"You will not press for an answer now,"
she gently replied, without looking at him. "I
expected to see no one here, and your words
have taken me by surprise. . . . I grant your
last request. The birds alone can indulge in
gossip about our meeting,--unless my cousin,
who is in the next ravine, should see us to-
gether!" She sprang lightly upon the back
of her pony, and disappeared among the scat-
tered pines.
Between the first lovers' meeting and the sec-
ond was a period of one moon. This was wholly
the fault of Antelope, who had been a prey
to indecision and painful thoughts. Half re-
gretting his impulsive declaration, and hoping
to forget his pangs in the chances of travel
and war, he had finally enlisted in the number
of those who were to go with the war-leader
Crowhead into the Ute country. As was the
custom of the Sioux warriors upon the eve of
departure, the young men consulted their spirit-
ual advisers, and were frequently in the purify-
ing vapor-bath, and fasting in prayer.
Pages:
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41