It had been the hope and expectation of Dove-eye that she would be
killed in battle, or that something would occur to release her from
her obligations, before the time appointed for the return of the old
medicine-man. But the six months passed away, and found her still
living and the Indians joyfully expectant of a visit from their beloved
prophet.
Thus far her plan had succeeded admirably; but, if her imposition
should be discovered, she knew that a fearful death awaited her.
Providence had not interfered in her behalf, and she saw no way to
avert the calamity.
Not knowing what to do, Dove-eye did nothing. She did not fully realize
the necessity of coming to some decision in the matter, until she was
summoned to the presence of the head chief.
“Has the tongue of Dove-eye become crooked?” inquired Black Horse. “Did
the pale-face girl who was in her lodge last summer teach her to tell
lies? Has the Big Medicine gone to the spirit-land, never to return, or
shall we see him again?”
“How shall I know more than the chief knows?”
“Dove-eye told us that he would return after six moons; but six moons
have passed, and we have not seen him.”
“Have six moons passed?” asked the girl, with a look of surprise. “Is
the chief sure of this?”
“I am sure. My people are tired of waiting for him. We have done as
he told us to do. We have fought the Crows, and have gained many
victories. We have taken a great revenge for the cruel attack they
made upon us. But we are weary of war, and we have lost many young men.
We wish to rest, to rebuild our lodges, and to gather skins to sell to
the traders. Why does not the Big Medicine return to us?”
“Perhaps,” suggested Dove-eye, at a loss for an excuse, “they do not
count time in the spirit-land as we count it here. Perhaps The Big
Medicine has returned. It is several suns since I have visited the
lodge at the cliff. If the chief will permit me, I will go there now,
and will watch for the Big Medicine, if he is not already there. As he
promised to return, he will surely do so.”
The consent of the chief was given, and Dove-eye, dressing herself in
woman’s attire, took up her residence in the lodge at the foot of the
cliff. This was for the purpose of gaining time, in order that she
might reflect upon the matter, and determine what course she had best
pursue.
At the end of four days she came to the village, and informed Black
Horse that she had a message for him. The old men were convened in the
council-lodge, where she was brought before them, and was ordered to
declare her errand.
She said that she had seen the Big Medicine, who had been well received
in the spirit-land, and who had met there many of the warriors who had
been slain in recent encounters. She mentioned the names of those whom
he had met and described their pursuits in the happy hunting-grounds,
and the honors that were bestowed upon them. This part of her subject
she treated with consummate tact, knowing how to adopt the style of the
old man, and how to flatter the vanity of her auditors. She succeeded
so well, that the Arapahoes were highly pleased, and considered
themselves favored above all other men, in receiving such consoling
messages from the other world.
She went on to say that the Great Spirit was highly pleased with the
punishment which they had inflicted upon the Crows; but the warriors
who had been killed in battle still demanded vengeance. The Big
Medicine advised them to persist in their enmity to the Crows, and to
strike them whenever an opportunity offered, although they need not
entirely abandon the pursuits of peace for the purpose of engaging in
war.
At this there were visible signs of disapproval among the old men; but
Dove-eye, nothing daunted, went on to declare the last and the worst of
her errand.
The Big Medicine, she said, had been suffered to leave the spirit-land
but for a short time, and had not been permitted to visit his people;
but he would return to them after the lapse of six more moons, and
would never again leave them, until he should be finally taken away. He
exhorted them to give themselves no uneasiness concerning him, as his
absence was for their good, and he was continually watching over them
and guiding them. It was his last request that Dove-eye should again be
allowed to assume the garb and weapons of a warrior.
The old men received this portion of the message in the most profound
silence; but Dove-eye could not fail to see that their displeasure was
great. For this she cared little, as she had taken the risk, and was
not afraid of their frowns. If her secret should be discovered, she
knew that death was certain, and her only chance was to continue the
imposture.
No direct action was taken upon Dove-eye’s second communication; but
the message was tacitly heeded. The warfare against the Crows was
kept up in a desultory manner, and the presence of the girl, when she
joined the war-parties, was not objected to. Still, she saw that there
were those who looked upon her with suspicion, and she hoped that an
honorable death in battle might put an end to her troubles, and absolve
her from all liability.
There was a white trader residing among the Arapahoes at this time,
named Silas Wormley, a cunning, foxy man, shrewd enough at driving a
small bargain, but incapable of any enterprise that demanded enlarged
ideas. He had gained the favor of the tribe by procuring supplies
for them when they were short of peltries to give in exchange. This
accommodation had greatly pleased them, as they had not troubled
themselves to think of the exorbitant prices which they were to pay in
the future.
