Adventure Magazine Cover — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

118 } were little lines of misery about the corners of her eyes and across her forehead. Her usual high color had been bleached out by fears, incarceration, and the lack of sunshine and strong winds. Her hair, flaxen rather than a true yellow, was coiled neatly on top of her shapely head. Her simple gown was torn and stained by the hurried travel north, and on her feet she wore Indian moccasins. She was worn and pale, but Ballou rejoiced there was nothing in her physical appearance to denote weak- ness. There was an abiding melancholy graven in her fine face. perhaps put there by the memories of what she had witnessed at the Perkins cabin. He did not believe she knew about her father’s death. Rick- ards never took his gaze from her. vif it PONTIAC rose and without glanc- Riti@ ing at the girl said: om “The Trade Knife has counted the guns and has looked on his father’s prisoner. It is time to go back to the camp and tell the warriors the Knife gives them a feast.” Ballou quit the doorway and fussed with his pipe until after the girl had entered the cabin. When she was screened from Pon- tiac’s sharp gaze Ballou said: “The Knife is pleased to see the prisoner looking so strong. The Rat will be pleased.” Then in English and pretending to be addressing Rickards he said: “He is ready who writes on bark and sends it away and then receives it back, and burns it in the fire. Let her be ready who received the bark.” Pontiac pricked up his ears as he caught some of the speech. From inside the cabin came the sound of the gourd dropping on the hard-packed earthern floor. “Does the Knife make a medicine talk to the child of the manitos?” curiously asked Pontiac. “He tells him to burn bark if he would make a medicine to the sun.’ The prisoner appeared in the doorway, her hands clutching the ends of the logs for support. Her gaze was Jowered to avoid the piercing glances of the chief’s somber eyes. Turning to Rickards she softly said, “Very soon all will be we , I hope. Very soon a friend will come.’ Rickards stared at her worshipfully and exclaimed: “Valler hair. Pretty hair.” Ballou commanded: : Adventure ‘““Come Rickards. My sun medicine tells me we shall be up early in the morning.” He dared not glance again at the girl, for already Pontiac was trying to patch to- gether such English words as he could catch out of Ballou’s rapid utterance. Rickards did not pay any attention to his friend’s command but remained watching the woman and nursing the new musket. Pontiac stepped one side and motioned for Ballou to precede him. Feverish with suppressed excitement and wildly wishing the hours away, Ballou hurried through the village and into the camps. “The Knife has. the legs of the deer,” remonstrated Pontiac, who did not relish such unseemly haste. ‘“‘He must return to his prisoner. The Black Beaver will wish to walk among the fires.” “‘The Beaver heard evil birds whispering in his dreams. They told him lies about scalps,”’ angrily declared Pontiac. “The Knife does not know what the Beaver dreams. He only knows the False- face medicine is very wise and tells him things that are hidden to most warriors.”’ “Can it tell when Detroit will fall?” asked Pontiac, sceptical yet curious. “It may tell him that. The Knife does not know. It told him the four scalps came from Leni-lenape heads and were painted by red men.” ‘Then it lied,”’ harshly declared Pontiac. “Or if the scalps came from Leni-lenape heads they were taken a long time ago. If the Beaver tells such things none of the Mingoes will want his medicine.” Pontiac left him when they reached the central fire and Ballou lost no time in re- joining his friends. “Did you see her?” eagerly asked Meekly. “T saw her, but Pontiac stood at my elbow. I could not speak to her. She did not know me until I said something in English to Rickards. I told her through Rickards to be ready, that we should try to escape tomorrow morning. I have promised a feast to the savages if Pontiac will furnish the rum. He will let only part of them drink tonight for fear they will do each other mischief. I bought the rum on Tamaque’s credit.” For a second Meekly’s broad face almost threatened a grin. “If we can git loose before that old chunk GOMIIGIOO S (©