"'Woo-o-o-o!'--at last it came! As the sound ceased a shrill war- whoop from five hun- dred throats burst forth in chorus, and at the same instant Makatah, upon her splendid buck- skin pony, shot far out upon the plain, like an arrow as it leaves the bow. It was a glorious sight! No man has ever looked upon the like again!"The eyes of the old man sparkled as he spoke, and his bent shouldersstraightened.
"The white doeskin gown of the War Maiden," he continued, "was trimmed with elk's teeth and tails of ermine. Her long black hair hung loose, bound only with a strip of otter-skin, and with her eagle-feather war-bonnet floated far behind. In her hand she held a long coup-staff decorated with eagle-feathers. Thus she went forth in advance of them all!
"War cries of men and screams of terrified women and children were borne upon the clear morning air as our warriors neared the Crow camp. The charge was made over a wide plain, and the Crows came yelling from their lodges, fully armed, to meet the attacking party. In spite of the surprise they easily held their own, and even began to press us hard, as their num- ber was much greater than that of the Sioux.
"The fight was a long and hard one. Toward the end of the day the enemy made a counter-charge. By that time many of our po- nies had fallen or were exhausted. The Sioux retreated, and the slaughter was great. The Cut-Heads fled womanlike; but the people of Tamakoche fought gallantly to the very last.
"Makatah remained with her father's peo- ple. Many cried out to her, 'Go back! Go back!' but she paid no attention. She carried no weapon throughout the day--nothing but her coup-staff--but by her presence and her cries of encouragement or praise she urged on the men to deeds of desperate valor.
"Finally, however, the Sioux braves were hotly pursued and the retreat became general. Now at last Makatah tried to follow; but her pony was tired, and the maiden fell farther and farther behind. Many of her lovers passed her silently, intent upon saving their own lives. Only a few still remained behind, fighting des- perately to cover the retreat, when Red Horn came up with the girl. His pony was still fresh. He might have put her up behind him and car- ried her to safety, but he did not even look at her as he galloped by.
"Makatah did not call out, but she could not help looking after him. He had declared his love for her more loudly than any of the others, and she now gave herself up to die.
"Presently another overtook the maiden. It was Little Eagle, unhurt and smiling.
"'Take my horse!' he said to her.'I shall remain here and fight!'
"The maiden looked at him and shook her head, but he sprang off and lifted her upon his horse. He struck him a smart blow upon the flank that sent him at full speed in the direction of the Sioux encampment. Then he seized the exhausted buckskin by the lariat, and turned back to join the rear-guard.
"That little group still withstood in some fashion the all but irresistible onset of the Crows. When their comrade came back to them, leading the War Maiden's pony, they were inspired to fresh endeavor, and though few in number they made a counter-charge with such fury that the Crows in their turn were forced to retreat!
"The Sioux got fresh mounts and returned to the field, and by sunset the day was won! Little Eagle was among the first who rode straight through the Crow camp, causing terror and consternation. It was afterward remem- bered that he looked unlike his former self and was scarcely recognized by the warriors for the modest youth they had so little regarded.
"It was this famous battle which drove that warlike nation, the Crows, to go away from the Missouri and to make their home up the Yel- lowstone River and in the Bighorn country. But many of our men fell, and among them the brave Little Eagle!
"The sun was almost over the hills when the Sioux gathered about their campfires, recounting the honors won in battle, and naming the brave dead. Then came the singing of dirges and weeping for the slain! The sadness of loss was mingled with exultation.
"Hush! listen! the singing and wailing have ceased suddenly at both camps. There is one voice coming around the circle of campfires. It is the voice of a woman! Stripped of all her ornaments, her dress shorn of its fringes, her ankles bare, her hair cropped close to her neck, leading a pony with mane and tail cut short, she is mourning as widows mourn. It is Makatah!
"Publicly, with many tears, she declared her- self the widow of thebrave Little Eagle, although she had never been his wife! He it was, she said with truth, who had saved her peo- ple's honor and her life at the cost of his own. He was a true man!
"'Ho, ho!' was the response from many of the older warriors; but the young men, the lovers of Makatah, were surprised and sat in silence.
"The War Maiden lived to be a very old woman, but she remained true to her vow. She never accepted a husband; and all her lifetime she was known as the widow of the brave Little Eagle."
THE END
