The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-03-13
White eHand|
! A Tale Of the Early Settlers /
g Of Louisiana. ;
S BYAUsTIN C. BURDIcK !;

CHAPTER X.-(Continued.l !

you some time"
"But--'
"-shr' interrupted the princess, in an
abrupt, but yet kind tone. "You must
not urge me beyond what | have assured
you. Coqualla speaks not without
thought, and hence she speaks not the
second time. must not stop now.
know the character of some Of your peo-
pie, and their words do not come from
their hearts. SO you might be led away,
and think Stung Serpent meant a dark
thing when he spoke fair. You viii not
forget CoQualla."
With these words she turned away,
and ere the youth could detain her she
was gone. He saw the heavy door close
after her light and graceful form, and
then he sank down again upon the cold
earth. What could be the meaning of
her visit? Why should she have come
to him thus to warn him Of danger
threatened by her father? 1t was
strange circumstance, and afforded the
prisoner plenty Of food for thought.
The morning dawned, the prison door
was opened, and Stung Serpent entered,
and with him came two others, one OF
them an old man, decrepit with age, and
the other a tall, athletic man, only
little older than Stung Serpent. White
Hand quickly recognized this latter indi-
vidual as the Great Sun--the king Of all
the Natchez, not only from his noble
bearing and his resemblance to his broth
er, but also from the curiously wrought
cireIet Of feathers, with its elevated
plume Of horse hair, that adorned his
head.
The youth arose as these men entered,
but he did not speak. His arms were
folded across his breast, and with
steady, calm look. he returned the gaze
that was bent upon him.
"White Hand" spoke the prince, list
en- to the words that the Great Sun SHAH
speak to thee.'
At these words the king stepped for
ward. The prisoner had seen many proud
men, and many of the great men among
his people, but he had never seen one so
purely noble in his look and bearing as
the Great Sun of the Natchez.
"Son of the pale faced invader, spoke
the chieftain, 'thy people have come up
on us with evil intent, and their feet al
ready tread upon lands not their own.
They have come with smooth tongue and
smiling face, and while they whispered
words Of love, they have robbed us oil
that which the Great Spirit had given
us. The white man says the Natchez
are treacherous; but falsehood was not
here until the white man came. He says
the Natchez are cruel; but the dove is
cruel when her nest is despoled by the
serpent. Whence art thou here in the
village Of the White Apple? Dost thou
known
"No, no." uttered the prisoner.
"'Tis because Of the evil that dwells
In the bosom of your people. We sought
a child of the white man to send him on
a mission to the white mans God, and
while we sought such an one, 10! the wish
was met by one who wished to be free Of
an encumbranee upon him. You will
not fear to go upon the mission we would
have you perform. Every year many of
our people 90 voluntarily to the world Of
spirits to accompany their beloved rela-
tives. Then why should you fear, since
you, too, will ascend at once to the home
of your God? Child of the pale face.
listen! Go tell your God that he shall
send no more vengeance upon the
Natchez for the deeds they have done
to the white man. Tell him how the
white man has come to despoil us. Tell
him this Once the Natchez were happy
and peaceful; their homes were pure, and
their hearts were glad. Plenty smiled
upon them, and joy was theirs. But by
and by a strange boat, with wings like a
great bird, came over the great salt lake,
and the white man was in 1t. He came
with fire in his guns and fire in his bar
rels; and when multitude had landed
here, they began to place their foot upon
our necks. And now our JOY Is gone, for
rottenness has crept over our homes vice
has festered like great sores in our vii
lagos; our warriors have drunk of the
accursed irewater until they have be-
come like old women; our domain is be-
coming wrested from us and sorrow sits
like a black spirit brooding over our de-
cay. Tell your God all this. and then
ask him not to answer the white mans
prayers when they ask for vengeance
against lue NdlCntA. my
words, and forget not enc of them"
Thus speaking, the Great Sun folded
his arms and gazed silently into the
youths face. White Hand was moved
deeply moved by the speech he had
heard, for there was a depth Of pathOs
In 1t that appealed directly to the heart.
He knew we'll what each word Of the
chieftain meant, and he knew how true
It was. But beyond this there was O
meaning that struck terror to the youths
soul. He was just upon the point of fall.
ing upon his knees, when the Great Sun
turned away and stalked from the place.
Pale and trembling, White Hand watch
ed him until he was gone, and then turn
ed to Stung Serpent
white Hand, you have heard the
words Of the Great Sun. He has spoken
to you the truth. Now follow me-"
Then Stung Serpent walked slowly
from the prison house, and the old man
took White Hand by the arm and said
Gomez Instinctively he obeyed the
summons, though his steps trembled as
he walked forth. When he reached the
open air, the prisoner looked around, but
not a living thing could he see save the
stout. prince who walked on ahead and
the old man who led him.
Next to the prison, and distant some
FIVE rods, stood the temple. White Hand
knew II by the rude imitation of the blaz
ing sun that adorned the roof at the ga.
Bile. Into this temple he was led, and
here he found some twenty men, eight Of
whom were those warriors whose duty
It was to attend the sacred fire. Thli
FIRE was burning upon an altar, and very
curiously wrought with strange devices
But the youth took but little notice Of the
altar. His attention was arrested by the
appearance Of two stout men who stood
near the altar with knives In their hands
and with a large bowl between then
which was blood-stained both outside and
In.
Now. White Hand" spoke Stung Ser
pent approaching him and placing biz
broad hand upon his shoulder, you vii
not forget the message that the Great