CHAPTER X.
A WOMAN ON THE TRAIL.
In his fight with the Pawnees, Red Pine had lost several warriors, which fact was not at all calculated to produce any good feeling on his part. More than this, he lost what he could not well afford to—his temper.
He fumed and swore around, venting his anger upon whoever happened to get in his way.
He resolved to make one more desperate fight, even if he had to take all the warriors of the Sioux nation to do it. Just then, he felt as if he would like to exterminate the whole Pawnee tribe, and the Blackfeet, too, with the exception of Snowdrop. Especially would he sweep from the face of the earth the young pale-face who had come between him and his desires.
To this end he dispatched his swiftest runners to the Sioux village with an earnest appeal for help. There is no doubt in the world but that he misrepresented facts to his superiors, but then his conscience was one of those elastic affairs which do not give their possessor much trouble, and he thought that all was fair in war as in love.
Then, too, his sister was gone, and he knew that he would not dare to go back without her. Had he been alone, he would have trumped up some lie, by which he might get clear of all responsibility; but he knew that many of the old warriors who were with him, would not hesitate to put the affair in its true light before the councilors of the nation.
Thus we find him encamped with his followers within a few miles of the scene of his recent defeat, to await the return of his messengers.
And White Wolf felt very much as if he had been doing a large amount of work for a very small remuneration.
He was not angry—oh! no! But, as Jehiel remarked when he saw the Pawnees leaving: "I'll jest bet that critter feels awful demoralized!"
White Wolf knew that somewhere among the hills there was a white man who had been instrumental in rescuing Snowdrop from the hands of the Sioux, and who stood between his wishes and the love of the Blackfoot queen; and he resolved to hunt up that white man, and put him out of the way.
So he returned to the place where he had won so decisive and brilliant a victory over the Sioux, and went into camp.
We left Jehiel mounted and ready for whatever might turn up next, and there he sat, as did the whole band of Blackfeet, until the Pawnees were nearly out of sight.
"We will go to the village of my people," said Gray Eagle; and he turned his horse and started for the north, followed by the Blackfoot warriors.
He had gone a full mile when he spoke to Snowdrop; but receiving no answer, he looked around to see what had become of her. Then he saw her and Jehiel standing where he had left them.
Ordering his band to remain where they were, the old chief galloped back.
"Why does my daughter and the Long Hunter stay here?" he asked.
Snowdrop did not reply, but Jehiel did.
"Waal, old man, we was tryin' to think of suthin' mean enough to call you for desarting a friend in this way."
"What does the Long Hunter mean?" asked the old chief.
"I mean just this, that you're an old liar! You agreed to be a friend to us fellers, if Lew would get your gal away from the Sioux! He did it, he did, and now, dog gone your old pictur', you was goin' off hum without tryin' to find out if he is dead or alive! I told Lew just how it would be, when he said you had swore to befriend him. I don't think much of such friends as that!"
"White Panther promised to bring the scalp of Red Pine to Gray Eagle, and he has not done it."
"Waal," replied Jehiel, "he hadn't had time yet. Jest wait a few days, and you'll see him come walkin' inter your camp a-whistlin' Yankee Doodle, and old Red Pine's head under his arm—see if you don't!"
"Gray Eagle can not wait. The Long Hunter had better find his friend and go home, or my warriors will find them and kill them both!"
"Are you goin' to desart Lew Kelly in this way?" asked the thoroughly angry Yankee.
"Gray Eagle owes the pale-face nothing, for he has not done all he promised."
"I've a good mind to shoot you myself, you 'tarnal old traitor you!" exclaimed Jehiel.
The old chief did not notice him, but turning to Snowdrop he said:
"Come, my daughter."
He turned and started toward his band, but Snowdrop made no effort to follow him.
He came back with an angry frown upon his face. It was the first time Snowdrop had ever refused to obey him.
"Why does my daughter linger?" he asked.
"Snowdrop will not enter her father's lodge until he has found the White Panther! He saved her life, and Snowdrop will not desert him!"
"The Pawnees have gone that way, and they will find him and kill him!" replied the old chief.
"Then Snowdrop will die with him!" exclaimed the maiden.
The old chief loved his daughter as the apple of his eye, and he knew that she would not give up by coaxing—she was too much a chip of the old block for that.
He could take her home by force; but she would certainly run away if he did.
He could confine her so that she could not leave; but she would take her own life.
He knew the scout would not take Snowdrop for his wife—he had heard him say that he had a wife already.
Looking at the case in all its bearings, he resolved to assist his daughter in finding White Panther, and then compel him to marry her, whether or not. So he said:
"Gray Eagle will find the pale-face, and give him to Snowdrop."
