Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

The Homesteaders have. A bad dream for his brothers to have. The sky he saw was red with the blood of Dakota men who have listened to an evil ghost.” The Indians abruptly walked away. Phil White remarked— “Didn’t know you could talk their lingo, Abner.” “Picked up some of it in my eee They’ve heard about the massacre. They’re waiting till the fight comes up this way; then they’ll join in. The clerk seems to be arousing every one here. White men should be blocking the road between here and the Redwood. Get a horse, Mose.”’ “Go on. I’m going to ride to Dr. Wil- liamson’s mission at Pajutazee.”’ ‘‘A round ten miles out and back,’’ mused White. “T ain’t worrying about my own hide,” grumbled Mose. ‘‘Then there’s Cunning- ham’s Injun boarding school and Dr. Riggs’ place two miles beyond William- son’s. That’ll be my stent. You folks pass the word to the few whites hereabouts and along the river road.” He left them and ran back of Forbes’ store, managed by William Quinn. He passed the clerk, who was driving a cart. He paused to hear the clerk explain: “Can’t make out if it’s worth while, or just a lot of nonsense. But there’s sixty odd of us going to pull out with John Other- day to guide us. What don’t look right to me is the Indian’s plan to strike across the river and into the woods and make for Shakopee instead of going down to Fort Ridgely. And he’s sent word he won’t travel with us, but ahead and in sight. If there’s anything i in what you’ve told it looks like he was leading us into a trap.” “*You’re a fool!” snapped Mose. ‘‘Other- day is honest. He knew what’s coming. If he blatted it out he’d got himself killed. The whites wouldn’t believe him. He knows Little Crow will attack Ridgely; that to make for the fort will take you plump into the Indian lines. He’s taking you outside the fighting.”’ He continued his quest for a horse and was giving up in despair when he came to some ponies on the edge of the agency grounds. He knew these had been left by the Sisseton men. Selecting one at random, he started for Pajutazee to warn the Rev. Thomas S. Williamson, who had long carried on his work among the Sioux and who was 95 ue first teacher to go to the Wahpeton and. Mose found the mission building lighted and several Indians whispering outside the door. Without dismounting he called for Dr. Williamson to step outside. The mis- sionary appeared and Mose briefly gave warning. “T’ve been a long time with the Dakotas. I can’t believe that they will harm me or Mrs. Williamson,” said the missionary. ‘“‘They’ve killed several traders, many men and women and children. They’ve killed Philander Prescott and cut off his head. He lived among them since 1820, married a Dakota woman and had a large family.”’ “Prescott dead! Killed!’’ exclaimed the missionary. ‘‘Why, we supposed he had more influence over them than any other white man. I'll send the children away, and my wife if she’ll go. But it’ll look bad for my work if I act afraid. I have tried to teach them the meaning of faith. I must live it. And I’m sure they won’t harm me. If I would countenance it, all here at the mission would shed blood to ‘defend me.”’ Mose parted his lips in a snarl and growled: “Devoted to you, eh? There’s one in there that’s heard Little Crow is coming; and she can’t wait.” And he pointed to the lighted window. A squaw was rummaging through a chest of drawers, taking what caught her fancy. Williamson, knowing the Indian nature as well perhaps as any white man could learn it, looked very grave. “It’s more serious than I had supposed,” he admitted. ‘I’ve been hearing odds and ends of what I believed to be gossip for more than an hour.” “Clear out while you can. I’m riding on to Riggs’ place.”’ ‘“You’ve done your share. I’ll send word at once to Cunningham and Riggs. Poor, misled creatures! What a price they will have to pay!” They shook hands, and Mose _ turned back. Not relishing the chance of running into the Sisseton men from whom he had stolen the pony, he skirted the agency grounds and kept clear of the road for several miles down the river. When his pony began to show signs of weakening he found a hiding place CoMmiclboolk< A) C© =