Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1924-07-25


sand braves, and that the combined
forces would descend OIL the Black
hills and wipe out all the settlements
before the soldiers could arrive from
! the Big Horn country. Crazy Horse,
although stole in concealing his feel
ings, was much pleased over the like
llhood Of an early Joining Of forces.
He ordered that the prisoners be con-
Quoted to lodge and well guarded
| but not bound.
The hard travel and the fare of
| jerked meat had told more severely
on Dinsdale than on his companion,
and the former was glad to throw
himself on a pile OF robes and sue
cumb to the luxury of complete re-
Taxation. Scissors was more worried
because of the danger threatening the
hill settlements than he cared to ad-
NIT, and he remained at the opening
of the lodge in hope of learning
something definite.
No messenger had arrived from the
Short Medicine Pole hills, and until
one arrived he would not believe Sit
ting Bull was within smoke-signal
distance of the Little Missouri Dins-
dale was too exhausted mentally and
physically to anticipate the dangers
of the morrow. Scissors heart beat
rapidly every time he heard a pony's
hoof drumming toward the village
No guards we're posted inside the
| lodge, and for the first time since their
capture both were free of bonds.
They were so weary they slept through
the ordinary hustle of early morning
and did not awaken until disturbed
by the penetrating sound of rattles.
Dinsdale rolled from his robes before
| fully awake and CROPPED about for
| some weapon. Scissors quieted him
and opened the flap and peered out.
He motioned for Dinsdale to join him,
and whispered:
"Some ceremony of the Strong
Hearts. / can see their banner"
Dinsdale was not assured, for the
| first part of the spect; e he OBJ
served consisted of two men with
bows and arrows Behind them
walked two braves, each vigorously
shaking gourd rattle. Ahead of the
quartette walked two girls; one car
rying pipe and the other Strong
Heart banner. The purpose of the
| bowmen was soon revealed, and Dins-
dale lost his fear One of the men
suddenly raised his bow and sent an
arrow through dog His companion
shot another; and the rattles were
shaken loudly to signalize their marks
manship.
A woman ran from a lodge and took
both dogs inside. The little process
sion disappeared behind a lodge and
presumably killed more dogs as there
came further spasmodic rafting.
| After some fifteen minutes the
men and the two young girls
came in sight of the prisoners lodge
and walked toward 1t. The bows were
unstrung. the rattles sounded only at
| regular intervals. The four men
chanted:
Friends, whoever runs away shall
not be admitted"
"Strong Hearts, all right. They've
been shooting their breakfast. Food
enough without killing dogs, but they
are trying to teach the village folks
self control. They won't shoot a dog,
II the owner comes out and makes a
FUSS" explained Scissors, who was
now cutting piece of paper. "They
reckon 1t makes mans heart strong
to see his dog killed without making
row about it. There comes the wom-
an who owned the two pups we saw
shot. She showed her seif-control by
taking the dogs inside and smuggling
them. Now she's carrying them to the
society's lodge where they'll be cooked
and eaten. In the old days there
might be as many as four Strong
Heart lodges in one village; and II
took some dogs to keep them all
going"
AS the Strong Hearts proudly
stalked by the prisoners lodge, Scis-
sors leaned through the opening and
thrust his picture into the hand Of
bowman. 1t was an excellent out
line of brave In the act of releasing
an arrow, and the low grunt Of the re-
cipient testified to his appreciation Of
1t.
Always could do It," unused Sells
sors proudly. Tim wakan. Pictures
don't cost me anything. Cheers them
up. Why not give them some?"
"If it'll cheer the devils any please
give them bushel," was Dinsdale's
disconsolate rejoinder. Scissors. I'm
losing my nerve; and never lost it
before. 1t isn't death; it's the way
they have with their did skinning
knives. I'm always remembering that
story about the fellow skinned alive
and Rawhide creek named after the
affair"
You're borrowing trouble" rebuked
Scissors. ''The fellow you mention
suffered enough without you suffering
any over It. Almost any morning the