Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 272 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

7 | ee —— oon © ager 4 ——— a — er ae oe shall have your rations delivered here by the bank, so no one won’t be able to cheat you. How many people?’ “Rive,” said Bat cunningly, ‘ coffee and sugar for five. Haf five bimeby. Ugh! No like stay here. No like it. Gif wagon; we all go to Sitting Bull’s camp.” ‘“Wedon’t do any such thing,” retorted the scout coolly. ‘‘ Your wives and baby stay here, and don’t stir a step. Now then, will you go or not?” ‘‘Vat you vant me to go for?” asked Bat nihgn pe ‘‘T vanc know. Isit soldat? You vant fight? No, no, Ino go,” ‘‘ No, it ain’t soldiering nor fighting neither,” said George promptly. “It’s just to take this gentleman and me to the camp, ‘Vat you vant dere?” ‘'That’s none of your biz. We want to see Sitting Bull and give him a present,” Bat chuckled, “You gif bim me. I take him dere.” ‘‘Thank you fer nothing. This gentleman wants to study Injun life; take pictures; buy curiosities; trade,” Bat shuok his head, “Dey no let him go. You know dat. No man allowed trade vid hostile. You know dat, Monsieur Shorge. Vy you wake fool of me?” George could not help a laugh as he said to Slocum, aside: “Sharp old cuss, ain’t he? He knows that it’s against the law to trade, except at the agencies, with a permit,” Aloud to Bat he said: “ That’s our business, We take the risk of that on ourselves, Maybe we’ll get a permit, be not, but that’s nothing to you,” “All right, ma vs Not’ing to me?” echoed Bat. den, you find de way youself, Ino go.” And he seated himself again at the fire and looked at the smoke.. CHAPTER VIL HARD BARGAINING, Siocum began to feel discouraged, and whis- pered to Montana; ‘Why not tell bim what we want?” Montana George shook his head, ‘‘Leave himto me, The old cussis keen to go; but he’s drivin’ a hard gain.” “ But why not tell him what we want?’ ‘* Because, if we do, he'll sell us out as sure as fate. We've got to lie like thunder. You don’t suppose they’d give us the book, if they thought it was worth money? No, sir, We've got to steal that book somehow,” This conversation passed in a whisper, to which Bat listened with all his ears, while appearing most stolid, Then Montana George resumed. ‘‘Come, Bat, I tell you what we'll do with you, fer good.” Bat looked at the fire without deigning to turn his head, “We'll give you a horse and new rifle and revolvers, take care of your folks for the , and promise you two bundred dollars, when you come back with us.” Bat turned his face toward them with all ex- pressian discharged from it. ‘* No good,” was all he said, Even Montana George, who knew him well, seemed to be nettled as he asked: ‘Well, what is good then?” ned triumphantly. d you. Me take five hundred dollar down, rest when come back. Me want t’ree horse and wagon to move,” “Then darn your half-breed skin, you don’t t it,” cried Montana in high dudgeon, and as spoke he moved resolutely to the door. “Come, Mr. Slocum, it’s no use talking to that old tarrier. He kin go to blazes, [’ll find you a man that’s got some reason,” Siocum liste to what he said, but did not stir from the skin on which he had taken bis seat. He saw that Bat Richards was watching them both keenly, in spiteof his apparent stolidity, and an idea came into bis head, Leaning forward toward the Frenchman, he made a peculiar sign with the forefingers of both han The moment he made it the other turned his surprise, asking in French; ** What is it?’ “It is the Black Cloud,” answered Slocum in the same tongue, speaking low. ‘Does my brother sit ip the shadow ?”’ Bat Richards gravely bowed his head, and seemed to be trying to remember some formula of words, for he said slowly: ‘(Shadow and light are one to the brethren. From whence come you?’ “ From the wigwam of the East, by the great water,” said Slocum. ‘‘Give me the grip, that J mey know if you be a true brother,” Bat Richards instantly reached over his band and clasped that of the young surveyor, while Montana George, who at sound of the French tongue, bad turned in the doorway to look at them, epecniaten under his breath: “Welt, I swear.” Then young Slocum turned to George. d with a quick motion anda look of great. Seth Siocum, Railrord Surveyor. . 