SPOTTED DEER OBTAINS HIS FREEDOM
At the end of the day the Delawares noted sudden activity in the Shawnee
camp. It convinced them that the Shawnees were preparing for some
unusual event. The village was brightly lighted by several great fires,
and the people appeared to be gathering for an important ceremony.
"It is bad," said Painted Hawk, "Something big is going on down there.
Perhaps the Shawnees are about to kill Spotted Deer."
"Yes, it is bad," agreed Crooked Foot.
"Perhaps the Shawnees are getting ready for Big Dog," suggested Dancing
Owl.
Running Fox offered no opinion. The sudden bustle in the Shawnee camp
had aroused his suspicions. He was unwilling to express the fears which
had crept into his heart.
"Come, Running Fox, what do you make of it?" Yellow Wolf asked him.
"I believe Spotted Deer is in danger," said Running Fox. "There is no
time to spare. I must go."
He hurried to the Shawnee captives. Turning Eagle was watching them. As
Running Fox approached, Turning Eagle came to meet him.
"Big Dog and Many Beavers have been talking," he said.
Running Fox seemed unimpressed. He had slight doubt that the crafty
Shawnees had discussed the possibility of betraying him into the hands
of their people. The thought caused him little anxiety. Having made it
plain that his peril was their peril, he believed that they would heed
the warning.
"Many Beavers, I have some words for you," he told the Shawnee. "I am
going to untie you. I am going with you to the Shawnee camp. If any harm
comes to me, Big Dog and Striking Bear will die. If I do not bring back
Spotted Deer before another sun comes, then they must die. Now you know
about it. If you let your people kill me, you will know that they are
also killing your brothers. I have spoken."
He stooped and freed Many Beavers. Then he ordered him to rise. The
Shawnee obeyed. The Delawares watched suspiciously. They had serious
misgivings about the outcome of the adventure.
"My brothers, keep my words," said Running Fox. "If I do not bring
Spotted Deer here before the next sun comes, then you must kill these
Shawnees. Then you must go to our people and tell them that I have
followed Spotted Deer on the Long Trail."
Then he disappeared into the night with Many Beavers. They followed the
steep, hazardous trail toward the river. Mauwallauwin gave them light,
but the way was difficult and dangerous. The Shawnee walked ahead. He
was without weapons. Running Fox followed close behind him. He was armed
with bow and arrows. They traveled in silence. When they reached the end
of the trail, the Shawnee led the way across the open stretch of beach
that led to the camp.
As they finally drew near the village, they heard sounds which told them
that a celebration of some sort was in progress. Running Fox grew
anxious. He wondered if he had come too late to save Spotted Deer. A
wild chorus of shouts rang through the night, and his courage weakened
at the sound. The Shawnee suddenly stopped. Running Fox feared
treachery.
"Something big is happening," Many Beavers told him. "I will go ahead
and find out about it. Then I will come back and tell you about it."
"No," Running Fox said, sharply. "I will go with you."
"It is bad," the Shawnee warned him. "Perhaps my people are mad. If you
go in there they may kill you."
"Big Dog and Striking Bear are on the ridge," Running Fox reminded him,
significantly. "I am not afraid. Go into the camp. I will follow you."
Aware that further words would be useless, the Shawnee moved rapidly
toward the entrance to the camp. Running Fox followed boldly after him.
A few moments later they entered the village. The Shawnees were gathered
about a great fire. They suddenly subsided into silent amazement at
sight of Many Beavers and his companion. Many Beavers walked directly
toward them.
"Keep close beside me," he warned Running Fox.
Once they had identified the Delaware, the Shawnees rushed toward him,
calling out threateningly. Many Beavers held up his hand and called out
in strong, commanding tones. The Shawnees became quiet. They crowded
eagerly about the two warriors and began to speak excitedly to their
tribesmen. Running Fox ignored them. He had suddenly discovered Spotted
Deer tied to a stake near the fire. Everything else was forgotten.
Spotted Deer was apparently unable to see him in the midst of the
Shawnees.
"He is alive--it is enough," Running Fox murmured, thankfully.
In the meantime several warriors whom he took to be chiefs had made
their way to Many Beavers. They were talking earnestly and the Delaware
believed that Many Beavers was giving them the message from Big Dog. He
watched closely. Many Beavers waved his arm toward the ridge. He was
speaking seriously. The Shawnees showed interest. Then Many Beavers
spoke to Running Fox.
"This man is Walking Bear," he said. "He is a great war leader. He will
give you some words."
"Delaware, I see you have come to die with your brother," said the
Shawnee.
