Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-09-12

dilOuB the trlDesl dskeu the Dtt-
hunter, waiting, however, a decent
interval, lest he might be sup
posed to betray womanly cur
iosity.
Elksfoot puffed away some time
before he saw fit to answer, re-
serving a salvo in behalf of his
own dignity. Then he removed the
pipe, shook off the ashes, pressed
down the fire little, gave a re-
viving draught or two, and quietly
replied
"Ask my young brother-he run
ner-he know"
But Pigeonswing seemed to be
little more communicative than
the Pottawattamie. He smoked en-
in quiet dignity, while the bee
hunter patiently waited for the
moment when it might suit his
younger guest to speak. That
moment did not arrive for some
time, though it came at last. AL
most five minutes after Elksfoot
had made the allusion mentioned,
the Ojebway, or Chippewa, remov-
ed his pipe, also. and looking court
eously round at his host, he said
with emphasis
"Bad summer come soon. Pale
faces call young men together,
and dig up Ratchet"
81 had heard something of this"
answered lie Bourbon, with sad
dened countenance, "and was
afraid it might happen"
"My brother dig up Ratchet too,
eh?" demanded Pigeonswing
"Why should 1? | am alone here,
on the Openings, and it would
seem foolish in me to wish to
fight"
"Got no tribe-no Oiebway-no
Pottawattamie, eh?"
~ have my tribe, as well as
another, Chippewa, but can see no
use l can be to it, here. If the
English and Americans fight
it must be long way from this
wilderness, and on, or near the
great salt lake"
Don't know-nebber know, till
see. English warrior plenty in
Canada"
"That may be: but American
warriors are not plenty here. This
country is a wilderness, and there
are no soldiers hereabouts, to cut
each others throats."
"What you t'ink him?" asked
Pigeonswing, glancing at Gershom ;
who, unable to forbear any longer,
had gone to the spring to mix a
cup from a small supply that still
remained OF the liquor with which
he had left home. "Got pretty
good scalp?"
81 suppose it is as good as
another's-but he and / are count
trymen, and we cannot raise the
tomahawk on one another"
Don't t'ink SO. Plenty Yankee,
him ~
lie Bourbon smiled at this proof
Of Pigeonswing's sagacity, though
he felt a good deal of uneasiness
at the purport OF his discourse.
"You are right enough in that"
he answered, "but I'm plenty of
Yankee, too"
mo, don't say So" returned the
Chippewa-"no, mustn't say dat.
English; no Yankee. Him not bit
like YOU"
"Why, we are unlike each other,
in some respects, ii is true, though
we are countrymen, notwithstand-
ing. My great father lives at
Washington, as well as his"
The Chippewa appeared to be
disappointed; perhaps he APP
peared sorry, too; for lie Bourdon's
frank and manly hositality had dis
posed him to friendship instead of
i Willie HlS
would rather put him in an antag-
onist position. 1t was probably
with a kind motive that he pur-
sued the discourse in a way to
give his host some insight into
the true condition OF matters in
that part of the world.
LET me know the truth, at once,
Chippewa" exclaimed lie Bourbon.
II am but a peaceable bee-hunter,
as you see, and wish no mans
scalp, or any mans honey but my
own. Is there to be a war between
America and Canada, or not2"
"Some say, yes; some say, no )"
returned Pigeonswing, evasively.
my part, don't know. Go, now, to
see. But plenty Montreal belt
among redskins; plenty rifle:
plenty powder, too"
~ heard something of this as /
~