IN HOSTILE HANDS.
When Ulla Maclan came to her senses she found herself in darkness, but
it was not that of the grave. The snow had been falling again, and all
the night through; but the warmth of her body had hollowed out a cave
around her, in the roof of which her breath had maintained an aperture.
But, cruelly enough, the same blanched mantle that preserved her from
freezing had sheltered her from the eager eyes of the only other
survivor of her father's party.
With a suffocated feeling, she broke open the shell, and warily emerged
into the more than ever wintry landscape. All the breakage of the
sledge loads had been smoothly buried with the remains of the hapless
Canadians.
Not a mark on the level snow revealed the substantiality of the form
which she believed in her terror the spectre of the Indian Chief, but
which we know as the secretary, so nearly discovering her, but going on
his fruitless way, brokenhearted.
The musical trickling of melting snow tantalised her palate, and
she scrambled through the soft drift to a cleft where a rivulet was
beginning to run. The cool draught was delicious. She then set to
reviving herself with a dash of it over her face, and was binding
up her hair, when a loud and coarse laugh made her start and turn,
blushing.
Three white men in hunters' garb stood on a crest of the rocks swept
clear of the snow, where they travelled as well to avoid leaving traces
as to be free of step. The mountains rose behind them, a sweet faint
azure, with an opal edge, which was the last night's snow.
Two of the strangers were about the same age, some five-and-thirty;
harsh and angular of feature, brutal and bullying, tall and burly. In
their half wild, half border town dress, they were not to be taken for
genuine trappers by anyone less new to this region than our heroine.
They were what is called hide hunters, or skin scalpers, whose least
shameful occupation is the slaughtering buffaloes for the hide alone,
or even collecting their bones to be sent East for the best ivory knife
handles.
The third and superior was more than ten years older, with piercing
grey eyes and low forehead, a dirty yellow beard and long hair; the
aspect of a confirmed rogue, sly, base, and wicked. They were all armed
to the teeth, and their arms were a great deal better kept than their
teeth, innocent of any attentions whatever, which did not add any
attraction to their grins at surprising the young lady at her toilet.
Somehow, she would almost have preferred to see the red men themselves
than these representatives of her race. Nevertheless, she named
herself, related the disaster, and implored their help for Heaven's
sweet sake.
"A da'ter of one of these top-shelf hunting gentlemen," remarked the
old man, laughing; "and wants help mighty sudden? She's terribly fine,
boys! Narrerly 'scaped being gobbled by the _friendlies_," in sarcasm,
"and _corralled_ all night by that equal-knocks-sial storm. Yes, it'd
gi'n me a deal of cramp; but see what it _are_ to be young and spry!
She's 'mazingly lovely!" he exclaimed again in an audible aside to
his fellows, amused at his playing the gallant. "I hain't seen no
sech since I was an inch high and an hour old! It almost tempts a
lone hunter not to 'bach' it anymore, but go into pardnership. She's
'prime fur.' Yes, Miss, you can come along o' us--you're the kind to
be welcome anywhar' without a cent! How it will shorten up the ride, a
'greeable gal like you! Jerusha! We shall go back full-handed on the
queen o' hearts!"
"Are you captain of some party, sir?"
"Why, not today, Miss. We 'lect our cap'en, and I did not treat the
boys well enough to head the polls. But I am chief of the scouts; yes,
that's my rank. However, it's a considerable show of white men. The
cap's a gentleman, and you'll be as safe as in the Mint as soon as the
captain sees you."
The others exchanged a merry look.
"A large party?" she repeated. "Was that your singing I heard in the
night, or was that a dream?"
"Well, no, Miss, you never heard any singing in our camp. Stop a bit,
when I went on my guard thar was some singing out of Quarry Dick,
because they had sneaked away his pillow, which it was a whiskey
bottle--no offence, Miss! No, no singing."
"It sounded like church music--a hymn."
"Church moosic? You must 'a been on the dream, sartin sure. 'Sides,
thar are Injins squandrin' round hyar, a right few, say a leetle less
than a thousand ton, over an' above the band you mentioned. This is a
hard season for the redskin, and he's come up here to warm himself at
the Firehole, I reckon. The only singer we hev is one young lady about
your age, and she only sings to herself in Mexican lingo."
"A young lady," repeated Ulla, somewhat reassured. "At least, I see,
you are not friends of the savages."
"No; we are our own friends!" returned the old man, grinning again,
"And, individooally, our friends is in our belt," slapping his pistol
and his knife as he spoke.
"And will your captain help me to learn the fate of my poor father, and
the brave men he engaged--if any escaped from that horrid massacre?"
"The captain, miss, will do anything for a pretty face like yours. If
you'll step this way, we'll put you on a pony--there's no possibility
of your little feet gitting over this crust. It's not many miles, but
the milestones are pesky far apart in this country."
"I would prefer to walk."
"That's downright onpossible. Sol Garrod hyar's got a foot like an army
cartridge box lid; but even he would mire himself to the knees."
"Sol Garrod's foot can take care of itself, and you _sit down_ with
your opinions, unless you want to appreciate the beauties of it in
kicking!" growled the subject of the criticism.
"When a gentleman talks about kicking," returned the second man,
hitherto content to ogle the girl in silence, "he is to know that
'Niobraska Pete' is the champion kicker of the wide, wild West, and
hyar's my hat in the corral--"
"Close up!" thundered the eldest of the three, so very garrulous
himself, but not willing for the others to entertain the unfortunate
girl with their eloquence; "You have a mouth like a set beaver trap!
