ffect that since his first coming had been
in vain, since the white people had doubted and reviled him, had nailed
him to the cross, and trampled upon his doctrines, he had come again in
pity to save the Indian. He declared that he would cause the earth to
shake and to overthrow the cities of the whites and destroy them, that
the buffalo would return, and the land belong to the red race forever!
These events were to come to pass within two years; and meanwhile they
were to prepare for his coming by the ceremonies and dances which he
commanded.

This curious story spread like wildfire and met with eager acceptance
among the suffering and discontented people. The teachings of Christian
missionaries had prepared them to believe in a Messiah, and the
prescribed ceremonial was much more in accord with their traditions than
the conventional worship of the churches. Chiefs of many tribes sent
delegations to the Indian prophet; Short Bull, Kicking Bear, and others
went from among the Sioux, and on their return all inaugurated the
dances at once. There was an attempt at first to keep the matter secret,
but it soon became generally known and seriously disconcerted the Indian
agents and others, who were quick to suspect a hostile conspiracy under
all this religious enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, there was no thought
of an uprising; the dancing was innocent enough, and pathetic enough
their despairing hope in a pitiful Saviour who should overwhelm their
oppressors and bring back their golden age.

When the Indians refused to give up the "Ghost Dance" at the bidding of
the authorities, the growing suspicion and alarm focused upon Sitting
Bull, who in spirit had never been any too submissive, and it was
determined to order his arrest. At the special request of Major
McLaughlin, agent at Standing Rock, forty of his Indian police were sent
out to Sitting Bull's home on Grand River to secure his person
(followed at some little distance by a body of United States troops for
reinforcement, in case of trouble). These police are enlisted from
among the tribesmen at each agency, and have proved uniformly brave and
faithful. They entered the cabin at daybreak, aroused the chief from
a sound slumber, helped him to dress, and led him unresisting from the
house; but when he came out in the gray dawn of that December morning in
1890, to find his cabin surrounded by armed men and himself led away to
he knew not what fate, he cried out loudly: