"Who's there?"
"Hush, Massa Warren! It's only me--ole Crookleg."
"Come in, Crookleg."
"No, Massa Warren, you come out here. I'se want to show you somethin'."
With a hasty glance at the slumbering maiden Warren Rody emerged from
the cave.
At the entrance he was suddenly confronted by Nelatu.
"Nelatu!"
A yell of fiendish laughter from Crookleg answered the exclamation.
"He, he, he, he! ho, ho, ho! Oh, dat am de best ting dis ole nigga eber
done! Ah, de time am comin' now! Ho, ho! Massa Warren, who kicked de
ole dog of a nigga wot fetch and carry for de white man to de Injun gal?
Ha, ha, ha! I 'clare to mercy it am splendid! Now I'll leave you two
friends togedder; but don't quarrel--don't! Only remember, Massa
Warren, remember Crookleg to your dyin' day!"
With these words the negro darted off, and was soon lost to sight behind
the bushes.
Warren stood grating his teeth in impotent rage.
He saw that he had fallen into a trap laid for him by Crookleg.
Nelatu stirred not an inch.
Again young Rody pronounced his name.
"Nelatu!"
"Yes, Nelatu--the brother of Sansuta! Does not the sight of me turn you
into stone? Is your heart so hardened that you do not tremble?"
Warren gave a short, mocking laugh.
"Go away from here," he said; "I owe no account of my actions to any
one."
"Yes, you owe an account of them to that Great Spirit who is alike your
God and mine."
"Pah! stand aside, I say."
"My arm will brain you if you move or step! Nelatu is a chief, and
_must_ be heard!"
"Well, then, go on."
"You once said you were my friend. Nelatu tears your friendship from
his breast and casts it to the wind! You are an assassin--a thief!
What answer do you make?"
"I make none."
"You are right; nothing can be said to palliate the crime of falsehood,
murder, and robbery! Come along with me."
"Indeed! Where to?"
"To our chief--to Wacora."
"A prisoner?"
"Yes."
"And who is to take me?"
"I will."
"You!" retorted Rody, with a sneer.
"Yes; your life was in my hands but a minute ago. You live only because
I would not kill you in my sister's presence. Your very slave has
proved false to you. You are in my power; Wacora shall pass sentence on
you, and that sentence will be death."
With a bound Warren rushed at Nelatu, who, suddenly dropping his rifle,
grappled with him.
A terrible struggle ensued.
The young men were about equally matched in size and strength, while
each knew that it was a contest for life or death.
Warren, by his unexpected onset, had at first some advantage over his
antagonist; but the Indian speedily recovered it by his great power of
endurance.
All feeling of pity had vanished from his breast. He had intended to
take him a prisoner; he would now kill him.
He made several unsuccessful efforts to draw his tomahawk; whilst
Warren, inspired by the certainty that death would be the result, strove
to his utmost to prevent him from wielding the weapon.
Long did they continue the struggle without either speaking a word.
Their heavy breathing, as they rolled over and over on the grass, was
the only audible sound.
Nelatu at length succeeded in getting his antagonist under him, and with
one arm strove to hold him, whilst with the other he groped for his
tomahawk.
At this moment Warren made a superhuman effort, threw the Indian off,
and, with the speed of lightning, snatched his rifle from the ground.
Nelatu had stumbled as he was thrown off, and lay sprawling upon the
earth.
Another instant and he would have had a bullet through his body.
Was it an echo that answered the cocking of the rifle held in Rody's
hand?
That was the last thought that crossed Warren Rody's mind.
The next moment he was a corpse.
A bullet had pierced his brain!
It came from Maracota's gun, who had arrived upon the ground at the
moment of Nelatu's fall.
Before either of the two Indians could speak a word, a piercing cry
echoed in upon their ears; a girl came gliding through the bushes, and
flung herself prostrate over the body.
It was Sansuta!
The air was filled with her lamentations as she kissed the cold forehead
of Warren Rody, and with a thousand endearing terms endeavoured to
recall him to life.
Nelatu approached and gently raised her from the ground.
He was about to address her, but he started back in horror.
Her wild, starting eyes, with that unmeaning smile upon her lips, told
the sad tale.
Her reason had departed.