MUTUAL EXPLANATIONS.
Brighteye and his two companions, owing to the position they occupied,
not only saw all that occurred in the clearing, but also heard, without
losing a word, the conversation between Marksman and Red Wolf.
For many long years the two Canadian hunters had been on intimate
terms. Many times had they undertaken together some of those daring
expeditions which the wood rangers frequently carry out against the
Indians. These two men had no secrets from each other; all was in
common between them--hatred as well as friendship.
Brighteye was thoroughly acquainted with the events to which Marksman
alluded, and, had not certain reasons, we shall learn presently,
prevented him, he would have probably aided his friend in rescuing
Eglantine from Red Wolf. Still, one point remained obscure on his mind;
that was the presence of Marksman in the middle of the Indians, the
quarrel which had begun in shouts and yells, and had now apparently
terminated with an amicable conversation.
By what strange concourse of events was it that Marksman, the man best
acquainted with Indian tricks, whose reputation for skill and courage
was universal among the hunters and trappers of the Western Prairies,
now found himself in an equivocal position, in the midst of thirty or
forty Apaches, the most scoundrelly treacherous and ferocious of all
the Indians who wander about the desert? This it was that the worthy
hunter could not explain, and which rendered him so thoughtful. At
the risk of whatever might happen, he resolved to reveal his presence
to his friend by means of a signal arranged between them long ago, in
order to warn him that, in case of need, a friend was watching over
him. It was then that he gave the whistle, at the sound of which we saw
the hunter start. But this signal had a result which Brighteye was far
from expecting. The branches of the tree, against the trunk of which
the Canadian was leaning, parted, and a man, hanging by his arms, fell
suddenly to the ground a couple of yards from him, but so lightly, that
his fall did not produce the slightest sound.
At the first glance, Brighteye recognized the man who seemed thus to
fall from the sky. Owing to his self-command, he displayed none of the
amazement this unforeseen appearance produced in him. The hunter rested
the butt of his rifle on the ground, and addressed the Indian politely.
"That is a strange idea of yours, Chief," he said, with a smile, "to
go promenading on the trees at this hour of the night."
"Flying Eagle is watching the Apaches," the Indian answered, with a
guttural accent. "Did not my brother expect to see me?"
"In the prairie we must expect everything, Chief. Still, I confess that
few meetings would be so agreeable to me as yours, especially at this
moment."
"My brother is on the trail of the Antelopes?"
"I declare to you, Chief, that an hour ago I did not expect I was so
near them. Had I not heard your shots, it is probable that at this
moment I should be quietly asleep in my bivouac."
"Yes, my brother heard the rifle of a friend sing, and he has come."
"You have guessed rightly, Chief. But now tell me all about it, for I
know nothing."
"Has not my pale brother heard Red Wolf?"
"Of course; but is there nothing else?"
"Nothing. Flying Eagle rescued his wife; the Apaches pursued him, like
cowardly coyotes, and this night surprised him at his fire."
"Very good. Is Eglantine in safety?"
"Eglantine is a Comanche woman; she knows not fear."
"I am aware of that--she is a good creature; but that is not the
question at this moment. What do you purpose doing?"
"Wait for a favourable moment, then utter my war yell, and fall on
these dogs."
"Hum! your project is rather quick. If you will allow me, I will make a
slight change."
"Wisdom speaks by the mouth of the pale hunter. Flying Eagle is young:
he will obey."
"Good; the more so, because I shall only act for your welfare. But now
let me listen, for the conversation seems to me to be taking a turn
extremely interesting for us."
The Indian bowed, but made no reply, while Brighteye bent forward,
better to hear what was said. After a few minutes the hunter probably
considered that it was time for him to interfere, for he turned to the
Chief and whispered in his ear, as he had done during the whole of the
previous conversation--"Let my brother leave this affair to me; his
presence would be more injurious than useful to us. We cannot attempt
to fight so large a number of enemies, so prudence demands that we
should have recourse to stratagem."
"The Apaches are dogs," the Comanche muttered, angrily.
"I am of your opinion; but, for the present, let us feign not to
consider them such. Believe me, we shall soon take our revenge;
besides, the advantage will be on our side, as we are cheating them."
Flying Eagle let his head drop.
"Will the Chief promise me not to make a move without a signal from
me?" the hunter said, earnestly.
"Flying Eagle is a sachem. He has said that he will obey Greyhead."
"Good. Now look, you will not have long to wait."
After muttering these words, with that mocking accent peculiar to him,
the old hunter resolutely thrust the brambles on one side, and walked
firmly into the clearing, followed by his two companions. We have
already described the emotion produced by this unforeseen arrival.
