The instant Brinton Kingsland looked around and saw the Indian on his pony2, a short distance away, with his rifle at his shoulder and about to fire a second time, he brought his own Winchester to a level and aimed at the one who had attempted thus treacherously3 to shoot him in the back.
The Indian was no older than himself, sitting firmly on the bare back of his horse, with his blanket wrapped about his shoulders, and several stained eagle feathers protruding5 from his hair, as black and coarse as that of his pony's tail. His dark eyes glittered as they glanced along the barrel of his rifle, and he aimed straight at the breast of the youth, who instead of flinging himself over the side of his horse in the attempt to dodge6 the deadly missile, sat bolt upright and aimed in turn at the miscreant7, who, as if stirred by the same scorn of personal danger, remained firmly in his seat.
It all depended on who should fire first, and that which we have related took place, as may be said, in the twinkling of an eye.
But with the weapons poised8, the eyes of the two glancing along the barrels and the fingers on the triggers, neither gun was discharged. Brinton was on the point of firing, when the Indian abruptly9 lowered his Winchester, with the exclamation—
The white youth had recognised the other at the same instant when another moment would have been too late. He, too, dropped the stock of his gun from his shoulder and called out with a surprised expression—
"Wolf Ear!"
The Indian touched his pony with his heel, and the animal moved forward briskly, until the riders faced each other within arm's length.
"How do you do?" asked the Ogalalla, extending his hand, which Brinton took with a smile, and the reproving remark—
"I did not expect such a welcome from you, Wolf Ear."
"I did not know it was you, good friend Brinton."
The broad face, with its high cheek bones, coppery skin, low forehead and Roman nose, changed from the pleasant smile which gave a glimpse of the even white teeth, to a scowl12, that told the ugly feelings that had been stirred by the questioning remark of the white youth.
"Your people have become my enemies: they have killed Sitting Bull, Black Bird, Catch-the-Bear, Little Assiniboine, Spotted13 Horse Bull, Brave Thunder, and my friend, Crow Foot, who was the favourite son of Sitting Bull. He was as a brother to me."
"And your people have killed Bull Head, Shave Head, Little Eagle, Afraid-of-Soldiers, Hawk14 Man, and others of their own race, who were wise enough to remain friends of our people. I know of that fight when they set out to arrest Sitting Bull."
"They had no right to arrest him," said Wolf Ear, with a flash of his black eyes; "he was in his own tepee (or tent), and harming no one."
"He was doing more harm to his own people as well as ours, than all the other malcontents together. He was the plotter of mischief; he encouraged this nonsense about the ghost dances and the coming Messiah, and was doing all he could to bring about a great war between my people and yours. His death is the best fortune that could come to the Indians."
"It was murder," said Wolf Ear sullenly15, and then, before the other could frame a reply, his swarthy face lightened up.
"But you and I, Brinton, are friends; I shot at you because I thought you were someone else; it would have grieved my heart had I done you harm; I am glad I did not; I offer you my hand."
Young Kingsland could not refuse the proffer16, though he was far from feeling comfortable, despite his narrow escape a moment before.
"I thought you were a civilised Indian, Wolf Ear," he added, as he relinquished17 the grasp, and the two once more looked in each other's countenances19; "you told me so when I last saw you."
Wolf Ear, the Ogalalla, was sent to Carlisle, when only eight years old. Unusually bright, he had made good progress, and won the golden opinions of his teachers by his gentle, studious deportment, and affection for those that had been kind to him.
He spoke20 English as well as the whites, and was a fine scholar. He went back to his people, when sixteen years old, and did what he could to win them from their savagery21 and barbarism.
He and Brinton Kingsland met while hunting at the base of the Black Hills, and became great friends. The young Ogalalla visited the white youth at his home on Raccoon Creek22, where he was kindly23 treated by the Kingslands, and formed a deep affection for little Edith.
But nothing had been seen of Wolf Ear for several months. The home of his people was some distance away, but that should not have prevented him from visiting his white friends, who often wondered why he did not show himself among them.
Rather curiously24, Brinton was thinking of his dusky comrade at the moment he was roused by the shot which nipped his coat sleeve. It was natural that he should be disappointed, and impatient to find that this bright Indian youth, who had lived for several years among civilised people, was carried away by the wave of excitement that was sweeping25 across the country. He knew that his twin brother and his father were still savages26, and it was easy to find excuse for them, but not for Wolf Ear.
"You believe in the coming of One to save your people—why should not we place faith in the coming of our Messiah?" was the pertinent27 question of Wolf Ear.
"What is this revelation?" asked Brinton, who had heard many conflicting accounts of the strange craze, and felt a natural desire for an authoritative28 statement.
"The Messiah once descended29 to save the white race, but they rejected and put him to death. In turn he rejects them, and will come in the spring, when the grass is about two inches high, and save his red children and destroy his white ones. He has enjoined30 upon all of us who believe in him to wear a certain dress and to practise the ghost dance, as often and as long as we possibly can, as a proof of our faith. If any of us die from exhaustion31, while performing this ceremony, we will be taken direct to the Messiah, where we shall meet those who have died, and whence we will come back to tell the living what we have seen and heard. When the Messiah comes in the spring, a new earth will be created, covering the present world, burying all the whites and those red men that have not joined in the dance. The Messiah will again bring with him the departed of our own people, and the earth shall once more be as our forefathers32 knew it, except there shall be no more death."
Brinton Kingsland listened, amazed as this expression fell from the lips of one who had often lamented33 the superstition34 of his own race. That he believed the words he uttered was proven by his earnestness of manner and the glow of his countenance18. The white youth restrained his impulse to ridicule35 the strange faith, for that assuredly would have given offence to the fanatic36, who had the right to believe whatever he chose.
