The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-31
CHAPTER NJ


CATHERINE DE sIIDCI's ADVENTURES
With the early morning came the i'm
portunities Of Catherine de Midcrs
friends urging her to relate her adven.
lures. At first she seemed reluctant to
begin, 9s though 10th to bring to mind
memories Of the past, but, rallying to
overcome her feelings, which, evident
to be seen, cost her a great effort, she al
length began:
'sNo doubt you were all greatly sur
prised when you heard of my appear
ance in your midst, but scarcely more
so than was at finding myself here, for
had fully made up my mind when /
left never TO return. You will remem-
ber," glaneing at Sonora and aunt Mag
gle, "the last you saw of me / disap-
peared in the forest, after feeling fully
assured that the wretch who had been
the bane of my life had ceased to
breathe. But the evil spirits seemed to
have endowed him with a charmed life,
for ere / had been gone two hours he re-
vived from his death-like swoon, and
gazing about, for he was still bound, he
called family for some one to release
him, on at least to give him water. One
Of the savages who was passing near,
perceiving the lips Of what he supposed
a corpse move, in his cowardly supersti-
tiOn crept softly back to where his COM
panions We're, and together they re-
turned to Norman; but ere they reached
him he had again tainted from loss of
blood. Becoming partly conscious, he
became aware that they were terrified
at his ghastly looks, and that they were
determined not to burn his body until
the next day. In his mind he resolved
TO profit by this and free himself il pos
sible. In the first agony of the intense
pain caused by the stab I had inflicted
he had struggled so hard that one hand
had become loosed, and remembering
his little pocket knife, he resolved tC
cut his fetters and trust to his coming
strength for freedom. The savages re.
traced their steps in single file to the
wigwam Of Hard Heart, and which was
some distance from the stake where
his body was to be consumed on the
following day.
"As soon as all was quiet, and before
the moon had risen, Norman, whose
strength returned fast now that hope
revived, soon managed to cut the cords
that bound him. This done, his next
effort was to staunch the bleeding
wound, from which still oozed his life
blood. Creeping more dead than alive
to place where he had seen some wan
PUN, he hastily procured 4 piece and
applied it to the wound, which in real
ity was not very serious. He ther
peered cautiously through the darkness
All was still as the grave. Rising upor
his feet by the aid of stick which h,
picked up, he silently groped his way
beyond the bounds OF the camp; and a
each step gaining little more strength
he was soon vending his way througl
the forest at 4 speed he little dreamed O
ever again attempting. Long befor
daylight he was many miles from tn
place he had sought of his own free vii
for the destruction of another's happi
ness. Glancing hastily about for a plac
Of security, he espied an excavation a
the foot of a hill, which had probabl.
been caused by a severe storm, as part
ly across it lay an immense tree, whicl
had evidently been struck with light
ming, and which rendered the little cav,
a complete retreat. Into this apartur
he crept, for now that he felt compare
lively safe, his over-tasked strength be
gan giving out even faster than hop,
had before revived it.u
How often in the weary pilgrimage O
life would We droop and languisb var,
1t not for hope. When utterly depresse,
for the want Of strength to endura an,
almost yielding to fate, be what II oo,,
does this beacon rise up before US in Al
her glory and whisper, "With me fo
your anchor, press onward, and will
help you through"
''NOrman determined to remain :,
the cave until night, when he aOai
pursued his journey, and before IN
next midnight was within few mile