The other on the
return trip, so we hear the little bits of gossip from each garrison.
The long trains of army wagons drawn by mules that carry stores to the
post always camp near us one night, because of the water.
But the most exciting times are when the big ox trains come along that
are taking oats and corn to the quartermaster for the cavalry horses
and mules, for in these sacks of grain there is ever a possibility of
liquor being found. The sergeant carefully punches the sacks from one
end to the other with a long steel very much like a rifle rammer; but
so far not a thing has been found, but this is undoubtedly because
they know what to expect at this place now. Faye is always present at
the inspection, and once I watched it a short distance away.
When there are camps outside I always feel a little more protected
from the Indians. I am kept awake hours every night by my
uncontrollable fear of their getting on top of the parapet and cutting
holes in the canvas over our very heads and getting into the room that
way. A sentry is supposed to walk around the top every few minutes,
but I have very little confidence in his protection. I really rely
upon Hal more than the sentry to give warning, for that dog can hear
the stealthy step of an Indian when a long distance from him. And I
believe he can smell them, too.
We bought a beautiful buffalo-calf robe for a bed for him, and that
night I folded it down nicely and called him to it, thinking he would
be delighted with so soft and warm a bed. But no! He went to it
because I called him and patted it, but put one foot on it he would
not. He gave a little growl, and putting his tail up, walked away with
great dignity and a look of having been insulted.
Of course the skin smelled strong of the tepee and Indians. We sunned
and aired it for days, and Farrar rubbed the fur with camphor and
other things to destroy the Indian odor, and after much persuading and
any amount of patience on our part, Hal finally condescended to use
the robe. He now considers it the finest thing on earth, and keeps
close watch of it at all times.
We have visits from Indians every day, and this variation from the
monotony is not agreeable to me, but Faye goes out and has long
powwows with them. They do not hesitate to ask for things, and the
more you give the more you may.
The other morning Faye saw a buffalo calf not far from the redoubt,
and decided to go for it, as we, also the men, were in need of fresh
meat. So he started off on Powder-Face, taking only a revolver with
him. I went outside to watch him ride off, and just as the calf
disappeared over a little hill and he after it, an Indian rode down
the bluff at the right, and about the same distance away as I thought
Faye. might be, and started in a canter straight across in the
direction Faye had gone. Very soon he, also, was back of the little
hill and out of sight.
I ran inside and called the sergeant, and was trying to explain the
situation to him as briefly as possible when he, without waiting for
me to finish, got his rifle and cartridge belt, and ordering a couple
of men to follow, started off on a hard run in the direction I had
designated. As soon as they reached the top of the hill they saw Faye,
and saw also that the Indian was with him. The men went on over
slowly, but stopped as soon as they got within rifle range of Faye,
for of course the Indian would never have attempted mischief when he
knew that the next instant he would be riddled with bullets. The
Indian was facing the soldiers and saw them at once, but they were at
Faye's back, so he did not know they were there until he turned to
come home.
Faye says that the Indian was quite near before he saw him at all, as
he had not been thinking of Indians in his race after the little
buffalo. He came up and said "How!" of course, and then by signs asked
to see Faye's revolver, which has an ivory handle with nickel barrel
and trimmings, all of which the Indian saw at once, and decided to
make his own without loss of time, and then by disarming Faye he would
be master of things generally.
Faye pulled the pistol from its holster and held it out for the Indian
to look at, but with a tight grip on the handle and finger on trigger,
the muzzle pointed straight to his treacherous heart. This did not
disturb the Indian in the least, for he grasped the barrel and with a
twist of the wrist tried to jerk it down and out of Faye's hand. But
this he failed to do, so, with a sarcastic laugh, he settled himself
back on his pony to await a more favorable time when he could catch
Faye off guard. He wanted that glistening pistol, and he probably
wanted the fat pony also. And thus they sat facing each other for
several minutes, the Indian apparently quite indifferent to pistols
and all things, and Faye on the alert to protect himself against the
first move of treachery.
It would have been most unsafe for Faye to have turned from the crafty
savage, and just how long the heart-to-heart interview might have
lasted or what would have happened no one can tell if the coming in
sight of the soldiers with their long guns had not caused him to
change his tactics.
