The new era., 1909-08-19

fore the enfeeblements of old age took the
strength from his arm.
Two Strike was a great warrior. He had fought
on many field and he had won his from
the overcoming of two warrior foes who had at
tackled him when he alone on the prairie
Single handed he had fought and killed them and
1.-TWO Strike" he had been from that day. He was
the leader In the last battle which took place be-
tween hostile bands of savages on the plains OF
America. For years without number the two ma
tions. the Sioux and the Pawnees, had hated each
other
In one of Coopers novels Hard Heart, Paw
nee, taunts Sioux thus: Since waters ran and
trees grew the Sioux has found the Pawnee on his
warpath." The fight in which Two Strike was
the leader of the Sioux fought against the
Pawnees the banks OF little stream known
as "The Frenchman," in Nebraska In the year
1874
In the valley of the Platte river the buffalo were
plenty, but the Pawnees had said that the Sioux
should not hunt there ard they defed them to
come "The Pawnee dogs called the Sioux wom-
en-" said the story-teller and old Two Strike
sneered.
1t was when the grass was at its best that the
Sioux started for the country Of the Pawnee. The
teller of the tale made secret OF the intention
of the Sioux to extermnate the Pawnees. sparing
neither women children II the chance for their
killing presented itself
Two Strike and his Sioux reached the edge Of
the buffalo country and there they waited oppor
tunty. They did not have to wait long. Runners
told them that the Pawnees in full strength had
started on great hunting expedition led by Sky
Chief, noted warrior. When the name Of Sky
Chief fell from the lips of the Interpreter old Two
Strike smiled and closed his fist. The Sioux left
their encampment and struck into the heart OF the
hunting country. There scout told them that
the enemy encamped in prairie gulch and
that their and children were with them
to care for the hides and for the drying of the
meat of the buffalo.
Two Strike led his men by "a way around" as
the interpreter put it, coming finally to a point
less than half suns distance from the camp in
the valley. The Sioux struck small herd of buf-
falo and they goaded the animals before them
right up to the mouth of the guch. When the
buffalo were headed straight into the valley the
Sioux pricked the hindmost with arrows and the
herd went headlong toward the encampment Of
the Pawnees, who were foolish men" and did
not watch for an enemy
When the Pawnees saw the buffalo they mount
ed their ponies and followed them out through the
far end of the valley to the level plain, leaving
the women and children behind.
Then the Sioux went in to the slaughter spar
ing neither infancy nor age. and they had almost
ended the killing when the Pawnee braves re-
turned
Then followed the last great battle which has
been fought the plains between tribes Of red
men. The story-teer in the tepee at Pine Ridge
did not say SO. but it is known from the account
of white man, Adabel Ellis. who knew the cir
cumstances that the Pawnees fought that day as
they had always fought bravely and to the death
Sky Chief the Pawnee. rode out in front OF
his men, shook his hand and called out that Two
Strike, the Dakota, coward, Then Two
Strike called back that the Pawnee a dogs
whep and he rode out, armed with his knife
which was the only weapon Sky Chief held.
The two leaders met and fought They dis
mounted turned their ponies loose and grappled.
The storyteller fingered not the details of the
fight He said simply, "the Pawnees heard Sky
Chiefs death cry
The tale ended. Two Strike rose. barred his
right arm, drove his hand downward and then
upward, and smiled