The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-03-07
THE
BRIDE OF DACOTAH.
4 TALE OF THE DELAWAkEs.

At the distance OF twenty or thirty yards
from the tent, which had been indicated rs
Rosy Morn's the white man dismouh'eu,
aud leaving the old woman and the horses
in charge of one of their number, crep. Oh
their hands and knees, under cover vi tue
brushwood, until they gained the rear OF the
hrids eIect's tent Here the others paused,
and the captain, advancing, peered through
nm opening between the skins forming Its
walls. Rosy Morn was not alone. Several
of the maidens Of the tribe were with her,
aiding 10 array her In her brightest gear OF
beads and plumes; for was 1t not her wed.
ding day, aud had not the warriors gone out
to Kill the elk which was TO furnish the mar
risge feast?
The lovely Delaware girl looked intensely
happy; her intelligent face was lighted up
with an expression OF radiant delight, aud
her soft dark eyes beamed with unmistakea
bic pleasure. She was easily distingusha
bic from the others in the tent. There was
Il look of majesty about her, apart from her
singular loneliness, which proclaimed her al
once the reigning belle and pet of her peo-
pie. AS Margold gazed upon her, he
felt for moment the strange fsscI-
nation of her presence robbing hun
of the power of action. But he was
not man of very deep sentimentality and
in this case he knew how dangerous was
delay. Turning with q slight whistle 10 MS
comrades, they rushed from the thlcKet, anu
in an instant the tent was entered, anu the
aetonished girls in the grasp of the pale
faces. ROSY Morn herself being confronted
BY Msrgold, drew the tiny poinard from her
l. 4, nd lilo har warpad him
at his peril to approach her.
Ii pleased the fierce. rough nature of the
man to see this gallant spirit in the young
girl, and he stood for a moment watching
the play of her splendid features and the
bearing OF her queenly form. Suddenly
catching her upralsed wrist, he wrenched
the weapon from her grasp, bringing cry
of anguish from her lips. The poinard fell
upon the ground, her eyes followed it, and
as she was raised in the muscular arms OF
Msrgold, she contrived, by feigning faint
ness, to drop one of her pale hands upon the
ground, and raising the weapon, hid 1t IN the
folds of her tunic. Then she allowed herself
to be carried away without further resistance.
The other girls had already been seized by
lie men who had entered with Msrgold, and
e marauders at once made for their horses,
each with Delaware maiden for q prize.
The whole thing WAS so quickly done, that
before the squsws, who had been alarmed
by the screams of the girls, could reach the
spot, nearly the whole of the fugitives had
gained the saddle. The mother of Rosy
Morn, coming to the empty tent, beheld her
child being borne away in the arms OF Mar
gold. AS the unhappy maiden caught sight
of her mother, she held out both her arms
to her imploringly, and cried, IN an agony
OF grief, my mother, oh my mother whore
is Dacotah? Oh, my mother, save me
The face Of the still handsome mother
wore terrible expression they were taxing
from her the child she loved so tenderly, anu
what would be her fate ? Her rage and an
guish were terrible. Suddenly she remem-
bered there was yet chance Dacotah' S
tent was close by, and she had seen
in the corner of j. o loaded rife. Whist if it
was there still Msrgold had at that
moment his foot in the stirrup, and the
struggles Of Rosy Morn DELAYED him in
mounting With the speed of despair the
inturia.ed mother rushed to the tent OF
Dacotah; the rife was there 1t was primed,
and evidently loaded. A look of firm, per
feet determ nation settled on her features as
she adjusted the stock to her bare shoulder,
ana looking along the barrel with the eve
OF her experienced in its use, laid steady
finger on the trigger and fired. She had
picked out the broad shoulders of Margold
from amongst the pale faces for her aim.
and rs the smoke cleared away she beheld
not one but two forms upon the ground-a
man and an Indian woman, while rider
less horse was galloping away among the
retressing party.
Two figures upon the ground Had, then,
the disobedient bullet slain the captive with
the captor? Oh, why had she fired Bsm
ing herself with bitter approaches, she ran
TO the spot, a prey to the most terrible anx-
lety. The woman vet lived, the man lay
notionless aud dead; his burly body had
fallen upon his companion, and she strug.
Cling to free herself from the pressure of the
awful burden. With desperate haste the
trembling limbs of the mother exerted their
strength to drag her forth. The face was
downwards. Il did not look like Rosy Morn,
and yet
The rifle was q double. barrelled one one
barrel had been discharged. AS the figure
suddenly raised itseif upon its knees at her
feet, the mother pressed the vet loaded bar
rel against the forehead of her who knelt.
In another instant report rang through
the forest, and the mangled form of the old
HItaNy Jug tFdul uEIuHeE, Uat
fallen back upon the PROSTATE body of the
dead white. The weapon had done its duty
Two atonements made already The old
woman had been missed from the camp in
the morning, and her presence now amongst
the whites told too plainly to the acute pre-
ception of the Delaware mother her relation
with the deed which had robbed her of her
child.
1t was strange instinct of prophecy
which the old wretch had when she tremb led
on departing in the morning, at the idea OF
again coming face to face with her people.
The bullet that had been aimed at Margold
missing its mark, had struck the man who
had charge of the bag, and as he fell from
his saddle mortally wounded, he bore her to
the ground with him in the close fast clutch
of death. 1t was thus that the Delaware
mother found her, and claimed instant pay
ment to jnstice of the debt, which drink and
treachery had incurred. Never WAS Justice
more complete seldom has expiation follow
ed more directly in the footsteps of crime.
yet bitter we're the though hts of the beresved
woman as she entered Dacotahs tent again
to replace the weapon.
at was here" she thought, that hence |
forth my child was to have lived, gliding |
with her beauty the roof of Docotah's wigwam |
All me what answer shall give him when |
he comes ready for the bridal? How can / |
tell him that she has gone to the dwellings, Of |
the pale faces? viii it not madden him ?
Oh Dacotah my son. would that you might
never return never come back for her! On.
my child, what is thy fate in the .eud Of the
hated pale faces?"
Thus she reflected TILL her gaze falling On
the corpse, smile of triumph settled on her
features hard, cold smile, - and she
crouched down with folded arms by the fire
TO await Dacotah.
VI was strange that of all the bereaved