XIX
THE SHERIFF'S MOB
The next day was cloudless, with a south wind, and the little, crawlingbrook which watered the agency seemed about to seethe. The lowerfoot-hills were already sere as autumn, and the ponies came down totheir drinking-places unnaturally thirsty; and the cattle, wallowing inthe creek-bed, seemed at times to almost stop its flow. The timid treeswhich Curtis had planted around the school-house and office were plainlysuffering for lack of moisture, and the little gardens which the Indianshad once more been induced to plant were in sore distress.
The torrid sun beat down into the valley from the unclouded sky sofiercely that the idle young men of the reservation postponed theirhorse-racing till after sunset. Curtis felt the heat and dust verykeenly on his guests' account, and was irritated over the assaults ofthe cattlemen. "If they had but kept the peace we would still be in thecool, sweet hills," he said to Lawson.
"This will not last," Lawson replied. "We'll get a mountain windto-night. The girls are wisely keeping within doors and are not yetaware of the extreme heat."
"I hope you are a true prophet. But at this moment it seems as if nocool wind could arise out of this sun-baked land."
"Any news from the Willow?"
"The trouble was in the West Fort. Some cowboys raided a camp ofTetongs. No one was injured, and so it must pass for a joke."
"Some of those jokes will set something afire some of these hot days."
"But you know how hard it is to apprehend the ruffians; they come and goin the night like wolves. They spoiled our outing, but I hope we may getaway again next week."
In the days which followed, Curtis saw little of Elsie, and when theymet she seemed cold and preoccupied. In conversation she seemedlistening to another voice, appeared to be pondering some abstractsubject, and Curtis was puzzled and vaguely saddened. Jennie took a farless serious view of the estrangement. "It's just a mood. We've set herthinking; she's 'under conviction,' as the revivalists used to say.Don't bother her and she'll 'come through.'"
Curtis was at lunch on Wednesday when Wilson came to the door and said,"Major, Streeter and a man named Jenks are here and want to see you."
"More stolen cattle to be charged up to the Indians, I suppose."
"I reckon some such complaint--they didn't say."
"Well, tell them to wait--or no--ask them to come over and lunch withme."
Wilson soon returned. "They are very glum, and say they'll wait at theoffice till you come."
"As they prefer. I will have finished in a few moments."
He concluded not to hasten, however, and the ranchers had plenty of timeto become impatient. They met him darkly.
"We want a word in private, Major," said Jenks, a tall, long-bearded manof most portentous gravity.
Curtis led the way to an inner office and offered them seats, which theytook in the same oppressive silence.
The agent briskly opened the hearing. "What can I do for you,gentlemen?"
Jenks looked at Streeter--Streeter nodded. "Go ahead, Hank."
Jenks leaned over aggressively. "Your damned Injuns have murdered one o'my herders."
Curtis hardened. "What makes you think so?" he sharply asked.
"He disappeared more than a week ago, and no one has heard of him since.I know he has been killed, and your Injuns done it. No one--"
"Wait a moment," interrupted Curtis. "Who was he?"
"His name is Cole--he was herdin' my sheep."
"Are you a sheep-man?"
"I am."
"Where do you live?"
"My sheep ranch is over on Horned Toad Creek."
"Where was this man when he disappeared?"
Jenks grew a little uneasy. "He was camped by the Mud Spring."
Curtis rose and called Wilson in. "Wilson, where is the Mud Spring?"
"Just inside our south line, about four miles from the school."
"I thought so," replied Curtis. "Your sheep were on the reservation. Areyou sure this man was murdered?"
"Him and the dog disappeared together, and hain't neither of 'em beenseen since."
"How long ago was this?"
"Just a week to-morrow."
"Have you made a search for him? Have you studied the ground closely?"
Streeter interposed. "We've done all that could be done in that line. I_know_ he's killed. He told Cal about two weeks ago that he had beenshot at twice and expected to get wiped out before the summer was over.There isn't a particle of doubt in my mind about it. The thing for youto do is to make a demand--"
"I am not in need of instructions as to my duty," interrupted Curtis."Wilson, who is over from the Willow Creek?"
"Old Elk himself."
"Send him in. I shall take all means to help you find this herder,"Curtis said to the ranchers, "but I cannot allow you to charge my peoplewith his death without greater reason than at present. We must movecalmly and without heat in this matter. Murder is a serious charge tomake without ample proof."
