Red Plume — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

84. - RED PLUME. were cowards; he would show them how a braye man could fight, and then they would be glad to admit him to their councils. The Blackfeet did not make their appearance until late in the afternoon of the next day, and then, as might have been expected, they suddenly poured down, brandishing their weapons and shouting their war-cries, upon the almost defense- less camp of the Néz Percés. Their attention was distracted for a time by the fine drove of horses that was so enticingly spread about upon the plain, and they applied themselves to stampeding the animals, and driving them. off in the* direction of their own camp. | This gave the peaceful owners of thé animals time to seize their weapons, and to fall back.on Captain Steele, not in yery good order, however. But they were too late, even then, for their warlike assailants Were soon upon their heels, sending i in among them volleys of arrows and_ bullets, and compelling them to make a stand in their own defense, to save themselves from being run over and destroyed. . - It must be confessed that, when cornered, they fought like men, availing themselves of every cover and inequality in the ground, and qian their weapons with good effect against their mounted antagonists. They lost many in killed and wounded, but had the satisfaction of laying low a number of the Black- feet, and slowly retreated, fighting all the way, until they reached the extemporized foriiscation of Captain Steele. The renegade, who had procured a rifle, mounted his horse at the first onset of the Blackfeet, and galloped into the melee, shouting his war-cry, and breathing defiance against his folie companions-in-arms. He was always in the front, encourag- ing his new allies by word and action, using his rifle with marked effect; and seeming to be inspired by fury and des- peration, rather than by valor. He was struck in the leg with an. arrow, but continued to. fight, until the. remnant of the de- feated party had reached the shelter of the barricades. The Blackfeet, elated by the acquisition of such a valuable booty, and intoxicated by their easy victory over those they had despoiled, conceived the rash idea of attacking the camp of the white men. They would not have been so foolhardy, perhaps, if they had known the force ready to meet them, but, they were so excited as to pe nearly crazy, expecting to comichooks.c Com