He removed his
cartridge belts and knife, and placing them, along with his rifle,
at the side of the tent, he at once boldly stepped inside the
tepee, and going over to the man, extended his hand and shook first
the man's hand, then the old woman's, and lastly the young woman's.
Then he seated himself by the side of the girl, and thus they sat,
no one speaking.
Finally, Big Eagle made signs to the man, explaining as well as
possible by signs, that his wife had died long ago, and when he saw
the girl she so strongly resembled his dead wife that he wished to
marry her, and he would go back to the enemy's camp and live with
them, if they would consent to the marriage of their daughter.
The old man seemed to understand, and Big Eagle again made signs to
him that a party were lying in wait just a short distance from his
camp. Noiselessly they brought in the horses, and taking down the
tent, they at once moved off in the direction from whence they had
come. The war party waited all night, and when the first rays of
dawn disclosed to them the absence of the tepee, they at once
concluded that Big Eagle had been discovered and killed, so they
hurriedly started on their trail for home.
In the meantime, the hunting party, for this it was that Big Eagle
had joined, made very good time in putting a good distance between
themselves and the war party.
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