She then crossed over
to the Cut-Heads, and presented the other bon-
net to one of their young men. She was very
handsome; even the old men's blood was stirred
by her brave appearance!
"At daybreak the two war-parties of the
Sioux, mounted on their best horses, stood side
by side, ready for the word to charge. All of
the warriors were painted for the battle--pre-
pared for death--their nearly nude bodies deco-
rated with their individual war-totems. Their
well-filled quivers were fastened to their sides,
and each tightly grasped his oaken bow.
"The young man with the finest voice had
been chosen to give the signal--a single high-
pitched yell. This was an imitation of the one
long howl of the gray wolf before he makes
the attack. It was an ancient custom of our
people.
"'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.
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