TWO SPIES AND THEIR FATE
Coacoochee had fulfilled his promise, and conducted the sister of his
friend to a place of safety. As he entered the village followed closely
by the first white girl that many of its inmates had ever seen, they
gazed wonderingly and in silence at the unaccustomed spectacle. Even
the voices of the children were so suddenly hushed that Ralph Boyd,
tossing wearily on his narrow couch in one of the enclosed huts, noted
the quick cessation of sounds to which he had become wonted, and
awaited its explanation with nervous impatience. The old Indian woman
who acted as his nurse stepped outside, and for the moment he was
alone. Filled with an intense desire to know what was taking place,
the wounded man strove to rise, with the intention of crawling to the
door of the hut; but ere he could carry out his design, the curtain of
deerskins that closed it was thrust aside, and Coacoochee stood before
him.
With a feeble shout of joy at sight of his friend, the sufferer
exclaimed tremulously: "Is she safe? Have you brought a token from
her?"
"The white maiden is safe, and I have brought a token," answered the
young Indian, proudly.
As he spoke, he moved aside, and in another moment Anstice Boyd,
sobbing for joy, was kneeling beside her brother, with her arms about
his neck.
From that moment Ralph Boyd's recovery was sure and rapid, for there
are no more certain cures for any wound than careful nursing and a
relief from anxiety. Within a week he was not only able to sit up, but
to take short walks about the village, the strange life of which he
studied with never-failing interest. So well ordered and peaceful was
it, so filled with cheerful industry, that it was difficult to believe
it a dwelling-place of those who were even then engaged in fighting
for their homes and rights. But evidences that such was the case were
visible on all sides. War-parties were constantly going and coming.
Osceola, now head chief of this particular band, and one of the leading
spirits of the war, was away most of the time, hovering about the
flanks of some army, cutting off their supplies, killing, burning, and
destroying; here to-day, and far away to-morrow, spreading everywhere
the terror of his name.
Coacoochee would fain have been engaged in similar service; but his own
band of warriors under the temporary leadership of Louis Pacheco, was
operating far to the eastward, between the St. John's and the coast,
while he felt pledged to remain with his white friends until Ralph
Boyd could be removed to a place of greater safety. He feared to leave
them; for among the inmates of the camp were certain vindictive spirits
who so hungered for white scalps that they made frequent threats of
what would happen to the brother and sister, whom they regarded as
captives, in case they had their way with them. So the young war-chief
restrained his longings for more active service, and devoted himself to
collecting great quantities of corn and other supplies, which he stored
in this swamp stronghold for future use.
When not waiting on her brother, Anstice amused herself by observing
the domestic life of the village and in cultivating an acquaintance
among its women and children. The former were so shy that she made but
little headway with them. In fact, her maid Letty was far more popular
among the Indian women than she. With the children, however, Anstice
became an object for adoration almost from the moment of her appearance
among them. So devoted were they to her that she could not walk abroad
without an attendant throng of sturdy urchins or naked toddlers.
One drowsy afternoon, leaving her brother asleep in a hammock woven
of tough swamp grasses, Anstice, accompanied by her usual escort of
children and with a slim little maiden clinging to each hand, visited
a dense thicket near the pathway leading out to the great swamp, in
search of bead-like palmetto berries, which she proposed to string
into necklaces. Seating herself on the edge of the forest growth, she
despatched several of the children in search of the coveted berries.
Diving under the bushes and threading their tangled mazes like so many
quail, these quickly disappeared from view, though shouts of laughter
plainly indicated their movements.
Suddenly a scream of childish terror was uttered close at hand, and a
little lad, trembling with fright, came running back to where Anstice
was sitting. Filled with a dread of wild beasts or deadly serpents, the
girl sprang to her feet, and making use of the few Seminole words she
had acquired while in the village, called loudly:
"At-tess-cha, che-paw-ne! At-tess-cha, mas-tchay!" (Come here, boys!
come here quickly!)
