Red Plume — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

58 , RED PLUME. As it was uncertain what amount of intelligence was pos- sessed by the chief at that time, they withdrew to a part of the lodge in which they could not be observed by him, and con- versed in low tones. Ellen was very anxious to hear the fate of the rest of the party, and was pleased to learn that her father, though badly wounded, was in a fair way to recover, and that her brother’s hurt was but a slight one. She was at a loss to imagine how her tall cousin had come there, and how he had so strangely got into the good graces of the savages. Eben told his story as briefly as he could, making due allow- ance for exaggerations and for an amount of self-glorification that was worthy of an Indian brave relating his exploits. Ellen, as may be supposed, was both amused and astonished. She found the narrative sufficiently wonderful to cause her to give her cousin credit for more courage, ingenuity and impu- dence than she had supposed he possessed, and her estimate of him rose considerably, until he began to speak slightingly of Frank Steele. “Tell you what, Nelly,’ said he, “that young chap who commenced to be so sweet on you has turned out to bea reg’lar sneak.” “Who do you mean? What do you mean ?” “That young feller who came to our place after supper, who kept castin’ sheep’s eyes at you, my purty, and wanted us all to go to his father’s camp, and then got us all picked up by these infarnal Injuns. He ain’t.bad-lookin’, Pll allow, but hand- some is as handsome does, in my opinion, and the way he sneaked off and left you here, to be eat up alive, is no way for » a gentleman to do, much less a man who puts on airs and calls himself brave.” “ What do you mean,#ben? If you are speaking of Mr. Steele, I can inform you that he isa prisoner here, and is much worse off than I am, for Iam told that he is to be put to death to-morrow.” ‘Not much he ain’t, my sugar-sweet. There will be no puttin’ to death for him, so long as he can Scamper away and save his carcass. He is far from here now, for I saw an Injun cut him loose to-night, and then saw him steal a horse, and ride off with that same Injun and a red-skinned woman.” “Then he is safe,thank God! He has escaped, and he a comnilclooks.con