CHAPTER XIII.
THE MENAGERIE TO THE RESCUE.
About the time that Snowdrop returned to her teepe, a scout came running into the Sioux camp with the intelligence that a large herd of buffalo were in sight, a few miles to the east; and within five minutes two-thirds of the Sioux, including the chief, Red Pine, had gone in pursuit of them.
Those within the cave knew nothing of this movement, while the Blackfeet at the top, though aware of it, were afraid to make an attack.
Had they been allowed to make use of the pass through which Kelly and the trapper went up and down, every one of them could have left the hill and given battle to the few Sioux who were left to guard the pass and the camp.
Two days without food had not produced a very enviable state of feeling among the Blackfoot braves. Treason was rife among them. Mutterings of discontent arose on every hand, and those who all their lives had been accustomed to render the strictest obedience, now felt the spirit of rebellion.
The young chief, who had led the party from their village, was loud in his denunciations of the policy adopted by the old chief. He used every argument in his power to prove that the old man was in his dotage, and unfit to be intrusted with the government of the nation.
It is quite probable that had he put the question to an actual vote, at that time, the "house" would have been divided in his favor; and it is equally probable that had Gray Eagle known what was "in the wind," the young chief's head would have had something in it besides brains.
But Red Pine was not the first man who has stood aghast at that big little word, If.
The old trapper, after consulting with the scout, concluded that it would be best not to say anything to the rest of the party respecting their plans. So that when the shadows of twilight were beginning to close around the Black Hills, the two silently withdrew and crossed the chasm to the rear opening.
The hunting party of the Sioux had not yet returned, and Snowdrop would not come until she could bring the Sioux chief with her.
The scout was not long in determining the cause of her delay, when he saw the hunting party coming across the plain.
He explained the situation of affairs to Bear-Paw.
"But," he said, "the girl will surely come, and she will bring the chief with her. Now, if you have another rope, I can make a lasso, and when she brings him near the rock I will throw it over his head; and we can draw him up without killing him. We can draw the girl up in the same way."
"I've got er rope, an' we'll jest do it as yer hev' planned," replied the old man.
He then led his pet, Barnum, into the menagerie, where he secured him among the rest.
"Thar," he said, "you're all on yer crosser nor ther dickens, an' thet's all right! I'll hev' some work fur yer purty soon, an' I'll pay yer in raw Injuns. Jest keep quiet now till I kem fur yer—then yer may howl, an' snarl, an' fight, an' kill jest all yer a mind ter!"
Then he secured more ropes and took them to the edge of the chasm, where he deposited them upon the floor. Evidently he was looking ahead. Selecting a long, small one he returned to the scout.
Kelly soon had the running noose made in the lasso, and stood awaiting the appearance of Snowdrop and the Sioux chief. Presently he heard the voice of the Indian girl, saying:
"Let the great chief of the Sioux go with Snowdrop to the other side of the stream, where she can talk to him without his warriors hearing. Snowdrop had words that the chief alone must hear."
Red Pine was flattered and readily consented to the arrangement. He hoped that the Blackfoot maiden had changed her mind, and was about to comply with his wishes.
When they were standing upon the opposite side the girl said:
"Snowdrop can not see her people starve to death! Will not the great chief of the Sioux let them come down?"
"If the Blackfoot Queen will go with Red Pine, and be his squaw, then her father and his people may come down. Red Pine will divide his meat with them, and the two tribes shall be at peace forever!"
"Snowdrop will go with the chief of the Sioux, and will be his wife—if there is no other way to save her father's life."
"There is no other way! The Blackfoot Queen has made Red Pine happy! He will now take his warriors away from the pass, and Gray Eagle may come down."
Snowdrop did not know what to say. She was not quite sure that the scout was there, or feared that he had been there and left again because she was too late.
She did not see the tall form of the scout rise from the rock, not a dozen feet above where she stood; she did not see the coil of rope shoot out and descend square over the head of the chief.
But she did see the noose slip down over his arms and tighten.
She saw him raised from the ground, and hang suspended in mid-air. She saw another rope lowered to her, and heard the scout say:
"Hang on to that, Snowdrop, and I will pull you up!"
She seized the rope and was soon beside the scout. She flung her arms around his neck, and was about to thank him, when the old trapper interrupted:
"No time fur foolin' now! Take her, Kelly, an' cross ther kasm with her, an' hurry back ter me!"
The scout did as requested, and came back to the opening.
The body of the Sioux chief still swung in the air, and he was exercising his lungs by calling upon his warriors for help. When the trapper saw that the whole Sioux camp was astir, he said, "Now less snake him in!"
The scout seized the rope with him, and in an incredibly short space of time the Sioux chief was within the cave. Dragging him to the edge of the chasm, the old trapper tied his hands behind him and bound his feet together.
"Here, Kelly," he said, "now yer strap him onter my back, an' I'll take him over thar. Yer kin stay here ef yer wants ter see some fun arterwards!"
The Sioux chief was tied to the back of the old trapper, who swung off, and landing in safety upon the other side, called Jehiel to come and take him off.
This done, the old trapper returned to the scout. "Now then, fur ther end," he said.
By this time the Sioux were pouring into the cave.
"Quick!" exclaimed the old man. "Git inter ther menagery!"
He began at once releasing the hungry animals, and then Kelly understood the horrid doom to which Bear-Paw was about to consign the Sioux.