7 A ‘‘You can come and sit down,” he said, ‘I told you I’d been with Indians before, Mr. Richards is a brother, and will tell me the truth and go with me.” Indeed, the change in the demeanor of the Krenchman from that moment was so full and complete that George could bardly believe his eyes, and returned and sat down on the buffalo- robe in a stupor of amazemeat,. “Well,” said Slocum, taking the lead now that he had effected such an easy conquest, ‘Are the. brethren in these parts alive, brother?’ Bat nodded ra pi ‘* Alive and full of work.” ‘‘ Are there any in Sitting Bull’s camp?” ** Yes, yes, Sitting Bull himself is the chief, What are you, brother?” Slocum made a peculiar sign. ‘*Do vou know that?’ Bat nodded respectfully. He made another. Bat shook bis head with a look of awe. ‘* No, brother—I mean—chief—that is above me. Are you there?” Slocum smiled, ‘*l am far above that. Now you will come with us to the camp; is it not so? Bat bowed bis head respectfully. “T am your servant; but you will deal with me justly asa brotber. What do you want at the camp of Sitting Bull? I have my life to protect as wellas this mad American, and he cares for nothing. To him lam only a squaw- man, worse thanadog. You are a brother and know me. I ask, as a brother, what wish you at the camp?” Slocum hesitated. . The conversation took placein French, with which he was well acquainted, baving been brought up among French Canadians and Indians on the reservation in New York, and Montana George sat listening, but understand- ing nothing, except that the young man and the half-breed belonged to some secret order, which bad brought them together, Of the existence of such an order among the Indians Montana George had heard, and he had also heard that it omginally came from the Eastern Indians, who had probably established itamong themselvesin imitation of the white freemasonry, which first began to be prominent in history soon after the colonization of the North American colonies, Slocum had been initiated into one of these mystic lodges, early in life, by his uncle, and had takev all the degrees possible to be taken, without any expectation of using them. [t was in a vague curiosity, as a last resort, incredulous of the result, that be had made the sign to Bat Richards; but the result had de- lighted and astounded him. The order into which be had entered amon the Mohawks of New York, a moribund an almost extinct tribe, was flourishing out here among the Sioux, and promised bim an easy entry into their secret baunts. But for all that, Slocum hesitated as to an- swering Bat’s question in full. He did not yet know how far the influence of the order extended in modifying the natural ferocity of the savage. “I wish,” he said, ‘‘to see how the Brothers of the Cloud behave out here, and whether their work is pegnects performed. Iam sent by the head chief of all, whose name is only spoken in the last circle.” Bat aquenens to be satisfied, ‘My brother shall come with me. But it is necessary to fit me out for the journey. I must have what I said before, three horses and a wagon and oxen to move my family. I wish to live among my brothers again,” Slocum nodded. ‘*That is well. If you wish to come with us and bring your wives, you can do so, I will see t. Bat laid his band on the young man’s arm, asking esroestly: ‘Ts that on the word of a brother?” “Tt is; but 1 donot want youtotake your wives at all.” . Bat frowned fretfully. “Why not, brother?” “* Because lam coming back here and shall want you with me. The wives must stay here, that we may travel fast.” Bat looked sullenly at the fire, “My wives go whereI go, brother. If you want wives, you can have all you need at the camp of Sitting Bull, but I must have mine sheer me. I cannot leave them here by the wr, ‘Why not?’ asked Slocum with some surprise and curiosity. Bat Richards looked uneasily out of the door- way, where the two women still sat, The one that bad been skinning the coyote was now cutting the animal into pieces and shedding them into a pot, evidently for the purpose of supper. The half-breed shrugged his shoulders, ‘* You see the one cooking, Her neme is Red Feather. I bought her for five ponies from tbe Arapahoes, and she would run away to town after some other man if I left her.” —ee ees eS —-- -—--~- COO eS A eg ee ———— TE ee AT Seat en ttl nase —_—- -—_-_— ge Slocum could hardly help laughing, ‘‘ In that case, it seems to