The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-22
BEYOND THE DESERT
By cURRAN RICHARD GREENLEY

No more of weaving, no more OF baking
the tortilla. Nadula grasped the empty
scepter. Day after day Wanna crept to
the door of the tent and shaded her level
brows in vain watching for her lo1Ir Had
Nadula spoken truly?
: For a time Nadula was too busy with
the importance of her new authority to
take thought of Wanna, but she had not
forgotten. In the long summer days Of
the year before, when the young captain
had CHANGED to visit the OttaWas through
mere curiosity and the visit had been
repeated again and again for the sake Of
the brown flower of the wilderness, Ma
dula, too, had learned to love the bonnyi
face And in her hot, unschooled heart
sprang up the terrible hatred Of Wanna. !.
It had commenced years before when
Neras had sent Wanna away from the
tribe and from time to time she had made
them short visits from her mission school
with always q newer grace, newer
beauty and the spirit Of the white mother
shining in her soft eyes. Neras had loved
her with the aftermath of the great pas
sion he had felt for the white captive that
had hated him, who died with her despair
ing face turned away from the child OF
her sorrow and shame.
Nadula had understood. She had not
wanted for the telling when the women
crouched together over the cooking pots
at evening. w nat "onueT tIdI Sic HdteO
Wanna with all the force of a savage ma
ture.
In the midst Of the lull came an awak.
ening, for despite all Nadula's sneering
taunts Malcolm Davent crossed the strip
Of desert to the country of the Ottawas to
claim his bride. Nadula received him in
the council tent with the head men
grouped around her. It was her hand
that held out the pipe and babe him sit
beside her, contriving to hold him there
with one pretext and another. Davent
listened absentiy as the slken sweet voice
murmured to him. Then, ere she could
detain him, he broke away, and, springin8
to the center Of the tent, called upon the
Ottawas for the pledge Of Neras-Wahna.
By the spoken word Of Neras in solemn
council had the girl been given to him;
and as Nadula would have interfered, ono
by one the elders Of the tribe arose to
bear witness to the bond.
Then Wanna, her face alight with joy,
came from the shadows where she had
hidden in her despair There was no
gainsaying the word that had passed.
Nadula watched, her heart almost stiled.
as the men and women parted to either
| side: The old medicine man drew his
circle around the two, while the red flame
from the fire leaped and threw its golden
light on the faces of Malcolm Davent and
Wanna. 80
That night the Ottawas feasted and
there was great rejoicing, for at the rising
of the moon the Princess Wanna would
ride away from them forever. And when
the feast was ended Nadula brought forth
bottle of n1usty -hued wine to pledge
! them latter the manner Of the paleface,r
as she said, and smiled into Davent's eyes.
| She was quick as thought. but the eye OF
love is swifter. Wanna sprang from Da-
vents side and grasped the slender wrist.
|
Of horror ran around the great tent.
Nadula drew her slender form to its full
height and glanced proudly from one face
| to another. What say We, my people?
Am I guity?" The defiance rang clear
as a clarion note, and no man answered.
Again: What say We, my people? Judge
We between us-the white serpent or the
true daughter of the Ottawas'' The wind
in the mesquite was the only answer.
Wanna still clasped the slender wrist in
her tense fingers, while the glare of the
torches threw red waves of light on the
| swart faces as the ring drew ever closer.
The old medicine man parted the crowd
to either side. Daughters of the great
Chief Neras, hail'' And the elk teesa1
ratified on his shrunken chest as ha knelt.
spreading out his clawlike 50 hands.
.Hearken to the voice Of one old in coun-
Gil. Hear, accuser and accused. If there
be poison in the cup. as the Lady Wanna
hath said, then let the Lady Nadua drink
that which she hath prepared for another,
but if there be no poison then shall she
drink to prove the blackness of lie. I
have spoken"
A shudder ran along the surge of faces
| that gathered around Nadula. Wanna 3
hand fell away, and she covered against
Davent's shoulder.
Nadula's proud eyes swept the mass be-
fore her. hostile and grim. There was
not an answering eye. Drink, Nadula!"
the old voice commanded, and Nadu1a
drained the wine. Then she gathered her
robes around her ard went out from
among them.
Miles away to the westward rode Da-
vent, with Wanna close at his side, tho
sturdy cayuse keeping uneven stride with
the Kentucky thoroughbred on to where
the white tower of the mission shone
above the olive groves, out to the west, to
her mothers people, But beyond the
fringe of the desert, in the land Of the OF
tawas. there are shrouded faces among
the older men, and the ponies are laden
for long march away to the south. In
the hut of Neras lay something that they
might not touch under the law Of the OF
tawas, alone. accursed. the unseeing eyes
peering through the shadows Of the tent
into the deeper shadows beyond.