Buffalo Bill, in thus desperately entering the Blackfoot village, hoped to locate the prisoners, and, later in the night, release them. If he was discovered, his own life would be the forfeit, he felt sure.
The risk was great, but the thing to be gained was great, for it was no less than the release of old Nomad and the other prisoners, thus saving their lives; for he was certain they would be slain by the Blackfeet, if the latter were forced to retreat by an attack of the range riders.
In the council lodge Buffalo Bill tried to conduct himself like a true medicine man. He yelled and danced, and besought the good spirits of the mountains to descend and assist him in driving out the evil spirits that were vexing the Blackfeet. But he did not dare talk too much, and much of his eloquence took the shape of pantomime, in which he used wonderful gestures, always keeping the folds of the blanket over the lower part of his face—which gave him an additional air of mystery to the frenzied Indians.
He discovered that one thing the Blackfeet were anxious about was that he should confer on them some power, by a spell or charm, that would enable them to resist the bullets of the white men, whom they feared.
The scout gave them whatever assurances they desired, feeling that he could not safely do otherwise.
Finally he left the council lodge, declaring that the spirits had told him that, concealed in some of the lodges, were little demons, hid under buffalo robes, and even in the earth, who were working much evil, and he must find and destroy them.
His object, of course, was to pass from lodge to lodge, in order to locate the prisoners, and if possible communicate to them knowledge of the thing he was trying to do.
The warriors streamed after him, and behind the warriors came the women and children, while the barking and sniffing dogs ran everywhere, yelping and snarling.
It did not take Buffalo Bill long to find out that Nomad and young Clayton were held together in a lodge near the medicine lodge.
“Now, if I can locate the girl,” he said to himself.