Sudden Outlawed by Oliver Strange

Author:Oliver Strange [Strange, Oliver]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter XV

THE days that followed seemed like a dream after the rude experience of the desert. The character of the country had changed; there were still stretches of grass-covered prairie but they were not so extensive, and varied by hills and dales, some of them thickly wooded. Creeks were frequent, and with abundant feed and water, the cattle quickly recovered, and, being thoroughly “trail-broke,” gave little trouble. Beyond the certainty that they were still in Indian territory and were heading north, they had no knowledge of their position. This did not trouble them; in their own phrase, “Time to ford a river is when yu come to it.” Sandy shared in the general optimism.

“That little of desert done us a good turn after all,” he remarked, as he paused for a moment beside his friend. They were rounding up tHe herd for the day’s drive. The slanting rays of the rising sun were dispersing the haze over the bedding-ground, a little savannah of rich grass entirely shut in by timber and brush. The camp was at the far end, some half-mile distant. “We’ve shook off Mister Rogue.”

“Someone’s been smilin’ at yu,” Sudden replied, with gentle sarcasm, and then, “Rogue knows where we’re makin’ for—he don’t have to follow us. What’s worryin’ me is not seein’ any Injuns.”

“Well, that’s a misfortune I can bear easy,” the boy returned lightly. “Mebbe we’ve just been lucky.”

Sudden declined to accept this view. “I’ve a hunch we’re bein’ watched,” he said.

“Yu’ve been rubbin’ noses with Jed,” Sandy chaffed. “The war-whoops is all busy chasin’ the festive buffalo.”

Sudden started to grin, changed his mind, and gripped a gun instead. “Here’s some that ain’t,” he said quietly.

Out of the brush a line of horsemen had silently emerged, pulling up in the form of a half-circle about two hundred yards from the herd. They were Indians, big, well-built fellows, sitting their mettlesome little ponies like bronze statues. Each brave carried a long lance, bow and arrows, and on the left arm a round shield of buffalo hide, hair inwards, stretched on hickory, with pictures of the moon, stars, serpents, and other symbolic devices painted on the front. Their fierce faces, and their chests, were daubed with colour.

At the sight of them the cowboys pulled out their rifles, but the Indians showed no hostility. Only one advanced, a tall oldish man, gaily bedecked with eagle plumes, and bearing on his shield the presentment of a black bear. His right hand was raised, palm outwards, in token that he came on a peaceful mission. Despite the cruel, crafty expression on his face he was an imposing figure. He rode straight to the foreman—having doubtless observed him giving orders—uttered a guttural “How!” and began to speak. Jeff listened for a moment and shook his head.

“No savvy,” he said, and beckoned to Sudden. “Mebbe yu can find out what he’s after.”

The redskin repeated his statement and the cowboy was able to gather the gist of it.

“He says he is Black Bear, a

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