The quality of terror in her voice rather than the words themselves
must have attracted attention, for while there came no answer, the
children's shouts were suddenly hushed. Each embryo warrior dropped to
the ground where he was, and like hunted rabbits, lay motionless, but
keenly alert, until they should learn from which direction danger might
be expected. Those who had remained with Anstice clung to her skirts,
and the urchin who had given the alarm glanced fearfully behind him.
As the girl stood irresolute, there came a movement in the bushes
close at hand. Then to her amazement, her name was called softly, but
in a voice whose accents she would have recognized anywhere and under
all circumstances. It needed not the parting of the leafy screen and a
glimpse of the anxious face behind it, to tell her that Irwin Douglass,
the lieutenant of dragoons, who had so often shared the hospitality
of her brother's table, had, by some inconceivable means, penetrated
the secrets of this Indian stronghold and ventured within its deadly
confines.
"Oh, Mr. Douglass!" she cried, in a voice trembling with apprehension.
"How came you here? Do you not realize your awful peril? You will be
killed if you stay a minute longer! Fly, then! Fly, I beg of you, while
there is yet time."
"But, Miss Boyd! Anstice! Why are you here instead of safe in Augustine
as we thought? Are you not in equal, or even in greater, peril? Come
with me, and I will gladly beat a retreat, but I cannot leave you to
the mercy of the savages. This place is infested by an overwhelming
force of troops, who only await my return to make an attack. The
Indians will surely kill you rather than allow you to be rescued."
"No! No! I am in no peril!" replied the agitated girl. "I am here of my
own free will, and shall be safe in any event. But you! If you value
your life! If you love--"
Just then two grim warriors appeared as though they had dropped from
the sky, one on either side of Douglass, and in spite of a mighty
struggle for freedom, made him their prisoner. One of the children had
sped to the village. Coacoochee, with several followers, had taken the
trail, and closed in from two sides on Anstice and the lieutenant,
while they were too full of amazement at each other's presence in that
place to note the stealthy approach.
As two of the Indians seized the young officer, the others sprang after
a retreating form they had just discovered skulking through the forest.
It was that of Chitta-lustee, the spy, who had carried the news of his
finding of this stronghold to Fort King. From there he had guided a
body of troops back to the log landing, whence he had been sent, in
company with Lieutenant Douglass, to note the exact state of affairs in
the village before an attack should be ordered. Together they had crept
undetected to a place from which they could command a fair view of the
village, and estimate the force of its defenders, which at that moment
did not number more than a dozen warriors.
The spies were about to retire from their dangerous position when
prevented by the approach of Anstice and her retinue of children.
One of these had chanced upon their hiding-place, and while Douglass
pleaded with the English girl to seize this opportunity for escape from
what he imagined to be a terrible captivity, his companion was trying
to secure his own safety by slowly and noiselessly creeping away. He
had gained a fair distance, and was beginning to move more rapidly,
when discovered by Coacoochee, who, followed by the other warriors,
immediately sprang in pursuit.
Down to the edge of the swamp and out on the narrow causeway fled the
spy, and after him, like hound in full view of his quarry, leaped the
avenger. It was a terrible race along that slender path, slippery with
slime and water. Chitta-lustee flung away his rifle, and, with breath
coming in panting gasps, ran for his life. A few rods more, and he
would be safe.
Coacoochee, reckless of consequences, and filled with a fierce
determination to destroy, at all hazards, this most dangerous enemy of
his people, only clenched his teeth more tightly, and leaped forward
with an increase of speed, as he detected a glint of weapons directly
ahead, and realized that the farther end of the causeway was already
occupied by troops. He bore only a light spear that he had snatched up
at the first alarm, and, with all his skill, he must be at least within
twenty yards of a mark ere he could hurl it effectively.
He was still one hundred yards away, and now he could distinguish the
uniforms of those who were advancing to meet the panting fugitive.
Those who followed the young chief were halting doubtfully. To them
it seemed that he was rushing toward certain destruction. They could
not restrain him. To follow his example and throw their lives away
uselessly would be worse than folly. So they stayed their steps, and
watched the fearful race with fascinated gaze.
Only for a moment, and then all was over. Chitta-lustee slipped and
stumbled on one of the water-soaked logs at the end of the causeway.
