The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-01-08


tall young Sioux in uniform, who
had just handed in message and
stepped out of his Office.
1.-TWO Moons was an odd boy" he
unused, "a dreamer, and imaginative
to an uncommon degree. He was
about thirteen, I reckon, when he
came near to bringing on war out
here, and by curious incident as
trivial in nature as many which have
been responsible for bitter reprisals
on our frontiers. This was the way
of it:
1.-TWO Moons was wading in the
shadows of Antelope Creek one day,
and found an old horseshoe. He took
this to his brother, Little Chief, who
was helper in our blacksmith's
shop, and the brother told him care
lessly of an old tradition which said
that any one finding an iron hoof'
in a river, with the toe pointing up
or down, should ride to the end Of
the stream, where he would find a
fine herd of horses which would fol-
low him home. The finder of the
shoe was to go secretly, saying moth
ing to any one.
"Two Moons swallowed the story,
and kept down his excitement until
his mother slept that night. His
father was away somewhere, and the
lad took his gun and. cartridge-belt,
some bacon, which had recently been
issued, secured a pony and stole
away. He was certain that the toe
of the iron hoof had pointed up the
creek, so up the creek he went.
On such an errand, the day-dreaEc-
er was bound to strike trouble sooner
or later, and Two Moons struck 1t
soon. He crossed the line of the
reservation some time in the night,
and had ridden fifteen or twenty
miles on the cattle range when he
came upon a bunch Of horses, young
stock, feeding on the bottom-lands.
Looking beyond. he saw that the
creek was apparently cut off by hills;
so feeling heap good he rode out
to the horses. The animals showed
no sign of wishing to follow him,
and Two Moons, concluding that
something was wrong with the med
icine' somewhere, drove the bunch
OFF down the valley.
"It was now morning, and Two
Moons, dreaming of the excitement
which his arrival at the agency would
fnrnnt
He had logged on for two OF three
hours when, in turning bend, he
looked behind, to see number OF
horsemen riding hard on his trail.
"He had the real Indians instinct,
in spite of his incoming, and he knew
at a glance that there were white
riders after him. He had made a
dreadful mistake in driving these
horses, after they had refused to fol-
low him. They were the white mems
stock!
"He knew what would happen, to
him should he be caught, and he put
the quirt to his pony, as much alive
and alert as he had been dazed and
dreaming. He rode good pony,
which had done nothing but Craze all
summer, and for time he kept his
lead. He had nearly reached the
reservation line when his horse be-
gan to give out. His pursuers were
swiftly gaining, when, in dashing
over a rise, he came face to face with
his brother.
1.-TWO Moons absence had been
discovered early in the morning, and
Little Chief, guessing the cause, had
taken the trail, and was riding hard
after him. The brothers horses
both were we'll blown, and, there
being no need of words, the elder
wheeled and led the way into a
coulee which he had crossed little
time before. At the head of this ra-
vine the two turned their ponies
loose and took to cover, where they
had perfect command of every ap-
proach without exposing themselves.
well, the cow-men came up, and
warned by couple of shots, grasped
the situation. There were five Of
them, and they posted four, so as to
hold the Indians. Then the fifth rode
away after help.
at was about this time, I reckon,
that Two Moons father came in from
his visiting; and he posted after his
sons, to come back in the afternoon
and report their situation to me.
Much disquieted, I cautioned the
father to say nothing to any one else,
but to get fresh pony at once, and
guide me to the besieged.
1T was after dark when we reached
the ground. posted my guide at the
mouth of the coulee, and soon was
among the besiegers. There were a
dozen or more angry cow-men sur
rounding a covert SO perfect that
they couldn't rush the Sioux without
certainty of serious loss of life.
Il found their leader, ranch fore
man named Farrell, whom l knew. /
told him my version of Two Moons
quest, and begged him to drop the
matter He and two others who
stood with him laughed at my tale,
which l must confess, though I doubt
ed not of its truth, smacked of i'm
probability. They declared that they
would get those thieving Sioux if
they had to starve them out! Had
they been within the reservation linn
its, might have made my authority
felt, but they we're we'll outside my
jurisdiction; and I saw that neither