ed of
chivalry told to this day of their fathers--restoring lost property to
the legitimate owners? Could it be that, knowing the presence of the
squadron on the Mini Chaduza, and the probability of the frightened
owners having found refuge there, these Indians were now actually
driving thither? They were still on their reservation. There was
nothing but the fugitives' statement to warrant the belief that the
camp had been attacked and burned. There was nothing, in fact, to
justify an attack upon the present possessors. They would probably
scatter, rush to the reservation, tell their tale to the agent, and the
press and the peace societies would presently be flooding the country
with columns concerning the murderous onslaught on a friendly people
made by a reckless soldiery.

Yet something had to be done, and that right speedily; for now, instead
of breasting the long slope, and coming, as at first, straight toward
the ridge, the Indians were lashing the leaders in gradual turn to the
westward. Now they were skirting the foot of the incline and moving
parallel to the ridge, and then it was that Geordie saw the reason.
They had made the wide sweep outward in order to circle the head of a
ravine which, starting only a few hundred yards out to the left front,
went winding deeper and steeper through the "bench" until it finally
opened out into the creek bottom a long mile away.

Yes, the whole scheme was evident now. They had captured the camp and
the wagon with its contents, and, knowing the difficult country and
crossings along the lower Fork, were scurrying with their booty around
the great southward bend, hoping to get away to the west, reach the
trail of the war-party that had evaded the cavalry, and follow on with
their prize. Or else, still keeping within the reservation line, to
drive on westward for the valley of the Wounded Knee and their red
brethren of the Pine Ridge Agency, the Brules of old Spotted Tail's
(Sinte gleshka's) long famous band.

Yet there, too, this wagon would be a white elephant. Why had they not
divided among themselves the simple contents of a hunter's camp outfit,
cut loose with the horses, and burned the big vehicle, which they could
not use?

Then all in a moment the truth flashed upon Geordie. Years before he
had heard of such traffic, heard the fierce denunciation lavished by
officers and men upon the miscreants who, for love of gold, would sell
to Indians, at fabulous price, the mea