Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-11-23
CHAPTER XIX.
CAUGHT IN THEIR OWN TRAP.

CAUGHT IN THEIR OWN TRAP.
When that morning 1 had left the
cave, and scaled the crevasse, with the
somewhat wild hope Of falling in with
the squatter's party, and bringing back
help it was Ncrah Mackenzie who first
missed me- and it was the conduct of
SNOWFALL that first made her suspect
something wrong This gentleman, aft
er l climbed out of sight, had become
strangely uneasy and apprehensive as to
his own share in the matter Every min
ute he had expected that my lifeless
body would come hurIling down the
rocks, and this caused him to gravitate
in an aimless and undecided sort of
fashion between the narrow passage and
the cave for some little time. The ways
of a white man to Snowfall were mys-
terious Doubtless it may have occur
red to SNOWFALL that | was following
Days example and going off on my
own account. But SNOWFALL was not to
be left long to these speculatians.
.'Wcll, Snowfall, asked his mis-
tress, "what for you look out that one
rock?'
SNOWFALL tried to look as if he did not
quite understand The old fashioned
way Of gaining time is much the same
all the world over.
"Whero Is Mr. Parker2'' she persist
e1, !s=inn.-i.. to have a suspicion that
soaothing Was wrong and going into
the narrow passage.
THAT fellow hin go no, grinned
5low j in manner that was meant
Il Ire couci.iatory, pointing 10 the strip
Of blue SKY overhead.
just lhcn my handkerchief. with the
stone in It, came sailing down the ere
Yasaa striking from side to side in the
cJurs Of its descent
"1I-,' cried Snowfall as he lodged
against it. experiencing rap on the
side Of his head that made him feel
queer for a second or two That fl
low plenty coolah, | t'ink it
And row the murder was out. and
there was not little excitement III the
cave. Norah Mackenzie said that |
must be seen by the blacks and neccs-
sarily killed. She scolded poor Snowfall
for not having acquainted some Of the
party with my intentions.
1--WE must distract the attention Of
the blacks, she said and, going on to
the terrace, uttered loud "coo-ee. In
an instant a number Of them came to-
ward the cave, and the attention of the
whole camp was attracted. Those in
the cave were somewhat mystified.
What was this strange girl going to do
nowy But they knew her too well to
ask any questions. They only held
themselves in readiness for whatever
might occur.
place your rifles ON the ground,
she said E..hItGaa, il-f--t-1ti---'-- :,
from ascending in the meantime and,
if possible. find out their plans. We may
learn something and gain time. y
The blacks still stood some 200 yards
off. Then she went down the terrace
before any one could dissuade her and,
breaking a small leafy bough from a
tree. waved it over her head. In another
minute a tall savage had taken another
bough and waved it over his in a like
manner.
The girl had evidently made herself
sufficiently plain to the blacks because
most of them retired to some little dis
tance. and the chief advanced Then,
before Jack or any of the party could
prevent her, the girl went forward on to
a clear space some so yards from the
terrace The black fellow also came to
ward her. Suddenly she stopped, stamp
q 4, ba fr..
dropped the spear he had been dragging
along the ground by his toes He looked
ashamed and so he was, but not be-
ta.lse he had taken a spear with him to
meet woman, but that he had been
detected by one in so doing.
The party gradually came down from
slc terrace. all save Gordon, who came
and sat on the breastwOrk so as to KEEP
a lookout The chief, who was white
barred, raliish looking individual with
breast and arms cicatrized in a gro
tesque and horrible fashion and whc
had several possum skins hung on vari-
ous parts Of his body, looked with not
a little surprise on the white Mary"
who stood within few PAGES of him SO
cool and collected She was probably
the first white woman he had ever seen.
be tuggcd in curiously nervous fash
ion mt his long grizzled upturned mus
tache
.Iaka natcha cooramora takanya p
she asked.
"Wata cawanti carabinyi." he re
piled. shaking his head
The girl tried another tack The say
age had not understood what she said.
She placed the palms of her hands to
getLer and then, turning the tips of hel
fingers downward said, ''Yola che al
air
And now the chief understood an(
talked away at a rattling pace. On'
! great faculty the Australian aborigina
has besides that of mimicry (there are
/ no mimics in the world like them) !!
the linguistic faculty. He has an ire
sistibl. desire TO learn the language O
! any tribe with which he comes in con
! tact This chief had doubtless in hi
wandcfings picked up the one tha
Norah Mackenzie now spoke. AfteI
| they had talked together for few min
utes, during which time the mob o
! blacks manifested not a little impa
| thence, the girl turned to the party anC
| interpreted what had been said, will
not little of the old spirit of mischie
! in her eyes.
"His request is a modest one. Elsie
you have chance Of doing a nobl
deed and sacrificing yourself for 9th
ers This gentleman says her
she mimicked the high flown tones o
the old reprobate-"i the lady with tI
hair like the yellow rocks and the cheek
like the color Of the setting sun Wi
give herself up and enter into n stat
Of connubial felicity with him he wi
withdraw his forces and let us all de
part in peace. His people, he says, ar
here from very different motives, tina
of revenge being one and that of
check TO our future movements bein
another However, his wishes are para
mount. He has also done me the homo
to say that, although he does not person
ally admire me, still, he has no doubt
if | desired it, one Of his numerous son
might be induced to marry me. lwoul
then have the honor of belonging TO tn
royal family. What do you say to il
| I.I-,..g 1ffar Sha II u,