The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-30

~ center Of the stockade. In its
lee to be safe from the swarms
CSE--sxxsJ Of Fostering mosquitoes. sat
the hostage braves Their pipe smoke
blended with the smoke of the fire
Their loud gibberish was broken only
when shrieks of laughter followed a
sally of wit. Their black eyes spar
killed.. Their white teeth flashed.
Before them were their sons. now
romping with the favored dogs of the
pack, now gathering to watch a wres-
Ting match between a chosen couple,
again lining the way while several
raced down the Enclosure.
The squaws and girls were also out
side the lodges, the July night being
hot They cackled together to the
windward side of the lordly males and
did not approach except to throw more
wet sticks upon the smolder.
The outcast watched the jollity from
his dark corner and marveled at IT..
for were there not two tragedies
threatening, either of which should
properly lay hard upon the hearts of
/ the village?
one was the nearing execution Of the
/ four condemned. Two sleeps ago. on
the arrival of runner from the absent
cavalry, wood wagon had hauled sew
eral loads of lumber to the site of the
/ pony corral. From that lumber-it was
said openly. and ne had told it in sign
language to the braves-was to be
] built a scaffold.
/ The other tragedy lowered in the i'll
ness Of Brown Mink Since her lodge
had been placed against the upper
curve of the pen there had been much
singing, conjuring, dancing and beating
Of drums But to no purpose. Daily
she wasted. She was dying.
He was not allowed to see her to
tend her fire or clean her Kettle. When
on her removal he had dared TO stop at
her tent flap with a string Of pike
Afraid-of-a Fawn swooped down upon
him, her long tushes clicking and froth-
ing, snatched the wall eyes from his
hold and belabored him with them. He
had not gone back. But in secret he
grieved over Brown Nink's suffering,
and often he petitioned in her behalf
and lifted his worshiping vine toward
the Milky Way
In his sorrow his shoulders were
bent lower than ever, his ebon eyes
were more doglike. yet he still dream
ed Of reinstatement. for he saw.
though he could not understand it.
that the warriors were again counting
on escape.
They were unkempt no longer. but
wore their hair neatly braided and
we'll creased. They ate sparingly and
only twice a day. They almost for
swore water And by covert exercise
they trained away their flesh. Stand
Ing Buffalo and his naughty comrades
did not waddle now under a weight of
fat. As on the day of their capture
they We're lank and stately
Rejoicing in their hopes. he. too. had
not been without preparation. A rusty
knife found IN rubbish heap by the I
river had been polished by thrusting
1t repeatedly into the dirt. In spare (
moments he made himself a sfnew /
backed bow and practiced many hours /
with it, He spent no time in the lean I
TO His guard there had ceased The 4
necessity for food did not take him TO
the shack. His arrows brought down
game. which he cooked. At any tine
with sharp stick he could root up his
I'll of Wild turnips He knew where
ripe berries loaded the bushes and
where the piums Redeemed in the thick
cts. And how could he chance stay
ing out of the stockade after midnight
when any dawn might find his broth
Frs free?
Thoughts Of Brown Mink alone took
lis mind from his dream He yearn-
ad TO see her again, to mark how far
disease had ravaged, to show her that.
though all others were indifferent, he
was not And he had determined to
tell her farewell. to tell her that he
would win back his lost rank For
his he would even break his VOW of
silence.
The end that he might gain her side
hinged upon two things-his reaching
Ter wickiup unseen and the absence of
he crone. These he hoped for now as
lie peered fro.l MS corner
Despite the smudSe he could see
whatever went IN the stockade. for
he sky was clear and the stars hung +,