THE HEART OF LOVE.
To understand Moorooine’s situation, it is necessary that we briefly
trace her movements after leaving the side of the rangers in the forest.
She had experienced much difficulty in getting clear of the circle of
warriors without discovery. The latter had dispatched two of their
swiftest runners for reinforcements, and these had begun to arrive.
Knowing that a knowledge of her presence would arouse suspicions, she
had been obliged to remain concealed a long time. And when, at last,
she made good her retreat toward the village, she little dreamed that
two persons who knew of her movements and intentions had gone to
intercept her.
One of these was the wretch Hulet. The blow of Mace had stunned him
only, and when the closely-pressed rangers dashed back to cover, he
managed to creep away, and soon communicated with a warrior, and
disclosed all he knew. And half an hour later, the warrior was going
with him toward the village, after informing another where the bivouac
of the rangers was situated. But concerning Moorooine the fellow kept
silent.
The two reached the village but a short time before the Indian girl.
The latter found that a number of warriors had come in from the siege
of the fort, and that the whole camp was in commotion over the news
brought by the runners.
Knowing of the reinforcements sent to hunt down the rangers, she felt
that no aid would come from them. The task of releasing Brom was to
devolve upon her alone. She well knew what the consequences of failure
or even of _success_ might be. But she did not shrink.
It took her some time to find the bark lodge where Brom was confined.
The next thing was to ascertain if he were alone, and if not, to devise
some stratagem to get rid of his guard.
To her joy she found that the prisoner was alone. To make an opening in
the rear of his prison-hut and creep inside, was the work of a moment.
An idea of her extreme caution and skill may be formed from the fact,
that as yet the two plotters watching for her appearance were not aware
of her return.
No sooner had she entered the hut, than she closed the aperture and
crept toward White Fox, who was sitting upright. He heard and suspected
her. He had in fact hoped to receive her aid, and had rightly supposed
she was not ignorant of his situation. The thought that she was near
caused the blood to course through his veins like wildfire. But
suddenly, a warrior appeared in the door, and Moorooine sunk behind the
one she loved, as noiseless as a shadow!
The warrior stood a moment, and then entered, peering around the gloomy
interior. Pausing before the prisoner, he assured himself that the
latter’s wrists and ankles were well secured and then passed out again
among the excited throng.
The moment he disappeared, Moorooine glided beside the aroused ranger
and quickly severed the thongs about his wrists.
“Don’t stir till I tell you!” she whispered. “Me go out first an’ find
best way to git off an’ cheat warriors.”
“God bless ye, my own sweet Wild Flower,” said the young man,
fervently, as he pressed her heaving bosom against his own, and his
lips to hers. “You risk your life for mine.”
“Mustn’t--no time now,” she said, releasing herself. “Put hands
together again as before; use this knife to loose feet when time come.”
He obeyed her instantly. The noise outside precluded their being heard.
They might be seen, though the guard having just passed out after
looking at the prisoner, it was not probable he would soon return. But
both kept a sharp watch as they talked.
“If I escape, you go with me,” said Brom.
“Yes; go help you clear.”
“You must go with me for _good_, Moorooine. I want you always. You
shall be my wife.”
“Talk of that when more time,” she said. “Go with you _now_ first. Have
to for always, s’pose, or else warriors kill me.”
“Be very careful. If you should be found out, they’d kill you. That
would make my life bitter. You must not die for me.”
“Would _willin’_ if need,” she said, as she pressed his hand.
“There--now must go, hurry. Be back very quick!”
She noiselessly crept through the aperture and closed it. Then, with
great caution, she glided forward, and passed behind a huge bowlder,
from which a path led down a declivity to the river. She darted down
the path, and in five minutes returned. Her own canoe was in its
accustomed place, and between the rows of lodges yet came the sounds of
engrossing discussion. The moment had come.
With beating heart she approached the prison-hut. But two figures
hovering near rose and barred her way. They were those of Hulet and the
savage before mentioned! A feeling of the bitterest disappointment and
dread filled her soul as she recognized Sly Hate, whom till now she
thought killed. But she quailed not.
“Come this way,” said the Indian, who was called Heavy Sleep. The girl
could but obey, and the trio moved further aside.
