Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919 — page 169: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Gentlemen of the North to indulge in oratory. By his touching his ax and the Sioux scalps I knew he was declaiming his greatness, and, as all must have known his willingness to fight Le Borgne, he was heard with the deepest respect and attention. But when he reached behind him and fumbled with the cords of the pack and continued his talk his audience smiled skeptically. He paused and said to me in Chippewa: “T have told them we never bother to trade in anything but white robes. I have said we carry a pack of them with us where- ever we go but never offer to trade unless we see something we want very much. These dogs think my tongue is crooked.” Then, picking up the robe, he flung it over the crosspiece. A shout of amazement greeted the ap- pearance of the robe. Choke-Cherry ex- claimed— “The Sioux-Killer spoke with a straight tongue!”’ Flat Mouth angrily cried out— “Did you think a chief of the Pillager Chippewas, wearer of many eagle feathers, would come to the Missouri to tell lies to hut Indians?” “Tt is a fine robe. We will. buy it,” de- clared Chief of the Wolves. Ignoring him, Flat Mouth reached into the pack and drew out another robe and threw it over the first. Choke-Cherry was inarticulate for several minutes. Admira- tion, awe and covetousness were reflected in the disjointed outcries of the Muinne- tarees. When Choke-Cherry recovered speech it was to hoarsely proclaim: “Better medicine was never brought to a Minnetaree village in my day. Chippewa, Sioux-Killer, set your price. We will buy the robes.”’ “They are not mine to sell,” informed Flat Mouth, dragging forth the third robe and draping it over the others so the three tails hung in a row. “They are common robes colored with white earth,” accused Chief of the Wolves, crowding forward and clutching roughly at the top robe. But as his fingers encoun- tered the fleece and his suspicious gaze failed to find any trace of a deception, his jaw grew slack and he stared stupidly at the treasure. “My uncle speaks true,” he faltered. “We will buy them if it takes all the robes in all the villages.” Through the Chippewa I repeated what ‘ 155 I already had said to Choke-Cherry; namely, that while I did not. care to take the white robes with me on leaving the village, I had seen nothing yet for which IT would trade. Whatever it was it must be of the best. I was not even prepared to say I would take robes, ponies, dressed leather, or a combination of such goods in payment. I would display the robes and see what the Minnetarees-had to offer. IfI found something to my liking I would trade. “So be it!” bernie old Choke-Cherry. “Take what you will. We can get more. But never was such a chance to get medicine robes. I will give my medicine-pipe. a great mystery—very strong medicine.” “Yet if could not make the Cheyennes lead their ponies under the stem,” sneered Flat Mouth. “The village shall buy them and give them to our chief, so his bad luck may grow red again,” said Chief of the Wolves. “The Blind needs much medicine to make him open his one eye,” ironically remarked Flat Mouth. O ONE heeded_this derisive speech, for a mighty trade had come to the Missouri and must be completed. Grunts and yelps arose when the Pillager produced the fourth and last of the robes and hung it in place. “It is magic!” faltered Choke-Cherry, edging backward. “The white man can make the Sioux-Killer find white robes all day.” - “Tf it is magic then the robes will turn brown after they have gone. away,” said Chief of the Wolves. The Pillager smiled scornfully, saying— “You talk like foolish men.” Raising a hand in silence and attention, he dipped into the pack for the last time and reverently lifted up the small calfskin, all white but for the black border round the right eye. This he exhibited to the astounded mob and then gently laid it on the robes. The calfskin was much more valuable than the robes. The deep silence which followed this climax was broken by the Pillager an- nouncing— = “‘This is all we bring this time.” “You said you had nothing to trade,”’ gasped Choke-Cherry. “TI always have something to trade when I think there is something worth trading Gomichbooks It is. (E@)