“Ye’ll never see him ag’in, in this world. That Injun’s dead.”
“You are not following my example, I hope, and trying to fool me.”
“Not a bit of it. The Blackfeet got him. They were powerful mad because he quit the tribe and ran off with you and old Robinette’s gal, and they were bound to kill him when they caught him. I happened to be on good terms with the riptyles jest then, and I saw White Shield afore he died. He told me about the Injun gal, and made me give him my solemn promise that I would hunt you out and let you know.”
“How did they kill him?”
“Jest knocked him in the head, and left him to the buzzards.”
“Poor fellow! It would have been better for him if he had never seen me. His friendship was fatal to him. What did he say about Dove-eye?”
“Yes, that is the gal’s name, ef it ain’t wrong to call a warrior a gal. Thar’s precious little of the dove about her now, ’cordin’ to what White Shield said. He was among the Crows, when they had a skrimmage with the ’Rapahoes, and he said that Dove-eye was about the wildest warrior the Crows had ag’inst them. Since she took to the war-paint, he said, the ’Rapahoes seemed to hev abundance of bad feelin’ toward the Crows, and fou’t ’em as ef they wanted to rub out the tribe.”
“I thought she was dead. I sought her so long, without finding even a trace of her, that I could only suppose her to be dead. As she is living, I must seek her again. I must go to the West. White Shield never lied.”
“I reckon you will soon see her, cap., ef you will stay with the Crows a while. It won’t be long afore you will hev a chance to knock her in the head or take her prisoner, ef she don’t git ahead of you in the fightin’ business.”
“Come to my lodge, Blaze, and stay with me while you are in town. In two days I can get ready, and then we will start for the mountains, if you are willing.”