CHAPTER VIII.

PROTECTED BY HALF-BREEDS.


On the 3rd of April Big Bear came into our tent and sitting down
beside us told us he was very sorry for what had happened, and cried
over it, saying he knew he had so many bad men but had no control over
them. He came very often to our tent telling us to "eat and sleep
plenty, they would not treat us like the white man. The white man when
he make prisoner of Indian, he starve him and cut his hair off." He
told us he would protect us if the police came. The same day Big
Bear's braves paid our tent another visit, they came in and around us
with their guns, knives and tomahawks, looking at us so wickedly.

Pritchard said, "For God sake let these poor women live, they can do
no harm to you: let them go home to their friends."

The leaders held a brief consultation.

An Indian stood up and pointing to the heavens said, "We promise by
God that we will not hurt these white women; we will let them live."

They then left the tent.

Every time I saw one of Big Bear's Indians coming in, I expected it