The Elk, smiling and serene, entered the door and stood for a momentsearching the countenances of the white men. His face grew grave as theswift signs of his agent filled his mind with the story of thedisappearance of the herder.
"I am sorry; it is bad business," he said.
"Now, Crawling Elk, I want you to call together five or six of your besttrailers and go with these men to the place where the herder was lastseen and see if you can find any trace of him;" then, turning toStreeter, he said: "You know Crawling Elk; he is the one chief againstwhom you have no enmity. If Cole was murdered, his body will be found.Until you have more proof of his death I must ask you to give my peoplethe benefit of the doubt. Good-day, gentlemen."
As they turned to go, two young reds were seen leaving the window. Theyhad watched Curtis as he signed the story to Crawling Elk. As the whitemen emerged these young fellows were leaning lazily on the fence,betraying no interest and very little animation, but a few minutes laterthey were mounted and riding up the valley at full gallop, heavy withnews of the herder's death and Streeter's threats.
"Now, Elk," signed Curtis, "say nothing to any one but your young menand the captain of police, whom I will send with you to bring me word."
After they had all ridden away, Curtis turned to Wilson and said, "Ididn't suppose I should live to see a sheep-man and a cattleman ridingside by side in this amicable fashion."
"Oh, they'll get together against the Indian, all right. They're mightyglad of a chance to make any kind of common cause. That lazy herder hasjumped the country. He told me he was sick of his job."
"But the dog?"
"Oh, he killed the dog to keep him from being traced. There isn't athing in it, Major."
"I'm inclined to think you're right, but we must make carefulinvestigation; the people are very censorious of my policy."
Next morning Crawling Elk brought word that no trace of the man could befound. "The grass is very dry," he explained, "and the trail is old. Wediscovered nothing except some horses' hoof-marks."
"Keep searching till every foot of land is covered," commanded Curtis."Otherwise the white man will complain."
On Friday, just after the bell had called the people to resume work atone o'clock, Crow, the police captain, rode into the yard on a ponycovered with ridges of dried sweat. His face was impassive, but his eyesglittered as he lifted his hand and signed:
"The white man's body is found!"
"Where?" asked Curtis from the door-way.
"On the high ground near the spring. He has three bullet-holes in him.Three cartridge-shells were found where the horses' hoof-marks were. Theones who shot dismounted there and fired over a little knoll. There aremany white men over there now; they are very angry. They are cominghere--"
"Be silent! Come in here!" Once within the office, Curtis drew from CrowWing all he knew. He was just in the midst of giving his orders whenWilson opened the door and said, quietly, though his voice had atremulous intensity:
"Major, step here a moment
."
Curtis went to the door. He could not restrain a smile, even while acold chill went to his heart. Nothing could exceed the suddenness of thechange which had swept over the agency. As he had stood in the officedoor ten minutes before, his ears had been filled with the clink-clankof the blacksmiths' hammers, the shouts of drivers, and the low laughterof young women on their way to the store. Crane's Voice was hitching uphis team, while Lost Legs and Turkey Tail were climbing to the roof ofthe warehouse with pots of red paint. Peter Wolf was mending amowing-machine, and his brother Robert was cutting wood behind theagency kitchen. All about he had observed groups of white-blanketedIndians smoking cigarettes in the shade of the buildings, while a crowdof nearly twenty others stood watching a game of duck-on-the-rock beforethe agency store.
Now as he looked over the yards not a redman could be seen at his work.On every side the people, without apparent haste, but surely, steadily,and swiftly, were scattering. The anvil no longer cried out, theteamsters were silent, all laughter had ceased, the pots of paint satscorching in the sun. There was something fiercely ominous as well asuncanny in this sudden, silent dispersion of a busy, merry throng, andCurtis, skilled in Indian signs, appreciated to the full the distrust ofthe white man here expressed. He understood this panic. The settlers hadlong threatened war. Now the pretext had come, and the sound of guns wasabout to begin.
"Wilson," said Curtis, calmly, "if the settlers fire a shot they willregret it. See Crane's Voice, if you can find him, and send him to me."He turned to Crow and signed: "Go tell your people I will not let thecowboys hurt them. Hurry! Call them all back. Tell them to go to work. Iwill call the soldiers, if necessary, to keep the white man away. Thereis no danger."
