Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-08-14
CHAPTER XII
The Showdown.


On the second morning after Dins-
dale's exhibition of craftsmanship
Scissors jumped from his couch and
announced:
Something will happen today.
feel ii. The waiting is ended / am
wakan witshasha, and know the wait
ing will be ended today. Get up and
be ready for whatever happens. We
have much to do"
Dinsdale sprang to his feet, crying !:
Show me something to do. 1t
seems as if / had been in this cursed
place a million years. What shall /
dnY'
First, eat your breakfast. The girl
IS bringing it now. I must see Sorrel
Horse and finish our trade"
How do you happen to know so
much about Injuns?" curiously asked
Dinsdale after the girl had placed
the food on a robe and had departed
"Played with Sioux boys when I was
a boy. After became wakan / forgot
lots of things, but what learned
about Indians seems to have remained
with me- Sometimes l find myself
singing some of their old songs, songs
I hadn't thought Of for years"
They made short work of the meal,
and Scissors said: "Stick by the
lodge. I'll finish my talk with Sorrel
Horse very quick"
And you said there was work to
do grumbled Dinsdale.
We've spent our last night here If
we're ever to see Deadwood City
again." assured Scissors. At these
words Dinsdate became nervously alert
and eager.
The inmates Of the village no longer
avoided Scissors, or pretended not to
see him; but ne knew there was only
one man in the village who did not
wish to see him writhing under the
Ogalala knives. He walked aimless-
ly among the lodges and approached
the lodge Of Sorrel Horse in casual
manner. On reaching it Scissors halt
ed to watch Sofrel Horse go through
his morning custom OF hanging his
medicine bag to the medicine pole out
aide the entrance
1T is time," mumbled Sorrel Horse
without looking at the white man. "The
ponies are really. Two Knives Talk
ing will pay for them now?"
HE comes to pay. But the medi-
cine will not work until he has reached
the ponies"
Sorrel Horse led him into the lodge
aSd cropped the flap, and said:
The young white man will be very
gick when you go back to him. He
VIII be sick from eating too much meat.
Two Knives Talking will stay by him
60 make him we'll He cannot leave
his sick brother to watch Shunca-luta
break jugs on the open place outside
the village. All the Ogalala will want
to see the new medicine. While they
watch, the white men will go among
the bluffs and follow the pony trail
south where they will find ponies hob
bled and feeding. Two guns are there
and a bundle of dried meat Now
will the white man pay?"
And he pointed to an array of jugs
and several kettles filed with water.
Scissors picked up a jug and found
1t filed to within few inches of the
mouth. He examined the stopper to
make sure it would exclude all air and
then handed it to- Sorrel Horse and
tcld him to cork the jug and break 1t
by striking the stopper with his fist.
Eorrel Horse nervously followed in
gtructions and was much cast down
when nothing happened.
1T is because you have no medicine
of your own" explained Scissors.
Now I will give you medicine"
And he removed the stopper and
pointed 1t to the earth, the sky and
the four winds. Then with mug he
dipped water from kettle and filled
the jug to overlooking and gently in
serted the end of the stopper until 1t
stood upright.
'Now strike" he commanded
Sorrel Horse obeyed, and this time
the hydraulic pressure rewarded his
efforts and brought a glare of triumph
to his eyes. His chest expanded and
ne softly boosted:
''They say he will have new name
They say he can break jugs"
Scissors eyed him suspiciously and
pulled forward another Jug only half
full, and releasing the stopper CURLY
directed:
Break that Jug"
Sorrel Horse confidently struck tbs
stopper and the jug remained intact
AZ the medicine man hung his head
in Bitter disappointment Scissors told
him:
II have taken the medicine away
from you so you will know it is my
medicine and will not work If do not
get away from the village. Now will
give the medicine back to you. Bring
water and fill this broken Jug"
AS he spoke he fitted the two pieces
together, the cleavage being clean, and
held them in place while Sorrel Horse
with trembling hands lifted kettle
and poured in the water. When the
jug could hold no more Scissors re-
vealed the climax of the medicine by
teaching the medicine man how to
work gently in inserting the stopper
deep enough to remain in place and
yet to present any air pressure on
the mouth only he said nothing about
pressure, as the Indian would not
have understood Sorrel Horse simply
understood the maniDulatfon of the