Adventure Magazine Cover — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

War Wampum through the neck and body with long hunting-arrows. When Pontiac burned the scalps of brave men he made my medicine angry and it would not help me. Look! Now my medicine will talk to me. ‘The Beaver burns the hair of the man Pontiac looked to for help. It is good!” - if he ain’t met and done for the Rat!’ hoarsely exclaimed Meekly, divided between admiration for the bold act and fear of the consequences. ‘But they will find the bodies.” Ballou glared at the Conestoga, then realized the uselessness of betraying any emotion. It was imperative that he learn the details,of the tragedy. ‘“‘Will the Beaver tell his brother where the.men were killed? There were two scalps. Perhaps the Beaver took two from one head.”’ ‘“‘There were two men,” proudly replied the Conestoga. ‘‘They were killed in the woods between the lake and the bay. They came up a path, the Rat ahead. The Beaver shot them both. I have made a new song.”’ ‘You left them in the trail?” whigpered Bal- lou, horrified at this new menace to his plans. “Where the first warrior to follow the path will find them,” exulted the Cones- toga. ‘“‘Now my medicine tells me very soon I shall turn myself into a snake.” = your medicine!” snarled Meekly. ‘““You have sent the white woman to the torture post,” hissed Ballou. ‘‘Now the Rat is dead and can be found in the path. Pontiac will not give guns to Tamaque. Tamaque will be very angry. Why did you not hide the bodies? Then you would have done a big thing. As it is, you have done a bad thing. When I gave you food at the Shawnee Cabins I did not think I would be paid like this.”’ “Don’t waste your breath on him,” groaned Meekly. “Just pray for the night to hustle along. If the bodies ain’t found till after dusk we may have a anenige to make a try for it.” The Conestoga opened his Paint bag and hung up his small mirror and _ began touch- ing up his face; and as he worked he softly sang his new song, which the white men translated to be: Scarlet is its head, Fox woman is wailing, Scarlet is its head, A Rat died near the marsh. 123 Ballou, plunged in despair, did not take heed of the song’s hidden meaning. Meekly, more objective, lifted his head and glared questioningly at the singer. He eagerly whispered: ‘‘Wake up, Ballou. He shot the two cusses with arrers. ‘Scarlet is its head,’ means a arrer. There may be a chance that we have a trifle more time then we’ve been thinking. Make him talk.” Ballou, startled out of his misery, wheeled on ‘the Beaver, but wisely compelled his tongue to silence until after the Indian had finished his painting. Then he quietly said: “Tt is a good song. It will be repeated by many fires and all men will know the Conestoga made it. How many arrows did the Beaver use?” The Beaver held up three fingers and ex- plained: “One for the Rat. Two for the other. They are Ottawa hunting-arrows. They will find the bow where the Beaver dropped it. Itisan Ottawa bow. Now let Pontiac explain to Ninivois, chief of the Fox war- riors, how the Rat, whose mother was a Fox, and a Fox warrior, go among the ghosts . with a young Ottawa’s arrows in them!” ® “Better! Much better,” sighed Meekly in great relief. ‘Still we must git away tonight. No knowing what will happen after the bodies are found.” Ballou wrote on a bit of bark— Tonight if possible. He looked about’ for his messenger. Rickards was wandering among the Indians, breaking up group after group by his mere presence. Ballou strolled among discon- solate losers and hilarious winners and, com- ing up to Rickards, curtly commanded ‘Bring more wood.” Rickards gathered up a huge armful that a Mingo had just brought from the forest and carried to the fire. Ballou gave him the message and directed— “Give it to the white woman now.” This was an errand Rickards could be depended upon to execute promptly. Any reference to the Marks girl always filled him with a desire to go to her cabin. He dropped the bark inside his shirt and trotted away, his head held high and his gaze taking no account of the sprawling savages. Pontiac now came from his hut and talked with Take and arranged for policing COMICOoOoks Cc C@