"Those words do not frighten me," Running Fox replied, angrily. "Many
Beavers has told you what brings me here. I will not talk about it. Your
great chief, Big Dog, and your brother, Striking Bear, are with my
people. Do you wish to see them? Then go over there and untie my
brother. If we do not go back to that place, your brothers will die. I
have finished."
"Hi, Delaware, you speak big words," laughed the Shawnee leader.
At that moment a wild, hysterical laugh echoed through the camp. Then an
old woman pushed her way through the crowd, and confronted Running Fox.
She was a fierce-looking old creature. For a moment she stared
searchingly into his face. Then she turned and addressed the Shawnees.
Running Fox longed to know what she said.
"My people, what I dreamed about has come true," cried the old Mystery
Woman. "Big Dog is in great danger. You must be careful what you do.
Perhaps I can do something to save him. You must listen to my words and
do as I tell you."
Her words filled Running Fox with excitement. He had suddenly recognized
her voice. He felt sure that she was the mysterious Medicine Woman who
had told him about Big Dog. He would have given much to have understood
her words. The Shawnees were giving her serious attention. Running Fox
took hope.
"She is talking against you," Many Beavers said, treacherously.
Running Fox betrayed no interest. He felt sure, however, that the
strange old Medicine Woman would prove a valuable ally. Then Walking
Bear, the Shawnee war leader, approached Running Fox and attempted to
take his bow. Running Fox drew back threateningly.
"Come, Delaware, give me that bow," the Shawnee cried, angrily.
When Running Fox refused, "Walking Bear called to his people, and
several warriors rushed forward and seized the Delaware. They took away
his weapons and threw him to the ground. The Shawnees crowded forward to
attack him, but Many Beavers and the war leader held them back. Then
they tied his hands behind him and permitted him to rise. Running Fox
remained calm. He smiled scornfully as the Shawnees led him toward the
fire.
"My brother, I see that the Shawnees have caught you," Spotted Deer
said, sadly. "It is bad. I am to blame for this. I have brought you here
to die."
"No, my brother, we will not die," Running Fox assured him. "I have come
here to take you away."
"How can you do that?" Spotted Deer asked, with surprise.
"Watch and listen," said Running Fox.
Many Beavers was talking to the Shawnee leaders. In a few moments he
accompanied them to a big lodge near the center of the camp. Most of the
Shawnees followed them. A number of warriors, however, seated themselves
near the Delawares. The latter had little doubt that the Shawnees had
gone to hold a council.
"Pretty soon they will let us walk out," Running Fox said, confidently.
The warriors who were guarding them made it plain that they did not wish
them to talk. As the Delawares realized that it might be dangerous to
defy them, they became quiet. Then they waited anxiously for the
Shawnees to come from the lodge. Several times they heard the voice of
the old Mystery Woman. Each of the Delawares longed to tell his friend
about her, but feared that the Shawnees who were on guard might
understand.
The night was half gone when the Shawnees finally came from the council
lodge. They moved silently toward the fire, and seated themselves in a
great circle about the Delawares. Then Many Beavers and Walking Bear
approached Running Fox. Walking Bear began to speak.
"Delawares, listen to my words," he said. "You have asked us to do a big
thing. You are a Delaware. The Delawares are our enemies. The words of
our enemies are bad. If we do as you tell us you will go back and kill
our brothers. No, Delaware, the Shawnees are not so foolish. Now I will
tell you what our people propose to do. You must go back and bring Big
Dog and Striking Bear to the river. Then you must make the call of
Gokhos, the owl. Then we will send some warriors and your brother out
there to meet you. Then we will let our brother walk away with you. Then
Big Dog and Striking Bear will come to the camp. It is the only way to
save yourself."
"It is useless," said Running Fox. "I see what you are trying to do. You
cannot catch us so easy. I have given you my words. A Delaware will
carry out what he proposes to do. If you let my brother walk out with
me, your chief and Striking Bear will come back to you. If you do not do
this thing, they will die when the next sun appears. There is no use of
talking any more about it. The night is half gone. That ridge is a long
ways off. There is little time. Tell me what you propose to do."
"Yes, Delaware, I will tell you!" Walking Bear shouted, furiously. "I
intend to kill you. Then I will lead a war party to kill your friends on
that ridge. That is what I propose to do."
He turned and began a fiery speech to his people. His words brought them
to their feet, and roused them into a passion. As he continued speaking,
they began to cry out and shake their fists at the Delawares. It was
evident that the Shawnee war leader was deliberately inciting them to
scorn the warning of Many Beavers and take vengeance upon their foes. As
he finished talking, most of the warriors ran to the lodges and returned
with their weapons. Then they formed a circle about the Delawares.
Running Fox was seized and bound to the stake with Spotted Deer.
"Listen, you great war leader," Running Fox called out, sarcastically.
