Red Plume — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

30 | RED PLUME. distinction would count fornothing; all that he might thereafter _ do would not restore him to his position in the tribe ; his foot could not be set upon the war-path, nor could his voice be heard by the council-fire. As far as the objects which alone have value in the eyes of an Indian are concerned, he was 9 ruined man,and his lifeseemed worthlesstohim. Whilehe sat and brooded over his wrongs, he inwardly resolved that he would not be a dog or a squaw among the Blackfeet, but would leave them, and seek refuge in some hostile tribe, where his manly vir- tues would be properly appreciated. Benedict Arnold in his mo- ments of passion, thought that he was justified, when he _ be- trayed his country for far less canse; can the ignorant Indian be blamed for resolving not to submit to unmerited PEERED, and for becoming a renegade? He had hardly formed this resolution, when ie saw Lala approaching along the forest-path. She had a bundle of sticks on her shoulder, and her face was bound up with an ominous bandage. In an instant, all the love that he really felt for her rushed to his heart like a revelation, and flew from his heart to-his lips and eyes. «de then knew that his ‘affec- tion was not such as it had been when she was the compan- ion of his childhood—that he did not love her as a sister, but with such passion as can exist only between man and woman. — “Has the Fat Bear made her his drudge?” he angrily thought. ‘‘ Must she bring wood and water, and carry burdens, and work like any common squaw?. It-istoo bad ;. the daugh- ter of a great, warrior should not be treated so meanly.. Why js that bandage on her face? Has she fallen, or has that dog beaten her? She shall suffer no longer. . I ‘will leave the Blackfeet and she shall go with me. We will*go where I can love her and take care of her.” He ran to meet heryand startled her by the earnestness with which he seized her hand and snatched the bundle of: sticks from her shoulder. “ What does this mean, my Star-in-the-grass ?” he asked. * Does Nip-muck-we force you to carry bundles, like a com: mon squaw ? What is the matter with your face? Has the Bear struck you with his claws ?” With many tears, and in a trembling voice, La-la told how she had been abused and ill treated by the chief, and how he — conniclioooks.con