Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-04-18


tries"
Il have warned two men. mi amo,"
the capataz replied moreover, l intend
to make my rounds tonight; Ell, JOSE"
he added, ARE you certain you are not
mistaken, AID that you really lifted
trail? Do you know to what nation the
sign you discovered 5elongs?'
Crow" the redskin answered hoarse-
~.
"Carai :" the master exclaimed, ''if
they are Crows we shall do we'll to be
on our guard"
Nonsense !" Carnero remarked with a
grin of derision. Indians tell as many
lies as old women"
The Indians eyes flashed without
deigning to reply he drew moccasin from
his breast, and threw it so adroitly at
the capataz as to strike him across the
face. Furious at the insult so suddenly
offered by a man whom he always consid-
cred inoffensve the half-breed uttered a
yell of rage, and rushed knife in hand on
the Indian.
But the latter had not taken his eye off
him, and by a slight movement he avoided
the desperate attack of the capataz; then,
drawing himself up. he caught him round
the waist, raised him from the ground as
easily as he would have done a child,
and hurled him into the fire. where he
writhed for a moment with cries of pain
and impotent passion. When he at length
got out of the fire. half scorched, he did
not think of renewing the attack, but sat
down, directing savage glances at his
adversary, like a turnspit punished by a
mastiff
THE Indian is right" said the master
coldly, this moccasin bears the mark of
the Crow nation. My poor Carnero. you
must put up with it. for though the pun
ishment you received was severe, l am
forced to allow that it was deserved"
THE dog will pay me for it with his
traitor face" the capitaz growled. II
am no man if do not leave his body as
food for the crows he discovers so clev-
erly"
MY poor lad" his master continued,
with jeer you had better forget this
affair, which l allow might be disagreeable
to your self-esteem ! for fancy you would
not be the gamer by recommending the
quarrel"
The caDataz did no. answer, but looked
round to select one on whom he could
vent his spite, without mourning risk
but the poems were on their guard, and
offered him no chance. He then made
signal to two men to follow him, and
left the circle grumbling.
The head of the caravan remained for
a few moments plunged in serious
thought; he then withdrew beneath his
tent, the curtain of which fell behind
him; and the poems lay down on the
ground, one after the other, with their
feet to the fire, carefully wrapped up in
their sarapes, and fell asleep.
The Indian then looked searchingly
around him, and. rising negligently, went
slowly to crouch at the foot of tree,
though not before he had taken the pre-
caution of wrapping himself in his buffalo
robe.
Ere long, with the exception of the SEN
tries leaning on their guns and motion
less as statues, all the travellers were
plunged in deep sleep.
An hour elapsed ere anything disturb
ed the silence that prevailed in the camp.
All at once a singular thing happened.
The buffalo robe, under which the Indian
was sheltered, gently rose with an almost
imperceptible movement, and the red
skins face appeared, darting glances of
fire into the gloom. In a moment the
guide raised himself slowly along the
trunk of the tree against which he had
been lying, embraced it with his feet and
hands. and with undulating movements re-
sembling those of reptiles, left the ground,
and raised himself to the first branches,
which ho
This ascent was executed with such
well-calculated slowness that it had not
produced the slightest sound Moreover.
the buffalo robe left at the foot of the
tree so well retained it's primitive folds,
that it vas impossible to discover, with
out touching it, that the man it sheltered
had left it.
Before selecting as his resting place the
foot of the tree in which he was now
concealed, the guide had assured himself
that this tree which was very high and
leafy, was joined at about two-thirds of
its height by other trees.
After few minutes hesitation, the
guide drew in his belt, placed his knife
between his teeth, and with lightness of
movement that would have done honor to
monkey, he commenced literally hopping
from one tree to another, hanging by his
arms. and clinging to the creepers, wax
ing up, as he passed, the birds. which
few away in alarm.
This strange journey lasted about three
quarters of an hour. At length the guide
stopped. looked attentively around him,
and gliding down the trunk. reached the
ground. The spot where he now found
himself was a rather spacious clearing in
the center of which blazed an enormous
fire. serving to warm forty or fifty red
skins, completely armed and equipped for
war.
This detachment of redskins was GER
tainly on the war trail. or at any rate on
a serious expedition, for they had with
them neither dogs nor suuaws. In spite
Of the slight care with which the Indians
were wont to guard themselves at night.
the free and deliberate manner in which
the guide entered their encampment prov
ed that he was expected By these warriors.
who evinced no surprise at seeing him.
but. on the contrary. invited him with
hospitable gestures to take seat at their
fire. The guide sat down silently. the
chief standing by his side. This chief
was still a young man, his marked fea-
lures displaying the utmost craft and
holiness. After a rather heightened in
terval doubtless expressly granted the
visitor to let him draw breath and warm
himself, the young chief bowed to him
and addressed him defereHtially:
My father is welcome among his sons;
they were impatiently awaiting his ar
rival"
The guide responded to this campli-
ment with grimace.
Our scouts the chief continued,
have carefully examined the encamrnent
OF the 1oris, and the warriors of the
Jester are ready. Is my father Curu-
milla satisfed?"
Curumilla laid his right hand on his
chest and uttered with a cultural accent,
"Ugh!' which was with him mark of
the greatest JOY.
The Jester and his warriors had been
too long acquainted with Curumilla for
his silence to seem strange; hence they