St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-04-26
to remain in these woods until you

No, thank Heaven; another twelve
months will see me clear of them for
ever"
"And what are you going to do with
the Berry Hunter when you leave?"
What makes you ask such a ques-
ITO know whether you are going to
take her TO your home when you leave
this locality"
mo, I don't intend to. Hundreds
have married-the ceremony is only a
mere married squaws before and
left them whenever they pleased.
"And you intend to do the same by
Berry Hunter?'"
Certainly. Do you think I would
be fool enough to take home wife like
Berry Hunter?' Oh! no-not by any
means"
''Then you had better change your
tactics and leave the Indian girl hon
orably alone. That is all I have got 20
say, and-what in the name of, thunder
was thatP''
His quick ear had heard slight rust
ling IN the bushes, and in a moment af-
ter there was a plunge in the lake.
cit was only cussed otter,'' he con-
tinued, as he proceeded to arrange the
wood upon the fire.
An otter? How quickly he would have
changed his mind if he had seen the
form of Berry Hunter as she crawled
upon the shore at little distance and
darted along the homeward trail, al
most as swift and noiseless as the wind.
She had listened to every word knew
that she was to be made wife and then
deserted-kneW that all the promises of
her white lover were lies! All! if there
ever was hell raging in human
bosom--ever brow blacker than a
thunder-cloud--it was hers, as she
rushed toward her wigwam with her
fingers playing convulsively with her
long knife.
But the next day, when she met Esta-
lez, she was as calm as summer morn
ing. She yielded to his embraces-she
returned them with interest-she showed
her love so warmly that if he had any
doubt he was more than satisfied now.
Come" he said, s'tell me when you
will be my wife?'
Let the pale-face be at yonder rock
she replied, pointing to a distant one,
''before the sun has drank up the dew.
There let him remain until the Berry
Hunter comes. She will not be long.
Then she will answer.
And so it was decided, and the gray
of morning found the white man at the
trysting place. But the hours crept
along, and he was yet alone.
The sun rose and began beating all
around him. Something must have de-
tanned the Indian girl, he fancied, and
determined to wait yet longer Sud-
denly, however, he was aroused by
startling hiss. He turned, and saw
huge rattlesnake crawling up the side
Of the rock Che was unar1ned, and there
was not even stick for defense near.)
He would have descended, but was met
by another. For moment he stood,
OTerpowered with fear. Then he saw
The scaly monsters crawling up toward
him in every direction-kneW that the
not sun-rays had lured them from their
1oles-knew that he was standing over
heir den, and thousands upon thousands
we're surrounding him!
sob! my God, what shall I do?'
ourst from his lips in the terrible agony
IF the moment.
A wild, ringing, almost fendish laugh |
'ang upon his ears, as if in reply, and,
ooking up, he saw BERRY Hunter"
standing upon a rock high above him.
Berry Hunter! Berry Hunter! For
Heavens sake. save metz he shouted, |
ind the answer came back. borne by !
he winds, to his ears:
'sThe paleface's tongue is as false as
he serpent's. He would have made
Ter his wife and then deserted her. The
cry night that she promised to be his,
he crawled to his wigwam and heard
IL. She told him to come here here
o the very center of the serpent's den
or his answer. The poisoned teeth
nd fiery tongues will give it to him.
een'
The pen is powerless to describe the
Gene that followed. The Indian girl,
rom her lofty lookout, saw all-saw
uman form fighting with countless SER
ents, whose fangs were driven deep
1to the quiVering flesh. She saw him
ght with all the desperation of despair.
he heard his prayer for mercy, and
with horrid, hooking laugh
or. She saw the maddened wretch,
covered with a network of
,aly coils, leap headlong from the rock
knew that she was terribly reyenged,
nd calmly sought old Pedro and told
i'm that his master wanted him. All!
ow the old man shuddered when he
,und the disfigured corpse, and read
a glance the true history of the mat
II. His eyes could not be deceived,
. matter what another's might be. He
lade coffin of bark, and was prepar-
g to bury the remains when he saw
Berry Hunter standing at a little