“The whites and reds will now be against each other for a long time because of this trouble. And what have the people gained, White Antelope? A few scalps? Aye, but they have lost more. Many women will tear their hair and mourn in the lodges of the Sioux because of this battle.
“Let the White Antelope remember this. She has influence beyond her years with her people. Let her remember what Pa-e-has-ka says and counsel her father and the other chiefs to make peace with the white men while they may.
“Now, Pa-e-has-ka sends the White Antelope back to Chief Oak Heart. Tell thy father how the Long Hair had thee in his power, and did thee no harm. I am thy friend, White Antelope. See! that is the way to the river. Keep behind the trees, and the bluecoats will not see thee. Fly! For the time is short. Soon your people will be in full retreat, and the old chief will believe his daughter is lost to him.”
The scout set the girl down upon her feet. His voice trembled as he ceased speaking, and he looked closely into her face to see if it had been moved at all by his speech. But he saw there only fright and wonder—the terror of the wild creature unexpectedly released from the trap.
So he let her go and saw her flee on feet as fleet as a deer’s through the undergrowth toward the river, which the vanguard of the Indians were already crossing. Then the scout set spurs to Chief and tore after the column of blue which had hastened to the support of Keyes and Danforth.
Although the rifles and pistols of the men from the fort were empty, their blades were sharp. Before Cody reached the field of action it had become merely a drive of redskins to the river. The bluecoats rode them down, hacking them as they passed, pressing Oak Heart hard.
Horses and white men went down in the mêlée; but when the war-cry of Buffalo Bill was heard that seemed to drive the last atom of courage from the Sioux, and they ran like a herd of frightened deer, flinging away their arms, and leaping from the high river-bank into the shallows.
Some were swept away by the deeper current in the middle and drowned. Had there been a ford near at hand, the soldiers would have crossed over and continued the massacre on the farther side. But the stream afforded Oak Heart a chance to rally his braves.
Sheltered somewhat by the high bank, his riflemen could pick off the soldiers as they appeared, and it became dangerous for the cavalrymen to ride to the very brink of the bluff. This allowed the frightened Indians to escape across the stream, Oak Heart and a few others guarding their retreat.
While Buffalo Bill was receiving the congratulations of Captain Keyes and Texas Jack, the voice of the old chief, Oak Heart, suddenly rose from below.