Crow was a brave and loyal man, and, weary as he was, hastened to carryout his orders. The call for "assembly" was rung on the signal-bell, anda few of the red employes responded. To them Curtis spoke reassuringly,but his words were belied by Thomas Big Voice, the official interpreter,who was so scared his knees shook.
Curtis sent Wilson to quiet the teachers and hurried immediately to thestudio, where Elsie was at work painting a portrait of old Chief BlackBull. The old man sprang to his feet the instant he caught sight of hisagent's face.
"Friend, what is the matter?" he asked.
To Elsie, Curtis said: "Do not be alarmed."
"There is no danger," he signed to Black Bull. "The white man's body hasbeen found near the spring. He was shot by two men with horses. Thewhite men are coming to see me about it, but there is no need of alarm.Tell your people to go quietly to their camps. I will protect them."
The old chief's face grew sterner as he flung his blanket over his arm."I go to see," he said. "The white men are very angry."
"Wait!" called Curtis. "Keep your people quiet right where they are. Youmust help me. I depend on you. You must not alarm them."
"I will do as you command," Bull replied, as he went away, but it wasplain he apprehended violence.
"What is the matter?" inquired Elsie.
"The settlers have discovered the body of the herder who was killed, andCrow brings word they are angry. I don't think there is any danger, butI wish you and Jennie were at the fort for a few days. I don't like tohave you disturbed by these things."
It was their first meeting alone since their return from thecamping-trip, but Elsie was too much concerned with the seriousexpression of his face to feel any embarrassment.
"You don't think there will be trouble?"
"No, only a distracting wrangle, which may prevent your getting models.The Indians are nervous, and are even now getting out for the hills. ButI hope you will not be alarmed."
"I'm not a nervous person."
"I know you're not--that is the reason I dared to come and tell you whatwas going on. I deeply regret--"
Wilson rapped on the door. "Major, you are needed. Bow-legs reports twobodies of armed men riding up the valley; the dust of their horses'hoofs can be seen. There are at least twenty men in the two squads,"Wilson continued; "one came across from the West Fork, the other camefrom the south. It looks like a prearranged invasion."
"Very well, Wilson, I'll be at the office in time to meet them."
Curtis turned on Elsie a look which went to her heart. His voice was lowas he said: "Let me take you over to Jennie. I presume these men arecoming to make a demand on me for the murderers. They may or may notknow who the guilty ones are, but their coming in force byprearrangement has alarmed the people."
As she laid down her brushes and took up her hat she said, gleefully:"Father won't be able to ask me what I know about war--will he? Willthey begin shooting at once?"
"I don't think they are likely to do anything as a body, but somereckless cowboy may do violence to some Tetong, which will rouse thetribe to retaliation. The settlers have too much sense to incite anoutbreak." At the door he said: "I wish you would go to Jennie. Tell hernot to get excited. I will let you know what it is all about as soon asI find out myself. It may be all a mistake."
As he was crossing the road Lawson joined him, and when they reached thegate before the office, several of the invaders had dismounted and werewaiting the agent's coming. There were eleven of them; all were deeplyexcited, and two or three of the younger men were observably drunk andreckless. Streeter, stepping forward, introduced a short, sullen-facedman as "Sheriff Winters, of Pinon County."
"What name?" said Curtis, as he shook hands pleasantly.
"Sheriff Winters," repeated Streeter.
"What is the meaning of all this?" queried Curtis.
"We have come for the man that killed Ed Cole. We are a committeeappointed by a convention of three hundred citizens who are holding aninquest over the body," said Winters. "We have come for the murderer."
"Do you know who committed the murder?"
"No, but we know it was an Injun."
"How do you know it?" They hesitated. "Do you come as an officer of thelaw? Have you a warrant?"
"No, I have not, but we are determined--"
"Then I deny your right to be here. Your coming is an armed invasion offederal territory," said Curtis, and his voice rang like steel.
"Here comes the other fellers," called some one in the crowd. Turninghis head, Curtis saw another squad of men filing down over the hill fromthe north. He counted them and made out fifteen. Turning sharply to thesheriff, he asked: "Who are those men?"
"I don't know."
"Are you responsible for their coming?"
"No, sir, I am not!" the sheriff replied, plainly on the defence.