Flying Eagle returned to his ambush up the tree, from which he had only
come down to speak with the hunter, and give him the information he
required. Brighteye stopped by Markham's side.
"Friend," he then said, in Spanish, a language which most of the
Indians understand, "your order is executed. Flying Eagle and his wife
are at this moment in the camp of the Gambusinos."
"Good," Marksman answered, catching his meaning at once; "who are the
two men who accompany you?"
"Two hunters the Chief of the Gachupinos sent to accompany me, in spite
of my assurances that you were among friends. He will soon arrive
himself at the head of thirty horsemen."
"Return to him, and tell him that he has no longer any occasion
to trouble himself; or, stay, I will go myself, to prevent any
misunderstanding."
These words, spoken without any emphasis, and naturally, by a man
whom each of the Indians present had been frequently in a position to
appreciate, produced on them an effect impossible to describe.
We have already mentioned several times, in our different works, that
the Redskins unite the greatest prudence with the maddest temerity, and
never attempt any enterprise without calculating beforehand all the
chances of success it may offer. So soon as those chances disappear, to
make room for probable ill results, they are not ashamed to recoil, for
the very simple reason that with them honour, as we understand it in
Europe, only holds a secondary place, and success alone is regarded.
Red Wolf was assuredly a brave man; he had given innumerable proofs of
that in many a combat; still, he did not hesitate, in behalf of the
general welfare, to sacrifice his secret desires, and in doing so, as
we believe, he gave a grand proof of that family feeling, and almost
instinctive patriotism, which is one of the strongest points in the
Indian character. Clever as he was, the Apache Chief was completely
deluded by Brighteye, whose imperturbable coolness and unexpected
arrival would have sufficed to lead astray an individual even more
intelligent than the man with whom he had to deal. Red Wolf made up his
mind at once, without any thought of self.
"Greyhead, my brother, is welcome at my fire," he said; "my heart
rejoices at greeting a friend; his companions and himself can take
their places round the council fire; the calumet of a Chief is ready to
be offered them."
"Red Wolf is a great Chief," Brighteye replied; "I am pleased at the
kindly feeling he experiences towards me. I would accept his offer with
the greatest pleasure, did not urgent reasons oblige me to rejoin, as
soon as possible, my brothers the Palefaces, who are waiting for me at
a short distance from the spot where the Antelope Apaches are encamped."
"I hope that no cloud has arisen between Greyhead and his brother,
Red Wolf," the Chief remarked, in a cautious tone: "two warriors must
esteem each other."
"That is my opinion too, Chief, and that is why I have presented myself
so frankly in your camp, when it would have been easy to have had
several warriors of my nation to accompany me."
Brighteye knew perfectly well that the Apaches understood Spanish, and
consequently nothing he had said to Markham escaped them; but it was to
his interest, as well as that of his comrade, to pretend to be ignorant
of the fact, and accept as current coin the insidious propositions of
the Chief.
"His friends, the Palefaces, are encamped not far from here?" the Chief
remarked.
"Yes," Brighteye replied, "at the most from four to five bowshots in a
westerly direction."
"Wah! I am vexed at it," the Indian said, "for I would have accompanied
my brother to their camp."
"And what prevents your coming with us?" the old hunter said,
distinctly. "Would you fear an ill reception by chance?"
"Och! who would dare not to receive Red Wolf with the respect due to
him?" the Apache said, haughtily.
"No one, assuredly."
Red Wolf leaned over to a subaltern chief, and whispered a few words
in his ear; the man rose, and left the clearing. The hunters saw this
movement with anxiety, and exchanged a glance, which said, "Let us keep
on our guard." They also fell back a few paces, as if accidentally,
and drew nearer together, in order to be ready at the first suspicious
sign; for they knew the perfidy of the men among whom they were,
and expected anything from them. The Indian sent off by the Chief
re-entered the clearing at this moment. He had been absent hardly ten
minutes.
"Well?" Red Wolf asked him.
"It is true," the Indian answered, laconically.
The sachem's face was overclouded; he felt certain then that Brighteye
had not deceived him; for the man he had sent out of the camp had
been ordered by him to assure himself whether the fires of a party of
white men could be really seen a short distance off; his emissary's
reply proved to him that no treachery could be possible, that he must
continue to feign kindly feelings, and separate on proper terms from
the troublesome guests, whom he would have liked so much to be rid of
in a very different manner. At his order the horses were unhobbled, and
the warriors mounted.
"Day is approaching," he said; "the moon has again entered the great
mountain. I am about to start with my young men. May the Wacondah
protect my pale brothers!"
"Thank you, Chief," Marksman answered. "But will you not come with us?"
"We are not following the same path," the Chief replied drily, as he
let his horse go.
"That is probable, accursed dog!" Brighteye growled between his teeth.
