Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 183 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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of Ve ~~ a i ne — he said, sadly . the scouts of 25 he will be turned out of the service. But you cannot see Morena.” ‘For what reason?” : ‘“‘ Poubtless in your family pride you have let her see that you considered ita great condescen- sion on your part to love a woman in her degree. other descent. At least she knows that you care for her, and | says she will not drag you down.” ‘“‘T never intended to Jet her see that I was hesitating,” said Gandelion, eagerly. ‘Let me see her; let me convince her that I love her.” ** No; I promised her that you would not mo- lest her. ave a little patience, and bend your- self to the task of finding this Helen Carlyon, for she has promised to leave the tribe and come to me, if that girl is saved.” “Good!” cried Gandelion. ‘‘ Let me see her, if only in your presence, and induce her to leave the task of finding Helen Carlyon tome. No man has a greater influence among the tribes than I have to-day, for I have always counseled moderation, and McKay has lost prestige since to-day’s fight.” Madame Lagrange went out, and after some time came back, leading Morena by the hand, Her eyes were downcast, and there were traces of tears upon her cheeks. Gandelion ran to her and took her hand, which he pressed ardently to his lips, while Morena hid her face upon the shoulder of Madame Lagrange. ‘‘Why don’t you send him away?’ she whis- red. “I ama coward, and dare not look him in the face.” “Do not hold her hand, Herbert,” said his cousin. ‘‘ You must remember your promise.” _ “That is the only reason I insisted upon see- ing her. Morena, this good lady tells me that you have given your promise to come to her, the moment Helen Carlyon is found. Let me hear you say that this 1s true.” ‘‘] have promised,” replied Morena, faintly. “* Now leave me.” ‘* Hear me first. Gilbert, the Guide, Owasco, Waterman, and the Irishman have vowed to find ber, and now I add my oath to theirs. The danger is over except from afew wild tv like Darromed, who will kill any man of the American nation who dares set foot in their country. We must proceed with caution, but must remain here.” ‘‘ Hush!” commanded Morena. ‘ You know that my word is sacred, and I too have said that I would not turn back until I know that she is safe. It was only upon that ground that I gave my promise, and I must go at early morn- ip ‘Are you determined?” “Yes. Do Ses part, and at the right time ‘trust me to help you. There are secret hiding- laces among the Lake islands which no one vs as well as I do, and I will find out where McKay has hidden her myself.” “And when all is over, wiil you not give me h Morena? You know that I love be dearly, and would do anything for your sake.” “Lean give no Even if I live with this good lady, I am not the one to make you a fitting wife. [ shall still remain a woman of unknown birth, and not the one your friends would meet as an equal, and Morena is too proud to meet them upon any other terms.” She drew herself up proudly and faced him with a haughty glance, which for a moment meds ber lool tke & queen. ‘‘Have done with this, Herbert,” said Mad- ame Lagrange. ‘“‘No more need be said upon this subject until your work is done. Good- evening, sir.” ‘‘And have you no farewell for me, Morena?” She gave him both hands instantly. ‘* Good- by, Gandelion,” she said. ** Whatever our fate I will remember that you love me to the last of "Gandeli 7 andelion pressed his lips to the hands again and again, and was gone. Morena passed the night in the arms of her adopted mother, and at early morning was ready to set out. Gandelion had left the post in the night, and she was not tried by another parting from him. A canoe was sti big, Min the beach, and although Wayne witnessed her departure, they bad their orders and no effort was made to stop her. Madame Lagrange, from the para- pet of the fort, saw her turn the head of her canoe down the river, pausing as she swept downward to take her plumed bonnet from her head and wave a graceful gesture of farewell. The dew was not yet off the grass, and a cooling breeze fanned her brow as she paddled down the stream, scanning the shores as she passed on. Suddenly she paused, for a low, wailing cry of distress reached her ears from the western bank, and her ears were always open to the voice of despair. She turned the head of the canoe toward the bank, landed and looked about her. Nothing was in sight, and she called, in her clear, sweet voice. An an- swer came back from a hollow, which had once been the bed