FACE TO FACE.
Two white men had set out to do whatever lay in their power to rescue
little Mabel Ashbridge from the hands of the Shawanoes, and their policy
was diametrically opposed to each other.
Simon Kenton, it may be said, had but one law--that of fighting fire
with fire. Against cunning, woodcraft and daring he would array
precisely the same weapons. In short, he knew of no other method, and
would have laughed to scorn any different line of procedure, with the
single exception of its attempt by the one man who now resorted to it.
Mr. Finley, the missionary, knowing the futility of the course laid down
by Kenton, Boone and those of his calling, determined to go directly
into the camp of The Panther, and try to induce the fiery chieftain to
surrender the little girl to her friends.
What task could be more hopeless?
The unquenchable hatred of Wa-on-mon toward all who belonged to the
Caucasian race has been learned long ago by the reader. He belonged to
the most untamable of his people, and had proven a continual
stumbling-block in the path of the missionary. He shut his ears
resolutely against the pleadings of the good man, and forbade him to
speak to him of the God who taught gentleness, charity, love and the
forgiveness of enemies.
And yet, as Finley told Jethro Juggens, he had hunted with The Panther,
slept in his lodge and trusted his life in his hands many times, and
under ordinary circumstances would not hesitate to do so again.
But those were periods when comparative peace reigned on the frontier,
and the missionary, like many others of his sacred calling, found little
trouble in passing back and forth among the Shawanoes, Wyandots,
Pottawatomies, Delawares and other tribes. Indeed, many converts were
gained, as was shown in the case of the Moravian Indians.
When hostilities broke out, however, and the fierce red men daubed their
faces with paint and rushed upon the war-path, the missionaries were
wise enough to leave them alone and keep out of the way until the
tempest had passed.
War was coming again, of that there could be no doubt, and on its
threshold, at its very opening, Wa-on-mon, the tiger-like chief, known
even among his own people as The Panther, had been subjected to an
indignity at the hands of the pale-faces, such as in his life had never
been put upon him before. He had been flung down, struck repeatedly,
bound and kept a prisoner for many hours.
Then escaping by the usual weapon of the red man--treachery--he had laid
a cunning ambuscade for the destruction of the large party of pioneers
and rangers. The scheme had miscarried, and several of the foremost of
the Shawanoe warriors had fallen before their deadly fire.
The only panacea for this terrific chagrin was the capture of the single
small child attached to the families of the settlers. She, the tender
little flower, had been plucked by the merciless chieftain, and none
knew better than he what sweet revenge could be secured through her upon
the older ones.
Yes; she was in his power, and it was beyond the ability of any one to
take her from him.
And lo! at this moment, the man who preached humility and love and
gentleness and forgiveness of enemies was on the way to the camp of The
Panther to ask him to return the captive to her friends.
Missionary Finley did not need to be reminded of all this, and it must
be confessed that he would not have ventured upon the attempt, so utter
did he consider its hopelessness, but for an extraordinary suggestion
that Daniel Boone whispered in his ear.
This suggestion foreshadowed a complication, as among the possibilities,
from which a diversion might be created in favor of little Mabel
Ashbridge; but the possibility was so remote that the missionary did not
deem it right to awaken false hopes in the hearts of the parents and
brother by making known the scheme that had taken shape in the most
veteran of all pioneers.
Aside from all this was the fearful risk run personally by Finley, in
thus venturing into the hostile camp while, as may be said, the echoes
of the rifle shots were still lingering among the trees. The chances
were that, from The Panther down, there was not one who would not shoot
the missionary the instant he could draw bead on him.
But this was a feature of the business that gave Finley the least
concern. It must not be supposed, however, that he was a reckless man,
who acted on the principle that Providence would take care of him
without the putting forth of any effort on his part. He was a practical
believer in the doctrine that God helps them that help themselves.
When he paddled from the side of the flatboat, therefore, in the cause,
he put forth as much care and skill as Kenton or Boone himself would
have done.
Glancing over his shoulder, he noted the moment when the dim outline of
the wooded shore loomed to view. Then, the swinging of his arms ceased
for a few seconds while he peered off in the gloom and listened. Nothing
was seen or heard to cause misgiving, or to show that any one had
detected his approach.
"From what Kenton told me, the Shawanoes have a larger canoe hidden
somewhere along the bank. It has not yet appeared among these sad
troubles, but it must have a part to play, and I fear it will be used to
carry the warriors to the other side that they may hurry my friends on
their way to the block-house."
He did not cross the river in a direct line, but headed so far up stream
that his canoe became diagonal. His intention was to strike the shore
above Rattlesnake Gulch, thus keeping clear, as he hoped, of the canoe
with the warriors who might be making ready to embark on it. At the same
time, he was assured that he would thus shorten the path to the
campfire, where he expected to find The Panther.
Still watching and listening, the missionary edged his way up stream,
until he had gone as far as he wished, bearing off so that only the
keenest eye of suspicion would have noticed his presence from the shore.