“Listen!” said Heavy Sleep, as they halted. “Sporting Fawn has been
much in woods to-night to warn our enemies, who have killed many
warriors. Sly Hate has seen you, so there is no chance to tell lies, if
you would. None of the warriors know this yet but Heavy Sleep. If they
should find out, then what?”
“Then I would be killed,” she answered, while a shudder passed over
her. She knew the object of Heavy Sleep. He had long sought her hand,
but in vain. He was accounted a cruel monster, even among his own
tribe; capable of committing any atrocity to gratify revenge. Many
hated him, while fearing his malice. And now he held the girl’s life in
his hand, and well she knew the price he would ask for it. The thought
of this was what made her shudder.
“Yes, be killed _hard_!” he said. “But, I will save you if you will be
my squaw. None of the warriors shall ever know of what you have done
to-night. Be my squaw and _live_. Speak!”
“And if I say no?”
“Then I shall take you into the midst of the warriors yonder, and Sly
Hate will tell his story,” replied Heavy Sleep, grasping her arm.
“Hearken, Heavy Sleep!” she said. “It is true that I have been in the
woods; but it was to save blood, not to spill it. Many times, as you
know, I have risked the favor of my people by urging them to live at
peace with the whites.”
The savage clutched her arm more tightly and said:
“No need to say that again. We all know it. You love pale faces. That
is enough to make you die! I and Sly Hate have watched you. You are
even now going to find White Fox so as to get him away. But you never
try. Which will you do? Be my squaw, or burn at the stake with the
whole tribe mocking and hating your memory? Which?”
The girl could not repress a shudder, which the savage noticed. It was
a terrible choice. But, her wits did not forsake her. She saw that
Heavy Sleep and his ally had just come up, and did not know she already
had communicated with White Fox.
“Move aside and give me time to think alone!” she replied, as she drew
her arm away, and looked upward at the stars. “I am much afraid you
would hate me after a while, Heavy Sleep. You would get tired of me,
and then give me up to the vengeance of the tribe.”
“No!” replied the Indian, with a degree less of harshness in his tone.
“Heavy Sleep would keep his word. Give you a little time; but think
_fast_. We shall be watching you.”
He passed a few yards away with Hulet. The girl’s thoughts came and
went like lightning. Heavy Sleep evidently believed she would consent,
with such a fearful alternative before her. But she was fully resolved
to attempt the release of Brom, if she died for it. While trying to
devise some desperate expedient, a drift of clouds suddenly shut out
the starlight, and she knew that, for a moment, her body would hardly
be seen. She glided straight forward, as though to pass between the
two nearest huts. But, instead of doing so, she suddenly turned and
darted to the left; and by the time her two watchers had discovered her
_ruse_, she was in the prison-hut beside Brom.
“It’s the last chance--_run_!” she exclaimed, in a wild whisper.
The young ranger had no time to question her, or even to think. Steps
were heard close to the aperture where the girl had just entered. The
moment she spoke, Brom cut the thongs about his ankles, and sprung up
to encounter the guard, who had heard a noise and rushed to the door.
A blow from Brom knocked the fellow prostrate, and, before the throng
outside were well aware of it, a figure darted clear of their circle
and ran like a deer toward the woods!
The air was rent with fierce yells as the crowd broke and pursued. Brom
saw that he could not reach the woods in time to get clear. Within ten
feet of the bluff he turned, and with one bound leaped into the deep,
swift current, not twenty feet above the mouth of the subterranean
passage!
As he disappeared in the water, an excited crowd appeared on the bank,
astonished into momentary silence by the act. And when the moments
passed, and no form broke the waters, none doubted that the prisoner
had been swept into the subterranean passage, a victim to the evil
spirit presiding there.
The Indian girl attempted to escape with Brom; but Heavy Sleep, as
implacable as death, gave no thought then but to her capture. She,
indeed, sprung clear of the lodge, and as Brom fled, with the crowd
after him, she started in the same direction with the pursuers. As she
suddenly darted aside from these, Heavy Sleep spied her, and, throwing
his hatchet struck her senseless to the ground.
These scenes took place only a few minutes before Scarred Eagle and
Mace came within view of the camp. Of what followed, the reader is
already aware.