Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-03-01
CHAPTER xxxrv

OiiAffEH NNNlN.
AND 50 rHEx wERE MAuRTEDr'
Tragic was the fate Of IIaydee, but moro
awful yet was the end Of her murderers |
Fifteen men, all stone dcadi Lying scat
tered, heltcr- slxelter, hore and there, gashed
and bloody, and not oaa Of thcm with his
back to the foc-brave, n badl
An that was dreadful fight, a fearful
slaughtcrl And all through greed Of gold.
But thus was the cruel death Of Haydee
avenged
What should be done with their bodiosi
Should they leave them 10 rot there on
Afric's burning sands for the foul birds
lowering high IN air 10 gorge themselves
uponi Or cast them ON the ebbinR tide,
food for the carrion fish OF the seat
They fought like brave men. Give them
a brave mans buriGll quoth Fairfex.
"Whercw queried Nebbitt.
Didn't they come 10 find the wellri-
This with grim humor. "Thsn show II 10
thcm.n
Why should we prolong the tale Of their
African adventures by telling nc.y ,....y
cleared away Olmost every vestige Of that
frightful scene Of carnage; how they TEN.
porarily heaped the hidcous pile OF corpses
bohind the walls Of the tower; how they left
the treasure still hiding in the well; how,
when morning aud the "Namovnan came,
they lay lolling about on tho sands, smoking
and chatting as unconcornodly as II they
had not passed a night Of horror, how they
satisfied tho captains questioninRs with tho
remark that their universal condition arose
from little tussle with some wandering
vagabonds on shore; and then ferovioasly
"sat down. on all further queries on his
part-"by the way, we scared 'em well with
those cannon; how Nebbitt and Fairfax
clevsrly improviscd holiday at Tangiers
Ior the entire crew, captain and all, much
TO their amazcment, how, when the mon
were well ashore, the Ave heroes, all alone,
steamed back 10 the tower, and how there
they completed the work begun by the dead
Matteo and his associates, and, too, with
the tools OF the latteri
Haydee's description Of her fathers
wealth fell far short OF the truth. Casks
yes, casks upon casks completely filled
and packed and literally bursting vita
thousands and thousands of crisp silver and
gold coins, long bars Of yellow bullion II
the purest Of virgin gold, great slabs Of
rich, white, shining silver, box after box
loaded and groaning with diamonds before
whose brilliance those of Solomon's mines
were as colorless glass, pearls, whose opal
lustcr would have dimmed and made pale
those Of Cleopatra, rabies, amethysts,
garnets, onyX-stones, opals, n thousand,
veal ten times a Thousand priceless flashing
gems Of purest water!--wealth that days
Of ceaseless counting could scarcely enumer-
atoi
Lastly, they found golden, jeweled caslS-
ct In which was a scroll whereon were
written these words:
'To thee, Haydee, my daughter, bequeath
my own wealth, increased by that OF Mu-
ley AL Halef, the last and greatest astrol-
ogcr, who was buried with his treasures;
every slave who took part in the burial,
being at once put TO death by his mistress,
with whom the secret died. Accident re-
vealed 10 me his tomb. Thy riches will
make thee a Princess"
Casting the corpses Of the dead sailors |
down the well, they sealed the top with stone |
over which was again spread the turf.
Nebbitt had private room on the "Na- |
IN which he sometimes kept his val |
uables. He alone possessed the key and |
never allowed any one TO enter. This was
exactly suited for receiving the treasures |
OF the well And there they packed them |
high and close, and lashed them securely
down, TO keep the casks and boxes from
rolling about in a storm; and, having made
all fast, they shut the door and Nebbitt
turned the lock again and put the key in his
safe
When the seamen came aboard once more
from the streets of Tangiers they exhibited
great curiosity over the last strange freak Of
their master and his guests. Who ever heard
OF giving holiday TO all your crew and run
ming OF with your own steam yacht Their
sharp eyes sought evidence for its cause,
but found none land it was many long
day ere the Tangiers trip ceased 10 be their
favorite topic Of Conversation, so they all
fell to work, and, AT nightfall, Tangiers was
far behind.
In an upper chamber Of Cragie Castle sit
Lydia aud Natalie, busted with their
needles. Both have been silent for some
time, as both are deep in thought A maid
enters quietly and hands a note TO Lydia. In
an instant the hot blood mounts TO her
face, and In an instant, too, II goes. She
looks up at the girl with a nod and goes on
with her work. BY and by she giances
hastily and furtively at Natalie, who ap-
pears TO be still deeply absorbed in her
fancy-work. Then she rises and steals soft
ly out Of the room ON tiptOe, unnoticed by
the Princess; returning soon 10 the foot OF
the stairs, her face a trife pale and her lips
ncrvously working. With a strong effort
she controls herself and calls out, in ordi-
nary tones:
10 Natalie, just step down into the con-
soryatory moment, will youi have some
thing | want 20 show you"
A rustic Of robes Is heard on the stairway,
a light step echoes down the long hall, the
curtains are pulled apart and a slight,