Then, turning the prow straight toward land, he sent it skimming, like a
swallow, over the surface by means of a half-dozen powerful strokes,
ducking his head as it glided among the overhanging limbs, and its nose
slid up the bank. He was out of the little craft in a twinkling, and
drawing it still further so as to hold it secure, he set out, rifle in
hand, to meet Wa-on-mon, chief of the Shawanoes.
It need not be repeated that the missionary comprehended the danger into
which he was running, but, aside from the personal intrepidity that
distinguished him through life, he was controlled and impelled by the
highest of all motives that can direct the conduct of men--the desire to
please God.
Careful meditation over what had taken place convinced him that it was
his duty to enter the camp of the hostiles; and, with that conviction,
ended everything in the nature of hesitation.
Having landed, it remained for him to find The Panther. There might be
some persons, in the place of the reverend gentleman, who would have
conceived it the proper thing to enter the hostile camp without carrying
anything in the nature of a weapon; it may be said, indeed, that his
errand was in the nature of a flag of truce, in which that course was
demanded.
But Mr. Finley understood too well the nature of the people with whom he
was dealing to attempt anything of that nature. Such sentimentality
would be wasted. Besides he conceived it to be quite likely that he
might be called upon to defend himself, in which event the gun would
come in "mighty handy."
Engaged on the business described, the messenger did not add to his
peril by trying to steal noiselessly up to camp, though the act might
have been possible.
"I must advance openly," was his thought, "when near the camp, and it is
better I should do so from the first."
It was hard work picking his course through the dense and tangled
undergrowth, but, quite confident of the right direction to take, he
pushed on until the gleam of a light apprised him that no mistake had
been made.
And then, when within sight of The Panther and his ferocious party, and
half suspecting he was already under the eye of some dusky sentinel, the
missionary came to a halt, and, kneeling in the solemn depths of the
woods, spent several minutes in prayer.
The sound of a rustling near him did not hasten the end of his
devotions. When he had asked his Heavenly Father for all that was in his
mind, he rose to his feet and resumed his advance upon the camp.
He knew he was followed, and that every step was watched, and it was
then that his own manner of procedure saved him. The Shawanoe must have
reasoned that no scout or person with hostile purpose would act thus
recklessly, and, though the dusky sentinel followed and watched his
course until the messenger came within the circle of firelight, yet no
harm was offered him.
Probably, by that time the Indian recognized the visitor as the white
man with such strange views, and so different in his words and conduct
from most of those of his race. If so, he must have wondered at the
temerity of the individual in entering the camp of The Panther at so
critical a time.
While yet some rods distant the missionary recognized the chieftain,
standing among his group of warriors, in excited conversation. The back
of Wa-on-mon was toward him, so that he did not observe the white man;
but he was quick to note the looks in the faces of the others, and the
general turning of eyes in one direction. The chief also wheeled, and,
to his astonishment, saw the man of God approaching him.
There was no mistaking the expression that overspread the painted
countenance of The Panther. He was angered at this intrusion of a white
man into his council of war, as it may be called. A muttered exclamation
escaped him, which those near interpreted as an utterance of impatience
that the visitor had been permitted to come even thus far. He must have
been identified long before, and, in accordance with Indian custom,
should have been shot or cut down ere he could disturb the chieftain and
his cabinet.
But here he was, showing no more hesitation than had marked his course
from the moment he left the side of the flatboat.
Mr. Finley, clad in his partly civilized costume, and with his gun
grasped in his left hand, walked forward, neither timidly nor with an
assumption of confidence it was impossible for him to feel. He was not
only too well aware of the situation himself, but knew the Shawanoes
could not be deceived by any such pretence on his part.
Wa-on-mon had leaned his rifle against the fallen tree upon which the
three warriors were sitting when he first came up, so that he stood with
arms folded and in an attitude of natural and unconscious grace,
glancing from one painted countenance to another, as he asked a question
or listened to whatever they chose to say to him.
It was evident that these were the most trusted of his warriors, for
while the consultation was going on, no one ventured near. They may be
considered as making up the chieftain's cabinet, and when they were in
session all other business had to wait.
The missionary was quick to note the expression on the face of the
terrible Wa-on-mon. He had seen a look there not so long before which
told more plainly than words that he was welcome, but that time had
passed.
Mr. Finley advanced with the same dignified step to the chief, and,
making a half-military salute, said in Shawanoe:
"I greet my brother Wa-on-mon, in whose lodge I have slept in safety
when there was no other place to lay my head."
As he spoke he extended his hand, but The Panther, with his serpent eyes
fixed upon the face of his visitor, made no motion to unfold his arms.
He continued to scowl, and his lips remained mute.
This was embarrassing to a certain extent, though the missionary knew
the cause. He continued, in the same gentle persuasive voice.
"Why does Wa-on-mon frown when he looks upon his pale-faced brother--"
"He is not my brother," interrupted The Panther, with a scowl and look
of indescribable fierceness. "He is a dog, and he shall die!"