Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-11-08

his last intrenchment, and compelled
against his will to fight, Carnero gave
the signal to push on ahead.
But the poems had scarce started ere
three shots were fred, and three men
rolled in the dust. The newcomers. in
this way, warned their friends to hold
their ground and that they were bring
ing help. The dismounted poems were not
wounded, though greatly shaken by their
fall, and unable to take part in the fight;
their horses alone were hit, and that so
clcyerly that they at once fell.
Eth, eh J" the capataz said, MS he gal
loped on these picaros have a very sure
hand. What do you think Of it,"
II say that there are still four Of us
that is double the number of those watt
ing for us down there, and we are sufi-
Gent to master them"
Don't be too sure, my good friend,
Zaragate," the capataz said with a grin !;
'sthey are men made OF iron, who must
he killed twice over before they fall"
The Tigrero and his companions had
heard shots and seen the poems bite the
dust.
There is Valentine said the French
man.
II believe So" Don Martial replied
"Shall we charger"
YES"
And digging in their spurs, they dashed
at the poems.
Valentine and his two comrades, Bel
humeur and Black Elk (for the French
man was not mistaken, it was really the
hunter coming up, whom the Canadian
had warned) fell on the poems simulta-
neously with Don Martial and his com
panion.
A terrible, silent and obstinate strug-
gle went on for some minutes between
these nine men the foes had seized each
other round the body, as they were too
close to use firearms, and tried to sta5
each other. Nothing was heard but an
cry curses and painting, for what is che
use of insulting when you can kill?
The Iaragate, so soon as he recognized
TIE hunter, dashed at him. Valentine,
although taken off his guard, offered a
vigorous resistance the two men were
entwined like serpents, and, in their eff
forts to dismount each other, ut last both
fell, and rolled beneath the feet of the
combatants who, without thinking of
them, or perceiving their fail, continued
to attack each other furionsly.
The Zaragate, some years younger than
fhiSAAtitASy LII posSeSSGQ ID lis luIl DOu-
lily strength, while urged on by the love
of a rich reward, made superhuman eff
forts to master his opponent and plunge
his navajo into his heart.
Still Valentine felt that his strength
was becoming exhausted, the unexpected
resistance he met with from an enemy an
parently so little worthy Of him exasper-
ated him and made him lose his GOODNESS.
Collecting all his remaining vigor to at
tempt a final and decisive effort, he sue
cecded in getting his enemy once again
under him, and pinned him down; but,
at the same moment, Valentine uttered a
cry Of pain md rolled on the ground
a horses kick had broken his left arm.
The Zaragate sprang up with a tigers
bound, and bursting into a yell of de-
light, placed his knee on his enemy's
chest, at the same time as he prepared
to bury his navajo in his heart. Valen-
tine felt that he was lost, and did not at
tempt to avoid the death that threatened
him.
"Al, ah!" the Zaragate said, with a
ferocious grin. 81 hold my vengeance
a. length, accursed Trail-hunter."
He did not complete the sentence +.
suddenly seized by his long hair, while
a knee, thrust between his shoulders, fore
ed him to bend back, he saw, as Ia a
horrible dream, a ~ferocious face grinning
above his head. With a fearful groan he
rolled on the ground a knife had been
hurled in his heart, while his SCALP.
which was suddenly removed, left his
denuded skull to inundate with blood the
ground around.
Curumilla raised in his arms the body
Of his friend, whose life he had just saved
once again, and bore it to the side of the
road. Valentine had tainted.
The chief, so soon as he saw his friends
charge the poems, left his ambush, and
while careful to remain behind them, fol-
lowed to the battlefield. He had watched
eagerly the long struggle between the
hunter and the Z~aragate; trying yainly
to assist his friend, but never able to
succeed. The two enemies were SO en-
twined, their movements were SO rapid,
and they changed their positions so sud-
denly that the chief was afraid lest he
might wound his friend in attempting to
help him.. Finally the Araucano bounded
like a wild beast on the Mexican, and
without hesitation scalped and stabbed
him with the agility characteristic of
the redskins, and which he himself pos
sessed in SO high a degree.
AfErEHNL ZXNNt1N lIIaNHAF
Almost at the same moment the horse
men also finished their fight. The poems
had offered a vigorous resistance, but
being badly supported by the capataz,
who was disabled at the beginning of the
skirmish by Don Martial, and seeing the
Z~aragate dead and three of their friends
d~ismounted and incapable Of coming to
their assistance, they gave in.
The capataz had been wounded at his
own request by Don Martial, in order
to save appearances with the general:
he had a wide cash on his right arm,
very severe at the first glance, but in
significant in reality. A peon had been
almost smashed by Belhumeur, SO that
the field Of battle remained in the hands
Of the hunters.
When their victory was assured, they
assembled a%nxiously round Valentine, for
they were alarmed at his condition. and
most anxious to be treasured. Valentine,
whose arm CurumiIla ad@at once set.
with the skill and GOODNESS of an old
practitioner. soon reopened his eyes, reas-
stared his friends by a smile, and offered
the Indian chief his right hand, which
the latter laid on his heart with in ex-
preston of Understandable happiness, as
he uttered his favorite exclamation of
@IE-h..' the only word he permitted HIM
self to Use in JOY or IN sorrow. when he
felt himself choking with internal em,-
ton.
"Senores." the hs,nter said. ut II only.