Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919 — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

Gentlemen: of the North soon see it. I had not ventured to call out to the girl and address her, as her writing hinted at a command for silence from Le Borgne. We leisurely continaed our stroll until we were at the hut of the chief. Like his brother he was outside enjoying the sun, ' his one eye gleaming evilly. The Pillager and I.stood our guns against the upright of the long platform, now loaded with driftwood, and I greeted the chief with an amiable smile and produced my tobacco. Taking his pipe, I filled and lighted it and sent a puff toward the heavens. Handing -. it to him and recharging my own, I said— ‘‘When the white man’s post is here the greatest of all war-chiefs will smoke good tobacco all the time.” He sucked in the smoke with huge con- tent, but eyed me suspiciously for a mo- ment. Turning his head aside so only the dead eye showed, he remarked: | “The white woman asked for a new hut. She said her medicine was cold where she was. ‘My men will build her a new hut. Until it is ready she will live in the hut of my brother, Caltahcota, who has moved his wives and children to another hut.” “The big white chief will thank you with many presents for your kindness to his daughter,” I warmly assured. told him to build his post among the Sioux but the woman’s medicine told him to build it here. The post will make the Minnetarees the greatest and strongest of all Indians so long as they do not wrong - the white chief.” “T will brain the man or woman who touches his goods,” declared Le Borgne, toying with the ax he had so recently used in murdering the woman. “He will come soon with many white men and many guns,” I added. “Why does he bring many men and many guns when he comes to his friends?” asked Le Borgne, jerking his head about to bring his one eye to bear upon me. ‘Because he brings many presents and much goods, and knows the Assiniboins would kill and rob a small party.” The chief smiled and frowned, his one eye glowing like a demon’s. “The Assiniboins are dogs,” he softly muttered. “Two were killed by Cheyennes in this village last night. The Cheyennes are very brave men. They have fine horses. “His friends’ ~ My brother was a fool not to - 143 make peace with them. He says the medicine of the white woman spoiled the ce. > “He lies. He was afraid his brother, the big war chief, would be angry with him for his foolishness. He tries to blame it on the woman.” He did not resent my blunt characteriza- tion of his brother and continued: “He was a fool to hold the Assiniboins when they came to the camp. They had come to the village and left it. After they left it any one could kill them. They are dogs. ten ponies for them. I have offered a wife, three horses and a hundred skins for one of their ponies, and they would not trade.” “Tf the white woman’s medicine is not made angry, it can get you many Cheyenne ponies,” I said. “I will see her and talk about it.” ; “She says she wants to be alone,” he replied, swinging his left eye about and darting a challenge at me. “Tf she says it, it isso. Those who make her medicine angry will surely follow the broad trail to the west, where stand the many huts of the dead. ” “She asks to be my woman,” he an- nounced, his right hand dropping on the handle of the big ax. “Tf she asks it, it is good,” I managed to reply; but only the fact that my gun was beyond my reach prevented me from blowing the devil’s head off. “But if you take her for a wifeand her medicine says ‘No!’ then the Minnetarees will name a new war-chief in your place.” “Ho!” he rumbled, rising and folding his muscular arms across his broad chest. “A medicine-man tells me my mamnito is stronger than hers. It shall be a fight between them. If my manito is a liar, or a coward, or weak, he will be whipped. But while they fight I will have the woman, a mystery woman, a woman with hair like red fires.” As the Pillager interpreted this, it was only his bearing that sobered me and kept me from insanely jumping for my gun. His cold face showed the utmost unconcern. After he’d finished repeating the chief’s boast he stepped close to Le Borgne and taunted: i “Fool! An evil spirit draws you to your death and you do not know it. I, chief of the Pillager Chippewas, wearer of many (E@) S 100 an) —— ~~ a See, w » <= — My brother should have taken the (E@)