Gilpin observer., 1915-11-04
short of actually killing me-"

In horror Sally now witnessed the
flendish tortures to which Tom was
subjected. The squaws tied him to
tree. Then they pulled his nose,
Knocked him, struck him in the face
and some sought to smash his toes
between stones.
'Tt is too horrible!" Sally cried. "Oh,
Starlight, cannot you plead with your
brother to call off those squaws."
'The white man is strong" replied
Starlight. "They will not kill him.
1t is the test of his manhood. Look!
The men are now going to play with
him"
The playing" to which Starlight re-
ferred consisted of subjecting Tom to
still worse torture. This time the
braves themselves were the torturers.
Into the burning tobacco of their
pipes they thrust Toms fingers. With
hot ashes and live Goals and burning
brands they threatened him. holding
these close to his face seeking thus to
make him plead for mercy.
"Oh, Tom! my Toni" cried Sally
TT is more than l can bear. If they
ind a way to kill myself"
''They will not kill him." replied
Starlight with conviction, but, with
Indian reticence. not speaking all that
vas in her mind.
Tom continued stoically to endure
all the tortures. till finally they united
him from the tree and led him to the
scalp pole. There they tried to make
him dance around the pole To their
satisfaction Tom refused to dance.
This refusal was just what they want
ed. for now Tom would be subjected
TO the supreme torture-namely rua.
ming the gauntlet.
But they will let him rest first"
Starlight told Sally.
Sally, with Starlight, sought Chief
Swift Wind Earnestly Sally pleaded
with Swift Wind to spare Tom from
further tortures.
81 love him!" said Sally HE is to
be my husband. Will you not spare
him?"
Jealousy fiared in the eyes of Swift
Wind.
In her brothers jealousy Starlight
saw the opportunity for which she
had been watching to help Sally to
escape. Pretending now actual hatred
of Sally, she said to her brother:
Swift Wind, my brother, the
squaws go now to gather wood for
our fires. Is not this white woman
our slave? Set her to work Send
her with the squaws to get the wood"
-, ,1,~ Ill,
as If detesting her. She is beloved
by the white prisoner Starlight se,d
to her brother. and so | hate her.
For even as you wish the white girl
| for squaw, so do | cast my eyes upon
the white man in love. So hate this
white woman-hate her Send her out
of my sight"
Swift Wind was wholly hoodwinked
by his sisters assumed hatred of SaIy
and forthwith gave orders that she ac,
company the squaws to get firewoou
A little later Sally started out with
the squaws toward the forest AS
Sally departed Starlight whispered to
her:
These are only squaws VINO go with
you. Watch out-and run away from
them. Ride the horse they take with
them and fly to the nearest settlement
of white people
The horse that accompanied the In
dian women hauled a travois-the
usual two poles fastened on each side
of the horse and tied together at the
lower end, at which was a stretch of
rawhide large enough to hold goodly
| load of firewood
Into the forest they followed the
horse and began piling wood on the
travois, the squaws compelling Sally
to do most of the work Finally they
emerged from the forest and con-