The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-07
CHAPTER Xiii.
The Sacrifice.


There was sometimes practiced among
the Iroquois a game which bore certain
resemblance to the casting Of dice, as the
latter is known among civilized peoples.
The method Of the play was simple.
Two oblong polished bones. Of the big
ness of mans finger. were used as the
dice. The ends of these were ground thin
and were rudely polished. One Of the dice
was stained red, the other left white.
The players in the game marked out
line on the hard ground, and then each
In turn cast up the two dice into the air,
throwing them from some receptacle.
The game was determined by the falling
Of the red bone, he who cast this colOred
bone closer to the line upon the ground
being declared the winner. The game
was simple, and depended much upon
chance. If the red die fell fiat upon its
face at point near to the line, it was
apt to lie close to the spot where it
dropped. On the other hand, did it alight
upon either end, 1t might bound back
and fall at some little distance upon ono
side Of the line.
1t was this game which. in horrible
fashion, Teganisoris now proposed to
play. He offered to the clamoring medi-
cine man and his ferocious disciples one
of these captives, whose death should ap-
pease not only the offended Great Spirit,
but also the unsated vengeance Of the
tribe. He offered. at the same time, the
spectacle of q play in which a human
life should be the stake. He used as
practical executioner the woman who was
possessed by one Of them, and who In the
crude nations Of the savages, was no
doubt coveted by both. 1t must be the
hand Of this woman that should cast the
dice. a white one and q red one for each
man, and he whose red die fell closer to
the line was winner in the grim game Of
life and death.
Jean Breboeuf and Pierre Noir stood
apart, and tears poured from the eyes Of
both. They were hardened men. we'll &C
quainted with Indian warfare; they had
seen the writings of tortured victims,
and more than once had faced such pos
sibilities themselves; vet never had they
seen sight like this.
Near the two men stood Mary Connynge,
the bright blood burning in her cheeks,
her eyes dry and wide open. looking from
one to the other. God, who gives to this
earth the few Mary Connynges. alone
knows the nature Of those elements which
made her. and the character of the conflict
which now went on within her soul. Tell
such a woman Mary Connynge that she
has rival. and she will either love the
more madly the man whom she demands
as her own, or with equal madness and
with greater Intensity will hate her lover
with hatred undying and unappeasable.
Mary Coalnynge stood, her eyes glancing
from ono to the other of the men before
her. She had seen them both proved
brave men. strong Of arm. undaunted Of
heart, both gallant gentlemen. God, who
makes the Mary Connynges of this earth,
only can tell whether or not there arose
In the heart Of this savage woman, this
woman at bay, scorned. rebuked. mas
tered, this one question: Which? If Mary
Connynge hated John Law, or if she loved
him-ah! how must have pulsed her heart
in agony, or in bitterness, as she took
into her hand those lots which were the
arbiters of life and death!
Teganisoris looked about him and spoke
few rapid words. Fe caught Mary Con-
nynge roughly by the shoulder and pulled
her forward. The two men stood with faces
set and gray in the pitiless light of morn.
Their arms were fast bound behind
their backs. Eagerly the crowding saw
ages pressed up to them, gesticulating
wildly, and peering again and again into
their faces to discover any sign Of weak
ness. They failed. The pride Of birth,
the strength Of character, the sheer ami
NAL vigor, of each man stood him in stead
at this ultimate trial. Each had made
up his mind to die Each proposed, not
doubling that he would be the one to
draw the fatal lot, to die as man and
a gentleman.