of @ stream, long since run dry, and she hastened her a As she came near she saw a great eagle, with wide-spread wings, hovering over the gully 1 evidently meditating a descent. As she ro Closed h's wings and swept downward, W cl © ae cry of de- spair rung out upon the clear air of the morn- | die a. “eit tie ~ ORR CA Se El ee Re Be eh ee, eee “3 ing. Taking off her cap, she waved it in the | be eager to make peace after their defeat at the air, and uttered a shout, but the eagle swooped down, and srg < ey sas A cry of pain followed, and the rreat bloody talons, and balanced himself for an- As he turned, Morena ‘raised her carabine and fired, and the great bird closed bis wings, and tumbled headlong to the earth. Hurrying down the slope, Morena saw protruding from the sod, the head and neck of aman, bleeding from the attack of the at bird. So marked was the face with blood, that it was with difficulty she recognized init the coun- | ing tenance of Owasco, the Onondaga. CHAPTER XXIII. ON THE TRACK—THE ISLAND HOME. How did he come there, buried to hi: neck in the earth, with nothing but his head above the sod? The earth wae trampled hard about him, so closely indeed ag to inipede respiration, and his breath came thick and laboring. !lorena took her dagger, and w th it loosened ths earth about bis haat and tliroat, when he gave a gasp, and his head sunk upon one side. She worked hard, desperately, and in the course of half an hour bad so loosened the earth that be was able to draw himself out of the cavity, ly- ing prostrate upon the earth after the exertion, while Morena ran to the river and brought up a canteen full of water, which she dashed into his face, and in a twinkling he was himself again, and sat up, with a fiery and excited eye. “Who did this?’ she demanded. “Darromed,” was the reply, delivered in a tone of savage earnestness, ‘‘and for it I will have his sca P. Let us go.” He rose his feet, but staggered as he walked, and she put out her hand to roy ot him. But he waved her away with a lofty and impressive gesture. “No,” he said. ‘* Youare kicd, but a chief must not lean upon a woman. The work be- fore me I must do, and it will not be long be- fore I shall recover strength and go about my os e walked about upon the grass for a mo- ment, and then turned to Morena, “Darromed lay under my hand last night, and I ‘vould not slay him, because he was wounded and alone. But I followed him, for I knew that he could tell me where McKay had bidden the Pale Flower, whom the white men call Helen. I followed him like a do upon the scent, but he found his friends an laid an ambush for me, and took me. Then he set me deep in the earth and trampled down the sod about me, and left me there to starve. My mouth was closed by a gag, but the eagle in his first swoop—for he came three times be- fore you shot him—tore the clothaway. I will not rest until I have laid Darromed in as low a bed as this.” “Who comes?’ cried Morena, suddenly, ag up her rifle, and beginning to load it rapidly. . A footstep stirred the forest leaves, and a manly voice answered: ‘* A friend; hold your hand.” ** Gilbert!” cried Owasco, The bushes parted, and Owasco darted for- ward to meet bis friend, who advanced with a hasty step, and the two clasped hands, Owasco was the first to speak, and his voice trembled. 7 Gilbert,” he said, ‘‘ the heart of Owasco has been very sad, for he thought the great bunter had gone tohis long bome. I have wept for you, as I did not weep when my nation was scattered, some to the east and some to the west. A great joy fills my heart this hour.” “I too am glad to meet you, Owasco,” an- swered Gilbert, ‘‘ for I feared that you had gone to P ber rest. How is it that I find you here, and what is the meaning of this hole?” _ Owasco explained quickly. “Generosity is thrown away upon a man like Darromed,” exclaimed the Guide, with a stern look. ‘“‘Owasco, do you know that I begin to feel that I am very near my end, and that I must find peace, kg in the grave, before many days are over? My dreams have been disturbed, and in them my murdered wife has come to me and whispered, ‘Rest; your years of waiting and watching bave borne fruit, and you shall in nowise lose your reward.’ Let it come as it will, I feel a calm in my breast which I have not felt for years. Do you know what has become of Waterman?” ‘He was taken that night, but escaped,” re- plied Owasco, : ‘‘Then he is somewhere on the trail, and we shall find him. Where is Handy Pat?” ‘* He is with McKay.” ‘That is good. Iam glad that Helen 2% a rotector near her, for if the worst comes, Pat is not the man to see her wronged. Have you any idea where Helen is now?” ‘* Darromed told me that she was upon one of the islands in the bay.” ‘*Ha: Morena, do you know any thing of these islands?” ‘* Yes: let us be on our wey for I must be the one to save Helen, whom love like a sister. There is now no fear from the Indians, who will | in the canoe,” pushed out, rapids, and we can hey went down the My and ird rose again, this time with | and the three were soon gliding on between the silent banks, the chief and Guide working at the ene seh and Morena sitting in the stern, her een eyes per from bank to bank. ‘*T saw Gandelion last night,” said the Guide, **and parted from him at see him, Morena?” The queen hung her head, and they d see enough of her neck to know that she was blush- ort Miami. Did you ** Yes, Gilbert.” ‘*T don’t like Englishmen overmuch, for t never did me any particular kindness, but that young man can ask any thing in my power te grant, and he shall have it. He is going to aid us in our search for Helen.” ‘‘Gandelion is a brave man,” she said, slowly, ‘and he has the heart of a woman except when in battle.” ‘‘ There are worse men upon the earth, I pope said Gilbert, with a roguish twinkle in iseyes. ‘‘ At the same time, I can’t say much for bis brains, He don’t know a great deal, I reckon.” The girl looked ne quickly, with a glance of fiery anger, but catching the look in the eyes of the Guide, she bung her head again, and he laughed lightly. ‘You have a poor opinion of the man, I can see,” he said. ‘* There, there, little girl; Gan- delion and I understand each other, and we won’t quarrel, you may be sure. What is that upon the bank, Owasco?’ ‘*‘ A man, looking from the bushes.” “Give me your carabine, Morena,” said the Guide, laying his paddle carefully in the bot- tom of the canoe. ‘I guess I'll give the fellow . start, whoever it may be; won't hurt m. ‘* Wait,” said Morena, eagerly; “I think I know who it is. Let me see if he will not an- swer my call.” She bent forward and called out; ‘‘ Clinton Waterman!” At this call, the man hidden in the bushes leaped up and ran down to the water's edge, and they cylligg he we yore the man they sought, rag eeding and weary with unkempt hair ond haaed and wild eyes. The canoe was pusbed hastily to the bank and he sprung in, sinking exhausted in the bottom of the light craft. “My poor fellow,” said Gilbert, “I’m afraid you have had.a hard time.” ‘I have indeed,” he confessed, raising his ‘‘Oh, tell me, have you any trace of head. Helen?” “Yes, we are now on our way to save her,” replied Gilbert; ‘‘ rouse yourself and be a man. Come, come; you look as if you had been drag- ged through a thorn-busb.” ‘*T’ve had a wild ride,” said the young man. ‘‘Do you see the bluff yonder? it look like a nice place to ride a mustang over? I did it, and live. And then he took me such a course, through tangled brush and over logs and stumps, and through thorny p and I was g to fling myself from bis back and take my chances of broken bones. You are going to save Helen, you say? Then I am with you, heart and soul.” Where was Helen while her friends were sng through this fiery ordeal for her sake ? be had been glad at any price to get out of the clutches of Darromed, although she feared McKay nearly as much, The great canoe in which she bad been placed, glided out of the Miami at last, and into the i which bears the same name, Some distance from the east- ern shore were several small wooded islands, and toward these the canoe held its way. Mc- Kay had spoken but little, except to ask her from time to time if she was comfortable, and hoped she would learn to look more kindly on him, to which she returned no answer. . Ye in yonder cove, Malotta,” he finally said, The Indian who held the bow paddle, ut once, by a dextrous sweep, brought the head of the canoe in to the bank, and leaped out, holding it firmly while the y landed, when two of them li it and out of the water. ‘““Here we are,” said the Briton, ‘and here you are likely to remain until you are willing to come to terms. Who would think of follow- ing you here across that broad expanse of water? Ido not think it possible, and even if they should, I know a hiding-place which all their vigilance could not find out. How do you like the prospect?” **Colonel McKay, does it paene you to thus Be en a helpless woman‘ ‘No ‘Why then should you do it?” _“‘Because J love you. This is not the first pre: have ye a so, and I have still another reason for wishing to marr 7 ~ be mi Pe that be?” oe “IT will tell you when we are married, m pat he —, with a cynical laugh. tor ‘ Suppose promise to marry would you at once return me to my friends?” (E| 900) e€oilm CS id it on the bank (E(o)