As he recovered himself, there came a flash of darting steel, and the
keen blade of a hurtling spear, flung with the utmost of Coacoochee's
nervous strength, sunk deep between his shoulders. With a choking cry,
and out-flung arms, the traitor pitched headlong into the black waters,
and disappeared forever, while cries of horror came from the advancing
soldiers whose protection he had so nearly gained.
Even as the young war-chief delivered his deadly blow, and without
waiting to note its effect, he turned and fled toward his own people. A
dozen angry rifles rang out behind him, and the whole swamp echoed with
fierce yells from the enraged soldiers, but no bullet struck him, and
no taunt served to stay his steps.
The three Indians fled swiftly as hunted deer, back along the
treacherous trail, while the troops followed with what speed they
might. It was so difficult a path, and so dangerous, and the
heavy-booted soldiers slipped from its narrow verge so often, that
those whom they pursued reached the island and disappeared among its
thickets ere they had more than started. Then back through the heavy
air came mockingly and defiantly the Seminole war-cry:
"Yo-ho-ee yo-ho-ee yo-ho-ee-chee!"
Thus they knew that a surprise of the stronghold they had so labored to
gain was no longer possible.
Still with a courage worthy of a nobler cause the troops pushed
forward, unguided save by instinct and a burning desire to avenge the
death of their well-loved lieutenant, whom they supposed the savages
had already killed. With all their efforts it was a full half-hour
ere the advance drew near to the wooded island that rose silent and
mysterious before them, and they began to feel firmer ground beneath
their feet.
Before they reached its encircling forest wall, flashes of flame began
to leap from the dark thickets, and before the deadly fire of an unseen
foe the advance was staggered and halted. It was only for a moment, and
then they sprang forward with a cheer to charge the fatal barricade.
A dozen troopers had fallen ere the Indian fire was silenced, and
as yet the soldiers had not caught a glimpse of their foe. In the
thick-set undergrowth they were tripped and flung to the ground by
snake-like roots, encircled and held fast by tough vines, clutched and
drawn backward by stout thorns curved and sharp as a tiger's claws.
No human being save a naked Indian could thread that forest maze, and
as the soldiers could discover no opening through it, they decided to
make one. Swords, axes, and knives were called into requisition. Every
now and then a rifle shot from the unseen foe proved the Indians to be
still watchful and defiant.
It was not until another half-hour had been expended in this exhausting
effort at road-cutting that the trail lying well to one side was
discovered.
Wearied by their futile efforts, made furious by opposition, and galled
by the fire from unseen rifles that had been steadily thinning their
numbers ever since they reached the island, the troops rushed with
fierce shouts to the opening, streamed through it, and gained the
central, cleared space in which stood the Seminole village. Here, for a
moment, the tumultuous advance was checked, and each man clutched his
weapon with a closer grip, in expectation of an attack.
But none was made. The peaceful village, all aglow with the light of a
setting sun, was silent and deserted. No voices came from it, nor from
the broad fields that lay clothed in luxuriant verdure beyond. There
was no sound of busy workers, no laughter of children. A raven with
glossy plumage, iridescent in the sunlight, croaked a hoarse challenge
from a lofty tree-top, and a solitary buzzard circled overhead on
motionless pinions, but no other signs of life were to be detected.
After a minute of irresolution Captain Chase, the officer in command of
the expedition, deployed his men as skirmishers, and was about to give
the order "Forward!" when this strange thing happened:
From one of the thatched huts of the village three human beings
emerged and advanced slowly toward the motionless line of soldiers.
Two were men, evidently white men, and one of these wore a uniform.
Between them walked a young girl whose shapely head was crowned with
a mass of gold-red hair. As she drew near, a murmur of admiration at
her beauty passed along the stern line of blue-coated troops. Then an
irrepressible tumult of cheers rent the air, for in one of the girl's
companions the soldiers recognized their own beloved lieutenant, Irwin
Douglass. But curiosity got the better of enthusiasm, and as the noise
subsided, each trooper waited in breathless silence for an explanation
of this strange encounter.