Two Arrows: A Story of Red and WhiteStoddard, William O.
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Two Arrows: A Story of Red and White
Stoddard, William O.
Indians of North America -- Fiction
It sounded a little like Ha-ha-pah-no, and the Big Tongue was silenced.
He and the rest now listened to the answers of Two Arrows as to his
visit, and he gave a full account of the good treatment he had received.
It looked as if honors had fairly been heaped upon him and Na-tee-kah,
and, for their sakes, upon Ha-ha-pah-no. Some of the older squaws
shortly picked up the annoying fact concerning the latter that she had
learned how to make coffee, and that her hair was now brushed and combed
and made shiny. They knew what combs were. She would probably wear one
now. She would never again be the same woman in her own estimation, they
were sure of that. She had always held her head high enough, for her
husband was a renowned brave and her tongue was always in good order.
The drove of ponies and mules was the centre of attraction, after Two
Arrows had finished his recital, and every Nez Perce searched it
eagerly for his own. It was decided to send off several braves at once,
with some squaws and pack-ponies, to bring through the pass the lodges
and other materials they had hidden near the camp of their starvation.
Two Arrows ate his breakfast and dinner in one meal, and was then bidden
to mount a pony at once and ride away after his pale-face friends, with
the strongest assurances that the Nez Perces regarded them as so many
brothers. Long Bear also sent a handsome cougar-skin to Sile, as a
proper acknowledgment of the fact that he had been a looker-on at the
rescue of the quadrupeds from the misguiding leadership of the bad old
mule. Two Arrows rode gladly away upon his errand, and some of the
braves set out at once after the "left baggage." All whom they left
behind them had now abundant subject-matter for conversation and for
unlimited "Ughs!" The entire future suddenly brightened up for that band
of Nez Perces, and they were entirely confident of their ability to
procure a new supply of dogs. As for One-eye, that sagacious brute
wandered around the corral, from hoof to hoof, until he knew the facts
of the case thoroughly. He would have followed Two Arrows, but for the
stern refusal of Long Bear. He was needed at home all the more now that
there would be additional watching and barking to be done. On the whole
he was as well satisfied to have it so, for his accumulation of bone
treasures was becoming an affair for any dog to think about seriously.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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