The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail [12]
sat upon the grass, needing no words to speak the joy that filled their souls to overflowing. Suddenly Mandy sprang to her feet.
"Now, let me go, for within an hour we must be away. Oh, what a day we've had, Allan, one of the very best days in all my life! You know I've never been able to talk of the past to you, but to- day somehow I could not rest till I had gone through with it all."
"Yes, it's been a great day," said Allan, "a wonderful day, a day we shall always remember." Then after a silence, "Now for a fire and supper. You're right. In an hour we must be gone, for we are a long way from home. But, think of it, Mandy, we're going HOME. I can't quite get used to that!"
And in an hour, riding close as lovers ride, they took the trail to their home ten miles away.
CHAPTER IV
THE BIG CHIEF
When on the return journey they arrived upon the plateau skirting the Piegan Reserve the sun's rays were falling in shafts of slanting light upon the rounded hilltops before them and touching with purple the great peaks behind them. The valleys were full of shadows, deep and blue. The broad plains that opened here and there between the rounded hills were still bathed in the mellow light of the westering sun.
"We will keep out a bit from the Reserve," said Cameron, taking a trail that led off to the left. "These Piegans are none too friendly. I've had to deal with them a few times about my straying steers in a way which they are inclined to resent. This half-breed business is making them all restless and a good deal too impertinent."
"There's not any real danger, is there?" inquired his wife. "The Police can handle them quite well, can't they?"
"If you were a silly hysterical girl, Mandy, I would say 'no danger' of course. But the signs are ominous. I don't fear anything immediately, but any moment a change may come and then we shall need to act quickly."
"What then?"
"We shall ride to the Fort, I can tell you, without waiting to take our stuff with us. I take no chances now."
"Now? Meaning?"
"Meaning my wife, that's all. I never thought to fear an Indian, but, by Jove! since I've got you, Mandy, they make me nervous."
"But these Piegans are such--"
"The Piegans are Indians, plain Indians, deprived of the privilege of war by our North West Mounted Police regulations and of the excitement of the chase by our ever approaching civilization, and the younger bloods would undoubtedly welcome a 'bit of a divarshun,' as your friend Mike would say. At present the Indians are simply watching and waiting."
"What for?"
"News. To see which way the cat jumps. Then-- Steady, Ginger! What the deuce! Whoa, I say! Hold hard, Mandy."
"What's the matter with them?"
"There's something in the bushes yonder. Coyote, probably. Listen!"
There came from a thick clump of poplars a low, moaning cry.
"What's that?" cried Mandy. "It sounds like a man."
"Stay where you are. I'll ride in."
In a few moments she heard his voice calling.
"Come along! Hurry up!"
A young Indian lad of about seventeen, ghastly under his copper skin and faint from loss of blood, lay with his ankle held in a powerful wolf-trap, a bloody knife at his side. With a cry Mandy was off her horse and beside him, the instincts of the trained nurse rousing her to action.
"Good Heavens! What a mess!" cried Cameron, looking helplessly upon the bloody and mangled leg.
"Get a pail of water and get a fire going, Allan," she cried. "Quick!"
"Well, first this trap ought to be taken off, I should say."
"Quite right," she cried. "Hurry!"
Taking his ax from their camp outfit, he cut down a sapling, and, using it as a lever, soon released the foot.
"How did all this mangling come?" said Mandy, gazing at the limb, the flesh and skin of which were hanging in shreds about the ankle.
"Cutting it off, weren't you?" said Allan.
The Indian nodded.
Mandy lifted the foot up.
"Broken, I should say."
The Indian uttered not a sound.
"Run," she continued. "Bring a pail of water
"Now, let me go, for within an hour we must be away. Oh, what a day we've had, Allan, one of the very best days in all my life! You know I've never been able to talk of the past to you, but to- day somehow I could not rest till I had gone through with it all."
"Yes, it's been a great day," said Allan, "a wonderful day, a day we shall always remember." Then after a silence, "Now for a fire and supper. You're right. In an hour we must be gone, for we are a long way from home. But, think of it, Mandy, we're going HOME. I can't quite get used to that!"
And in an hour, riding close as lovers ride, they took the trail to their home ten miles away.
CHAPTER IV
THE BIG CHIEF
When on the return journey they arrived upon the plateau skirting the Piegan Reserve the sun's rays were falling in shafts of slanting light upon the rounded hilltops before them and touching with purple the great peaks behind them. The valleys were full of shadows, deep and blue. The broad plains that opened here and there between the rounded hills were still bathed in the mellow light of the westering sun.
"We will keep out a bit from the Reserve," said Cameron, taking a trail that led off to the left. "These Piegans are none too friendly. I've had to deal with them a few times about my straying steers in a way which they are inclined to resent. This half-breed business is making them all restless and a good deal too impertinent."
"There's not any real danger, is there?" inquired his wife. "The Police can handle them quite well, can't they?"
"If you were a silly hysterical girl, Mandy, I would say 'no danger' of course. But the signs are ominous. I don't fear anything immediately, but any moment a change may come and then we shall need to act quickly."
"What then?"
"We shall ride to the Fort, I can tell you, without waiting to take our stuff with us. I take no chances now."
"Now? Meaning?"
"Meaning my wife, that's all. I never thought to fear an Indian, but, by Jove! since I've got you, Mandy, they make me nervous."
"But these Piegans are such--"
"The Piegans are Indians, plain Indians, deprived of the privilege of war by our North West Mounted Police regulations and of the excitement of the chase by our ever approaching civilization, and the younger bloods would undoubtedly welcome a 'bit of a divarshun,' as your friend Mike would say. At present the Indians are simply watching and waiting."
"What for?"
"News. To see which way the cat jumps. Then-- Steady, Ginger! What the deuce! Whoa, I say! Hold hard, Mandy."
"What's the matter with them?"
"There's something in the bushes yonder. Coyote, probably. Listen!"
There came from a thick clump of poplars a low, moaning cry.
"What's that?" cried Mandy. "It sounds like a man."
"Stay where you are. I'll ride in."
In a few moments she heard his voice calling.
"Come along! Hurry up!"
A young Indian lad of about seventeen, ghastly under his copper skin and faint from loss of blood, lay with his ankle held in a powerful wolf-trap, a bloody knife at his side. With a cry Mandy was off her horse and beside him, the instincts of the trained nurse rousing her to action.
"Good Heavens! What a mess!" cried Cameron, looking helplessly upon the bloody and mangled leg.
"Get a pail of water and get a fire going, Allan," she cried. "Quick!"
"Well, first this trap ought to be taken off, I should say."
"Quite right," she cried. "Hurry!"
Taking his ax from their camp outfit, he cut down a sapling, and, using it as a lever, soon released the foot.
"How did all this mangling come?" said Mandy, gazing at the limb, the flesh and skin of which were hanging in shreds about the ankle.
"Cutting it off, weren't you?" said Allan.
The Indian nodded.
Mandy lifted the foot up.
"Broken, I should say."
The Indian uttered not a sound.
"Run," she continued. "Bring a pail of water