Only the ruder spirits indulged in this ill-timed levity; others of more
refined nature regarded the incident with due solemnity--some even with
a feeling of awe.
Certainly it seemed as if the hand of God had interposed, so appropriate
had been the punishment--almost as if the criminal had perished by his
own contrivance.
It was an awful death, but far less hard to endure than that which had
been decreed by man. The Almighty had been more merciful: and in thus
mitigating the punishment of the guilty wretch, had rebuked his human
judges.
I looked around for the young Indian: I was gratified to find he was no
longer among the crowd. His quarrel with Ringgold had been broken off
abruptly. I had fears that it was not yet ended. His words had
irritated some of the white men, and it was through his being there, the
criminal had found the opportunity to get off. No doubt, had the latter
finally escaped, there would have been more of it: and even as matters
stood, I was not without apprehensions about the safety of the bold
half-blood. He was not upon his own ground--the other side of the river
was the Indian territory; and, therefore, he might be deemed an
intruder. True, we were at peace with the Indians; but for all that,
there was enough of hostile feeling between the two races. Old wounds
received in the war of 1818 still rankled.
I knew Ringgold's resentful character--he had been humiliated in the
eyes of his companions; for, during the short scuffle, the half-blood
had the best of it. Ringgold would not be content to let it drop--he
would seek revenge.
I was glad, therefore, on perceiving that the Indian had gone away from
the ground. Perhaps he had himself become apprehensive of danger, and
recrossed the river. There he would be safe from pursuit. Even
Ringgold dare not follow him to the other side, for the treaty laws
could not have been outraged with impunity. The most reckless of the
squatters knew this. An Indian war would have been provoked, and the
supreme government, though not over scrupulous, had other views at the
time.
I was turning to proceed homeward, when it occurred to me that I would
accost Ringgold, and signify to him my disapproval of his conduct. I
was indignant at the manner in which he had acted--just angry enough to
speak my mind. Ringgold was older than myself, and bigger; but I was
not afraid of him. On the contrary, I knew that he was rather afraid of
_me_. The insult he had offered to one who, but the hour before, had
risked his life for us, had sufficiently roused my blood, and I was
determined to reproach him for it. With this intention, I turned back
to look for him. He was not there.
"Have you seen Arens Ringgold?" I inquired of old Hickman.
"Yes--jest gone," was the reply.
"In what direction?"
"Up-river. See 'im gallop off wi' Bill Williams an' Ned Spence--desprit
keen upon somethin' they 'peered."
A painful suspicion flashed across my mind.
"Hickman," I asked, "will you lend me your horse for an hour?"
"My old critter? Sartin sure will I: a day, if you wants him. But,
Geordy, boy, you can't ride wi' your arm that way?"
"O yes; only help me into the saddle."
The old hunter did as desired; and after exchanging another word or two,
I rode off in the up-river direction.
Up the river was a ferry; and at its landing it was most likely the
young Indian had left his canoe. In that direction, therefore, he
should go to get back to his home, and in that direction Ringgold should
_not_ go to return to his, for the path to the Ringgold plantation led
in a course altogether opposite. Hence the suspicion that occurred to
me on hearing that the latter had gone up the river. At such a time it
did not look well, and in such company, still worse; for I recognised in
the names that Hickman had mentioned, two of the most worthless boys in
the settlement. I knew them to be associates, or rather creatures, of
Ringgold.
My suspicion was that they had gone after the Indian, and of course with
an ill intent. It was hardly a conjecture; I was almost sure of it; and
as I advanced along the river road, I became confirmed in the belief. I
saw the tracks of their horses along the path that led to the ferry, and
now and again I could make out the print of the Indian moccasin where it
left its wet mark in the dust. I knew that his dress had not yet dried
upon him, and the moccasins would still be saturated with water.
I put the old horse to his speed. As I approached the landing, I could
see no one, for there were trees all around it; but the conflict of
angry voices proved that I had conjectured aright.
I did not stop to listen; but urging my horse afresh, I rode on. At a
bend of the road, I saw three horses tied to the trees. I knew they
were those of Ringgold and his companions, but I could not tell why they
had left them.
I stayed not to speculate, but galloped forward upon the ground. Just
as I had anticipated, the three were there--the half-blood was in their
hands!
They had crept upon him unawares--that was why their horses had been
left behind--and caught him just as he was about stepping into his
canoe. He was unarmed--for the rifle I had given him was still wet, and
the mulatto had made away with his knife--he could offer no resistance,
and was therefore secured at once.
They had been quick about it, for they had already stripped off his
hunting-shirt, and tied him to a tree. They were just about to vent
their spite on him--by flogging him on the bare back with cowhides which
they carried in their hands. No doubt they would have laid them on
heavily, had I not arrived in time.
"Shame, Arens Ringgold! shame!" I cried as I rode up. "This is
cowardly, and I shall report it to the whole settlement."
Ringgold stammered out some excuse, but was evidently staggered at my
sudden appearance.
"The darned Injun desarves it," growled Williams.
"For what, Master Williams?" I inquired.
"For waggin his jaw so imperent to white men."
"He's got no business over here," chimed in Spence; "he has got no right
to come this side of the river."
"And you have no right to flog him, whether on this side or the other--
no more than you have to flog me."
"Ho, ho! That might be done, too," said Spence, in a sneering tone,
that set my blood in a boil.
"Not so easily," I cried, leaping from the old horse, and running
forward upon the ground.
My right arm was still sound. Apprehensive of an awkward affair, I had
borrowed old Hickman's pistol, and I held it in my hand.
"Now, gentlemen," said I, taking my stand beside the captive, "go on
with the flogging; but take my word for it, I shall send a bullet
through the first who strikes!"
Though they were but boys, all three were armed with knife and pistol,
as was the custom of the time. Of the three, Spence seemed most
inclined to carry out his threat; but he and Williams saw that Ringgold,
their leader, had already backed out, for the latter had something to
lose, which his companions had not. Besides, he had other thoughts, as
well as fears for his personal safety.
The result was, that all three, after remonstrating with me for my
uncalled-for interference _in a quarrel that did not concern me_, made
an angry and somewhat awkward exit from the scene.
The young Indian was soon released from his unpleasant situation. He
uttered few words, but his looks amply expressed his gratitude. As he
pressed my hand at parting, he said:
"Come to the other side to hunt whenever you please--no Indian will harm
you--in the land of the red men _you_ will be welcome."