WHY SATANK KILLED PEACOCK 



Mexican — says he to Peacock, says he, * Bring 

 your spy-glass out an' look down the road an' 

 see ef this is a lot of soldiers a-coming', — when 

 there was no soldiers in sight nor anything that 

 looked like 'em. 



"Never suspecting the trap that Satank had 

 laid for him. Peacock come out with his long tele- 

 scope an', resting it on the end of a log sticking 

 out at the corner of the house, begun looking 

 through it in the direction Satank pointed. 



"While busy tryirg to focus the glass on a little 

 cloud of dust that Satank kept tryin' to point 

 out to him, the ol' rascal put the muzzle of his 

 rifle to the back of Peacock's head an' put a ball 

 through his brains. While Satank dismounted to 

 scalp Peacock his warriors rushed into the en- 

 closure through the gate that Peacock had left 

 open as he come out, an' it was such a complete 

 surprise to the ranchmen that they were all soon 

 killed 'cept the sick man I spoke of. They found 

 him in bed but never offered to disturb him. I've 

 known of Injuns, several times, a-sparing sick peo- 

 ple thataway, but don't know why, unless they 

 have a superstition ag'in harming sick folks. 



"When Rath an' Long, down here at the Bend, 

 saw the Kiowas going back across the river, 

 a-drivin' Peacock's herd, they begun to think 

 something was wrong, so they got out their spy- 

 glass, took a close look, an', although the Injuns 

 was two or three miles away, could see that they 



107 



