The Adair County news., 1922-09-05

nee, "to Be on Guard Tomorrow
Night"
tive chiefs and handed them the bloody
war belt of wampum.
Il scOrn your hostility and treach-
cry. You deserve death, but you shall
leave in safety. In three days I shall
begin war on you. If you Indians do
not want your women and children
killed-stOp killing ours. We shall see
who can make that war belt the most
bloody. While you have been in my
camp you have had food and fire.
water, but now that 1 have finished,
you must depart speedily"
The captive chief spoke and so did
old KahtOo, with his eyes fixed sadly
but proudly on his adopted son. They
had listened to bad birds and been led
astray by the British-henceforth they
would be friendly with the Americans.
But Clark was not satisfied.
Il come as a warrior" he said
haughtily; Il shall be a friend to the
friendly. If you choose war 1 shall
send so many warriors from the Thir-
teen Council-Fires that your land
shall be darkened and you shall hear
no Sounds but that of the birds who
live on blood" And then he handed
forth two belts of peace and war, and
they eagerly took the belt Of peace.
The treaty followed next day and
Clark insisted that two of the prison
ers should be put to death; and as the
two selected came forward Erskine
saw Black Wolf was one. He whis-
pered with Clark and Kahtoo, and
Crooked Lightning saw the big chief
with his hand on Erskine's shoulder
and heard him forgive the two and
tell them to depart. And thus peace
| was won.
Straightway old Kahtoo pushed
through the warriors and, plucking the
big chief by the sleeve, pointed to Ers-
| kline.
THAT is my son." he said, "and l
want him to go home with me-"
He shall CO." said Clark quickly,
'but he. shall return, whenever it
| pleases him, to me-"
And so Erskine went forth one
morning at dawn, and his coming into
the Shawnee camp was like the COM
ing of a king. Early Morn greeted
him with glowing eyes, his foster
mother brought him food, looking
proudly upon him, and old Kahtoo
harangued his braves around the cOun-
| cil-pOle, while the prophet and
Crooked Lightning sulked in their
| tents.
"My son spoke words of truth" he
| proclaimed sOnorOusly. "He warned
US against the king over the waters
and told US to make friends with the
| Americans. We did not heed his
words, and so he brought the great
chief of the Long Knives, who stood
without fear among warriors more
numerous than leaves and spoke the
same words to all. We are friends
of the Long Knives. My son is the
true prophet. Bring out the false one
and Crooked Lightning and Black
| Wolf, whose life my son saved though
the two were enemies. Ny son shall
do with them as he pleases."
Many young braves sprang willingly
forward and the three were hailed be-
fore Erskine. Old KahtoO waved his
hand toward them and sat down. Frs
kline rose and fixed his eyes sternly
on the covering prophet:
''He shall go forth from the village
and shall never return. For his words
work mischief, he does foolish things,
and his drumming frightens the game.
He is false prophet and he must gO'
He turned to Crooked Lightning:
''The Indians have made peace with
the Long Knives and White Arrow
would make peace with any Indian,
though an enemy. Crooked Lightning
shall go or stay, as he pleases. Black
Wolf shall stay, for the tribe will need
him as hunter and a warrior against
the English foes of the Long Knives.
White Arrow does not ask another
to spare an enemy's life and then take
it away himself"
TO BE CONTINUED