What's the drift of this stupid row? It's no use stringing it out, I
tell 'ee! We've enough to take the back track upon. Whar' do 'ee think
you are? Haven't we better things to do than go popping pistols off
when the rocks swarm with redskins who have made a raise?" and, as the
pair continued to glower at each other, their hands on their weapons,
he went on: "Must I knock you both down to l'arn you manners? Don't
you see we must cage this frightened bird, and then club up some of
the boys to see what the reds have left worth picking at the wreck of
the sporting swell? Ginerally these green 'galoots' yield up rich, and
those red idiots leave the best goods as beyond their comprehension.
Look at the gal trembling; what on airth must she think of your
broughtens up?"
"I am trembling with cold, not with apprehension," said Miss Maclan,
resolutely.
"Oh, hang her opinion; she's bright eyes, and she sees we are all
rogues!" Mr. Garrod observed carelessly.
"Don't you paint us so black, Sol," returned the old man, winking; "the
fact is, we only obey orders under our chief. If thar be any blame
flying about, it must fall on the captain. When we hand the young lady
over to the executive, I shall wash my hands of it, as she was a-doing
when we surprised her; and I advise you to do the same for your sweet
conscience!"
"You talk like an Injin orator, Mr. Cormick," said Sol Garrod; "if
ever we are put in the wrong box--ha, ha!--I shall let you conduct my
defence!"
"Come on, Miss," said Niobraska Pete; "in the meantime, them's the two
wust-eddicated brutes in the band, and no average specimen idiots!"
They had three horses in hiding, and the 'capture' was lifted upon one
behind Cormick, whom she was obliged to enclasp, spite of her loathing,
to save herself from falling. They rattled off at a good pace as long
as the soil was bare and stony. They soon had to traverse one of those
narrow vales between a couple of rocky "divides," which are commonly
halved themselves by a more or less broad ribbon of water, and which
terminate in a basin, a series of steps, or a "cutoff." The riders were
about to scramble down the ravine which yawned, in this case, to appal
less venturesome cavaliers, when Cormick ordered a pulling up.
"I want to look ahead, that's all," he said; "maybe, it's a fool
feeling; but we have been trotting along a leetle too smoothly for
Injin country, and too much quiet I reckon suspicious."
"Some joke o'your'n, to let our coffee and corn cakes git cold!"
sneered Pete.
"Say what you like; but let's have one of you scout up that hole."
"Very good, Cormick," said Garrod, tranquilly; "it's my turn. I'll
bring you back the nigger's top feather!"
"With his hair, too, my boy; but caution; caution never costs too much,
and it's a wise man that wakes up tomorrow morning, as the Spanish say."
"Oh, dry up, Cormick," cried Sol, impatiently reining in, after
starting. "Do you railly think the red devils would browse so near
_our_ camp?"
"Not I, my lad; only I repeat, you cannot poke the bushes with too much
prudence."
Garrod scrutinised the speaker's surly and scowling countenance with
a puzzled expression; but he must have been encouraged, for he pushed
his horse onwards and down, with a snatch of a Negro dance tune hummed
between his teeth, and a chew of tobacco.
"He's pretty much a daring chap," said Pete, with a mocking glance at
his companion as they slowly proceeded.
"Ay, ay, he does not go to market to sell courage with an empty
basket," replied the chief scout, with a dubious grin; "but I prefer
his showing the lead to this child."
Meanwhile Garrod had been spurred by the latter's air and tone into
taking the precautions indispensable on ground sown with hostilities.
His repugnance grew as he dived into the defile, though it was ample
for cavalry to have ridden two abreast. The sides were wooded with
pine, and gradually climbed to a fair height. The adventurer rode more
and more hesitatingly, looking about him on each hand, and as well
behind as before, his rifle ready to fire. But the complete calmness of
the untrodden wind trap mocked his fears. The gorge had many an awkward
turn; but nothing inimical appeared anywhere till the rider came clear
out on the edge of a plain, across which a daring smoke advertised the
site of his camp--one that defied attack, no doubt; for the wolf knows
his bones are not worth the picking.
"What trash!" he muttered, reining in testily. "Old Cormick is in a
cranky fit, or sick with too much alkali water in his whisky. Deuce
take me if I have seen anything to make a flying squirrel chatter! We
might have been at camp by this, where a darned good breakfast is about
ready. Hang the old scared crow!"
Perfectly reassured, but still grumbling, Solomon--without the wisdom
of his namesake--laid his rifle across his saddlebow, and slowly began
to retrace his steps. But hardly had he gone fifty strides, when his
horse's ears were trembling, and the animal pointed, like a dog, at the
head of an Indian, smeared with red clay and covered with feathers,
which arose in the thicket. Instantly a rude rope of bark fibre was
cast over the horseman's head, and he was pulled, half strangled, out
of the saddle, and dashed on the ground in the partly thawed mud and
snow. This done, a man leaped at the horse, and secured it before it
could turn away; when, no doubt, it would have exploded the gun against
the trees in its flight. The assailant was only a red man in looks--it
was Sir Archie Maclan's secretary. Thus far had he wandered, when he
perceived from the wind trap, where he was bewildered, the chief object
of his search. One glance at the ruffians, who affected to befriend
her, had enlightened him on their standing.
Mr. Ranald Dearborn was no fool, if he had not enjoyed prolonged
acquaintance with this region. The love for woodcraft had enlisted him
under the rich Scotchman's banner, almost as much as his great, though
sudden, admiration for his daughter.
For adventure, he had certainly a strong bitter taste at the outset;
and what immediately ensued bid fair to be worthy that sample in peril.
Ensconced by the path, he had seized an excellent moment to overthrow
Mr. Garrod.