Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 105 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

— ” —---—_—_ | a “and we were in danger, but the Good Spirit helped us to turn aside the flame, and we escaped. The white man was with us, and he fought for the prophetess. At night, like Blackfeet, they came, and murder- ed my brothers, and took away the proph- etess. She escaped out of their hands that night, and they took her again next day. Behold, she is here. Let her say if all this is not true.” In all this subtle speech, not a word had been said that could be forced into the con- struction that he was aware of Ida’s desire to escape. He was particularly careful to say nothing of this kind, as that would have done his cause great harm. Ida rose, flung back the mass of raven hair with one hand, while she stretched out the other ‘persuasively toward the people. How she talked to them! Sweetly as though they had been children whom she loved! The rough waftiots Werte moved, and looked from man to man, She spoke of her guard; how she loved them; how brave they were ; how devoted to her cause. “Then she spoke of the fight upon the prai- fie, when she would not give herself up to men in the paint of Blackfeet. | This masterpiece of strategy, laying so much stress upon the fact that they took the guise of Blackfeet, the inveterate enemy of the Crow, had the desired effect. Aud when she went on to tell of the successful repulse, of the fire-wall bearing down upon them, of the night-struggle, and the death of of her guard, she had wound them to a pitch of the wildest excitement. She concluded: “ And shall this voung chief die, because ‘he was faithful to me? Couid any of you go to the happy hunting-grounds, if you took away vis life? And what shall we say of the Snake, who murdered your broth- ers? It was not our bullets that laid them low. No, no! But Meton led them onto death. I say, let the Hawk go free, and let Meton take his place. He is the traitor here.” “Let the chiefs who say that the Hawk has done no harm, arise with me,” said the old chief on her left. Nearly every man in the circle rose to his feet. Then Ida rose, and said to the Hawk, “ Go free.” He came to her, and, kneeling at her feet, bowed his head. She put her hands upon the bowed head and said he was free from stain. Then he rose, and went down among his friends, while Meton was seized, and placed in the stand he had occupied. It is needless to tell what was said and done there. The usual number of partisan speeches were heard; and, at last, that grave jury deputed one to be spokesman for the whole. The gray-haired man on the right stood up, and turning full upon Meton, addressed him in these words: “ My son is not old, but he has a bad heart. For years his heart has been the game, and now it has come to this. We would have peace in our village. Why should there be murder while we have a great prophetess among us. We do not love bloodshed. We would not have it so. But, my son is never weary of taking scalps. Now he comes to us, and what scalps has he in his belt? Not those of the Blackfoot taken in the fight, spear against spear and shield to shield, but the scalps of his broth- | | Old Ru be, the Hanser, ers, and the friends of many here. My son, you have done very wrong; you have done & wrong to the Great Spirit and tous. We are very sorry. We have judged you by our law, and say you are worthy to die; but because you have been a chief, we bid you go out from our village, and come back to us no more.” The dusky Catiline arose, and faced the senate of brown peers. His eyes were bloodshot; his white teeth showed through his half-parted lips. He passed his hand unsteadily across his brow, as if something obstructed his vision. He leaned heavily upon the stake near which he stood. Hate, fear, anger, all the evil passions of his wild nature burned in his face. His malevolent glance hurried oyer the sea of faces, about nim, and found many friendly to him, but none who dared to speak. The circle cried out with one voice : “Go! Murderer, go !” He spoke then, with a vindictive earnest- ness, tecounting his services, and hurling defiancé itt theit teeth, Then he went down, and passed from man to man, speak- ing hurried words to several. But he was hurried away. Looking back at them from a little distance, he spat venomously toward the crowd, shook his clenched hand in the air, and went on his exiled way. A thrill ran through that savage assem- bly as the chief disappeared from view. They had no idea that he would take his dis- appointment kindly, or that they should not hear of him in his banishment. Indeed, they felt that half the tribe were with him iu heart, and were grieved and angry at his banishment, and wished for his recall. But, these knew better than to resist the will of the council as it felt at present. Boiling with rage, the chief climbed the mountains to the right of the village, com- ing up the valley, and looked down upon his native fields. Banishment! The now wild man of the woods grew sad indeed. Was he taking his last look at the spot where his life had ben spent? He could not tell. He was hungering after vengeance. He would return to his native village, and he would not come alone. He would come, with spear, knife, hatchet and blazing brand, and lay it desolate. He was not long alone. One by one his friends came to join him on the hill. He could see from his perch that the council was broken up. Charlie had been taken back into the lodge, and the fire was out. He was angry, and foamed at the mouth, as he saw the Hawk walking about, giving orders as he should have done. This, then, was the end of all. The prophetess taken from him baulked of his revenge for the death of his friend, exiled from his home. He began to hate her. That she loved Charlie he could see in every word, look and tone of her voice—in the pretty way she had of starting at his words, and turning her bright face toward him. Charlie should die. The love of the Indian was a coarse pas- sion, but it was not the less strong. Woe to the man who crossed his path! His friends joined him. He questioned them as to what had béen done. Who was chosen head chief in his place? Ee. eee 0000 ee e—C—C(C—C“( COU ree eee eee eee asses rr te +13 _s ——— ee ee “The Hawk has takem the ‘odge of Meton,” replied one. Meton bousdet erect, as if in pain. “The Wawk ? Ps ty “Head chief?” “'y 66.” Meton took his hatchet, and struck ht inte a log. “So will I cleave his head; so wB my knife find his heart. Let us be watchful Go back to the village, and make ready When three suns are gone, meet me at on place and I will tell you what to. 0.” They went back to the village. They found more disaffected now, for there are poliitwians even among the Indians, and they had not all been satisfied with the election of the Hawk. He spoke to Ida, standing on the doom way of their lodge, ‘ Meton is gotie,” she said, “He will return,’ was the answer. “Why do you think so ?” “He has many friends. He will come back, and blood will run in the streets of our village. - I wish we had not been taken.” “ How soon do you look for trouble ?” “Trouble iseverywhere. We see a black cloud in the sky, and we say, behold, a storm comes. We see the flash of the lightning, and we wait for the thunder. Meton will come to claim you and his own right.” “ And you?” “While blood runs in the veins of th Hawk, you are safe from every harm.” She thanked him by a look of gratitude from her calm eyes, and the Indian was me warded, “ What can you do for him?” she ask, softly. “ Nothing now.” “ Will he die ?” He knew why she asked for the ¢ ifety o. Charles. The savage hal quick syca, and he knew her love for the prisoner, “ T will do what I can,” he answer xd. “ May I go in and see him now ?” Without a word, he led her to tle door of the prison-lodge, made the guar ‘stand aside, while she joined her lover. He had cast himself down upon the skins «nd! was thinking of his home, beyond the, distant hills.. Was he sorry he had come to this dangerous plain? Was it enough of joy that he had found what he had sowght, one to love him. as he would be loved?) He knew that Ida loved him, . Yearw had, not been passed, only days, and yet they loved as truly as if they had bven lovers for many seasons. What would be his fate ? He did not hear her when she came in, for her footsteps awoke no evhoes upon the floor of the lodge. But she came te him, and knelt at his side, placing a hand upon his, That startled him, and he roused himself to look into her earnest eyes, to listen to the music of her voice, and to say to his heart, that, whether life or death was in store for him, happiness or misery in the future, he did not regret the step he had taken. Her priceless love, her undying devotion, would lighten the burden he would have to fear, and clear the way for his weary feet into the promise of the com- ing day. | Eomicbooks