The weekly sun., 1862-03-15
CHAPTER XII
THE oUICKsAND BED !-THK SWAMI MoccNsry /,
THK AGREEMENT

THE QUICKSAND BED .-THK SWAMI VI )CCAsIN :
THK AGREEMENT.
Tho Medicine Man whom he had given the
warning TO Snow Flake hastened to the forest,
resumed his robes and trappings Of office and al
onos set out for the spot where Martha Wei.
ton was confined. Well as he knew the trail.
and comparatively short as was the distance
vet as corcealment was one OF the great objects
Of his movements, he was forced TO torn often
aside from the straight path and frequently
doutlo like bare upon his own iootstepe. Now
bis trail led him through tho dark and dense
forest-now ho skirted the prarie-now by the
edge OF deep swamp and now clambering over
rocks. The very personiiication of superst i
ton IN his Ctce, he was 40 also in his chafac ter
and nothing but absolute necessity would have
iTivtn him TO undertake such a task in
the daik hours Of night and alone. True he
was armed, but the life he had led but little IT.
tad him for an encounter with wild beasts. and
he started at every sound and saw in every
glow worm the eyes OF panther, wolf or boar.
The same feeling that causes a school boy to
whistle when passing a lonely grave yard at
night, and prompts tho raw recruit 10 hum
snatches Of some well remembered home song,
vas bury within him, AID he was strongly
tempted, when he mot one Of the runners who
were searching for tho girl, 10 reveal al aud
socure companlonship Nothing bu' the in crlse
Rate he bore to the Heart Of Wolf orasiad
him TO hide the secret Cr kept HIM faithicl 10
he task he had undsrtak, Nothing but deep,
bitter hatred norvod him on b., way and 4r,io
the dhrkLess and d,nsels around him eLlur-
aJle.
At length, however, be nearsd tho appointed
pot. Scarce half a mile remained tor him
20 traverse ard then he would be with IN, gitl
and por5uada her TO remain quiet, as he hal leon
instructed, but not to carry out the views of
him who u Tough him. elf his master-but his
own. Already he had maiured bis pl Al for the
punishment and dea'h Of the " Heat Of WoE"
ais complete freedom from Anv fear on hls ac
count and his own self acknowledgements A.
ready he saw his enemy expiring amid foaItul
ortute and heard bis own praises sung by every
lip. In imagination, also, he counted Ovor tho
rich presents he would receive from tho parents
AMI iiiends Of the white girl, and how, in tho
hereafter he would rule the tribe with power
undisputed by, and equal TO, even the great head
and Chief Bat LH0RlRe propose a Di5u iispose'
Wfapt up in his own purposes, conquests, glory
and riches he forgot that tho path he travelled
Ea' filled with treaChofous roots aud stones. and
without any war; ing he found hims II rolling
down Il steep hillside lie elutched at the
slightly rooted tWiggs and they remained In
his gasp, lut tayed not his downward course.
he dung to the projecting stones only to lind
then give way ard roll over him do an the da k
ab's'. lleEresasd his fingers into the grGv Jly
9 IL Only 10 lac rate them. lie called tor help
only TO lie answered by the Kissing Of tha star-
ted serpent and the hooting of tie owl, until
| ng robes and bounded helplessly from point TO
point until he reached the very bottom. And
there his resting plac, though soft, was full Of
dapge- for he had fallen into the oozy bad of a
sluggish stream that cropt through the long
grass and reeds of u swamp, ana every effort TO
tree him-elf orly sunk him deeper in the treach-
erous slimy, semi fluid that formed the bottom
Had his arms not been fetteTed in the dress and
skins ard long wampam bands that were now
around him, roll over roll and compress over
compress, he might, pIchance have raised his
ne ID and slow dragged himself out by cling
a K to the strong leeds. But he was as power
le,s a. II lac had uo, iettored by iron bands.
A. rt be thOt Oh little Of his situation only 10
~ ufe bimsell OC .ho fact that no hal broken no
)Cnes, Tor with DE many runners in the woods
it could not bo long before some Of them woald
loar his voice 'and come 10 his rel9f. But cup
o-o they they should nOt Suppose they hal
hunted we'll in that portion Of the forest and
should not return egain that way z There was
soToT in the thought, for too well he knew what
lingering death Of torture by starvation a
Eailsd him-bow he would blister and tester in
The hot sun Of mid.dBy--chill in the night time
how tho CarriOn buZzSrd would settle upon
h m and pticomeal tear away the fevored flesh
Yes how he would ever be slowly dsN NJured
while yet living Could any mind, savage or
civilized, be thus situated without superhu-
| man efforts tor lie2 Like an infant wrapped
| IN its swaddiirg clothes was he, and almost as
| hopeless his chances Of escape. But with his
Aorts, burst upon his mind a now and greater
horror than all.
| he Ind JIllen upon a bed u 2uict'ua and
raS sio'riy and surely sinking d,.Ca 10 suFJcI-
| tion aud d dh!
| Rc.tuo mu come and not be long deferred or
ne would find a Close deep ard dark grave
| ~ithOut tho labor OF human hands. An who
,al tell the feelings of that man, who had boz n
| nursed in superstition, Graded in deceit and
| lived IN treacbery as he made the forest ring
| With his cries for succor. Succur? A. II the
| lark night the birds OF i'll OmeO, and the creep-
Rg reptiles and tho prowlpg loasts could heal
his prayer and come 10 his al Shout afteI
sh ", wi oop Rf,eT wtoop arose from his lps
| puL " ere az swsTec only by the moe wing and
fen repeated echoes, until hoaIs5ness b gan ~
paralN 70 his powers Of utterarCs and he wal
| iorce+ for a time at least 20 desist. Oh how
1it+Ily theu he cured the flss and foolish poll
| cy that led bin TO k,eo the b. cret and journey
Alone How hs rsEed and called down al
manner (f wrath ald borture upon the Hear
Of Wolf How he arathamaiizod the robes o
office az trappings Of suPeA iHous pride anC
folly
But bark A faint sound reaches him. Il
il the far OF sound of some friendly voice answer
| ing his hailing? Is 1t the hoarse muttsreC
| voice of coming assistance, or is it but the dis
'ant gTowl of beast or signing Of tho nigh
wind through the swsyirg branches No
| none Of these. He tries but in vain, to deceiy'
himself He knows the gentle continuous nur
| muIing but too we'll. IL is the RuTglinR OF wa
ters about lis ears as he slowly blaks deePel