"Here, Barnum, yer kin go first! Fight, scratch, bite, any way ter kill; only kill all yer kin! An' here, yer, Andy Jackson, pile out thar an' help yer brother!"
The other animals were let loose, and with fearful screams they sprung for the opening, closely followed by the scout and Bear-Paw.
The work of carnage was soon ended in the cave, but the infuriated animals did not pause here.
Down they dashed upon the horror-stricken Sioux, who mingled their yells of despair with the fearful screams of the panthers, and the roar of the grizzlies.
Those of the Sioux who were not disabled mounted their horses and sped away over the plain, to carry the tale of their fearful, inglorious defeat to the Sioux village.
The animals did not pursue them very far, but fell to eating the huge hams of buffalo, which the Sioux had brought in for an altogether different purpose. They were soon gorged to their fullest extent, and of their own accord returned to the room in the cave which they had so long occupied.
"I'm er goin' down ter see what ther critters hev left," said Bear-Paw. "I won't be gone but er minit."
He was about to descend, when a wounded Sioux at the bottom of the rock raised his gun, and sent the contents into the body of the old trapper.
At that distance it could but prove fatal. It was the last spasmodic effort of the Sioux, and his life went out with it.
The old trapper fell back into the arms of the scout, who bore him to the inner room, and laid him upon a pile of furs beside the fire.
Through all the exertions of the scout to restore life, the old man lay senseless.
For nearly an hour he remained in this state, while his friends looked on in mute sympathy.
When his consciousness returned, he recognized the scout, and said:
"Kelly, yesterday I told you I would sometime relate the story of my life, and I will do it now, if God spares my life long enough. I have felt a strange presentiment of evil for several days, and now I know that I have but a few hours to live, and I will be as brief as possible.
"I told you to call me Bear-Paw—my true name is Gallaudet. I was born in Scotland, and my father emigrated to this country when I was ten years of age. I say emigrated, but he did not. He started, but the vessel never reached America.
"When nearly in the middle of the Atlantic, the vessel was wrecked in a storm, and all but four perished. My parents found a grave in the ocean, while through an inscrutable dispensation of Divine Providence, I was saved. Three days after the storm, we were picked up by a vessel bound for New Orleans, where we arrived in due season.
"When the story of our misfortunes became known, I was offered a home with a wealthy gentleman of that city, and was by him educated, and started in business. When I was twenty-one my kind guardian died, leaving no family but one lovely daughter.
"She became my wife, and for five years longer we lived happily together.
"At that time I engaged in a speculation which proved disastrous, and I awoke one morning to find the bulk of my fortune swept away. I resolved to go to California, and to that end set out with a party of emigrants, taking with me my wife and the little golden-haired daughter who had been born during the first year of our married life, and also this colored woman, whom you see here.
"Near the western borders of Texas, the train was attacked by Apaches, and I saw my wife struck down before me, and my little one carried off. With no friend left but old Chloe, and no property but my rifle, I was tempted to take my own life, but better counsel prevailed.
"There is no need to tell you of the many years since then—how, after long wanderings, I found myself among these hills, and while trapping, discovered the entrance to this cave. Here Chloe and I have lived these many weary, weary years. The animals you have seen were taken when young, and have lost all their desire to leave here.
"It pains me more than you can well imagine to leave them, for they have been a comfort, even to my broken heart. I would rather kill them myself than to know that they would ever suffer ill-treatment at the hands of another.
"It was a singular fancy of mine to print upon the left arm of my daughter, just above the elbow, a square and compass, in India ink. But I have long since given up all hope of ever meeting her on earth. When I first saw the Sioux girl, Nulela, I was struck by the remarkable resemblance she bore my wife. Indeed, she is the perfect picture of my lost one at her age. But she says she is the sister of the Sioux chief, and for the last time, my hopes are blasted. Should you ever meet a woman bearing upon her arm that figure, tell her how her father died.
"You have promised me, Kelly, that you would take care of my old servant, and I have faith to believe you. It will not be for many years.
"To you I give the furs in this room. There are many of them, well preserved and very valuable. To you I also give the secret of the chasm. You will find enough there to make you all rich—richer than your wildest fancy could ever picture! And now I have one more request to make. It is that you will bury me in the bottom of the chasm—will you do it?"
"It shall be done," sobbed the scout.
The old man sunk back upon his couch, patiently and silently awaiting the coming of the dread messenger, Death.
But it possessed no terrors for him.
The Sioux chief spoke to his sister:
"Let Nulela show her arm to the old man."
The girl tore the sleeve from her left arm, and displayed to the wondering group the blue figure of a square and compass thereon.
"Bear-Paw was right, after all," said the scout. "When he awakes we will tell him."
The old man moved restlessly. His pulse was growing faster and weaker.
"I thought I saw her," he murmured.
"Who?"
"My angel wife and my little Marguerite."
"Look here, Bear-Paw," and the scout held up Nulela's arm so that he could see the figures thereon.
"It is her—my daughter—my long-lost daughter!" and father and child were locked in a loving embrace.
His mind wandered:
"Wife, wife—I am coming—I have found her at last!"
His arms, clasped about the neck of his daughter, slowly relaxed, and with the sacred name of wife upon his lips, the old man's soul went out to meet the loved ones beyond the River of Death.