CHAPTER IV.
But we will do as the Dahcotahs did--turn from the sadness and horror of an Indian's death, to the gayety and happiness of an Indian marriage.
The Indians are philosophers, after all--they knew that they could not go after the Chippeways, so they made the best of it and smoked.

Beloved Hail was dead, but they could not bring him to life, and they smoked again: besides, "Walking Wind" was to be married to "The War Club," whereupon they smoked harder than ever.
There are two kinds of marriages among the Dahcotahs, buying a wife and stealing one.

The latter answers to our runaway matches, and in some respects the former is the ditto of one conducted as it ought to be among ourselves.

So after all, I suppose, Indian marriages are much like white people's.
But among the Dahcotahs it is an understood thing that, when the young people run away, they are to be forgiven at any time they choose to return, if it should be the next day, or six months afterwards.

This saves a world of trouble.