Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-07-17


and unrelenting, yet he RETAINED from
speaking the word that would precip-
itate the butchery. After minute of
silence he sullenly said:
Little Big Man has no white broth
ers. A voice says the white men go
to fight with Wichakpayamani (Three-
stars Crooks Sioux name). They
go to help fight against the Dakota"
"The voice lies," tersely corrected
Scissors
"What is the medicine on the hat
of the white mann"
white men tried to kill him. They
say he sold wagon of cartridges to
the Cheyennes He Is a friend of
High Wolf, the Cheyenne medicine
man."
The dots Of perspiration on Dins-
dale's face would have doubled had
he understood this bold avowal. Scis-
sors knet. his statement was des-
perate gamble. The effect on the war
riors was pronounced, although they
betrayed nothing except to look more
closely at the paper pictures on Dins-
dale's hat One of them picked it up,
and all quickly understood the story
the pictures were meant to tell. The
spirited action of the galloping horses
appealed to them.
The horseman few inches ahead of
the united string was Dinsdale, of
course. That all should be identical
in outline impressed them as being
very wakan. White men had sold
metallic cartridges to the hostiles, and
within month a man had been caught
with a wagon, filed with munitions,
bound for a northern village. But Ii
High Wolf, famous mystery man and
wearer of a necklace of human fingers,
should be within reach of messenger
the lie would be exposed offhand.
One of the warriors called attention
to the paper picture of the butte. Elk
cept those holding the prisoners to
ground, all advanced to this and ex-
amined it carefully. The small mound
of Tunkan stones. together with the
outline, formed combination that
Little Big Man dared not trifie with.
He talked aside with a middle-aged
warrior, then gave an order. One of
the group produced small mirrcr and
ran into the path leading up the butte.
To Scissors the leader said: "SoOn it
will be known in Tashunca-uitco's
camp at Slim Butte that Two Knives
Talking and another white man are
in our camp"
| The prisoners were jerked to their
feet, and no sooner were they erect
than their hands were drawn behind
them and fastened. Their horses were
brought up and they were helped to
mount. Little Big Man and the older
warrior rode in the lead and struck
off to the east of the butte and turned
north.
The entire party appeared to be lib
orally supplied with ammunition the
bows being intended for game where
gunshot might give an alarm A
brisk ride of twelve miles and the
party was fording the strong muddy
current of the Belle Fourche, where
once the Cheyennes had raised their
corn. On the north bank an hours
halt was made among the cottonwoods
to give the man with the mirror time
to rejoin them. He came up at a
handsome gallop and the journey was
resumed. A few miles north of the
river and on the head of Grow creek
warriors and captives rode into a
temporary camp.
A dozen warriors rushed forward,
shouting and brandishing their knives,
as the prisoners were brought into
camp. Little Big Man shouted for
several minutes in stentorian voice.
Scissors interpreted for Dinsdale. The
leader was telling of the capture and
Dragging nightly and demanding a
new song be made for him. He talked
into an anti-climax when a camp war
rior informed him that the signals
from the butte had been caught and
message sent to Crazy Horse. Little
Big Man ordered the white men to be
placed in lodge with their hands tied
behind them and their bodies roped
to the center pole.
Suspended from a medicine pole
beside the lodge was a strangled pup
by, war medicine, Scissors explained.
Hanging inside the lodge was caval-
ry guidon, and an officers glove,
proofs of this particular bands par
ticipation in the fight on the Little Big
Horn.
'Now what happens to us?" asked
Dinsdale after they had been trussed
up to the center pole and left alone
SIN wakan," doggedly replied Scis-
sors. 1--WE placed stones to Tunkan.
1 must get you out of this. When
say for you to go, you scoot Don't
wait for me. They'll never harm me-
I'm big mystery man. I know their
dream songs, their war songs. I've
listened to their council songs, and
I've sung their grass dance song Lit
tie Big Man thinks he's got me in
hole because ran. away. / went away
to renew my medicine-just one weak
spot; just one mistake. I'm sorry
said that about your being Il friend to-
old High Wolf, the Cheyenne. Bahl
He's up on the Little Missouri. Who's
afraid? We are not"
"We'd better have CHANGED it with
| LToe1,,e cropo youttorod Dincda1p