Adventure Magazine Cover — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

shrub whose leaves are dipped in blood and whose smoke inflames the senses. Each warrior following carried the same burden. . Slowly, majestically Tecumseh stalked to the fire, circled it, and then halted, each of his twenty-five braves at arm’s length from: the next. Suddenly, at a low cry from Tecumseh, all pitched the sumac into the fire. Orcutt saw then that to each warrior’s wrist ‘green withes were fastened—the same which bound the bundles. A moment they waited, until the dry sumac caught fire. Then, at a further sig- nal, each started after Tecumseh, dragging his two bundles of fuming sumac on the ground behind him. They were silent no longer. Tecumseh, ‘his lean knees pumping like pistons, crouched and danced his way around the fire. Up arose the Shawnee war-whoop, echoed and augmented by all the followers. Thrice about the circle they passed, and then, at the second of Tecumseh’s stopping, they loosed the withes, and threw the smok- ing bundles far into the heart of the council- re. Then Tecumseh spoke, his braves group- ing themselves close about him. His words flowed slowly at first, his clear, resonant voice carrying to the extreme edge of the crowd. It was apparent what preparation he had made for the occasion, for he spoke Muskogee, the esperanto of the Confederacy. Soon his words quickened, his black eyes flashed, and his voice raised as he sounded the clarion call to combat. All red America was to join in this war, he said. The old hunting-grounds by the salt water were to be cleared of white invaders. From the North, the South and the West a simul- taneous attack would sweep the woods, the plains and the hills of oppressors. Orcutt’s heart sank as he listened, for the Shawnee was fanatically in earnest and he was a true orator. Unconsciously he flattered his audience, stimulated them to anger, flattered them again, and in the space of ten minutes had the Creeks waving their tomahawks in air and yelling till even Tecumseh’s voice was drowned in the up- roar. Orcutt saw that Pushmataha had arisen, and was haranguing his own tribe, but little hope could lie in the Choctaws’ friendship. Unless a miracle occurred, and - Burning Sumac ager OS an el ie a sare i) aoe Fag em De te = Orcutt knew only too well how haltingly he would speak in the Indian tongue, the Choctaws must follow the Creeks. Tecumseh, however, made the mistake of a clever orator. white men, the two must have _ been swamped under a red flood of Creeks, hungry for the war-path. Instead, however, Te- cumseh deemed a killing of whites must en- hance the war spirit. So, in the midst of his fiery harangue, he mentioned how Forest, the agent, had broken the tacit law of the council. Instantly Orcutt was on his feet, his hand raised to command attention. Any other man in Mississippi Territory would have failed to win the ear of-the frenzied Indians at that moment, but both Creeks and Choc- © taws knew Sam Thlucco. Little by little the noise subsided, curiosity gaining the upper hand. In less than five minutes Orcutt began. “Members of the Council,” he said, “‘the honored chieftain of the Shawnees is right. He has told of unwitting insult offered to a guest of honor. For atonement white blood must be spilled. Very well. But whose? Surely not blood in the white settlements. The men who through ig- norance did the deed are here. Now comes the atonement!”’ He turned abruptly to Forest, who had watched him with staring eyes..- “Get up!’ Orcutt commanded. ‘This is for the women and children. Shoot to kill!” And the amazed agent found himself dragged to the hillock above the fires, — was clear of Indians. Orcutt removed the two derringers saa Forest’s belt. Both were loaded. “Ten paces. Shoot to kill!” he advised Forest again,.curtly. _ Then turning, he called down mockingly to Tecumseh: -“The Shawnee chieftain is anxious to see white blood spilled. Will he give his war- whoop as signal for the duel?” The two men paced off their distance as Tecumseh looked on, amazed. The Shaw- nee was no quitter in any situation, how- ever.. When he saw these two strange white men all set, he loosed the horrific scalp cry _that white men had come to dread. Instantly Forest and Orcutt whirled about. More than his hatred of the agent now in Orcutt’s mind was the knowledge that Forest was lost completely in the Gomichbooks = Had he ignored the (E(0) Ashe