The latter tried to leap to the back of the horse, but succeeded only in dislodging the scout’s rifle, which hung by its strap to the high pommel.
The horse reared, shaking off the Indian, and the Indian, seeing that he was in danger, turned about. He slipped and fell in his haste, dropping his shield of buffalo hide, but retaining his lance; and then he sprang away.
Buffalo Bill reached his horse, cut the lariat, bounded into the saddle, and gave chase, almost weaponless, though he had caught up the shield, which the redskin had dropped.
As he thus gave chase, the Blackfoot stood at bay, and when the scout tried to ride him down he hurled the lance straight at the scout’s broad breast.
Buffalo Bill dodged, and caught the Indian’s lance on the shield; otherwise, it would have gone through his body. But he rode the horse right over the warrior, and, lunging at him from the saddle, he caught the redskin by the throat, when both came to the ground together, the scout on top.
The fight that followed was furious and desperate, but of brief duration. When it ended, Buffalo Bill was the victor, and the Blackfoot brave lay panting on his back, the scout’s fingers clutching him by the throat.
The red warrior gurgled something which he meant as a word of submission and surrender, but the scout still held him in that choking grasp, not daring to trust him; and then, before the brave could get back enough strength to resist, the scout had him bound tight and fast.
When the Blackfoot recovered sufficiently to talk, Buffalo Bill began to ask him questions, emphasizing them by a pointed revolver.
The warrior was sullen at first; but by and by he declared that his name was Spotted Deer, and that he was a subchief, who had been sent out there to meet and guide into the village a certain medicine man from another village, who was coming to drive away the evil spirits that were causing the Blackfeet to fall sick and die. In other words, this medicine man had been sent for in the belief that he could charm away the measles that had attacked so many of the Indians.
“I think I want to meet that medicine man,” said the scout to himself, when he had heard the story. Therefore, he went into hiding, with his prisoner bound and gagged, his horse concealed some distance away, and waited with as much patience as he could for the appearance of the medicine man.