CONCLUSION.
Three weeks had passed away since the events related in the last
chapter, a three weeks full of fun and adventure for our young friends.
Faithful to his promise, Sir Francis had acted the true part of mediator
between the Indians and the Argentines, and in company of Lady Vane and
a mixed escort of Cristianos and Araucanians, had visited the Argentine
Republic, and there concluded a most satisfactory peace for both sides,
the Government agreeing—on condition the prisoners were released—to
grant an annual subsidy to both the Tehuelches and Araucanians, of
horses, blankets, guns, and ammunition, and these latter undertook, in
consideration of such subsidy, to desist from raiding the frontier of
the white men, and to live at peace with them, and punish all
depredators thereon. While these satisfactory and happy terms were being
discussed and arranged, our five young friends, with Aniwee and Piñone,
were enjoying many a wild horse hunt and prairie gallop after ostriches
and guanacos, varied now and again by a jaguar or puma encounter, which
afforded plenty of excitement. And a strange thing had happened during
one of their forest expeditions, for the sound of a bell had struck upon
their ears, and proceeding in the direction whence it came, they had
fallen across the old bell mare and troupiglia which they had turned
loose by the banks of the Trauco river, during their expedition in
search of the baby Cacique. With true sagacity, the madrina had worked
her way homewards, and would doubtless have eventually made her way back
to the pastures amidst the araucaria groves, where she had been bred and
raised.
Several of the troupiglia were missing, and had doubtless fallen victims
to jaguars during their wanderings. They greeted the hunters with neighs
of recognition, and seemed truly glad to come across them again.
And now the great day had arrived for the signing of the peace and the
restoration of the Cristianos’ prisoners to liberty. Sir Francis and
Lady Vane and their escort were momentarily expected, and a gallant
array of over two thousand Araucanian and Tehuelchan warriors followed
in the wake of Cuastral, Gilwinikush, Piñone, Aniwee, and our five young
friends, as they rode forward to meet and welcome them. It was a
glorious day, the sun was shining on the sparkling mica rocks which
bound the rocky gorges through which they rode, turning them into a
living mass of silver light, and glorifying all around. In the distance
stretched the rugged plains of Patagonia, presenting a strange contrast
to the mountain and valley-bedecked country through which this great
array was riding.
“Mark forward yonder!” shouted Freddy suddenly, as a column of dust rose
up upon the horizon.
“There they are; I see them!” echoed his brother with a triumphant
cheer, and the next moment our five young friends, regardless of rough
ground and rocky descents, were galloping as hard as they could to meet
the approaching party.
As may be imagined, the meeting was a glad and happy one; for much as
they had enjoyed themselves, our young friends had missed Sir Francis
and Lady Vane sadly. As for Harry, his mirth was quite boisterous, and
he never seemed to cease talking. But his voice quickly became drowned
in the rattle of musketry with which Cuastral’s and Gilwinikush’s two
thousand warriors greeted the approach of their peace-bringing envoys.
Far and wide this salute of a half-tamed people re-echoed, giving to the
meeting a most imposing aspect; and hardly had these echoes died away,
when the thunder of thousands of horses’ hoofs resounded, as in splendid
array the two thousand red men came charging forward with Cuastral,
Piñone, Aniwee, and Gilwinikush at their head. A monster ceremony of
welcome was then gone through, and when the shouting, firing, and
galloping had come to an end, every one was very hot, and Harry declared
that he was utterly exhausted.
Having formed again into order, the big cavalcade, swollen by the
arrival of the new-comers, faced round and retraced its steps towards
Las Manzanas, where, when reached, a monster Parliament was held, when
the articles, and stipulations, and conditions of peace were read over,
and made clear to both sides, and assented to amidst loud acclamation by
the Indians. Then Sir Francis and Lady Vane wrote out the signatures of
Cuastral and Gilwinikush, to which these Caciques appended their marks,
and the happy peace was concluded amidst general rejoicing. Finally the
white prisoners filed, to the number of five hundred, before the chiefs,
who shook hands with each, pledging a mutual friendship with the
friendly grasp; and as each Cristiano received back in this manner his
freedom, his horse, fully saddled, was led forward and restored to him.
When all had mounted, they turned and faced Cuastral and Gilwinikush,
who addressed a few friendly words to them. As soon as he had ceased
speaking the Cristianos’ leader replied, and then, amidst a fusilade of
rifle salutes, the liberated whites rode away from Las Manzanas, where
they had been prisoners for more than a month.
“So begins the great peace,” exclaimed Sir Francis, as he turned from
watching the last man disappear. “Thank God! everything has terminated
so fortunately. I know you and I, Ruby, have spared no pains to make it
a success.”
“As it will be, dear, assuredly,” answered his wife, linking her arm in
his. “It would seem as if Providence had brought us here to help in its
establishment. Well, young people, we have had a very pleasant
expedition, have we not?”
“Rather,” answered all the children eagerly; and then Topsie added
gravely, “We shall never forget it. It will be a very bright spot
through life.”
[Illustration]
CONCLUSION.
So ends my tale, though there are one or two points my young readers may
yet like to know. Well, I can tell them this. About a week after the
great peace had been signed our white friends took leave of the Indians,
and retraced their steps towards the Rio Negro. The pain of parting was
softened by a promise, which both Aniwee and Piñone made to the
children, and that was, that they would join them at Patagones some nine
months later, and accompany them on a visit to the great free land of
Great Britain, where a woman Cacique reigns. It was indeed a pleasure to
look forward to. After they were gone the baby Cacique was sent for, and
conducted, amidst much pomp and rejoicing, back to the peaceful valley
whence she had been so rudely stolen. As for Guaitu and Kai Chileno,
they were liberated and magnanimously forgiven by Cuastral, who did so
at the earnest request of Sir Francis Vane. And a few months later a gay
Araucanian wedding was celebrated when Blancha became the wife of
Graviel, whom she had loved so faithfully and well.
