When Captain Flint had decided to take possession of the cavern, and
fit it up as a place of retreat and concealment for himself and his
gang, he saw the necessity of having some one whom he could trust to
take charge of the place in his absence. A moment's reflection
satisfied him there was no one who would be more likely to serve him
in this capacity than the Indian woman who had rescued him from the
fearful fate he had just escaped.
Lightfoot, who in her simplicity, looked upon him as a great chief,
was flattered by the proposal which he made her, and immediately took
charge of the establishment, and Captain Flint soon found that he had
no reason to repent the choice he had made, so far as fidelity to his
interests was concerned.
For a while at first he treated her with as much kindness as it was in
the nature of such as he to treat any one.
He may possibly have felt some gratitude for the service she had
rendered him, but it was self-interest more than any other feeling
that caused him to do all in his power to gain a controling influence
over her.
He loaded her with presents of a character suited to her uncultivated
taste.
Her person fairly glittered with beads, and jewelry of the most gaudy
character, while of shawls and blankets of the most glaring colors,
she had more than she knew what to do with.
This course he pursued until he fancied he had completely won her
affection, and he could safely show himself in his true character
without the risk of loosing his influence over her.
His manner to her now changed, and he commenced treating her more as a
slave than an equal, or one to whom he felt himself under obligations.
It is true he would now and then treat her as formerly, and would
occasionally make her rich presents, but it would be done in the way
that the master would bestow a favor on a servant.
Lightfoot bore this unkind treatment for some time without resenting
it, or appearing to notice it. Thinking perhaps that it was only a
freak of ill-humor that would last but for a short time, and then the
great chiefs attachment would return.
Flint fancied that he had won the heart of the Indian woman, and
acting on the presumption that "love is blind," he thought that he
could do as he pleased without loosing hold on her affections.
In this he had deceived himself. He had only captured the woman's
fancy. He had not won her heart.
So that when Lightfoot found this altered manner of the captain's
towards her was not caused by a mere freak of humor, but was only his
true character showing itself, her fondness for him, if fondness it
could be called, began to cool.
Things had come to this pass, when Hellena Rosenthrall was brought
into the cave.
The first thought of Lightfoot was that she had now discovered the
cause of the captain's change of manner towards her. He had found
another object on which to lavish his favors and here was her rival.
And she was to be the servant, the slave of this new favorite.
Flint, in leaving Hellena in charge of Lightfoot, gave strict charges
that she should be treated with every attention, but that she should
by no means be allowed to leave the cave.
The manner of Lightfoot to Hellena, was at first sullen: and reserved,
and although she paid her all the attention that Hellena required of
her, she went no further.
But after awhile, noticing the sad countenance of her paleface sister,
and that her face was frequently bathed in tears, her heart softened
toward her, and she ventured to ask the cause of her sorrow. And when
she had heard Hellena's story, her feelings towards her underwent an
entire change.
From this time forward the two women were firm friends, and Lightfoot
pledged herself to do all in her power to restore her to her friends.
Her attachment to Captain Flint was still too strong, however, to make
her take any measures to effect that object, until she could do so
without endangering his safety.
But Lightfoot was not the only friend that Hellena had secured since
her capture. She had made another, and if possible a firmer one, in
the person of Black Bill.
From the moment Hellena entered the cavern, Bill seemed to be
perfectly fascinated by her. Had she been an angel just from heaven,
his admiration for her could hardly have been greater. He could not
keep his eyes off of her. He followed her as she moved about, though
generally at a respectful distance, and nothing delighted him so much,
as to be allowed to wait upon her and perform for her such little acts
of kindness as lay within his power.
While Hellena was relating the story of her wrongs to Lightfoot, Black
Bill sat at a little distance off an attentive listener to the
narrative. When it was finished, and Hellena's eyes were filled with
tears, the darkey sprang up saying in an encouraging tone of voice:
"Don't cry, don't cry misses, de debble's comin arter massa Flint
berry soon, he tell me so hisself; den Black Bill take care ob de
white angel."
This sudden and earnest outburst of feeling and kindness from the
negro, expressed as it was in such a strange manner, brought a smile
to the face of the maiden, notwithstanding the affliction which was
crushing her to the earth.
"Why Bill," said Hellena, "you don't mean to say you ever saw the
devil here, do you?"
"Never seed him, but heer'd him doe, sometimes," replied Bill.
