incident, and explained again and again, “The idea of saying that I was a horse thief!  Why, I never stole a horse in my life—­leastways from a white man.  I don’t count Indians nor the Government, of course.”  Jap had been reared among men still in the stage of tribal morality, and while they recognized their obligations to one another, both the Government and the Indians seemed alien bodies, in regard to which the laws of morality did not apply.

On the other hand, parties of savage young bucks would treat lonely settlers just as badly, and in addition sometimes murder them.  Such a party was generally composed of young fellows burning to distinguish themselves.  Some one of their number would have obtained a pass from the Indian Agent allowing him to travel off the reservation, which pass would be flourished whenever their action was questioned by bodies of whites of equal strength.  I once had a trifling encounter with such a band.  I was making my way along the edge of the bad lands, northward from my lower ranch, and was just crossing a plateau when five Indians rode up over the further rim.  The instant they saw me they whipped out their guns and raced full speed at me, yelling and flogging their horses.  I was on a favorite horse, Manitou, who was a wise old fellow, with nerves not to be shaken by anything.  I at once leaped off him and stood with my rifle ready.

It was possible that the Indians were merely making a bluff and intended no mischief.  But I did not like their actions, and I thought it likely that if I allowed them to get hold of me they would at least take my horse and rifle, and possibly kill me.  So I waited until they were a hundred yards off and then drew a bead on the first.  Indians—­and, for the matter of that, white men—­do not like to ride in on a man who is cool and means shooting, and in a twinkling every man was lying over the side of his horse, and all five had turned and were galloping backwards, having altered their course as quickly as so many teal ducks.

After this one of them made the peace sign, with his blanket first, and then, as he rode toward me, with his open hand.  I halted him at a fair distance and asked him what he wanted.  He exclaimed, “How!  Me good Injun, me good Injun,” and tried to show me the dirty piece of paper on which his agency pass was written.  I told him with sincerity that I was glad that he was a good Indian, but that he must not come any closer.  He then asked for sugar and tobacco.  I told him I had none.  Another Indian began slowly drifting toward me in spite of my calling out to keep back, so I once more aimed with my rifle, whereupon both Indians slipped to the other side of their horses and galloped off, with oaths that did credit to at least one side of their acquaintance with English.  I now mounted and pushed over the plateau on to the open prairie.  In those days an Indian, although not as good a shot as a white man, was infinitely better at crawling under and taking advantage of cover; and the worst thing a white man could do was to get into cover, whereas out in the open if he kept his head he had a good chance of standing off even half a dozen assailants.  The Indians accompanied me for a couple of miles.  Then I reached the open prairie, and resumed my northward ride, not being further molested.