"Oh! why, why," she cried, suddenly dropping the miniature, "why do you
mock me with this? It is so little, yet so like. It looks alive, but
it is dead. It is nothing--a mockery!"
The poor girl caught it up, however, and began to kiss and caress it
again.
Some time elapsed before her passionate grief was sufficiently subdued
to permit of her listening to me. When it was nearly exhausted, and
found vent only in an occasional sob, I took her hand gently and said--
"Give me the picture now, Waboose. I will wrap it up again, for I have
much to say."
Then, unfolding the last writing of the poor fellow whom the Indians had
styled Weeum the Good, I slowly translated it into the Indian language.
It was not an easy task; for, besides feeling that it stirred the heart
of the listener with powerful emotions, I had great difficulty in taking
my eyes off her changeful face, so as to read the manuscript.
"Now, Eve Liston--for that is your real name," said I, when I had
finished, "what do you think ought to be done?"
The girl did not reply at once, but sat so long with her hands clasped
tightly on her lap, and her eyes fixed wistfully on the ground, that I
had to repeat the question.
"What is to be done?" she replied, simply; "of course, what father
wished to be done."
"And are you ready to go with me to the far south to see your father's
mother? Can you trust me to protect you?"
"Oh, yes," she replied, with a straightforward look that almost
disconcerted me; "have you not protected me well already?"
"And are you willing, Eve, to leave your tribe and go off alone with
me?"
"Alone!" she repeated, with a look of surprise; "oh! no--not alone.
Mother must go too, and also Big Otter."
Once more I felt somewhat confused, for, to say truth, I had totally
forgotten her mother and Big Otter for the moment.
"Well now, Eve--for I intend to call you by that name in future, except
when in the presence of your people--I must talk this matter over with
your mother and Big Otter. I have some fear that the latter may object
to go with us."
"He will not object," said Waboose, quietly. "He loved my father, and
always obeyed him."
"Very good. So much the better. Now, as to the valuable jewels--the
ornaments, I mean."
"Have you got them here!" asked Eve.
"Yes. Knowing the risk I shall run of losing them or having them stolen
from me, I have had a belt made which fits round my waist under my
clothes, in which the jewels and the money are placed. If I can manage
to get them and you safely conveyed to Colorado, all will be well, but
it is a long, long journey, Eve, and--"
I was interrupted at this point by Big Otter, who came to tell us that
supper was ready, and that, as the region in which they were encamped
was sometimes visited by hostile Indians, as well as by white trappers--
many of whom were great scoundrels--it would be prudent to keep within
the circle of sentinels after dark.