Adventure Magazine Cover — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

Pay Gravel outset, when on encountering Reno’s men he saved his followers from a disastrous panic by braining a soldier with a stone war-club and leading a _ countercharge. And what must place him high in the esti- mation of all fighting men was his insistence that no warrior should pass him when he gave the order to attack. He was a great general; intensely loyal to his people and their cause, a patriot who had no use for wealth. And Taku wakan could ask no more of any of his dusky children. As he walked around the end of the circle to take a position beside Little Big Man he was wearing his feather bonnet and other war-path regalia. In one hand he carried a, Winchester rifle and in the other a twelve- foot coup wand of willow. The wand was decorated with symbolic feathers, bits of fur, and the tinkling bell. He dropped on a robe beside Little Big Man and placed his rifle across his lap and rested the end of his coup wand on the ground, and stared stolid- ly at Scissors. His gaze quickened as it shifted to the pile of greenbacks and dust in: front of Little Big Man. The treasure meant nothing to him except as it represent- ed so many magazine-guns and fixed ammu- nition. “The white man with the talking knives will tell why he came to the Teton country,” he abruptly commanded. Scissors needed no interpreter, and began to explain why he and his friend had gone to Mato tipi to make stone offerings to Tunkan so the god would send forth his “flying rocks” to 4earn where Tashunca- ultco was to be found. “And while we were asking this of Tunkan our prayer’was answered,” Scissors continued. “He who lives on Mato tipi at times sent Little Big Man and his braves to lead us to Tashunca-uitco, and it is well. I brought this white man with me as his life was not safe among white men. He was caught while trying to take a load of ammu- ‘ nition to the Cheyennes. He escaped from the soldiers and fled with me to find the Ogalala. He brought some of the white man’s money with him as a present to Tashunca-uitco.” ‘“Tashunca-uitco needs no presents of money from the white men,” harshly in- formed Crazy Horse. ‘What he needs he takes.” And he shook his coup wand till the little bell tinkled madly. Loud grunts of ap- } proval met this declaration. Loud cries of ‘“Washte-helol” were raised when he pointed to the greenbacks and directed— ~ “Give it to the men who have lost horses and lodges.”’ If there was one disgruntled warrior it was Little Big Man. Sticking “up from between his crossed legs were the butts of Dinsdale’s guns. Crazy Horse, who ever had a great love for excellent firearms and who packed three Winchester rifles with him and one or more hand-guns, touched the big revolvers and said— “YT will take only these.” Little Big Man passed them over and for several minutes the war-chief examined them knowingly and his features grew animated as he realized their excellence. Suddenly he ceased his inspection and asked of Scissors— “This is the white man who was caught by soldiers while bringing ammunition to the young braves at Spotted Tail Agency?” His expression was almost genial as he put the query, but Scissors shook his head and repeated— _ “My white brother was carrying ammu- nition to the Cheyennes on the Rosebud.” A scowl of disappointment darkened the chief’s visage. Had Scissors replied in the affirmative several men from the agency were ready to brand him as a har, for they knew the man Crazy Horse had referred to. 99 Crazy Horse stared at the ground and — twirled a revolver by the trigger guard. None ventured to break the silence, and at last he said— “They say the white man is a friend of High Wolf.” “He was welcome in his lodge in Mon- tana one Winter ago. He hunted with some of the young Cheyenne men.” Crazy Horse fixed his gaze on Dinsdale, but understanding nothing of the Teton dialect the prisoner’s face betrayed nothing. It was useless to question him as Scissors would answer for him. The chief seemed to lose all interest in the alleged friend of High Wolf and abruptly asked— “Where is Frank?” _ “Frank Gruard?”’ asked Scissors. The chief nodded. Gruard, a native of the Sandwich Islands, had been captured by Crazy Horse’s men while serving as mail-carrier in Montana. dark complexion he was believed to. be an Indian who had been taken prisoner by the Because of his (E(0) — comicbooks