The whole band started at full speed, and disappeared in the gloom.
Soon the sound of their horses' hoofs could no longer be heard, as they
became mingled in the distance with those thousand sounds, coming from
no apparent cause, which incessantly trouble the majestic silence of
the desert.
The hunters were alone. Like the Augurs of ancient Rome, who could not
look at each other without laughing, little was needed for the hunters
to burst into a loud burst of delight after the hurried departure of
the Apaches. At a signal from Marksman, Flying Eagle and Eglantine
came to join the wood rangers, who had already seated themselves
unceremoniously at the fire of which they had so cleverly dispossessed
their enemies.
"Hum!" Brighteye said, as he charged his pipe, "I shall laugh for a
long time at this trick; it is almost as good as the one I played the
Pawnees in 1827, on the Upper Arkansas. I was very young at that time;
I had been traversing the prairie for only a few years, and was not, as
I now am, accustomed to Indian devilries; I remember that--"
"By what accident did I meet you here, Brighteye?" his friend asked,
hastily interrupting him.
Marksman knew that so soon as Brighteye began a story, no power on
earth would stop him. The worthy man, during the course of a long and
varied career, had seen and done so many extraordinary things, that
the slightest event which occurred to him, or of which he was merely
a witness, immediately became an excuse for one of his interminable
stories. His friends, who knew his weakness, felt no hesitation about
interrupting him; still we must do Brighteye the justice of saying that
he was never angry with his disturbers; for ten minutes later he would
begin another story, which they as mercilessly interrupted in a similar
way.
To Marksman's question, he replied,--"We will talk, and I will tell you
that." Then, turning to Domingo, he said,--"My friend, I thank you for
the assistance you have given us. Return to the camp, and do not forget
your promise. Above all, do not omit to narrate all you have seen,
to--you know who!"
"That is agreed, old hunter. Don't be uneasy. Good-bye."
"Here's luck."
Domingo threw his rifle over his shoulder, lit his pipe, and walked in
the direction of the camp, where he arrived an hour later.
"There," Marksman said, "now I believe nothing will prevent your going
ahead."
"Yes; one thing, my friend."
"What is it?"
"The night is nearly spent; it has been fatiguing to everybody.
I presume that two or three hours' sleep are necessary, if not
indispensable, especially as we are in no hurry."
"Tell me only one thing first, and then I will let you sleep as long as
you please."
"What is it?"
"How you happened so fortunately to come to my aid."
"Confound it! That is exactly what I was afraid of. Your question
obliges me to enter into details far too long for me to be able to
satisfy you at this moment."
"The truth is, my friend, that, in spite of the lively desire I feel to
spend a few days with you, I am compelled to leave you at sunrise."
"Nonsense! It is not possible."
"It is, indeed."
"But what is your hurry?"
"I have engaged myself as scout with a caravan, which I have given the
meeting at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon, at the Del Rubio ford. That
appointment has been made for the last two months. You know that an
engagement is sacred with us hunters, and you would not like to make me
break my word!"
"Not for the hides of all the buffalos killed every year on the
prairie. Towards what part of the Far West will you guide these men?"
"I shall know that tomorrow."
"And with what sort of people have you to do? Are they Spaniards, or
Gringos?"
"On my word, I fancy they are Mexicans. Their chief's name, I think, is
Don Miguel Ortega, or something like it."
"Hallo!" Brighteye exclaimed, with a start of surprise; "what's that
you said?"
"Don Miguel Ortega. I may be mistaken, but I hardly think so."
"That is strange," the old hunter said, as if speaking to himself.
"I do not see anything strange in it; the name appears to me common
enough."
"To you, possibly. And you have made an agreement with him?"
"Signed and sealed."
"As scout?"
"Yes, I say, a thousand times."
"Well, comfort yourself, Marksman; we have many a long day to spend
together."
"Do you belong to his party?"
"Heaven forbid!"
"Then, I don't understand anything."
Brighteye seemed to be reflecting seriously for a few moments; then he
turned to his friend, and said,--
"Listen to me, Marksman! So surely as you are my oldest friend, I do
not wish to see you going to the deuce your own road. I must give you
certain information, which will be indispensable to you in doing your
duty properly. I see that we shall not sleep this night, so listen to
me attentively. What you are about to hear is worth the trouble."
Marksman, startled by the old hunter's solemn accent, looked at him
anxiously. "Speak!" he said to him.
Brighteye collected his thoughts for a moment, and then took the word,
beginning a long history, to which his audience listened with a degree
of interest and attention which increased with every moment; for never,
till that day, had they heard the narrative of events so strange and
extraordinary.
The sun had risen for a long time, but the hunter was still talking.