THE GIANT GREAT-HEART.
As soon as Andrew's skiff, the "Grisilde," was brought back and the
ruffians had gone off up the ravine, Andrew left Mrs. Wehle sitting by
the fire in the loom-room of the castle, while he crossed the river to
look after Gottlieb. Little Wilhelmina insisted on going with him, and
as she handled a steering-oar well he took her along. They found
Gottlieb with his arms cruelly pinioned sitting on a log in a state of
utter dejection, and dripping with water from his ducking.
"Ich zay, Antroo, ish dish vat dey galls a vree goontry, already? A
blace vare troonk sheounders dosh vot ever dey hadn't ort! Dat is vree
koontry. Mein knabe ish roon off ver liebin a Yangee; unt a vool he ish,
doo. Unt ich ish hoong unt troundt unt darrdt unt vedderd unt drakt out
indoo de ribber, unt dolt if I ko back do mein vrau unt kinder I zhall
pe kilt vunst more already. Unt I shpose if ich shtays here der
Gainduckee beobles vill hang me unt dar me unt trown me all over in der
ribber, doo, already, pekoz I ish Deutsch. Ich zay de voorld ish all
pad, unt it aud doo pe vinished vunst already, I ton't gare how quick,
so ash dem droonk vools kit vot pelongs doo 'em venever Gabrel ploes his
drumbet."
[Illustration: TO THE RESCUE.]
"They'll get that in due time, my friend," said Andrew, untying the rope
with which Gottlieb had been pinioned. "Come, let us go back to our
own shore."
"Bud daint my zhore no more. Dey said I'd god doo hang again vanst more
if I ever grossed de Ohio Ribber vunst again already, but I ton't vants
doo hang no more vor noddin already."
"But I'll take care of that," said Andrew. "Before to-morrow night I'll
make your house the safest place in Clark township. I've got the rascals
by the throat now. Trust me."
It took much entreaty on the part of Andrew and much weeping and kissing
on the part of Wilhelmina to move the heart of the terrified Gottlieb.
At last he got into the skiff and allowed himself to be rowed back
again, declaring all the way that he nebber zee no zich a vree koontry
ash dish voz already.
When Bill Day and his comrades got up the next morning and began to
think of the transactions of the night, they did not seem nearly so
ludikerous as they had at the time. And when Norman Anderson and Bill
Day and Bob Short read the notice on the door of Mandluff's store they
felt that "arsony" might have a serious as well as a ludikerous side.
Andrew at first intended to institute proceedings against the rioters,
but he knew that the law was very uncertain against the influences which
the eight or nine young men might bring to bear, and the prejudices of
the people against the Dutch. To prosecute would be to provoke another
riot. So he contented himself with this
"PROCLAMATION!
"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I have a list of eight men connected
with the riotous mob which broke into the house of Gottlieb
Wehle, a peaceable and unoffending citizen of the United
States. The said eight men proceeded to commit an assault
and battery on the person of the said Gottlieb Wehle, and
even endeavored at one time to take his life. And the said
riotous conduct was the result of a conspiracy, and the said
assault with intent to kill was with malice aforethought. The
said eight men, after having committed grievous outrages upon
him by dipping him in the water and by other means, warned
the said Wehle not to return to the State. Now, therefore, I
give notice to all and several of those concerned in these
criminal proceedings that the said Wehle has returned by my
advice; and that if so much as a hair of his head or a
splinter of his property is touched I will appear against
said parties and will prosecute them until I secure the
infliction of the severest penalties made and provided for
the punishment of such infamous crimes. I hope I am well
enough known here to render it certain that if I once begin
proceedings nothing but success or my death or the end of the
world can stop them.
"ANDREW ANDERSON,
"Backwoods Philosopher.
"AT THE CASTLE, May 12th, 1843."
"It don't look so ludikerous as it did, does it, Bill?" squeaked Jim
West, as he read the notice over Bill's shoulder.
"Shet your mouth, you fool!" said Bill. "Don't you never peep. Ef I'd a
been sober I might a knowed ole Grizzly would interfere. He
always does."
In truth, Andrew was a sort of Perpetual Champion of the Oppressed, and
those who did not like him feared him, which is the next best thing.