John Ermine of the Yellowstone

e soldiers as they looked at the bare-backed rider with the yellow braids and the glaring handkerchief. They had left their impedimenta with the worn-out ponies back i

ns numerous and 'uncooked' fell on their ears. Ermine felt embarrassed with the attention of so many people centred on him, but his face was cut to stand such shocks. His swift gl

t blond beard, a man less pretentious in his garb than any about him, but whose eye arrested Ermine by the commanding keenness. Dismounting, the officer, saluting

hased you?" ask

e in here by daylight; they surprised us, and we di

ome from, my boy

ry to help you fight the Sioux-myself

if, the general sa

y mother she was Gro Ventre; I am a warrior; I spak de E

t with him when he died? I suppose you attended to that mat

on, dey aire leave dar

yes on the white lad, the gene

es

make the

e the sign

ever been

, s

you to spe

e, Crooked-Bea

not one of the Pike County breed, it seems-Crooked-Bear-Crooked-Bear. Take them to the scout cam

s they passed a man on foot he inquired of Fe

to me this morning; wi

Then to John Ermine, "Do you

after long years of association with the tribes. All the signs and gestures made by Indians are distinctive with them and are very suggestive from their constant use of the sign langu

is you

few interviews. He had heard it from the mouth of Crooked-Bear on infrequent occa

, Lieutenant Ferguson?" spoke the chief of scouts, who

ed his horse. "Go with Captain Lewis t

re of knowing that Uncle Sam would open his wagons to them in return for their hair and blood when his representative should order the sacrifice. Wolf-

ain

t. About the cook fire squatted or sprawled the allies of the white troops. There were Crows and Indians from other tribes-together with half-breeds whose heraldic emblazonment ough

lties so over-fed and clogged as he. In turn the soldiers attempted to engage him in conversation as he passed ab

ess of them undermined the admiration for the white soldie

ell with a hand-organ on the Bowery."-"Is he a square s

aning on a wagon-wheel whittling a stick, to which that one replied: "You take my ad

camp and lay down on a stray robe. The whole thing had not impressed him quite as he had anticipated; it had a raw quality, and he found he did not sift down into the white mass; he had a lo

Sunlight or firelight never in the ages played on a wilder group than this; not on the tribes of Asiatics who swarmed in front of Alexander; not in the deserts of Northern Africa: nor

n." He followed to the tent designated, and was told to come in and sit down. The officer sat opposite, on a camp stool, a

e I was born, but I have live

d not teach you t

comrade up in the mountains, and he tau

must have been an educated man," queried the

ted white man, who said he is dead, that his fires have burnt out

it become deranged? Clearly he saw that Ermine had been a captive; but this mystery of mind cultivation by one who was dead-ha

e I ought to come here a

ever bee

was a boy, and I wear the eagle feather upright,"

carry a Spencer carbine. I have not se

tantly a soldier stepped into the tent, touching his forehead in salute. "Go down and draw a carbine, fifty rounds, a saddle, bl

kind I ha

want som

ve tried on the heavy leather shoes, but they

any time you want anything come to me. And

d of it. I know I have much t

re in a moment which will displace that high-art headgear of yours, and may I ask if you will not take your hair out of those

rs of long hair. Having finished, he gave his head a toss; the golden tresses, released from their bindings, draped h

ded, "Say, you are a village beauty, Ermine, by Gad-I'd like a photograph of you." And that worthy

his head during these exertions, and he came up all standing, but the discipline told. All he did as he gazed helplessly at Ermi

that blond Injun what was run in here this morning? Well, he's in the Captain's tent, and the Captain has got him to take his hair down, undo them b

irt and tied the yellow handkerchief round his neck. The campaign hat was a failure, as Jones had feared. It floated idly on the fluffy golden tide, and was clearly going to spoil the Captain's art work; it was nothing short of comical. Frantically the officer snatched his own hat from his camp-ches

, his eyes closed, and his mouth opened ever so little, only escaping looking f

his papers on the chest, "go down to camp now; the outfi

cing refrain passed from regiment to regiment. The thing itself is dear to the tired soldier who dreads its meaning. It is always a merry beginning

stles, howls. "You blaze!"-"Oh, Brown!"-"D-- you, Brigham!"-, --, --, and other phrases which cannot be printed. That mules and teamsters have never received a proper public appreciation of their importance in war is one of the disheartening injustices of the world. Orderlies and mounted officers tore about; picturesque men who had been saved from the scrap-heap of departing races ranged aimlessly or smoked placidly; they had no packing to do, their baggage

he long, snakelike columns of horse and foot and wagons come crawling. It was the most impressive sight he had ever beheld, but he could not arrange any plan in his own mind whereby the command was going to fight the Sioux. All the Indians in his world cou

he had heard came into his mind. It was the awful stolidity of never ending time which appalled Ermine as he calculated his strategy-no single desperate endeavor would avail; to kill all those men behind him would do the Sioux no good whatever. In single battles the white men were accustomed to leave more men than that, dead, on the field. Still, think as he would, the matter was not clear to him

l over the soldiers, there was nothing to be seen of the Sioux; that was another difference, and one which was in no wise reassuring to Ermine. The dry, deserted landscape was, however, an old comrade, and acted as a se