As the second squad came galloping up, the sheriff's party greeted themwith nods and low words. Curtis heard one man ask: "Where's Charley? Ithought he was coming," and became perfectly certain that this meetinghad been prearranged. The new-comers mingled with the sheriff's partyquite indistinguishably and made no further explanation of theirpresence.
The young officer burned hot with indignation. "Sheriff Winters, orderthese men to retire at once. They have no business here!"
A mutter of rage ran over the mob and several hands droppedostentatiously upon pistols.
One loud-voiced young whelp called out an insulting word. "You goto ----! We'll retire when we get an Injun, not before!"
"Shut up, you fool!" called the sheriff, and, turning to Jenks, began tomutter in consultation. Curtis advanced a step, and raising his voiceaddressed the entire mob.
"As commander of this reservation, I order you to withdraw. Yourpresence here is unlawful and menacing. Retire to the boundary of thereservation, and I will use every effort to discover the murderer. If heis in the tribe I will find him and deliver him to the countyauthorities."
At this one of the same young ruffians who had challenged him beforespurred his horse close to Curtis, and with his pistol in his handshouted: "Not by a d---- sight. We come to take it out o' these thieves,and we're goin' to do it. Go ahead, Winters--say the word and well cleanout the whole tribe."
Curtis looked the youth in the eye. "My
boy, I advise you to make warslowly, even with your mouth."
Calvin Streeter, with his teeth clinched, crowded his horse forward andstruck the insolent hoodlum in the face with his hat. "Shut up, or I'llpinch your neck off! Think you're sheriff?" The belligerent retired,snarling wild curses.
Curtis addressed himself again to Winters, assuming a tone of respectand confidence which he did not feel. "Mr. Winters, you are here as arepresentative of the courts of Pinon County. I call upon you, assheriff, to disperse all these men, who are here without warrant oflaw!"
The sheriff hesitated, for the cattlemen were now furious and eager todisplay their valor. Many of them were of the roughest types of cowboys,the profane and reckless renegades of older communities, and beingburdened with ammunition, and foolhardy with drink, they were in no moodto turn tail and ride away. They savagely blustered, flourishing theirrevolvers recklessly.
The sheriff attempted to silence them, and said, petulantly, to Curtis:"If I hadn't come you'd 'a' had a mob of two hundred armed men insteadof twenty. I had hard work to keep 'em back. I swore in these ten men asmy deputies. This second crowd I don't know anything about. They justhappen to be here."
Curtis knew this to be a lie, but proceeded to cajole the sheriff byrecognizing him and his authority.
"In that case I shall act." Addressing the leader of the second party,he said: "Sheriff Winters is the legal representative of the county; youare an unlawful mob, and I once more command you to leave thereservation, which is federal territory, under my command."
"No, you don't! We stay right here!" shouted several.
"We'll see whether the people of this State have any rights or not,"said Jenks, deeply excited. "We won't allow you to shield your murderingredskins under such a plea; we'll be judge and jury in this case."
Curtis turned sharply to the sheriff: "Officer, do your duty! Dispose ofthis mob!" His tone was magnificently commanding. "I shall hold youresponsible for further trouble," said Curtis, turning a long look onWinters, which stung.
The sheriff angrily addressed the crowd. "Get out o' this, boys. You'retwisting me all up and doing no good. Vamoose now! I've got all the helpI need. I'm just as much obliged, but you'd better clear out." Then tohis deputies, "Round 'em up, boys, and send 'em away."
Calvin's face wore a smile of wicked glee as he called out:
"Now you fellers git!" and spurring his horse into their midst hehustled them. "Hunt your holes! You're more bother than you are worth.Git out o' here!"
While the sheriff and his deputies alternately pleaded and commanded themob to withdraw, Lawson touched Curtis on the arm and pointed to thecrests of the hills to the west. On every smooth peak a mounted sentinelstood, silent and motionless as a figure on a monument--watching thestruggle going on before the agency gate.
"Behind every hill young warriors are riding," said Lawson. "By sundownevery man and boy will be armed and ready for battle. If these noblecitizens knew what you have saved them from they would bless you."
The mob of cattlemen retreated slowly, with many fierce oaths and ajangle of loud debate which Curtis feared each moment might break into acrackle of pistol shots.
"That was a good stroke," said Lawson. "It sets up division, and soweakens them. You will be able to handle the sheriff now."
The Captain of the Gray-Horse Troop Page 19