"I know that you are trying to frighten me. I am laughing at you. You
are afraid to kill me. You have heard the words of your brother, Many
Beavers. Now I will tell you that whatever your people do to us, we will
do to your brothers. Now do as you feel like doing."
At that moment Many Beavers began to speak. His voice was low and calm
and it was apparent that he was attempting to pacify the Shawnees.
However, as Walking Bear had thoroughly aroused them, the words of Many
Beavers seemed to have little effect.
The warriors had already begun to circle about the stake, and as Spotted
Deer had passed through two similar ordeals he knew what to expect. This
time, however, he feared that the excited Shawnees might actually take
his life. Running Fox, too, was beginning to feel less confident. The
Shawnees were apparently relying upon some wily stratagem to save their
tribesmen while they seemed determined to kill their foes. Running Fox
wondered if a war party had secretly left the camp. The thought filled
him with alarm.
Then as the warriors began to dance about the stake and brandish their
weapons, the old Mystery Woman suddenly appeared before the Shawnees.
She looked like one demented. Her eyes were wild and staring, her
wrinkled yellow face was drawn with emotion and her short, white locks
were rumpled in wild disorder. She pointed a bony arm at the Shawnees
and began to shout wildly. The dancers stopped to listen. The Shawnees
looked upon her in superstitious awe.
"Shawnees, Shawnees, Shawnees!" she screamed. "Think what you are about
to do. You are about to throw away the life of Big Dog. You are about to
throw away the life of the great warrior, Striking Bear. What will those
great men think about you? I saw this thing in a dream. I told you about
it. You wiped away my words. Now you are about to bring many bad days
upon us. There is only one way to do. You must do as Many Beavers tells
you to do. There is no other way. Big Dog is depending upon you.
Striking Bear is depending upon you. They are saying, 'We are Shawnees.
It is good. The Shawnees will not throw us away.' Are you going to give
them to our enemies, the boastful Delawares? Are you going to let those
people say, 'See how brave we are; we killed the great chief, Big Dog.
The Shawnees were not sharp enough to save him.' How will you feel about
that? You saw me try to kill that boastful young Delaware. Now I am glad
I did not do it. If that foolish young warrior was not here, we could
not save Big Dog. Are two Delaware boys worth as much as two great
Shawnee warriors? No, no, no! Let them walk away. You call me a great
Mystery Woman. Then listen to my words. Time is short. Let them run to
that ridge and save our brothers. I know about this thing. It is good.
They will do as they propose to do. I have made their hearts good to do
this thing. It is the only way I can save Big Dog. Shawnees, you must
listen to my words."
The Delawares felt sure she was speaking in their behalf. They believed
that she had won the confidence of the Shawnees. They had begun to talk
seriously among themselves. Many Beavers and the war leaders had called
the warriors about them. The wild ceremony at the fire had suddenly come
to an end. For the moment the Delawares were left alone. The old Mystery
Woman rushed over to them and shook her finger in the face of Running
Fox. She twisted her face into an ugly snarl, but her words were low and
friendly.
"If you get away you must send those Shawnees to the camp," she said.
"If you harm them I must die."
"I will send them," Running Fox promised her. "Be quick, tell me who you
are."
"He knows," she murmured, as she rushed upon Spotted Deer and pretended
to claw at his eyes.
Then Many Beavers and the war leader approached, and she hurried away.
For some moments the Shawnees stared sullenly upon their foes. Then
Walking Bear stepped forward and freed the Delawares from the stake. He
showed no inclination to unbind their hands.
"Delawares, we will let you walk away," he said. "We will see if a
Delaware will do as he proposes to do. If you kill Big Dog and Striking
Bear, we will surely come and wipe away your people. Go, and send our
brothers."
"Untie my hands," Running Fox commanded, fiercely.
"No," said Walking Bear.
"Then I will wait here and let your brothers die," said Running Fox.
"Come, come, untie his hands--there is little time," Many Beavers said,
irritably.
He called a young warrior to free the Delawares. Then he motioned for
them to go.
"Wait," said Running Fox. "I came here with a bow and some good arrows.
I will take them away."
"Yes, I, too, had a good bow and some arrows and a good robe," declared
Spotted Deer. "You must give them to me."
The Shawnees finally returned the weapons but refused to surrender the
robe. The Delawares realized that it might be perilous to insist upon
its return. They walked slowly toward the end of the camp while the
Shawnees taunted and threatened, but made no attempt to harm them.
"Shawnees, listen to my words," Running Fox cried out, as he turned at
the end of the village. "You are sharp. Perhaps you will try to do
something. If you follow us, your chief will never come back."
The next moment the Delawares disappeared into the night.