Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 146: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

134 An Indian Brave. and in every way showing the affection which years had not killed. And yet, in all probability, her brave had, while in life, treated her harshly, as is their almost universal custom, and even beaten her when he felt particu- larly ugly. Perhaps, Cuthbert thought, she loved him more dead than when in the flesh. Skirting this ring of relics, at irregular intervals he saw elevated platforms, some six or seven feet from the ground, and upon these were lashed the dead, wrapped in many deerskins until they resem- bled mummies. Safely out of reach of the wolves, they remained there until time and decay tumbled the supports over and scattered the bones, which were then bur- ied, all save the skull, for which a place was made in the magic ring. To these platforms bearing recent victims of death’s terrors went the squaws whom Cuthbert had followed. The dish containing hot food was held up so that the steam crept over the platform and, of course, vanished. This steam, possessing the odor of the viands, was called spirit food, and the poor creatures actually believed it served the soul of the departed on his long journey to the Happy Hunting Grounds. It was ludicrous in one way, and yet Cuthbert had a feeling of awe creep over him, such were the grue- some surroundings. The bowls of food were left on the ground, and no doubt must have been highly enjoyed by the prowling coyotes and wolves always hovering around an Indian burial spot. It was late in the day, after sunset, when he left the weird cemetery. Already twilight was stealing over the land, and COnnicloooks CO