“I have told the white man that the brave young chief shall not be mistreated.”
“Your word on it, girl?”
“The White Antelope has spoken. She will guard the body of the young white chief herself until Pa-e-has-ka’s return.”
“Good!” exclaimed Buffalo Bill. “And, my girl, you’ll never be sorry for this mercy shown the corpse of that poor young man.”
The girl looked at him strangely.
“The Long Hair will return, as he has promised, to the village of Oak Heart?”
“I’ll keep my word; do you keep yours,” said the scout.
“Pa-e-has-ka’s tongue is straight?”
“As sure as I live, I’ll come back, girl!” declared the scout earnestly.
The next instant he mounted Chief unmolested, having picked up his rifle, settled himself in the saddle, seized the reins, and dashed away. As he mounted the ridge he looked back. The reds were busy separating their own slain from the dead soldiers. The tall figure of the medicine chief was stalking angrily from the scene. White Antelope was down on her knees by the body of Dick Danforth, the dead lieutenant. With a dumb ache at his heart, and little thought for his own coming peril, Buffalo Bill went over the rise and spurred away for Fort Advance.