elody he gives his yodel-like love-call, to which
the girls respond with their musical, sing-song laughter.

Matosapa has loved Winona since the time he saw her at the lakeside in
her parlor among the pines. But he has not had much opportunity to speak
until on such a night, after the dances are over. There is no outside
fire; but a dim light from within the skin teepees sheds a mellow glow
over the camp, mingling with the light of a young moon. Thus these
lovers go about like ghosts. Matosapa has already circled the teepees
with his inseparable brother-friend, Brave Elk.

"Friend, do me an honor to-night!" he exclaims, at last. "Open this
first door for me, since this will be the first time I shall speak to a
woman!"

"Ah," suggests Brave Elk, "I hope you have selected a girl whose
grandmother has no cross dogs!"

"The prize that is won at great risk is usually valued most," replies
Matosapa.

"Ho, kola! I shall touch the door-flap as softly as the swallow alights
upon her nest. But I warn you, do not let your heart beat too loudly,
for the old woman's ears are still good!"

So, joking and laughing, they proceed toward a large buffalo tent with a
horse's tail suspended from the highest pole to indicate the rank of
the owner. They have ceased to blow the flute some paces back, and walk
noiselessly as a panther in quest of a doe.

Brave Elk opens the door. Matosapa enters the tent. As was the wont of
the Sioux, the well-born maid has a little teepee within a teepee--a
private apartment of her own. He passes the sleeping family to this
inner shrine. There he gently wakens Winona with proper apologies. This
is not unusual or strange to her innocence, for it was the custom of the
people. He sits at the door, while his friend waits outside, and tells
his love in a whisper. To this she does not reply at once; even if she
loves him, it is proper that she should be silent. The lover does not
know whether he is favorably received or not, upon this his first visit.
He must now seek her outside upon every favorable occasion. No gifts
are offered at this stage of the affair; the trafficking in ponies and
"buying" a wife is entirely a modern custom.

Matosapa has improved every opportunity, until Winona has at last
shyly admitted her willingness to listen. For a whole year he has been
compelled at intervals to repeat the story of his love. Through the
autumn hunting of the buffalo and the long, cold winter he often
present