oor. On us the trouble falls. It is our duty--the same as
you should say to a policeman, 'Do not let anybody come in my house.'
Therefore we have been accused of killing the cattle and stealing
things. But this is not true. I remembered your words, and I did nothing
to make these people angry; but some of my young men threw stones to
drive the sheep back, and then the herder fired at them with revolver.
This was not our fault."

"He lies!" said the sheriff, hotly, when this was interpreted. "No one
has fired a gun but his reckless young devils. His men were riding down
the sheep, and the herder rocked 'em away."

"You admit the sheep were on the reservation, then?" asked Curtis.

"Well--yes--temporarily. They were being watered."

"Well, we won't go into that now," said Curtis, turning to the chiefs
and speaking with great solemnity, using the sign-language at times. And
as he sat thus fronting the strongly wrought, serious faces of his head
men he was wholly admirable, and Elsie's blood thrilled with excitement,
for she felt herself to be in the presence of primeval men.

"Now, Grayman, Elk, Two Horns, Standing Elk, Lone Man, and Crow, listen
to me. Among white men it is the law that when any one has done a wrong
thing--when he steals or murders--he is punished. If he kills a man he
is slain by the chief, not by the relatives of the man who is slain. As
with you, I am here to apply the white man's rule. If a Tetong has shot
this herder he must suffer for it--he and no one else. I will not permit
the cattlemen to punish the tribe. If you know who did this, it is your
duty to give him up to the law. It is the command of the Great
Father--he asks you to go back to your people and search hard to find
who killed this white man. When you find him bring him to me. Will you
do this?"

No one answered but Two Horns, who said, "Ay, we will do as you say,"
and his solemnity of utterance attested his sincerity.

"Listen to me," said Curtis again, fixing their eyes with his dramatic
action. "If my only brother had done this thing, I would give him up to
be punished. I would not hesitate, and I expect you to do the same."

"It is always thus," Standing Elk broke out. "The cattlemen wish to
punish all redmen for what one bad young warrior does. We are weary of
it."

"I know it has been so, but it shall not be so again, not while I am
your chief," Curtis responded. "Will you go home and do as I have
commanded? Will you searc