. tina
sacred path, glittering white with The
Fastening spirits of the dead.
He put ragged sleeve across hi:
eyes to shut out the sight. 1t brough
picture he longed TO forget-the ter
rible picture of his downfall
1t was a spring day, and the INCA
papas. to make ready for battle. wer,
dancing the great sun dance. He wa
the chief Moon Dog then, naughty a
any, brave as the next, given to war
fare and the shedding of blood. II
the great tent it was he who led.
He was naked save for lOin cloth
Coup sticks were braided in his hair
Eagle feathers trailed from his scalp
lock. The skin of his body was hidde1
beneath devices.
He signified a wish to suffer wound
ing, to have willow wands run throug
J the flesh of his back. Standing Buffal
was dancing beside him. and it wa
) that warriors knife which leaped fror
: its beaded sheath to do the cutting.
And then the wounds weakened til
chief Moon Dog The wands tore hi
! flesh past all power to endure. and b
:, knew nothing, but when the squaw
brought him to life again they told hir
> that, like a squaw, he had pleaded fo
+ mercy and wept.
For this he was branded, spat upol
p cast out and cursed. For this he ha
t gone hungry, secured kettles and hero
: ed with the dogs.
David Bond had come. telling him {
Z one who was bruised, reviled an
n nailed to a tree. That one was th
o God of the white man. Broken
i spirit, Squaw Charley had accepte
q him.
4 Yet-what had the new God done IL
y him? Was his work lighter? y,
q Was the food not the castoff's still
% fouled by the touch and the tongue
/ of others and by the dirt of the per
Yes. If the new God was good, VIII
a had he not saved the evangelist?
o The soul of Squaw Charley tottered
: Hark!
@ Overhead a high sailing crane b.
% gled. But to the outcast the lone
/ night cry seemed supernatural, a ha
10 from one of the departed.
q He uncovered his eyes and locke
a up. Above him stretched the pal
shining ribbon OF, the Milky Way.
rs Again the crane sounded its rousin
cultural cry. He shook himself as
:, to free his body from a chain.
Once more ne took out flint al
steel and lit the bit of grapevine. Th,
he sank to the prairie, where he eros
ed his legs like brave Now wi
deep breath he drew upon the stel
His nostrils filed, he tipped back
head and from them, upward to Il
path. sent wreath upon wreath
adoring smoke.
CHAPTER XXVII.
HN lNE morning in early July Ms