Edward Sylvester Ellis

“ 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 forefathers 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 lamented the superstition of his own race. ”

“ Jack pricked his ears and increased his pace.
"It can have but one meaning," muttered Brinton, with a throbbing heart; "someone is in peril: can it be they?"
He reined up his pony and stood still on the crest of the first elevation he reached, after the ominous sounds fell on his ears.
At that moment he descried coming over another ridge, a furlong away, a troop of thirty or forty cavalry, riding at a gallop toward him. ”

“ It would be hard to describe Brinton's emotions when on the first startled glance at the solitary Indian he recognised him as Wolf Ear, whom he had encountered but a little while before. The Indian looked fixedly at him, and something like a smile lit up his broad coppery face.
"Thus we meet, Brinton," he said in his low voice; "will you come forward and shake hands?"
"Why should I shake hands?" asked the youth, thoroughly distrustful of the Ogalalla; "we are enemies." ”

“ Though his brave companion had fallen almost at his side, Brinton Kingsland had reached the camp of the supply train without receiving so much as a scratch. He mourned him, for he was a worthy man; but he was heart-broken at his failure to gain tidings of his loved parents and little sister. He did not know what to do, and could only fear the worst.
When he had told his story to his new friends, none of them were able to offer any encouragement or hope.
The supply train consisted of a dozen waggons, in charge of sixteen teamsters. ”

“ Brinton's expectation that they would lose no time in coming together was not precisely fulfilled, for while the horsemen were yet a long way off, they swerved sharply, as though they identified the youth for the first time.
"They intend to give me some attention," was his thought, "without waiting for Wolf Ear to join them. They know that I belong to the white race, and that is enough."
The youth did not feel any special alarm for himself, for he was confident that Jack was as fleet-footed as any of the animals bestrode by the hostiles, and would leave them behind in a fair race. ”

“ The sky maintained its heavy leaden hue, the wind blew fitfully and was of piercing keenness, and the occasional snow-flakes, whirling about the heads of the fugitives, were more like hailstones than the soft downy particles which had appeared earlier in the afternoon. The view was shortened in the gathering gloom, and the anxious eyes glancing around the different points of the compass, and especially to the rear, failed to reveal the dreaded horsemen from whom they were fleeing. ”

“ Any one of the hostiles, by climbing the side of the arroya, was sure to see the little company of fugitives emerge therefrom, and it was inconceivable that they should not take that simple precaution.
"There is something beyond all this which has not yet appeared," he said; "neither Wolf Ear nor his companions are fools."
The river swept by in the gathering darkness at their feet. The current was not swift, but pieces of ice lay against the shores, and floated past in the middle of the stream. The opposite bank could hardly be seen in the gloom. ”

“ Brinton flung himself on the neck of his pony, who seemed to spin about on his hind feet as he galloped furiously through the water for the shore he had just left. Nothing but this precaution and the deepening gloom saved the daring youth from death. It required a few precious seconds for the hostiles on the other bank to comprehend what had taken place, and when they began firing the form of the horse and his rider were fast vanishing from sight. ”

“ In the same moment that Brinton recognised the horseman immediately in his front as a foe, he observed that his pony had also halted and the rider was in the act of bringing his weapon to his shoulder.
The mitten was snatched from the youth's right hand and thrust in the pocket of his coat. He had no time to slip the other off, nor was it necessary, since that only supported the rifle. He hastily brought his Winchester to a level, and, knowing that everything depended upon who was the quicker, he took instant aim at the centre of the dark figure and let fly. ”

“ It looked as if one or two of the shots inflicted damage, but not to the extent of disabling any pony or his rider.
Standing at the rear of one of the waggons, where he could see everything that was going on, Captain Wadsworth watched the exciting incidents. At his elbow was Brinton Kingsland, who did not think it worth while to try his hand with his Winchester, though the others were continually cracking around him.
"What is to be feared," said the captain, "is that the hostiles will soon increase to such an extent that they will overwhelm us." ”

“ It could wait until he learned the truth about the folk at home, which he was now rapidly drawing near.
Over a swell in the prairie, across a small creek, whose icy waters hardly came above Jack's fetlocks, up a second rise, and then Brinton Kingsland uttered an exclamation of amazement and sharply checked his animal. ”

“ The first warning the youth received of the true state of affairs was when the approaching horsemen fired from behind him at the group crowding around and pressing the scout so sorely. But the hostiles were quicker than he to see their peril. They wheeled hastily, and, flinging themselves over the necks of their ponies, skurried in the direction of the Cheyenne.
It is the custom of the American Indians to carry off their dead and wounded. ”

“ But Brinton was in earnest, and his eagerness was increased by the discouraging manner of the captain.
"I understand your feelings, and I am not blind to what is in the path of the one who attempts to do what I have proposed; but, captain, bear two things in mind: there isn't a fleeter horse in the whole West than my Jack. When I gave him rein he pulled away from those Indians as though their animals were walking. So all I have to secure is a fair start."
"Exactly," replied the leader with a grim smile, "and therein you sum up the whole business. All that you need to succeed is to succeed. ”

“ Ah me, what will become of father, ill and weak as he is?"
The words of Wolf Ear made the youth more circumspect 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 diverged. ”