me I would let her go. She can’t be very fondof you, and you'll still have the other une. Who is she?” ‘*She is called a and is a good sqnaw,” said But, gravely. ‘‘ I need her to cook. Besides with women we shall travel safer,” ‘Why? Bat sbrugged his shoulders, “The Indians will see a lodgetrail and think it one of their own going into the camp. If we go witbout the lodge, we shall be taken | for spies and be killed by the dog soldiers.” Slocum tursved to Montana George, who had heen peers silent, and told him the result of the talk with Bat. . The plainsman looked doubtful. ‘““I don’t know much about these societies and orders,” he said, ‘‘I don’t belong to any myself, but I suppose it’s all rigbt. If we take the squaws and lodge we'll have to hive Injun fashion, and run from our own people, but maybe it will be for the best in the end. bain’t no more to say about it myself.” His tone was constrained and Slocum saw that he was offended: ‘Don’t be angry, George,” he began, George sbook bis bead. “I ain’t angry--that is, not with you, Slocum. You're anxious to get back what you’ve lost. But I don’t trust that sneakin’ Bat. He wants to git bis bull femilyee @ his Injun friends and leave us to get out thee way we know how.” 4~” Slocum drew him near to whisper. ‘You forget. I havea pledge from him he dare not break. He belongs to an Order,” Montana George looked obstinate, ‘May be it’s all rigbt. I’ve heard them as was Freemasons talk the same way; but I’ve knowed ’em cheat eaeh other as bad as any otber a, See I'll allow they’ll stick to- gether to cheat any one outside of their lodge.” Then to Bat the frontiersman said: ‘“ What’n blezes do you want with a wagon and oxen? You ca.’t take ’enr over the bad lands, and ae know it.” Bat curled bis lip. ' ‘‘Ilf Itake de wagon I go over all de bad ane we find. You t’ink I never travel befort? gh! ‘* But you know well enough that we couldn't get anyway nigh Sitting Bull’s camp with a wagon,” pursued George. ** The Injuns would | trail us and come down on us like a pack of wolves,” Bat shrugged his shoulders. | | “T *tend todat,” was all the answer that he - a. Slocum addressed him again in French: ‘My brotber will tell me his plans,” he. sien an ‘‘In the name of the Order I ask my brotber whetber be can take me to Sitting Bull’s camp in safety or not. That is all I re- quire of bim.” Bat Richards stretched out his hand to the young engineer, and met him with the grip of the Order. ‘*On the faith of a brother, I will take you im safety to the camp of Sitting Bull,” he answer- ed. “I will take you to bimself, and you shalt find him a brother, I can promise no mo than this, If you have told me the trath, an desire no more than to examine the brothe fee shall come away as safe as you went: b warn you, brother, that if you have any de- ceit in your heart against the Order you had better stay at home,” | The manner of the balf-treed was simple and earnest, and his language, now thst he was | aking his native tongue, devoid of the jerky abruptness he used in the English speech, | Slocum was indeed so much impressed by it that he felt an involuntary tremor as he re- flected that his real one in going to the In- dian camp was otber than that be affected, and for a moment bad serious thoughts of te))in all and throwing himself on the honor of his half-breed confederate. It was witb some disturbance of manner that he finally said: | **Of course I have no evil designs against any brother of the Order. I go to see if they have kept alive the sacred fire and to test their krowl- edge in the oracles of the Order of the Dark Cloud.” Bat Richards bowed his head. ‘You will be welcome among them in that case. You will find many there far ahove ma, and to them you will be more than welcome, It is settled. I willgo with you and you shall take me and my wives to the eamp,” “ But the money?’ objected Slocum. “TI am not a rich brotber, and cannot afford to pay a thousand dollars,” oe S Bat Richards waved his band. ‘* You are my brother and will pay me’ what you can afford.” Slocum hesitated again. ** No, nae be answered, ‘'I do not wish to de- ceive you, brother. I cannot afford to pay Pb om Mr. anything of myself. Themoney willcome other people.” _ Bat pricked up his ears. ph risw ‘From what other people?.. The soldiers?” ‘No. The soldiers do not wish me to go.” comicboo (S;CO