Adventure Magazine Cover — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

118 of custom. The Minnetarees were deter- mined to protect the two hostile Indians even if it cost them the friendship of the Cheyennes. The men were finally brought well within our tines, thrust into a small tent and told to keep out of sight. Next fol- lowed an hour of vehement speech-making. At last the Cheyennes said they would get their chance later. Choke-cherry was nervous and uneasy and at once began preparing for the ceremony. Miss Dearness became so deeply inter- ested in the Assiniboins that I made some comment upon it. She replied: “They were with those who drove us down here. They are spies. They came to learn if we were here, and when we are likely to go. Their main body is in hiding somewhere near.”’ “They must not go back to tell what they’ve learned,” I said. “Oh, not murder,” she protested. “‘Self-defense,”’ I grimly qualified. I turned to the Pillager and found him perfectly composed. He said he had known the moment he beheld the two, that their errand on the Knife concerned us. I said to the girl: “Tt’s very simple. Jl get word to the Cheyennes to watch the two and bag them if they leave the village. Flat Mouth shall tell them, as he talks the sign language.” “But the war-party outside waiting to catch us?” she murmured. “Flat Mouth shall tell of that, too. The Cheyennes shall go and drive them away.” I began to feel rather obliged to the two fellows for coming in and revealing the un- suspected danger. So far as [ could observe, the wrangling over the Assiniboins terminated without any obvious gain made by either side except that the Minnetarees kept the two Indians alive. With the dissension smoothed away, next came the ceremony of completing the treaty. The terms were simple and ac- cepted by both tribes. The alliance was to wage war on the Sioux and their allies. Choke-cherry, by formally adopting a Chey- enne youth as his son, would be creating ‘binding ties between the tribes. The Cheyennes, however, were reluctant to proceed with the business. Flat Mouth got hold of a Mandan and learned the Cheyennes were angry that Le Borgne did not consider the treaty of enough importance to be present. It had Adventure — only needed the incident of the Assiniboins to bring this resentment to the surface. The medicine-tent was not up, nor had they formed a smaller ceremonial horseshoe of the white leather tents. After much argu- ing and oratory the medicine tent was finally erected. Choke-cherry made a long-winded speech and called to him Two Crows, a Minne- taree chief, and gave to him the long pipe- stem he had so carefully guarded from being profaned by touching his horse. This stem was adorned with feathers, and Two Crows, in accepting it, danced gro- tesquely back and forth, while two young Minnetarees beat on a drum and rattled antelope hoofs together. After a certain amount of prancing, came the ceremonial visit to the tent of the Cheyenne who was to be adopted. Two Crows went ahead with his thudding dance step, and behind him danced the men with the drum and the hoofs. We followed with Choke-cherry. At Choke-cherry’s command three horses were brought along. Several pegs were pulled out, and the flaps of the tent drawn back so that the horses could be led inside. The three halters were placed in the hands of a very sullen looking young man who was seated opposite the entrance. Two Crows danced up and offered him the sacred stem. To the con- sternation of Choke-cherry the stem was haughtily waved aside. Choke-cherry tried to reason with him, but he would not come out of his sulks. _ THE situation was growing serious. Flat Mouth gained the side of the — Cheyenne war-chief, who was sar- donically watching Choke-cherry’s em- barrassment, and talked rapidly with one hand masked by his robe. Only the chief could read his talk, and, as he compre- hended, his eyes darted fire. Striding to the young man he spoke in his ear, whereat the stem was accepted. Choke-cherry and Two Crows now took him by the arms and led him to the medicine-tent and seated him beside some new red strouds—coarse blankets. Choke-cherry sat on his right and Two Crows on his left. The musicians continued their efforts, and a figure danced in with the head of a buffalo on his shoul- ders, the nostrils and mouth of which were stuffed with dried grass. He placed the Gomicbooks.co