The waiting Indians grunted agreement. They were willing enough to obey the beautiful princess. The White Antelope turned again to Buffalo Bill: “Where are the paleface brothers of Pa-e-has-ka?” Buffalo Bill pointed in the direction from which he had come. “Far away.” “The White Antelope is his foe, and the foe of his people; but she wishes not to see the wolves and the vultures tear the bodies of brave men for food. The Sioux have come to remove their dead. Let Pa-e-has-ka go bring his brother warriors to remove the paleface slain.” At that Boyd Bennett uttered an oath and sprang forward. “Not that, girl! You’re crazy!” “We’ll see who wears the breeches in this family, Boyd Bennett!” laughed the scout. “You shall not leave this spot alive, Bill Cody!” “Oh, shucks! Don’t speak so harshly,” gibed the scout. The girl raised her hand. Without looking at the renegade, she said to Buffalo Bill: “But Pa-e-has-ka must make the White Antelope a promise.” “All right. What is it?” “The White Antelope came from the great chief Oak Heart, who told her to seek the paleface warriors and tell them where to find their dead. He bids them to come here and remove their slain in peace, and not to follow on the track of his people. Will Pa-e-has-ka tell the big chief the words of Oak Heart?” “I will.” “Then Pa-e-has-ka must promise to return and yield himself to the Sioux.” She looked Buffalo Bill straight in the eye as she stated her condition, and he saw that she meant exactly what she said; but he asked: “Does the White Antelope mean that I am to give myself up to the red warriors after I have guided the bluecoats here?” “She has spoken.” “And this is the promise she wishes Pa-e-has-ka to make?” The Indian girl nodded. “Why should Pa-e-has-ka return?” “He is the captive of the medicine chief, Death Killer, now; but White Antelope lets him go free that the paleface braves lie not unburied, and that the other white warriors take heed not to follow upon the trail of the Sioux. Will Pa-e-has-ka promise?” Buffalo Bill was silent for a moment. If he refused he knew that her protection would cease. If he agreed to her condition he must keep his word, be the end what it might. And that end looked to the scout much like an ironwood stake, a hot fire, and a bunch of naked red devils dancing a two-step about him while he slowly crisped to a cinder! There was a loophole. He made a mental reservation that, after bearing the tidings of the massacre to the fort, and delivering Oak Heart’s warning, he would return to the Sioux encampment--but with a force behind him that would surprise the redskins! “I agree,” he said finally. “Trust not the fox-tongue of the Long Hair!” cried Boyd Bennett violently. “He will not keep his pledge.” “The paleface is the foe of my people, but his tongue is straight,” declared the Indian maiden, with confidence. Buffalo Bill began secretly to weaken on that “mental reservation.”