Silas Wormley had come among the Arapahoes shortly after Dove-eye had
joined the warriors. The warfare in which they were engaged was very
distasteful to him, as it interfered seriously with his anticipated
profits. While the Indians were fighting, death was depriving him of
the opportunity of collecting some of his debts, and those who lived
were not engaged in such pursuits as would enable them to pay what they
owed.
When he heard the story of the visits of the Big Medicine to the
spirit-land, he laughed inwardly at the credulity of the Indians,
although he knew better than to offend them by ridiculing their pet
belief. The second communication of Dove-eye made him highly indignant.
He knew that she was an impostor, but could not guess whether she was
aided in her imposture by the old medicine-man, who might still be
living and deceiving the Indians for some purpose of his own. However
that might be, Dove-eye was an impostor, and ought to be exposed and
punished.
But Silas Wormley had no thought of exposing and punishing her. A
better, or worse, feeling had been stirred up in his breast, and he
had become, after his fashion, violently enamored of Dove-eye. He was
determined to possess her, by some means and in some manner. He had
asked her of Black Horse for a wife, but had been informed that she
was a warrior, by command of the Big Medicine, and as such could not
be given in marriage. He had, also, been well laughed at by the young
braves who had in vain endeavored to induce Dove-eye to enter their
lodges.
When Dove-eye, by her second revelation from the spirit-land, had
extended her privilege as a warrior, Wormley was decidedly of the
opinion that she was going entirely too far, and that a stop should be
put to the imposture. Knowing that she must have been imposing upon the
Indians, he thought that it would not be difficult for him to obtain
proof of the fact. Then he could threaten her with exposure, and thus
compel her to accede to his wishes.
With this view he waylaid her, for the purpose of speaking privately
with her, and met her as she was walking alone in the forest.
It may as well be mentioned here, that the Arapahoes, recognizing the
craft and duplicity of Wormley, had named him the Snake. It was really,
in their estimation, a title of honor, and the trader did not care by
what name he was called, as long as it did not interfere with his plans
of profit.
“How long,” he asked, after a little preliminary conversation, “does
Dove-eye suppose that she can deceive her people?”
The girl, who had been meditating upon her imposture, was startled
by this abrupt inquiry, and turned upon him with a look of surprise,
mingled with alarm.
“The words of the Snake are strange words,” she said, recovering her
composure. “What does he mean?”
“You know well enough what I mean. You know that you have been
deceiving the Arapahoes for a long time, by representing to them that
the Big Medicine has gone to the spirit-land. These Indians don’t know
any better than to believe such nonsense; but I have known, all the
time, that you have been deceiving them.”
“The tongue of the Snake is forked. He speaks falsely when he says that
the Big Medicine has not gone to the spirit-land. Dove-eye has spoken
the truth.”
“Tush, girl! You need not think that you can carry it off with me in
that way. Don’t I know that he is alive, and that you have concealed
him from the tribe?”
“How can you know that which is not true?” replied Dove-eye, with a
look of triumph. “I swear before the Great Spirit, that I have not
concealed the Big Medicine.”
“I was only joking with you,” said Wormley, perceiving that he had made
a mistake, and had got on the “wrong tack.” “I wished to convince you
that I know what you really have done. It is true that the Big Medicine
has gone to the spirit-land; but it is also true that he will never
return. He is dead, and you have buried him.”
This was a home thrust, and it brought the blood to the cheeks of the
troubled girl.
“He is dead,” continued the trader, “and you are deceiving the people
to serve your own purpose, because you are not willing to marry; but
you can’t fool me. You want to get the same influence over the tribe
that the old man had; but I know that his trips to the spirit-land were
nothing but nonsense, and that the messages which you pretend to bring
from him have not a word of truth in them.”
“You had better tell the warriors,” suggested Dove-eye, “that the Big
Medicine is a liar, and that he has always deceived them.”
“You can’t scare me in that way, girl. Of course I am not fool enough
to tell the Arapahoes that I don’t believe that nonsense; but I mean
to let you know that you are found out. The old men suspect that you
have been cheating them. What do you suppose they would do to you, if I
should tell them the truth of the matter?”
“If you should tell them lies, they would take your scalp.”
“But you know that it would not be a lie, and you would be cut in
pieces. I tell you, Dove-eye, that your life is in my hands. If I
expose you, you will surely be killed. If I do not expose you, you must
be found out before long. I can save you. I can arrange matters so that
this deception will never be discovered. I only ask you to be my wife,
and all will be well.”
Instead of answering him, Dove-eye gave him a scornful glance, and
turned away and left him.