nd song, and furious at what appeared to them to be the overthrow of
the great adventure for which they had been preparing and planning for
the past two months. This was indeed the chief cause of their rage, for
it seemed as if all further attempts at united effort among the Western
tribes had been frustrated by the discovery of their plans, by the
flight of their leader, and by the treachery of the Blackfeet Chief,
Running Stream, in surrendering their fellow-tribesmen to the Police.
To them that treachery rendered impossible any coalition between the
Piegans and the Blackfeet. Furthermore, before their powwow had been
broken up there had been distributed among them a few bottles of
whisky provided beforehand by the astute Sioux as a stimulus to their
enthusiasm against a moment of crisis when such stimulus should be
necessary. These bottles, in the absence of their great leader, were
distributed among the tribes by Running Stream as a peace-offering, but
for obvious reason not until the moment came for their parting from each
other.

Filled with rage and disappointment, and maddened with the bad whisky
they had taken, they poured into the encampment with wild shouting
accompanied by the discharge of guns and the beating of drums. In terror
the girls clung to each other, gazing out upon the horrid scene.

"Whatever is this, Mandy?" cried Moira.

But her sister-in-law could give her little explanation. The moonlight,
glowing bright as day, revealed a truly terrifying spectacle. A band
of Indians, almost naked and hideously painted, were leaping, shouting,
beating drums and firing guns. Out from the tents poured the rest of the
band to meet them, eagerly inquiring into the cause of their excitement.
Soon fires were lighted and kettles put on, for the Indian's happiness
is never complete unless associated with feasting, and the whole band
prepared itself for a time of revelry.

As the girls stood peering out upon this terrible scene they became
aware of the doctor standing at their side.

"Say, they seem to be cutting up rather rough, don't they?" he said
coolly. "I think as a precautionary measure you had better step over
into the other tent."

Hastily gathering their belongings, they ran across with the doctor to
his tent, from which they continued to gaze upon the weird spectacle
before them.

About the largest fire in the center of the camp the crowd gathered,
Chief Trotting Wolf in the midst, and were harangu