The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-03-26
THE
BRIDE OF DACOTAH,
A TALE OF THE DELAWAREs.

a point close to the buffalo Track, Win the
intention of taking this short though moon
venient route. They had not proceeded far.
upou their way, when dog of the party
fsimilsr in breed to the one Dacotah had
killed. returning from short foraging ex-
petition into a neighbouring thicket, seized
its master by the skirt of his blouse, and
drew him to the spot whence it had lust
emerged. Other members of the party fol.
lowed, interested by this strange conduct,
and the scene which presented itself reward.
ed their curiousity.
Half sitting half reclining, besides the
gnarled trunk of an ancient tree, was Rosy
Morn. Her head was resting upon her hand
In lieu ola pillow, and her attitude was
rather that of wakefulness and watching
but the closed eyes, the gentle, regular hssv-
ing of the bosom, the sweet placid smile on
her countenance, proclaimed her to be sleep
ing. Blisstul as her dreams apparently
were rough hands soon startled her from
them. She awoke with shudder and CLAN
ced towards the tree beneath which she had
left Dacotaa sleeping, and that glance sur
feed 10 show her that escape was hopeless
Poor girl what anguish was hers! But for
the neglect OF her task this could not have
taken place. Why had she persuaded him
to rest !? why had she taken upon herself to
keep guard and having done so, why had
she allowed her feebleness to overcome the
stern, all important necessity of her duty
But her proud nature would not give the
pale faces the triumph of witnessing her
grief. Not tear escaped her; but in that
little heart there was sorrow deeper, greater
than pen can express or sympathy imagine.
Almost before he was awake, he was seized
BY two powerful men, his arms and legs
pinioned, and himself prisoner in the hands
of the traders. Resistance was useless, for
the traders were well armed, and they were
not spsrng of rough usage TO him either;
for the scene they had lately witnessed had
not improved their temper. With Rosy
Morn, however, they were more gentle but
they took care so to secure her that escape
should be impossible for, from the blood
upon his dress, and her extreme beauty,
they doubted not that they should find the
nurderers of Margold, aud also the band
who had fred the settlement, They there
fore determined to take them on 20 Coop
er's Falls, that an investigation might be
made.
Cooper's Falls was place Of some i'm
portance, for from its position upon the
bank of a large Imaginable river it had be
come depot for all kind of produce, and
lucrative transactions were carried OF there
in hides hence 1t had stolerably numerous
and respectable population, and could boast
of court of Justice. several clergymen,
an organized system of promoting law and
religion, III accordance with the institutions
of the mother country Being also amongst
the earliest Of the settlements, the inhabit
mt had rnft Ar tnrr han hlnI
with the attacks of Indians, who had now
retired from their Immediate neighborhood.
The rancorous feeling that also existed
in smaller and more remote com
munities was not felt here: for it generally
happens that direct personal injury is requlr-
ed in order to raise deep and earnestresent-
ment. The Deiawares would therefore be
put upon trial in regular form, and Justice
would be done TO them, even though the
popular feeling nigh. be against them. In
any case they could not be in danger of
being lynched, or sacrificed to public fury,
as would probably have been the case in
smaller and more recently formed settle
ment.
Impe.led by the desire of mpsrting their
intelligence, and anxious to deliver their
prisoners to the guardianship of the author
tiles, the traders mad their journey with
great rapidly. On the way the Delaweres
entered freely into conversation with their
captors but although many attempts we're
made to elicit from them some confession o.
the crime of which they were accused, they
were entirely silent upon the subject. Rosy
Morn, by her great beauty, smiabihty and
modest demeanor, was q great favorite with
the rough traders, and they treated their
prisoners kindly enough up TO their arrival
at Coopers Falls
The whole community was thrown into
state of intense excitement by the news
which the traders brought, and the greatest
posi- bic care was taken of the two prisoners
1t was decided that Dscotah should be put
upon his trial for the murder of Msrgoid,
the evidence, as reported to the Judge,
clearly pointing to him as the assassin 4
day being fixed, the Delaware was placed
at the bar of the Cooper's Fall Court House,
and formally indicted for the willful murder
OF Jonas Margold. Witnesses arrived from
the late settlement and narrated the events
referring to the bduction of the Indian girl
from the encampment during the absence OF
The warriors at a hunt; and the old negress,
Margold's servant, deposed that the Della
ware glrl was imprisoned in her late mas
ser's house on the night of his death. The
G mus for the crime was considered to be
sufficiently established against the prisoner.
Then as to the crime itself there were sew
aral witnesses who had seen the body of
Msrgold on the morning after The IRE, and
who could depose to the condition In which
il was, proving beyond q doubt that the de.
ceased captain had met his death by vioIen,
means. The party who had discovered
them in the forest spoke of the blood upon
Dscotah's dress, ana this point was strongly
dwelt upon by his accusers.
When challenged respecting the crime
through an interpreter, the chief, with al
colnteuance, threw back his tunc
snd disclosed the wounds in his side, bid
ling those present pronounce whether the
blood upon his trsppings was that OF red
n white man. The wound, he said, had
,een Dat freshly made In an encounter with
Indians hostile to his tribe. Who could
yaiusay him? This wound not only &C
for the state of his robes, but it was
4 strong proof OF an abb. Il was not put
Onward as possible that be could have re-
ceived 1t IN any struggle with Margoid In
the first place 1t had been made with q much |
smaller weapon than that bv which Margoid /
oaded pistol lying by the side Of the dead |
nan, which he had evidently not had time |
10 use for his defence it was highly i'm
probable then that he could have used |
knife, even had one been found in the room
1r near the bed Thirdly. the position Of
he body showed that no struggle could have
taken place, but that the blow must have
been struck while Margold was asleep. The
accusation therefore fell to the ground un
less some witness could be found who had
seen Dacotah within the settlement on the
night In question. But no such testimony
was forthcoming. The old negress was re-
called, but she at onca admitted her ignor
ance OF the affair. 1t was clear then that
unless TINS Important point, connecting him
with the scene of the murder at the time of
It's occurrence, could be proved. the prisoner
would have TO be acquitted; nay, suspicion
had already attached itself to another nor
son. 1t was thought very strange that this
old woman, who occupied a room close To
Margold's, should have heard no cry nor
had any intimation of what was going for