A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS AND DELIVERANCES.
Little Wolf was glad to see Black Hawk led away, for she was now
thoroughly weary. The events of the last twenty-four hours had worn
upon her; and the cozy fire and warm dinner, which awaited her within,
were duly appreciated.
An hour later, nestled upon the parlor sofa she was burried in
profound slumber. Fanny moved softly about the room, tiptoeing
occasionally to the window to watch for Daddy.
Towards night he was brought home on a stretcher, comfortably arranged
in a large sleigh, Dr. Goodrich accompanying him. The first intimation
that Little Wolf had of their arrival was a loud ring at the door,
which suddenly roused her from dreams, in which she was living over
again the happiest moments of her life.
It was some little time before she could collect her scattered
thoughts; but Daddy's roarings and vociferations at length brought her
to a realizing sense of her responsibilities.
Although assured by his physician that his hurts would in a few weeks
at furthest all be healed, the old man was not content. He had a
lurking infidelity in regard to the opinions of the medical profession
generally, and, as soon as Dr. Goodrich had departed, he confided to
Little Wolf his fears.
"'Tween you and me, Honey," said he, "them ere doctors hev been knowd
to tell a pussen that he was a goin fur tu git well, and just as that
pussen had made all his calculations fur tu live, (and may be git
married), the fust thing he knew, he would be a dead man. Now 'tween
you and me, its my opinion, I shan't live twenty-four hours, fur I
feel awful gone like."
"O, its the opiate that makes you feel so, Daddy. I shall nurse you up
and you'll get well and marry, what's her name?"
"Recta," said Daddy brightening. "Recta, Miss Orrecta Lippincott. May
be, Honey, with good nussing I shall make out fur tu stand it. 'Tween
you and me, there's nuthin like good nussin, after the bones is all
set proper."
His wise young nurse did not think it worth while to remind the
invalid that not one of his bones had been broken, but she assiduously
set herself to work to meet his accumulating wants. With liniments and
bandages, and cooling drinks, and consoling words, she stood patiently
over him, until near the midnight hour, he fell asleep.
Shading the lamp, so that scarcely a ray of light was visible, Little
Wolf curled in behind the window curtain, where she could peep
through the crevices of the blinds out on the distant stars and ever
shifting clouds, which in the solitude of the night, speak so
eloquently to the human heart.
Calm and cold was the still hour. The warm, thawing winds had ceased
to blow, the eaves had ceased their droppings and were beautifully
fringed with icicles. The snow had become crusted over, but so
slightly, indeed, that the lightest footfall would crush the
treacherous coating, and the cracking of the icy fragments betray the
presence of prowlers.
By such sounds as we have described, Little Wolf's meditations were at
length disturbed. Indistinctly at first, but soon with unmistakable
clearness, she recognized approaching footsteps.
Daddy's room overlooked the stable, and in that quarter, a human
figure was just visible. Slowly and stealthily it drew near; and now
with dilated eyes and quickly beating heart, the watcher peered
eagerly into the darkness. Nearer, and still nearer the form
approached, until close against the house, just where she could
conveniently note every motion, it paused. A moment of suspense, and a
small flame shot up revealing Hank Glutter in the act of firing the
house.
Quick as thought Little Wolf sprang for her pistol, which to gratify
Daddy she had stored in his room; and hiding it in the folds of her
dress she flew to meet the incendiary.
During the few seconds consumed in reaching the spot, Hank had
disappeared, and having strong suspicions that he meditated mischief
to Black Hawk, Little Wolf scattered the pile of slowly burning
faggots, (the fire not having yet communicated itself to the
building), and made a dash for the stable.
Hank was there just in the act of lighting a match. He had completely
surrounded Black Hawk with hay and straw, and, in an instant more, the
helpless animal would have been enveloped in flames.
"Mr. Glutter, the brewery is on fire!" shouted Little Wolf
breathlessly.
The match fell from Hank's nerveless hand, for he saw through the
wide open door that the announcement was but too true. To spring past
Little Wolf and rush to secure his property, was his first thought.
But he was too late. Neither he, nor all the crowd that quickly
gathered there, could stay the consuming element. The old brewery
burned to the ground, and, for miles around the country was
illuminated by what to many a poor broken-hearted woman, was a grand
and festive bonfire.
Among the first who discovered the conflagration was Wycoff, and he
was much relieved, on ascertaining the precise location of the fire;
for he had started out filled with apprehensions for Little Wolf. To
his great satisfaction, the old brown house stood out in full relief,
unharmed.
A critical survey of the premises, however, discovered to him the
stable door standing open, and, by the brilliant blaze, he could
distinctly see Black Hawk, pawing and floundering in the midst of the
hay which Hank had arranged for his funeral pile.
Quite as distinctly from the upper window could Little Wolf see the
former, and she hastened to make him acquainted with her narrow escape
and claim his protection.
While he listened, the man's worst passions were aroused. There was
murder in his heart, and, but for the entreaties of Little Wolf,
another day would never have dawned upon Hank Glutter.
As for Hank; having the bitter consciousness that he had brought the
calamity upon himself, he raved and swore like a mad man. To all
questions as to the cause of the fire he had but one answer, "I
suppose I must have left the confounded lamp too near the bed." This
admission was invariably followed by oaths and curses, as he passed up
and down before the burning building.
How different were Daddy's emotions! It was amusing to behold him
bolstered up in bed, exultant to the highest degree. His old wrinkled
face fairly shone with delight, and he frequently ejaculated as he
watched the progress of the flames, "Thank the Lord God Almighty, for
that dispensation!"
As the light began to die away, he turned to Little Wolf and whispered
confidentially. "'Tween you and me, Honey, if I should happen fur tu
hev any children, Recta wont feel any consarn about the boys gittin to
drinking, now that ere old brewery is out of the way. Some folks say
if a man is tu be a drunkard, he'll be one any how; but if there's no
liquor, I'd like fur to know how he is going fur tu git it? I guess
nobody ever got burnt that never see a fire."