Adventure Magazine Cover — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

Gentlemen of the North her hand and looking toward the Pillager. I leaped out in front with my gun, and the warriors behind the Chippewa vanished over the sides of their ponies and swung off to the west. On rushed Flat Mouth, still singing and shouting. But the climax of his arrival was weakened by a puff of smoke from a mound of grass. The signal fire was burning, and the Indians were heaping wet grass and green branches upon it. Leaving the two to watch the smoke, I hastened to the north side of the grove. Had the enemy but known it he could have massacred the girl and me easily, as we watched the Pillager’s sensational ex- ploit. When I came to the end of the growth I noted the Sioux had heard the Chippewa’s scalp-yell and were very un- easy. They were riding back and forth, their eyes fixed on the timber, while one of their number was galloping madly toward the tip of the grove to learn what had happened. After watching them for a minute and failing to detect any sign of an advance on our position, I returned to my companions and related what I had observed. “The name of Eshkebugecoshe fills the Sioux hearts with fear. It makes them old women,” loudly boasted the chief. “It was a big coup,” I declared. ‘“‘You may paint the marks of death and the feet of horses on your body and on your tent to show you killed a man while riding hard.” The chief toned down his vanity on meeting the girl’s clear gaze and confessed: “Eshkebugecoshe is a mighty warrior, but the white woman’s medicine helped him. It made the Sioux blind till I could creep very close.” “Couldn’t we get across the aoe I can swim,” eagerly spoke up Miss Dear- ness. ¢ foolish to cross before dark, but he suggested that I reconnoiter the river while he watched the Indians. He did not seem to think much of the suggestion, but as it came from the girl he was bound to consider it, probably believing her medicine suggested the plan. I thought very favorably of the idea. The Indians’ belief that we planned to use the ponies in attempting to escape would tend to blunt their watch of the river. FLAT MOUTH said it would be 93 I followed the rivulet until I came to its mouth, a bit of a beach grown round with reeds and tall grass. The river rolled brown and silent except for the murmuring of air currents. Mid-stream a huge tree floated with roots upraised, like arms held up in surrender—desolation and solitude. As I watched the water I decided a man could well risk the danger. A long swim under water, timed to take advantage of some of the driftwood ever passing, and the trick could be turned. But the water was icy cold and the danger was not for a woman to run unless absolutely necessary. Yet at night, with the aid of a log, Miss Dearness could be ferried across. I began to look about for some fallen timber which would serve as a raft. It was while occu- pied in this task that I received ample proof that the Sioux had not forgotten the river. The proof was an arrow which whizzed by my head and disappeared in the reeds. I drew back among the trees and, cocking my gun, searched the top of the bank. I could see nothing suspicious, yet a savage could remain below the bank with the top of his head masked by the fringe of dead grass. Thus concealed, he could follow my every movement and loose another arrow when I presented a fair target. | The thought made me uncomfortable, and I retreated deeper into the grove. A mocking yell told me that my flight had been witnessed, and, incensed, I turned back, determined to get a shot at him. The rascal was too cunning in his hiding, so, returning to my companions, I reported the incident. Flat Mouth slipped out of his white robes and without a word stole to the river to match his woodcraft against the sentinel’s. As he had reported that the Sioux on the north side of the timber were quiet, and as no danger could take the girl unaware from the south side, I sur- rendered to my desire and followed him. Armed only with his bow and arrow he slipped through the growth with the softness of a lynx, following my trail along the rivulet. Keeping well back, I watched him. He was studying my tracks rather than looking about for the enemy. He halted a short distance from where I had stood in the open when the arrow missed me, then glided to the edge of the reeds and, bending low, pulled an arrow from the Gomichbooks.co mn