Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-10-13

s
Bill Mathison stood in the cabin
doorway malevolently regarding the
shuddle Of many-poled lodges across
the river. Shrill yelps rose in, 9
chorus as a. copper colored crone Is.
sued from lodge and hurled male.
;idictions and pieces of frewood at g
pack OF thieying mongrel dogs. On
the fiat beyond the tepees, a bunch OF
ponies, a thousand head or more, OF
mingled breeds and many colors, were
being held togetherin In a compact mass
by mounted Indians, while scores on
foot prowled through the circling
herd, catching trim little ponies and
leading them to their tepees.
Blast 'em!n growled Bill. ali
they stay another week, antelope II
be nae mair plentiful than water on
the M1nave; an. :therell no be grass
aepoo' on yon bottom tae feed 8
healthy prairie dog, mair less bunch
o.calyes."
\ a
Il We was in Gods. country now,'
mourned Todd Wayne, as he wiped
the last Of the breakfast dishes, aan
.ssech doin's was takin' place, there'd
5be bunch uh Injuns hot-footin' it fol
the reservation, with sartain repre-
sentatives uh Uncle Sammy givin' 'em
a touch uh high life on the rear.
These here Canadians is more deliber-
ate.
4oh, ay! they'll be aroond." Bill
caught whiff ofsthe rank odor that
hangs like halo about an Indian
camp. He slammed thefdoor vicious
ly, and sat doWnsRith. his feet cooked
up on the steyeSront. aBut the red
SdeeYils 'Iehae the hides an jerked
meat they'll want by that time. It's a
cryin shame tae see the puir beasties
murdered by the hoondred."
=. 1t shore is" Todd agreed, "but !
don't SEQ that we got any license t.
enforce the gameiaws-them bucks is
somewhat numerous for two white
men.
s Over in the Blackfoot camp the
hunters mounted and rode north: |:
fourscore greasy. bead-bedecked abor-
igines. wrapped in the many-hued
blankets furnished by benevolent
Indian Department, their post-trader
rifles looped to their saddle horns.
Ten miles north of the Red Deer no
Eoft breathed chinook had touched the
hills since the first fall of snow. Biz
yards, bearing the chill of the ice
pack and everything SHOWS, swept up
from the north and tore across the
wilderness that lies between the North
Saskatchewan and the Red Deer, driy-
ing the antelope farther and farther
south; for when the snow covers the
grass on the hills, and buries the
sagebrush In the hollows, the prong
horns must seek fresh grazing
grounds. That was why the Black
feet under Medicine Child jumped the
reservation and hunted ine the Red
Deer country.
Their method was simple and, un-
der the conditions, eminently success
full. Then they rode in bodyguntil
they came to the deep snow. Then
they scattered eastS and west sntil
there was IA crescent-shaped line OF
sbra8es, fYe miles from end to- end.
In this fosmation thegs cembed the
country. diving thousands Of ante
ijope before them toa bend in the riv-.
ar. across which, because of the CLASSY
icessthe prong-horns could not go.
When the frightened wild things
,surged to and fro, seeking to break
through the eyer-ttghtering lines, the
Indians cast of their mask Of stolid-
iity and fell to slaughtering, with
flashing eyes and shrill whooping, un-
TIL the LIST antelope had broken des.
perateR through the line of barking
gums or lay unheeding in the tram
Piled snow.
The popping of guns down the riv.
Ier and the sight Of the squaws hasten.
ing away with skinning knives and
pack ponies to carry the meat, pro.
! yoked Bill Mathison to the utterance
OF profane sentiments. As he and
Todd Wayne surveyed the killing
from the roof Of the CALI shed, and
gCeculated on the length OF time II
would take to'wipe out the antelope
on the Red Deer az that rate, there
came q 1angle OF bells, and single
horse sleigh slipped out of the mouth
OF the coulee down which ran the
home ranch trail.
( Good enough. That's the wise
gent that teaches school at Beave,
Crossin'," Todd exclaimed. 4I'm
shore glad somebody's come along
Yuh're good company, scotty. but
yuh.ve got t broodin: over this Injur
proposition, and it's. gettin' monoto.
nous..n *
4Aw, whisht yer fule talk" com.
manded Bill. Then be shouted hos,
pitably TO the newcomer, sPlt yer nas
I : the stable an gaa RIGHT in. Well
pc vi you as soon as we feed these
blattin' beasts O. calves"
When Bill and Todd finished taking
care OF their stock they hastened to
the cabin. The schoolteacher had
built roaring fire, and was interest.
edly watching the Indian camp
through a space he had thawed on the
frosted window pane. A box, about
two feet square. STOOD in the centre
Of the f1oors The lid was thrown