"Well, Wolf Ear, I can only say I am sorry that you should have been carried away by this error——"
"By what right do you call it error?" interrupted the other with a flash of his eyes.
"We will not discuss it. It will do no good, and is likely to do harm. I need not be told that you belong to the hostiles, and, if trouble comes, will fight against the whites."
"Yes, you are right," calmly replied the Ogalalla, compressing his thin lips and nodding his head a single time.
"Your father and brother, whom I have never seen, would shoot me and my folk if they had the chance."
"Yes, and so would my mother: she is a warrior too."
"But suppose you and I or my father meet, or you have the chance to harm my mother and little sister, Edith?"
"Wolf Ear can never raise his hand against them, no matter what harm they may seek to do him. I do not have to tell you that you and I will always be friends, whatever may come."
This assurance would have had more weight with young Kingsland could he have felt certain that Wolf Ear was truthful37 in declaring that he did not suspect his identity at the moment of firing at him.
"I believe he meant to take my life," was his thought, "and still meant to do so, when he raised his Winchester a second time, but as we looked into each other's face, he weakened. His people are treacherous4, and this pretence38 of goodwill39 will not last, or, if it be genuine for the present, it will soon change."
Brinton said—
"You know where we live, Wolf Ear; I have set out to ride to the reservation to learn whether it is safe to stay where we are: what is your judgment40 in the matter?"
An indefinable expression passed over the broad face before him. The Ogalalla sat gracefully41 on his horse, even though he had no saddle. A bit was in the pony's mouth, the single rein43 looping around the neck and resting at the base of the mane, just in front of the rider, who allowed it to lie there, while the two hands idly held the rifle across the back of the animal and his own thighs44.
"You stayed too long," said he; "you should have left two weeks ago; it is too late now."
"But you know my father is not well, Wolf Ear," replied Brinton, with a sickening dread45 in his heart.
"What has that to do with this?"
"We did not wish to expose him to the severe weather, as we must in the ride to the agency."
"Is he better and stronger now?"
"Then you have gained nothing and will lose all by your delay."
Brinton had no further wish to discuss the ghost dance and the coming of the new Messiah with the young Ogalalla. All his thoughts were of those dear ones, miles away, whose dreadful peril47 he now fully42 comprehended for the first time. He saw the mistake that had been made by the delay, and a faintness came over him at the declaration of Wolf Ear that this delay was fatal.
His horse was facing the north-west, the direction of his home. There was no call for longer tarrying.
"Good-bye," he said, giving the Indian a military salute48; "I hope we shall meet ha more pleasant circumstances, when you shall see, Wolf Ear, the mistake you are making."
Trained in the ways of the white people, the dusky youth raised his hand to his forehead, and sat motionless on his horse, without speaking, as his friend dashed across the plain, over the trail which he had followed to the banks of the Big Cheyenne.
It was not yet noon, and Brinton was hopeful of reaching home long before the day drew to a close. The chilliness49 of the air continued, and a few feathery flakes50 of snow drifted horizontally on the wind or were whirled about the head of the young horseman. He glanced up at the leaden sky and noted51 that the temperature was falling.
"Like enough we shall have one of those blizzards52, when the horses and cattle freeze to death under shelter and we can only huddle53 and shiver around the fire and wait for the tempest to pass. It will be the death of us all, if we start for the agency and are caught in one of the blizzards, but death awaits us if we stay. Ah me, what will become of father, ill and weak as he is?"
The words of Wolf Ear made the youth more circumspect54 and alert than when riding away from his home. He continually glanced ahead, on his right and left and to the rear. The first look in the last direction showed him the young Ogalalla sitting like a statue on his pony and gazing after him.
Some minutes later, when Brinton turned his head again, he saw him riding at a rapid pace towards the north, or rather a little west of north, so that the course of the two slightly diverged55.
"He's up to some mischief, I'll warrant," was Brinton's conclusion, "and he already recalls his profession of friendship for me. Halloa! I don't like the look of that."
In the precise direction pursued by the Ogalalla, which was toward Rapid Creek, a tributary56 of the Big Cheyenne, he discerned several Indian horsemen. They were riding close, and were so mingled57 together that it was impossible to tell their number. They seemed to be about half a dozen, and were advancing as if to meet Wolf Ear, who must have descried58 them before Brinton.
"They will soon unite, and when they do he will be the fiercest warrior among them. I wonder——"
He held his breath a moment, and then only whisper—
"I wonder if they have not already visited our home?"
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1
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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3
treacherously
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| 背信弃义地； 背叛地； 靠不住地； 危险地 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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5
protruding
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的现在分词 )；凸 | |
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6
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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miscreant
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| n.恶棍 | |
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8
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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10
hoof
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| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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12
scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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13
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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14
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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16
proffer
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| v.献出，赠送；n.提议，建议 | |
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17
relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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18
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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20
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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21
savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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23
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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24
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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27
pertinent
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| adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的 | |
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28
authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 | |
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29
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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30
enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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32
forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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33
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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35
ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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36
fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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37
truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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38
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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39
goodwill
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| n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉 | |
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40
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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41
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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42
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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43
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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44
thighs
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| n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿 | |
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45
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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46
ailing
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| v.生病 | |
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47
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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48
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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49
chilliness
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| n.寒冷，寒意，严寒 | |
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50
flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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51
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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52
blizzards
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| 暴风雪( blizzard的名词复数 )； 暴风雪似的一阵，大量（或大批） | |
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53
huddle
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| vi.挤作一团；蜷缩；vt.聚集；n.挤在一起的人 | |
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54
circumspect
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| adj.慎重的，谨慎的 | |
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55
diverged
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| 分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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56
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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57
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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58
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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