Now, Hellena, although a sensible girl in her way, was by no means
free from the superstition of the times. She believed in ghosts, and
witches, and fairies, and all that, and it was with a look of
considerable alarm that she turned to the Indian woman, saying:
"I hope there ain't any evil spirits in this cave, Lightfoot."
"No spirits here dat will hurt White Rose (the name she had given to
Hellena) or Lightfoot," said the Indian woman.
"But the place is haunted, though!" said Hellena.
"The spirits of the great Indian braves who have gone to the land of
spirits come back here sometimes."
"Do you ever see them?" asked the girl, her alarm increasing.
"Neber see dem, but hear dem sometime," replied Lightfoot.
"Do they not frighten you?" asked Hellena.
"Why should I be afraid?" said Lightfoot, "are they not my friends?"
Lightfoot perceiving that Hellena's curiosity, as well as her fears
were excited; now in order to gratify the one, and to allay the other,
commenced relating to her some of the Indian traditions in relation to
the cavern.
The substance of her narrative was as follows:
She said that a great while ago, long, long before the palefaces had
put foot upon this continent, the shores of this river, and the land
for a great distance to the east and to the west, was inhabited by a
great nation. No other nation could compare with them in number, or in
the bravery of their warriors. Every other nation that was rash enough
to contend with them was sure to be brought into subjection, if not
utterly destroyed.
Their chiefs were as much renowned for wisdom, and eloquence as for
bravery. And they were as just, as they were wise and brave.
Many of the weaker tribes sought their protection, for they delighted
as much in sheltering the oppressed as in punishing the oppressor.
Thus, for many long generations, they prospered until the whole land
was overshadowed by their greatness.
And all this greatness, and all this power, their wise men said, was
because they listened to the voice of the Great Spirit as spoken to
them in this cave.
Four times during the year, at the full of the moon the principal
chiefs and medicine men, would assemble here, when the Great Spirit
would speak to them, and through them to the people.
As long as this people listened to the voice of the Great Spirit,
every thing went well with them.
But at last there arose among them a great chief; a warrior, who said
he would conquer the whole world, and bring all people under his rule.
The priests and the wise men warned him of his folly, and told him
that they had consulted the Great Spirit, and he had told them that if
he persisted in his folly he would bring utter ruin upon his people.
But the great chief only laughed at them, and called them fools, and
told them the warnings which they gave him, were not from the Great
Spirit, but were only inventions of their own, made up for the purpose
of frightening him.
And so he persisted in his own headstrong course, and as he was a
great brave, and had won many great battles, very many listened to
him, and he raised a mighty army, and carried the war into the country
of all the neighbouring nations, that were dwelling in peace with his
own, and he brought home with him the spoils of many people. And then
he laughed at the priests and wise men once more, and said, go into
the magic cave again, and let us hear what the Great Spirit has to
say.
And they went into the cave, as he had directed them. But they came
out sorrowing, and said that the Great Spirit had told them that he,
and his army should be utterly destroyed, and the whole nation
scattered to the four winds.
And again he laughed at them, and called them fool, and deceivers.
And he collected another great army, and went to war again. But by
this time the other nations, seeing the danger they were in, united
against him as a common enemy.
He was overthrown, killed, and his army entirely cut to pieces.
The conquering army now entered this country, and laid it waste, as
theirs had been laid waste before.
And the war was carried on for many years, until the prophesy was
fulfilled that had been spoken by the Great Spirit, and the people of
this once mighty nation were scattered to the four winds.
This people as a great nation are known no longer, but a remnant still
remains scattered among the other tribes. Occasionally some of them
visit this cave, to whom alone its mysteries are known, or were,
Lightfoot said, until she had brought Captain Flint there in order to
escape their pursuers.
"Is the voice of the Great Spirit ever heard here now?" enquired
Hellena.
Lightfoot said the voice of the Great Spirit had never been heard
there since the destruction of his favorite nation, but that the
spirits of the braves as he had said before, did sometimes come back
from the spirit-land to speak comfort to the small remnant of the
friends who still remained upon the earth. To those she belonged.
This narrative of the Indian woman somewhat satisfied the curiosity of
Hellena, but it did not quiet her fears, and to be imprisoned in a
dreary cavern haunted by spirits, for aught she knew, demons, was to
her imagination, about as terrible a situation as she could possibly
be placed in.