The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-02-03
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Take you charge OF him, said Uncas,
addressing the old woman, and your
son and husband will remain on guard
outside.
How long has the white youth been
sleeping?" asked Somonk's wife, as
she held the shell lamp above Ralph g
face.
That matters not; he will soon
awake"
Then what shall I do?"
Give him food if he wants 1t. "
But he will ask where he is?"
If so, tell him he is the prisoner OF
Uncas, chief of the Montauks."
The chief strobe out of the vault and,
followed by the two Indians, who had
helped Old Somonk and his son to carry
Ralph Denham, hurried in the di-
rection of the principal village of the
Montauks.
They travelled with surprising rapidity
for men on foot, and after an hour and
half they saw glow in advance, that
told them they were nearing the object
i've point.
They were yet quarter of a mile
or more away from the lights, when a
voice directly In front called out:
1Whar goes Uncas, de chief Of de
Montauks, sich night?'
rs that you, Dinah?" asked the star
tied Indian.
"'Tis Dinah, en- no one else," croaked
the old hag. En- I wants for to ak
whar hez been dis night Nv storms de
chief Of de Montauks?"
1T matters not, said Uncas; "go you
to your cabin, and 70 to bed"
IVY should I 20 to my cabin wen
dar's evil prowlin' roun' in de dark
ness? Wy should dis ole oman go to
bed wen de suns nigh to risin?"
Go to bed to Sleep" growled the
chief, about to move on.
"Dar'll be sleepin' huff in de bed whar
deze ole bones'll soon be laid. Your
fader en- his fader hev gone to dat sleep,
en- de cuss of de Great Sperrit, ez dey
loved, will foil on him ez places de livin'
nigh onto EN-"
"Hist, you hag!" interrupted the chief;
what do you know about my acts?"
Look up above yer head, Uncas,
Chief Of the Montauks, en- tell me what
yeh sees dar."
Between his eyes and the distant
light, the chief saw the shriveled arm
Of the old negress pointing to the sky,
and involuntarily his eyes followed the
direction.
Il only see night and Darkness" said
Uncas.
Night and darkness. yas, but beyond
de dark cloud de stars am shinin'. Your
eyes is young, en- can't see 'em; my
eyes is old, but sees 'em blaZin' like de
suns, en- dey sez: 'Dinah, Dinah, dat
ter Nv de African King Molloka, de
chief Uncas brings disgrace on de great
name Wyandauch, en- from this night
on. ef he do not make change, heZ ind
is sot, en- de glory Of de Montauks shall
60 down into de darkness now 'bove yer
head"
The old woman spoke tragically, and
the chief-himself the child Of super
stition-shuddered but it was only for
moment. He had gone out of the
beaten paths Of his fathers, he had
measured, 80 well as passion would per-
NIT, the depths into which he was sinx-
ing. If ever, and he did sometimes
question his own course, he gave
thought to the unprincely acts he con-
templated and was then performing, the
beautiful face Of Lea Hedges would
fash like blazing meteor across the
sky of his darkened brain, and spur him
with fury to continue the tool of this
adventurer, but as he thought the
avenger Of his OWE imagined wrongs.
Leave me now," he said, striding
ahead leave me, but do not imagine
that the hospitality extended 10 you for
twenty years by our people, gives you
the privilege to insult their chief. Go
to your cabin, and hold your peace, or
go from the land OF the Montauks.
En- ef I don't 60 to my cabin, en- ef I
don't hold my peace, wat den?" shrieked
Dinah, still keeping in the chiefs ad-
vance.
Then will find means to drive you
away" said Uncas, raising his hand, as
II he would strike her, but the next in
stant letting 1t fall heavily, as if in
shame. by his side.
Dark as it was, her qdick eye caught
the gesture, and it seemed to madden
her.
"Once," she shouted, de chiefs of de
Montauks scorned to raise dar hans
'ganst any but warriors armed foh bat
tie. But den dar hearts was strong and
brave. Ole women and helpless men
dey keered foh. Dey wasn't towards
and murd rers. Oh, know it all! You
cant hide it from me, onless yeh kill
me. But kill me, en- den see if yer red
OF me; sea eff de sperrit Of ole Dinah
stays in de grouh' en- dis won body.
See den, Uncas of de Montauks, ef ]
don't stay eber and eber by yer side.
III =. n
lie down on de dee skin in de wigwam,
ef my hans don't keep yer eyes from
shettin. En- den louder'n de tunder
ez rolled over desc hills dis night, yell
hear me shoutin, dough no one else
kin, even yer wife lyin' by yer side, eff
ye ever gets one, Wake, wake, Uncas
Of de Montauks, murd rers cannot sleep
in peace on dis yer airth. "
The chief, now thoroughly alarmed,
as were the men following close behind
him, was about to address the old wo-
man in . kinder way, for, like all his
tribe, he stood in awe Of her, but she
had suddely vanished.
He stopped and called her name, and,
as he listened for reply, the ominous
hooting OF an owl came back from a
distant grove.
-Hah, let US go on. She is devil,
said the chief.
The men grunted, to indicate that
they had heard him, but made no other
reply. They were not sure that Uncas
was right and the old priestess wrong.
Though very old in years and worn
in body, the old negress possessed a
vitality that, for endurance, would have
tested the superb chief now striding on
in silence.
This was one reason why the Mon
tauks held her in awe; and then she
never complained Of ache, or showed