Signaling for his band to return, he started for the place where he had last seen Lew Kelly. When within a few miles of the place a scout came running back with the intelligence that the Pawnees were encamped on the old battle-ground.
This intelligence was not at all pleasing to him, for it necessitated the making of his camp on the side of the range where he then was. However, necessity knows no law, and he was obliged to call a halt upon arriving at the foot of the hill.
He did not know that the object of his search was within short rifle-shot of him at that moment.
He had made his camp close by a small stream which ran along the base of the hill. Upon the opposite side of the stream the rocks towered above them a hundred feet or more, forming an insurmountable barrier to further progress in that direction; and with his scouts out, he did not fear surprise.
Lew Kelly was telling Bear-Paw how he came to be in that section, and also of the treaty of peace he had made with Gray Eagle.
"But," he said, "I don't know whether the old chief will consider himself bound to keep the contract until I bring him the scalp of the Sioux chief, as I promised. I hope he will, for there is plenty of game about here, and every indication of gold. In the hills, where my friend and I made our camp, we found several nuggets of pure gold; and I have no doubt there is plenty of it among these hills, as they are of the same range."
"I've got er gold-mine what'll do yer eyes good ter see," said the old trapper. "Jest wait er minit an' I'll show yer."
He went to the opposite side of the room, and returned, bearing a buck-skin bag, which he opened and poured the contents upon the floor before the scout.
"Thar," he said, "is about fifty pounds of ther durned stuff, enuf ter make yer rich fur life; an' I'll give yer ther hull lot on't, ef ye'll agree ter go hum, an' never say nothin' about thar bein' any here."
The scout was too much surprised to reply.
"What does yer say?" asked the trapper. "Ain't it enuf?"
"Yes, it is enough," replied Kelly; "but, did you find it all among these hills?"
"Sartin. An' I kin show yer more nor ten bushels uv it, layin' around loose!"
"Where?"
"Down in ther kasm—will yer go down an' see it?"
"Not now," replied the scout. "I must find out, first, where my friend is. I blame myself for keeping still so long, and if you will let me out, I will go to the top of the bluff and see if I can discover him."
"All right. I'll go with yer," replied Bear-Paw.
Kelly took care to return the gold to the bag, and place it where he could find it again; then he signified his readiness to go.
"I'm goin' out, gal," the old trapper said to the aged negro woman. "Jest keep yer ears open, fur I may be in a hurry when I kem back," and they were ushered into the outer cavern.
A low whinny greeted Kelly.
"Poor old horse!" he said, "you are on short rations just now. I must try and get you something to eat."
"Yes," said Bear-Paw, "we'll cut some grass fur ther critter, an' bring back with us."
Kelly led his horse to the water, and after he had drank, returned him to the cavern and told him to lie down.
The two men were soon upon the level plateau which formed the top of the hill. Once there, they saw a sight which surprised them not a little.
Directly below them was the camp of the Pawnees, while beyond, and not more than five miles away, they could discern another camp, but could not make out who they were.
Kelly easily recognized the Pawnees, for he was well acquainted with them, and knew White Wolf almost as well as he did Jehiel.
"I wonder who those others can be, off yonder," he said.
"I can't tell yer, they's so fur off; but you can bet they ain't no Blackfeet!"
"How do you know?" asked the scout.
"'Cause that 'ar is west, an' ther Blackfoot village ar' off here ter ther north furder. Le's go over ter ther other side an' see ef we can diskiver them."
Approaching the other side, they saw immediately below them the camps of Gray Eagle, and Kelly recognized his friend Jehiel, and also Snowdrop.
"What does this all mean, do you suppose?" he asked.
"Can't tell," replied the trapper. "It looks as ef there mought be fun ahead. But come on, le's cut some grass fur ther hoss an' git back. We'll know more about it afore mornin'."
With their knives they cut each a large bundle of grass, and returned to the cavern. The scout threw down his load, but the old trapper said:
"No, not thar. We must take ther animile inside, fur I an goin' ter hev this room full uv Injuns afore long."
"What do you mean?" asked the scout.
"Jest yer wait an' see," was all the reply he could get.
The old trapper was getting terribly excited about something, and it was not until after the huge rock door was between them and the outer cave that he regained his composure.
Kelly found a good place for his horse, and throwing a bundle of grass before him, left him to his own enjoyment. This done, he was about to seat himself beside the fire, when Bear-Paw said to him—"Kem with me," and they proceeded to the chasm, where they swung over.
From a recess in the wall the old man took a bow and arrows and a long rope, and led the way into the room used as the menagerie.
