The Banner-Democrat., 1899-01-21

instead of being sailor, as the peo-
pie thought, he was pirate, suostl,
tuting his own character with grea'
skill for that of his victim.
Crime becomes much easier II the
criminal can delude himself into the
thought that good is to result to others
from the act he contemplstes, SO on-
cas- soon began to look on himself as
An instrument OF justice. =
Except old Somonk, his son ana
wife, with the two warriors VINO
helped to carry Ralph Denham from
the boat to the vault. not one OF the
Montauks knew anything about the
murderous enterprise In which their
chief was engaged; and even if all
knew it and deprecated it, fidelity to
their chief would prevent an cct OF
betrayal.
But Uncas had spy on his acts
whom he dreaded with superstltlous
fear that is often found associated with
the greatest physical courage.
Hs wished old Dinah as dead as ne
believed Ralph Denham would SOON
be, but neither he nor any OF his tribe
would have dared to raised a hand
against her.
From old Dinah's bold statements
the chief had suspected that she knew
all, but his fear of her interference
was offset by his faith in the fidelity
of the people who had his secret. ..
Dinah lost no time after Uncas left
with his white visitors and their serv-
ants for Sag Harbor. She sent an In
dian lad to Untilla, the beautiful SIS
ter of the chief, asking her to come to
her hut.
Dinah at once began preparations
for the work she had set herself.
About her thin neck she strung mum.
Der of peculiar shell necklaces. About
her head she wound tightly white
turban. and bound it into place by @
snake SO naturally preserved. that the
eyes and tongue, in the centre OF hel
forehead, seemed flashing and darting
About her lank arms she woune
other snakes, and they looked to b'
held fin place by their own contrac
tions.
Over her shoulders she threw scar
let mantle, decorated with tinsel stars
the moon in all its stages, and quee
cabalistic characters, all the more awfu
tn the ignorant Indians for their repre-
senting nothing in particular.
This done, Dinah took long stan
not the one she usually carried, but an
other that looked as much like gree
serpent as the rods the Egyptians trie
to palm off on Moses, and her toilet wa
, complete. , ,
She next sat down on high stool
her cabin door, sight to alarm In
a strongest II she appeared unexpectedl!
, and waited for the coming OF unulla.
In few minutes a light, quick ste
was heard approaching, and tnen
shadow fell across the threshold.
Untilla stood thcre, but the OLD piae
y woman, without looking up, said IN
q voice that seemed to come from son
9 far-off place:
{ aUntilla Of de Montauks-
O Yes, Dinah.
n "You en- me hez got to run race W
death. We must git ahead OF 1m'
4 drive i'm back from de grave.
q Il am ready" said Untilla, eageri
3. "let us be going. 90
~ The old crone seized her staff, to-
a from the floor near by basket contal
" ing an earthen dish and sundry parcs
ls of herbs, and then started on.
II They bent their course to the we
ie the Indian girl walking with the iigl
ad springy step Of fawn, and Dinsh w
ne a vigor that was wonderful IN one
her years. ...,
al stop they hurried on, till the NIL, W
he the vault at its base, rose DeIoIe tne
- They saw Old Somonk and his
at cooking before little hre oulsi1e;
Younc Somonk and two other lnoit
va living on the grass and smoking VIII
I air of lazy contentment.
A. aiobt of Untilla and Dinah
men sprang to their feet and Old
~ monk and his wife stopped their w
no and looked up in surprise.
% Without moments hesitation Dil
-ho walked M to the fire. removed the
so boiling thereon and replaced 1t with
too own.
no. Into this she put some water and
nt eral punches of herbs, muttering to
md self the while. Then she grasped
staff as a drum MAJOR does his bal
an whirling it around her snake-crow
,or. head. and began to dance about the
YOU shouting out wild song, OF whicn
terrified listeners could not underst
Stopping suddenly, sne drew un
,ch near to her, and facing the terrlneo
dams, she said aloud:
ard. DE sperrits OF de dead commano
all leave but de sistah OF de chle1
,h+ Dinah. de sarvint Of de sperrits.
Somonk, en- yer family; go. ye
ost- tauks watchih nsn' "a untii wa
'ork de Montauho' en ''"'
He ye."