Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 20 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

> a ‘ Clara. Keassure yourself; if accident has made me mistress of your secret, | will not abuse it—on the contrary, I will help your flight.’’ “Can it be so? You would do that?” Dona Clara exclaimed, as she threw her arms round her neck, and buried her face in her bosom. $a ba not?’ she simply answered; ‘‘ you are my friend.” ‘““Ah! but Llove you, for you are good. You had pity on my grief, and wept with me.’’ Eagle-wing fixed on the maidena glance of undefinable meaning. ** Listen,’’ Ellen said; “‘I will supply you with the means you lack. We'll leave the pane ag very night.” ‘* We ?”’ Dona Clara asked; “‘ what do you mean ?”’ ‘“T mean,’’? Ellen continued, quickly, “that Ishall go with you.” **Can it be possible ?”’ ‘* Yes,’’ she said, in a melancholy voice; ‘*I can not remain here longer.”’ On hearing these words, the Coras chief uivered with joy; a sinister ray flashed rom his dark eyes; but he immediately re- sumed his stoical appearance, and the maid- ens did not notice his emotion. “* But what shall we do to procure means of flight ?”’ “* That is my affair, so do not trouble your- self about it. This very night, I repeat, we shall start.”’ ‘*May Heaven grant it!’? Dona Clara sighed. lien turned to the chief and said : “* Does my brother know, ata short dis- tance from the spot where we now are, any Indian camp where we can seek shelter ?”’ “Two suns from here, in a north-western direction, there is a village, inhablted bya tribe of my nation. It was thither I intend- ed to lead my white father’s daughter after her escape.’ “*.d we shall be in safety with that tribe y’ “The daughter of Don Miguel Zarate will be as safe as in her father’s house,”’ the In- dian answered evasively. ‘Good! Can my brother leave the canip ?”’ ‘Who is strong enough to arrest the flight of the condor? Moukapec is a warrior, nothing stops him.” ** My brother will set out.”’ **Good !”’ **He will proceed by the shortest road to the village of his nation, then he will return to meet us with the warriors he has collect- ed, inorder that we may defend ourselves, in the event of being followed.” ““Very good,”’ the Indian answered joy- fully. ‘“*‘My sister is young, but wisdom dwells in her heart ; I will do what she de- sires—when may I start ?”’ ** At once.” “T go. What hour will my sister quit the x +t ‘*At the hour when the owl sings its first hymn to the rising sun.” ‘“« My sister will meet me, at the most, four hours after her departure. She must re- member in her flight always to go in a north- western direction.” **{ will do so.”’ Eagle-wing bowed to the maidens and left the cabin. The poteenere were in a deep sleep round the fire; only Dick and Harry were awake, The Coras glided like a phantom wight the trees, and reached the edge of the water unnoticed, which was the more easy to effect, because the Canadians were not watching the island, from which they had no danger to apprehend, but had their eyes fixed on the prairie. The chief took off his clothes and made them into a perce’ which he fastened ou his breast; he slipped into the water, and swam silently in the direction of the main land. So soon as the Indian left the cabin Ellen bent over Dona Clara, Bee her a loving kiss on the forehead, and said softly: “Try to sleep for a few hours, while I pre- pare every thing for our flight.’ ‘Sleep!’ the Mexican girl answered; “how can 1 with the restlessness that devours me ?’ “You must !”’ Ellen insisted, “ for we shall have great fatigue to endure to-morrow.” “Well,” Dona Clara said, softly, “i will try, as you wish it.”’ The maidens exchanged a kiss and a shake of the hand, and Fllen left the hut io he turn, smiling to her friend, who followed her with an anxious glance. When left alone, Dona Clara fell on her knees, clasped her hands, and addressed : fervent prayer to God. Then, slightly tran quilized by her appeal to Him who is om: nipotent, she fell back on the pile of dry leaves that served as her bed, and, as she had promised Ellen, attempted to sleep. The New York Library. CHAPTER VIIL THE FLIGHT, THE night covered the tranquil desert with its dark blue sky, studded with dazzling stars. A majestic silence brooded over the prai- rie; all were asleop on the island, save the two Canadian sentries, who, leaning on their rifles, followed with absent eye the tall sha- dows of the wild beasts that slowly came down to drink in the river. At times a mysterious quiver ran over the trees, and shook their tufted crests, whose leaves rustled with a strange sound. Dick and Harry, the two worthy hunters, interchanged a few words in a low voice to while away the- tedium of the long sentry watch to which they were condemned, when suddenly a white shadow Py through the trees, and Ellen stood by their side. The young men started on seeing her; but the maiden greeted them with a smile, sat down on the grass, and with a graceful ges- ture made them asign to seat themselves by her side. They hastened to obey her. The hunters looked at the maiden, who smiled on them with that infantile grace which no expression can render. ‘You were talking when I came up.” **Yes,’’? Harry answered, ‘‘ we were talk- ing of you.”’ ‘Of me?” she said. ‘* Was it not for your sake alone that we joined this troup of bandits ?”’ Dick said, in an ill-humored tone. ‘Do you regret being here ?’’ she asked, with a soft smile. “TI did not say that,’’ the young man con tinued; ‘but we are not in our place among these villains. We are free and loyal hunt- ers, honorable wood-rangers; the life we lead oppresses us.’’ ‘“*Were you not talking of that when my presence interrupted you ?”’ They remained silent. ‘‘Answer boldly!’ she went on. ‘*Good heavens! you know that sucn a life 18 as Op- pressive to me as it is to you.”’ ‘“‘What dol know?” Harry said. ‘‘ Many times 1 have proposed to you to fly, and leave these men whose hands are constantly olluted with blood, but you have ever re- used.”’ “That is true,” she said, sadly; ‘‘alas! although these men are criminal, one of them is my father.”’ “For two years that we have been follow- ing you everywhere, you have given us the same answer.’’ r ‘“‘Tt was because I hoped that my father and brothers would abandon this career of crime.’’ ‘* And now ?”” | **T have no hope left.’”’ ‘Tn that case ?’’ Harry exclaimed, sharply. **T am ready to follow you,”’ she answered, decisively. *“ that the truth? Is it your heart that is speaking, Ellen? Do you really consent to abandon your family and trust to our honor ?”’ ‘ Listen,’? she answered, sorrowfully ; **for two years I have thought deeply, and the more I reflect the more does it appear to me that Red Cedar is not my father.’’ “Can it be possible?’ the hunter ex- elaimed, in amazement. “I caa say nothing certain; but when I go back I fancy (though this is vague and surrounded by shadows in my mind) I can remember another existence, very different from the one J am leading at present.”’ ‘* You can remember nothing positive ?”’ Bein S I see pass, as in a vision, @ lovely pale lady, a man with a proud glance, and of tall stature, who takes me in his arms, and covers me with kisses, and then—”’ - Well, and then ?”’ the hunters exclaimed, in a panting voice. “ And then I see flames, blood, and retires | more, but a man carrying me off throug the night on an impetuous steed.” The maiden, after uttering these words in a broken voice, hid her head in her hands. There was a lengthened silence, ea, which the Canadians attentively observe her; at length they drew themselves up, and Harry laid his hand on her shoulder: she raised her head. ‘What would you of me ?”’ she said, ** Ask you a question.” ** Speak |”? ‘Since you have grown up have you never tried to clear up your doubts by questioning Red Cedar?’ ‘* Yes,” she answered, ‘‘ once.”’ “Well?” “‘Fie listened to me attentively, let me say all I had to say, and then gave me a glance of undefinable meaning, shrugged his shoulders, and answered, ‘You are silly, Ellen; you must have had a bad dream. That <i pe is absurd.’ Then he added, in an ironical yoice, ‘I feel sorry for you, poor creature, but you are really my daugh- “Well,” Dick said, in a tone of convic- tion, as he struck the butt of his rifle fierce- ly on the ground, ‘‘I tell you that he lied, and that man is not your father.”” ° ‘‘Doves do not lay their eggs in the nests of vultures,’”’ Harry added. ‘‘No, Ellen, no, you are not that man’s daughter.” The maiden rose, seized each of the hunt- ers by the arm, and, after looking at them fora moment, said: ‘Well, and I believe so too. I know not why, but for some days past a secret voice has cried in my heart and told me that this man can not be my father; that is why I who, up to this day, have always refused your offers, have come to trust myself to your honor, and ask you if you will protect my flight.”’ ‘*Elien,’’ Harry answered in a grave voice, and with an accent full of respect, ‘‘I swear to you before that God who hears us, that my companion and myself will risk death to protect or defend. You shall always be a sister to us, and in that desert we are about to traverse in order to reach civilized coun- tries, you shall be as safe and treated with as muth respect as if Sh were in Quebee Cathedral, at the foot of the high altar.” ‘‘T swear that I will do all Harry has just said; and that you can, in all confidence, lace yourself under the safeguard of our onor,’”’ Dick added, raising his right hand to heaven. ‘““Thanks, my friends,’’ the maiden an- swered. ‘I know your honor. I accept without reservation, persuaded as I am that you will fulfill your promise.” The two men bowed. ‘*When shall we start?’ Harry asked. ‘it will be better to take advantage of Red Cedar’s absence to fly,’”’ said Dick. “That thought is mine, too,’’ Ellen re- marked, but added with some hesitation, ‘‘T should not like to fly alone.”’ ‘‘ Explain yourself,” Dick said. “Tt is needless,’’ Harry quickly interrup- ted him. ‘‘I know what youdesire. Your thought is an excellent one, Ellen, and we ladly assent to it. The young Mexican ady canaccompany you. If it be possible for us to restore her to her family, who must feel in despair about her, we will do it,” Ellen gave the young man a look, and Blightly lushed. “You are a noble-hearted fellow, Harry,” she replied. ‘I thank you for having guess- ed what I did not know how to ask of yoa.” ‘‘fs there any thing else you want of us?”’ ** No.” *‘Good! then bring your companion here as speedily as possible, and, when you re- turn, we shall be ready. The gold-seekers areasleep. Red Cedaris absent. We have naught to fear, but you had better make haste, so that before sunrise we may be far enough from here not to fear those who will doubtless pursue us when they observe your flight.” ‘I only ask you for a few minutes,” the maiden said, and soon disappeared in the shrubs. In vainhad Dona Clara sought sleep, in obedience to her friend’s recommendations. Her mind, ry tora by hopes and fears, had not allowed her to enjoy a moment’s rest. With eye and ear on the watch, she listened to the voices of the night, and strove to distinguish, in the gloom, the shadows that at times glided through the trees. Ellen found her awake, and ready to start. The maiden’s preparations for flight were not lengthy, for they only took with them a few indispensable articles. In rummaging anold box, which Red Ce- dar and his family employed to keep their clothes in, Ellen. discovered a small coffer, about the size of her hand, of carved rose- wood, inlaid with silver, which the squatter seldom left out of his possession, but which he had not thought it necessary to take with him on the present expedition. The maiden examined this coffer amoment but it was closed. By an intuitive move- ment, for which she could not account, but which completely mastered her, she seized it, and put it in her bosom. ‘Let us go,’ shasaid to Dona Clara. ‘“*T am ready,” the young Mexican replied, laconically, though her heart bounded. The maidens left the hut, holding each other’s hand. They crossed the clearing, ea proceeded in the direction of the Cana- ans. The gold-seekers lying around the fire did not stir. They were all fast asionn For their part, the two hunters had made their preparations for flight. While Dick fetched out to the river-side four of the sturdiest horses he could fin Harry collected the saddles and bridles o the oe megs = threw them into the river, where they immediately disappeared in the current, : J .