And often after this Traucos would be seen hovering on the borders of
the great forests which girt the Araucanian plains. But Piñone would
permit no war to be made upon them, and had strictly ordered that no
attack should ever be made against them. No doubt he had in his mind the
memory of the brave, unselfish act of the large-eyed Trauco queen, who
had given her wild, free life so that his might be spared.
[Illustration]
Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_BY THE SAME AUTHOR._
GLORIANA; or, the REVOLUTION of 1900.
By LADY FLORENCE DIXIE,
Author of
“Redeemed in Blood,” “The Young Castaways,” “Across Patagonia,”
_1 vol., with Portrait, Crown 8vo, 6s._
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
“There is abundant play of fancy in the book, as well as some of the
ordinary elements of romance.”—_Queen._
“A good many of the characters have a touch of individuality; and in a
literary point of view this book is more carefully written and is more
interesting than any of our author’s previous works.”—_Athenæum._
“A prose Revolt of Islam.”—_Saturday Review._
“It is a book that cannot fail to interest any one who takes it up; and
to any one who thinks at all it will, as it has done for us, afford a
good deal to think about. It is full of exciting incidents and
adventures closely drawn from life.”—_St. Stephen’s Review._
“Giving the clever and accomplished novelist all credit for earnestness
of purpose, it is scarcely possible to accept wholly the form in which
she has urged and illustrated her views; still we must respect and
admire the talent with which she pleads the cause she has so much at
heart.... The tale is well written, vigorous, and interesting.”—_Life._
“The novel is meritorious by reason of its crisp writing and sparkling
satire.”—_People._
“A plot which we timidly elect to call unusual, while hastening to add
that the book itself is thoroughly sensible where it desists from being
clever.... We admire Lady Florence Dixie’s ceaseless vivacity of
narration, and her wise and earnest pleading for the truer education of
girls.”—_Manchester Guardian._
“Doubtless ‘Gloriana’ will achieve the end of the author—to place before
the country in a striking way the arguments for the equality of women
with men in everything. This is done with characteristic ability,
earnestness, and courage.”—_Dundee Advertiser._
“Lady Florence Dixie’s long-promised book will not disappoint those who
expect to find in it the advocacy of Women’s Rights. It is written in a
dashing, vivacious style, and bears unmistakable evidence of having been
produced under the white heat of enthusiasm. Any book written under such
circumstances must be full of charm, more especially when it is the
expression of the brave, pure, and true heart. The plot of the story is
prettily conceived.”—_Women’s Penny Paper._
“We hail with satisfaction every rational attempt to show up the
monstrous travesty of law and justice by which woman, simply as woman,
is loaded with disabilities.... Our authoress has grasped the important
truth that, if once justice be done to woman as a free citizen, many
evils which she suffers, and which to many appear almost impossible of
remedy, will disappear without the application of the legislative
nostrums now so much in vogue.”—_Personal Rights Journal._
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_BY THE SAME AUTHOR._
REDEEMED IN BLOOD.
By LADY FLORENCE DIXIE,
Author of
“Gloriana; or the Revolution of 1900,” “The Young Castaways,” “Across
Patagonia,” etc.
_In Three Vols., crown 8vo, £1 11s. 6d._
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
“A novel of stirring adventure, but also one with a purpose.”—_Morning
Post._
“In this novel Lady Florence Dixie inculcates her well-known theories
about the education and position of women. The way is paved for various
thrilling adventures.”—_Times._
“Lady Florence Dixie has the courage of her opinions; she writes freely
and frankly, with a natural grace of manner that makes her works
interesting and readable, and she has the art of writing a good story
while enforcing her theories. There is plenty of excitement, adventure,
and interest in the story; and, apart from its too startling title, Lady
Florence Dixie’s novel will commend itself to the reading
public.”—_Life._
“Carries us through at breathless speed.”—_Truth._
“That Lady Florence Dixie can write well is shown not only by her
natural sketch Mæva, but by the character of Lady Ettrick, and her
charming sketches at the opening of the youthful lovers Rory and Lorna,
who certainly do not bend to the customs of conventional society.
Whatever else be said for or against the novel, it is indubitably
exciting.”—_Academy._
“Lady Florence is a vivacious writer; many of her social sketches are
very happy, and among her faults she certainly does not number that of
dulness.”—_Literary World._
“Lady Florence Dixie always writes brightly.... Her dominant qualities
are to be found in ‘Redeemed in Blood.’”—_World._
“On the subject of rational dress and the prevailing system of bringing
up young people, Lady Florence is neither silent nor soft-spoken; she
has very pronounced opinions as to the way in which girls should be
brought up, and she gives free expression to them. She writes naturally,
sensibly, and skilfully.”—_Scotsman._
“It is written with so much dash and go, and there is so much
delightfully fresh incident in it, that it is eminently
readable.”—_Glasgow Herald._
“There is no sham romanticism in the book; its literary workmanship is
vigorous. Whatever else Lady Florence may be, she is emphatically
original.”—_Scottish Leader._
“The opening chapter contains some capital descriptive writing, and the
interest is most cleverly kept up to the end.”—_Newcastle Chronicle._
* * * * *
LONDON: HENRY AND CO., 6, BOUVERIE STREET, E.C.
AND AT ALL LIBRARIES.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
1. P. 189, changed “the line is tied to my waist” to “the line is tied
to my wrist” to be consistent with rest the tale.
2. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in
spelling.
3. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.
4. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.