"Now," said he, "jest write er letter ter yer friend, an' I'll let him know whar yer ar'"—and while the scout was writing a few words to satisfy his friend of his safety, the old trapper went about among his animals, talking to them, and petting them in his usual manner.
When the letter was completed, he told Kelly to follow him, and then led the way to the rear entrance of the cave.
He soon arrived near the opening, where he halted and said:
"Don't let Barnum humbug yer, fur he kin scratch like ther Old Boy, ef he's a mind ter. Yer see, he's crosser nor ther rest, an' ain't in ther habit uv lettin' folks go by him. But ef yer keep close ter me, I reckon ye'll be all right."
Proceeding a few feet further, they came to an abrupt turn in the passage, and a low growl warned them that they were near the guard. The old trapper held his torch before him and went ahead.
"Shut up, Barnum! What ar' yer so sassy about? I'll give yer a lickin'," he said, "ef yer don't quit yer foolishness."
And he stood and talked to the animal until Kelly had passed beyond his reach.
About fifty feet further on, they came to the end of the cave, and the daylight streaming in from above showed Kelly the outlet of this singular cavern. With the exception of the chasm, it was a complete tunnel through the mountain.
The old trapper brought a ladder of poles, which he placed against the side of the opening, and told the scout to go up and see what he could discover.
An exclamation of surprise escaped the lips of Kelly, as he beheld, not more than four rods away, the camp of the Blackfeet.
Jehiel was just leading his horse to the creek to give him water, when the scout told the old man to come up where he was.
In a moment Bear-Paw was by his side, and hastily fitting an arrow to the bow-string, he sent it within an inch of Jehiel's foot, where it stuck in the sand.
Jehiel sprung back as though bitten by a snake, and looked up to see who had discharged it; but could discover no sign of any living being in the huge bowlders opposite. Then he pulled the arrow from the ground, and returned to the camp.
"Come here, little gal," he said to Snowdrop; "I want to tell you suthin."
The Indian girl came out, and Jehiel showed her the arrow, and after explaining how it came in his possession, added:
"I guessed you might know more about it than me. What does it mean? Kin you tell, from the looks of the stick, what tribe made it?"
The girl took the arrow and examined both the steel head and the spiral coil of feathers upon the tip.
"Snowdrop does not know. She will ask her father; perhaps he can tell—but what is that tied around it?"
Then Jehiel observed, what had before escaped his notice, that a piece of paper was wrapped about the arrow-stem, and he carefully removed it.
"Jewhillakens!" was his exclamation, as he recognized the handwriting.
He read it over to himself, while Snowdrop stood waiting for an explanation.
Jehiel looked up with a puzzled expression—he did not know whether it would be safe for him to tell her or not. He more than half-doubted the sincerity of the Blackfoot chief—at the same time, he had resolved to shoot him, should he find that Gray Eagle had deceived them.
And, he argued, what need he care for Snowdrop? She still insisted that she would be no man's wife if she could not be the wife of White Panther.
Jehiel knew that there was no earthly hope for her in that direction, and he rather congratulated himself on the fact that he was not the only one who would be disappointed.
"Waal, Snowdrop," he said, "this here letter is from Lew Kelly, the feller what you call White Panther—"
"Where is he? What does he say?" eagerly demanded the Indian girl.
"He's all right," replied Jehiel, "and I'll read you what he says," and the scout read:
"FRIEND JEHIEL: I am safe and sound, and with good friends. Tell Gray Eagle that the Pawnees are encamped on the other side of the hill. If he wants to fight them, let him find the pass to the top of the hill, where he can pick them off at his leisure. There is another camp a few miles further west, but I can not tell who they are. As soon as it is dark, do you ride around the hill until you strike the creek. Get into it, and walk up until you come to the falls, where you will find me. We must leave here as soon as possible; there is danger ahead.
Yours,
LEW."
As he concluded reading, the face of the Indian girl grew bright, and she said:
"I am so glad! I shall see the White Panther once more."
"Yaas, I s'pose so," said Jehiel. "But you'll please to obsarve that he didn't ask you to come along."
"No matter, I shall go!" was the positive reply.
"Waal, jest as you like; but if you want the old man to know any thing about this gittin' on top of the hill, you'd better tell him—I won't! The infarnal old traitor! I wouldn't keer a durn if the Pawnees should lick him like blazes!"
Snowdrop went and told her father what the scout had written, and he immediately sent several warriors to look for the pass.
The top of the hill was inaccessible except at one point, and a dozen well-armed men could have guarded the plateau against all the Indians in the territory.
The shades of night were just falling around the Indian camp, when, without a word as to their intentions, Jehiel and Snowdrop started south, along the base of the hill, in search of the creek which was to lead them to the hiding-place of the brave scout.