Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919 — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

“158 was immediate. His eye flickeréd with fear. The woman was getting on his nerves. He wished himself back in his hut with the door barred, as shown by his in- stinctive glance in that direction. Yet he could not spend the rest of his life in a hut. It was intolerable to anticipate months and perhaps years of the woman’s nagging — her accusations of cowardice. Let even a mad woman repeat a thing long enough, and he would lose something of his standing in the tribe. While he must not touch her, he should be protected by his medicine. If his medicine was spoiled he must renew it. The chanting grew louder and clearer. Miss Dearness also heard it, for she now sang out to me: “Choke-Cherry’s wife, when bringing me meat, said the crazy Mandan woman is going back to her people’in the lower village.” I picked up the calfskin and said to Le Borgne: “T think you are a foolish man, but I am not to blame for that. I am angry because Chief of the Wolves spoke evil of my medi- cine robes and skin. I will pypve to you that the medicine is strong in this skin. You shall hold it in your hands until the crazy woman comes and goes. Then you shall give it back to me, and I will take my pack elsewhere and trade.” He seized it greedily and I stood aside and waited. I smoked and tried to show the unconcern I did not feel. JI had acted on an impulse set in motion by Miss Dearness’ words. I also believed I could detect a new tone in the poor woman’s lament, the quality of sadness and resignation. The people stood very quietly, all eyes turned to where the Mandan woman would emerge from among the huts. If the sight of the chief should inflame her mad rage, the trade value of the white calfskin would greatly depreciate. In that event we would | make a good fight of it that night. Now the woman appeared, her head bowed low, her chanting weirdly depressing. The stage was well set for her coming. The Minnetarees fell back to give her clear passage and no one spoke nor moved. The chief and I stood a little in advance of the people, he standing like an image, holding the white calfskin in his two hands, his ax dangling from his wrist, his one eye fixed on the woman. She drew close and I believed she was Adventure to pass by without lifting her head, but the steady impact of Le Borgne’s gaze caused her to look up. For a moment I believed she was going to fly at him, for she halted and stared in his face. Still, there was a sane light in her eyes now. She recog- nized the powerful medicine he was holding. The silence of the people was impressive. The whole affair smacked of the ritualistic. Perhaps she realized she had a leading part in it, and must not destroy the symmetry of the whole. Or the poor thing may have been just heartbroken and only anxious to get back to her people in the lower village. Whatever the influence that kept her subdued, she gazed for a moment into the brute’s face, then dropped her head, resumed her chanting - ‘and walked on toward the river road. I plucked the skin from Le Borgne’s hand rather briskly and tossed it to the Pillager to replace in the pack. “White man, wait!’’ hoarsely cried Le Borgne. ‘Give it back to me!” “You will trade?” “Take the white woman! robes and the skin!’ “Miss Dearness!’’ I called out. ‘Don’t come to the door till I give the word. Then be ready to ride. Ive bought you!” Give me -the I nodded to the- expressionless-faced - Pillager and he handed the pack over to Le Borgne, who started hurriedly for his hut, hugging his new medicine close. Old Choke-Cherry yowled in joy, and assured me such a medicine-feast would be given that night as never was before enjoyed by the Willow Indians, as the Minnetarees call themselves. I did not seek to dis- courage him, but so soon as the Pillager brought the horses I purposed to start for the Mouse River. Already the Pillager was making for the corral. OW the Minnetarees had a despicable custom in trade of agreeing to a bar- gain, exchanging the goods, pronounc- ing. themselves perfectly well satisfied, and, after an hour or so, coming back and demanding that their property be re- turned to them, leaving the purchase price “on the ground” as they say. Flat Mouth had told me about these trade tricks by which they hoped to induce the trader to increase the price first agreed upon. Not once, but as often as the victim will endure this insolent disregard of the bargain, will “S JOO comic (El)