KAH-MEES-CHET-00-KEE-HEWUP'S RIDt.

Otago Witness, Issue 2379, 5 October 1899, Page 58

KAH-MEES-CHET-00-KEE-HEW-UP'S RIDt.

■ (Bleasdell Cameron-, in the Canadian j Magazine.) " Kah-inees-chet-op-kee-hew-up !<■ Will you ride a fine horse, once?" The Cree chief looked at the handsome black mare that^ the Chief Factor was leading toward ■him. Then he called to one' of his men. " Bring me my painted buffalo robe, and my bow . and feathered arrows ! "' he said. He folded the robe about .h.is waist, took the bow and, mounting, rode back gome distance along the trail which led from the i old Fort out j>ast his camp and far on to the south, where buffalo beyond numberingfattened on the rich grass. He would " run " the mare as if he were running buffalo. He would show these -white men how Many Brave Feathers hunted. He turned and gave her her head.' On she came like the wind. " Twang ! " went -the bow-string, and the steel-pointed shaft sank deep into the, poplar tree at _which he had launched it as " he Hew by. " Twang ! " went the bow-string again, and a second arrow sped unerringly home. It was a beautiful exhibition. The crowd made *up of his own people and the staff of the Honourable Hudson's Bay Company at old Fort Ellice assembled to see the run. They cheered wildly, vociferously. He was riding very fast. As he neared the stockade he tried to stop the mare. She -would not be* stopped. She was only -getting nicely started. "Ay-ay -yah! yelled the spectators, giving the Cree warwhoop as he shotjjast them. That yell inspired the mare <?o accelerated effort. She "weiifc tremendously. It also inspired Many Brave Feathers. He went with her. They circled the Fort. He did not try any moie to pull her in. The mare was a good one. She wanted to go, and he was enjoying himself. She might keep on going. If she needed encouragement she should have it. Many Brave Feathers passed tha% night at Moose Mountain. Moose Mountain is. only /5 miles from Fort Ellice, but it had been afternoon when he started. Next day he reached a camp of his own tribe and Assiniboincs on Broken Shell Creek in. the, buffalo country. The Chief Factor's face wore a saddened look as he beheld his favourite beast vanish over a slope in the south- under the sailing buffalo skin. Then he went to his quarters. The features of the other onlookers wore a big general smile as 'he disappeared. The genial sun smiled broadly,, too, in the summer, sky. In fact, everything seemed smiling — sxcept the Chief Factor. " Well, if that don't take the pate de foie gras ! " remarked the clerk impersonally, as the staff sauntered back to its duties. :

All that fall and winter ilany Brave Feathers stayed out on the plains, running buffalo with the stolen horse. He never lent her, however, to any one except his ' sweetheart, who rode her when they shifted camp. The Chief Factor watched the slope in the south Irom the Fort for many days, ' expecting to see the mare reappear over ' the top of it ; but at length he .grew weary. . Anyway, an officer of the Ilv.d^"'- Ijay , Company in. charge of a district' com- j "'"'"l Tig a dozen scattered fur-posts cannot • brood for ever over the loss of an animal, even though it should happen to be a particularly good one. He has not time. So Chief Factor Hughes chalked up a mental , debit of import again.st Many Brave Feathers, the great C'ree chief, to be wiped off on a future date, and let it go at that. The grass was green in spring and Many Brave Feathers and the camp of Crees, with their store of robes and pemmican, were nearing the gates of Fort Ellice. " Catch me three of the best horses out of the band," said the chief to one of his ' henchmen. Then Many Brave Feathers arrayed himself in all his glory of paint and plumes' and;' mounting the mare and lead- | ing" the three other horses, rode to 4 the ' Fort 1 and asked for the Chief Factor. Seven moons had passed since his departure, but the mare had been well cared for and was fat. Chief Factor Hughes was eating his breakfast, but that was of no consequence. He hurried out. Many Brave Feathers leaped to the ground and came forward to mej»l him. " Ah-ha, Mista Hewus," he said, placing the lines of the four horses in the Chief Factor's hands. " Yoh speak true words. The mare is very fast." The staff was looking on. " Blamed if I wouldn't like some aboriginal Augustus to borrow my wall-eyed pinto for six months on the same term?," observed the clerk.