“ CHAPTER III.
"THERE ARE FIFTY HOSTILES."
To the westward the Black Hills thrust their vast rugged summits against the wintry sky; to the south, a spur of the same mountains put out toward the frontier town of Buffalo Gap; to the north-east wound the Big Cheyenne, on its way to the Missouri, and marking through a part of its course the southern boundary of the Cheyenne Reservation, while creek, stream, and river crossed the rolling plain that intervened, and over all stretched the sunless sky, from which the snow-flakes were eddying and whirling to the frozen earth below. ”

“ During these exciting minutes the youth had forgotten about the young Ogalalla, until this glimpse of the well-remembered features told him the startling truth. The shock caused him involuntarily to tighten the rein of Jack, and the animal, obedient as he generally was, instantly slackened his pace.
But the hesitation was for a few seconds only. Brinton felt that he ought not to have been surprised after the events of the preceding day and night.
"He deserves death more than any of the rest, for his knowledge has been greater than theirs, and his excuse is less. ”

“ The chilliness of the air continued, and a few feathery flakes 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 noted that the temperature was falling.
"Like enough we shall have one of those blizzards, when the horses and cattle freeze to death under shelter and we can only huddle 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. ”

“ Whether the sagacious animal understood what was asked of him can only be conjectured, but he acted as if he did. He threw up his head, sniffed the air, pricked his ears, and started off at an easy swinging gallop.
Brinton's heart rose with hope.
"He must know where he came from; a horse can teach the best hunter at such a time, and Jack understands what he is doing."
The pony cantered but a comparatively short way, when he dropped to a rapid walk, which grew slower every moment. ”

“ As he was on the point of giving up all hope of ever seeing him again, Brinton Kingsland was naturally overjoyed at meeting his favourite pony. The situation of the young man would have proved a sad one, had he been compelled to wander over the prairie on foot, for he would have been liable to encounter hostiles at any moment. ”

“ Good fortune attended the daring attempt of Brinton Kingsland. By a providential occurrence, most of the hostiles were on the side of the supply camp, in the direction of the ridge from whose crest the signal smoke was ascending, when the youth, dexterously guiding his pony through the waggons that surrounded him, quickly cleared himself of all obstacles. ”

“ Our friends hoped, if they escaped until then, to lessen greatly the distance between them and Pine Ridge.
A quarter or a third of a mile through the winding gully, and Brinton drew rein, and waited until his parents rode up beside him.
"I wonder what has become of them?" was his inquiring remark.
"What does it matter," asked his mother in turn, "so long as we cannot see them? We must be a good way from them now."
"I wish I could think so, but I can't feel easy while riding in this blind fashion. There may be greater danger in front than we have left behind." ”

“ The Indian, like all savages, is very superstitious. He loves to think over the time, hundreds of years ago, when the red men roamed over the whole continent from ocean to ocean. He dreams of those days, and believes they will again return—that the pale faces will be driven into the sea, and the vast land become the hunting ground of the Indians. ”

“ 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."
"And suppose you did not; are you the sort of warrior that shoots another in the back?" ”

“ There isn't any time to lose, and you are not going to let a miserable redskin outspeed you."
The pony flung up his head, snuffed the air, stretched out his neck, and away he went with arrowy swiftness. He knew what was wanted of him, and was not the one to shirk his duty.
It was at this juncture that the fugitive, going like a whirlwind, turned his head for an instant and glanced back Brinton was watching him, and saw the scowling face glaring like a wild beast through the thicket of flying hair.
"Great heavens! it's Wolf Ear!" ”

“ As if in sympathy with his young master, the pony moved off on a slow walk, which he continued until, by some means, which Brinton hardly understood, he clambered down into a gully, similar to the arroya in which they had taken shelter that afternoon. In doing this, it is probable that the animal was guided by that instinct which prompts his kind to seek shelter from the severity of the weather, for the refuge was a welcome one to the rider as well as himself. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The craze spread like wildfire, and before the Government understood what was going on, the Indians were making ready for war. They were well armed, eager to attack the whites. The principal tribe was the Dakota or Sioux, the most powerful on the American continent.
The leading chief or medicine man was Sitting Bull. He was a bad man who had made trouble for more than twenty years. He could not endure the white men, and, when not actively engaged against them, was thinking out some scheme of evil. ”

“ Brinton asked the rest to halt at the base, while he dismounted and carefully went to the top on foot.
It was well he took this precaution, for his friends, who were watching his crouching figure as he cautiously went up the incline, saw him abruptly halt and peer over the ridge, in a way which showed he had perceived something. He remained but a minute, when he hurried back, pale and excited.
"There are fifty hostiles!" he exclaimed in an undertone, "and they are only a little way off!" ”

“ The captain and Brinton, however, agreed that two of the bucks were bent over and busy with something on the ground, while the third, standing on the crest of the ridge, appeared to be awaiting the action of his companions before carrying out some plan he had in mind.
"Look!" whispered the youth; "isn't that smoke?"
The captain was silent a moment before answering—
"Yes; the Indian is like the Chinaman: he can start a fire where you and I couldn't kindle a spark. I believe they will make a bundle of water-soaked leaves crackle and burn like tinder wood. ”