The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-14


lady time for another prayer or two. May
hap she will name us in them; God knows
our need is sore enough
Inc lad ran back and warrior STOOD
out, Juggling his tomahawk in air. He
made feint to cast it at Richard. but in
stead sent II whizzing at me.
That first missile was harder TO face un-
finching than were all the others. 1 saw
1t leave the throwers hand; saw II coming
straight. as l would think, TO split my
skull The prompting to dodge was we'll
nigh masterful enough to override the
strongest will. Yet / did make shift 10
hold fast, and In mid flight the twirling
AK veered aside to miss me by hairs
breadth. gashing the tree at my ear when
II struck.
Bravo, we'll metl" cried Richard: and
then, betwixt his teeth: Here comes
mine"
AS he spoke a second tomahawk was
sped, ] heard it strike with a dull crash
that might have been on flesh and bone or
on oak bark-I could not tell. l dared not
look aside till Richards haunting laugh
gave me leave to breathe again.
The Indians answered the laugh with
yell; and now the marksmen stood out
quickly one after another, and for little
space the air was full of hurting missiles.
You will read in the romances of the
Wondrous skill of these savages in such
victim to tree and never miss of stick
ing knife or Ratchet within the thickness
OF the blade where they will. But you
Inwanc TAKE fer the n tales with dash OF al
these Indians of ours threw we'll and skill
fully; It's part Of the only trade they
know-the trade of war-to send weapon
true to the mark None the less, some of
the missiles few wide, and now and then
one would nip the cloth of sleeve or body
covering-and the flesh beneath 1t as well.
Dick had more of the nippings than 1:
and though he kept up running fire of
taunts and gliding filings at the marks
men, l could hear the gritting oaths aside
when they pinked him.
w lot nd inc ha Of fhac tic
casts fell to my lot, Ratchet sped by the
clumsest hand Of all missed it's curving,
turned and the helve of 1t struck me fair
of death. as / fondly believe, will lay a
heavier toll on fortitude than did this grip
ing stroke which 1 must endure standing
erect. It's no figure of speech to say that
l would have given the reversion of a king
dom and crown to boot for leave to
double over and groan out the agony of it,
Happily for us, there were no women
crueler refinements of these ante-burning
torments-the faying alive by inch bits
and the sticking of blazing splints of pitch
wood in the flesh to make death thing to
be prayed for. There was naught of this;
and firing finally of the marksman play
the Indians made ready to burn us. Some
ran to recover the spent weapons, others
made haste to heap the wood in broad
circle about our trees and the chief, with
three or four to help, renewed the deer
thong lashings.
man, right kingly looking savage as
these barbarians go. thrust bit of paper
into my hand and gave me time to glance
It's message out by the light of the fire.
Twas a line from Margery, and this is
what she said:
Dear Heart-Though you must needs be-
lieve my love is pledged to your good friend
and mine. it's yours and yours alone my
non-hearted one. l am praying the good
God to give you dying grace and me the
courage to follow you quickly.
This by the hand of Tallachama.
For one brief instant a wave of low
caught and hung me upon its highest crest,
and all these savage tormenters could do
to me became as naught. Then the true
meaning of this her brave ave atuue vale
smote me like space-flung meteor and the
JOY wave became an ocean of despair to
engulf me in its blacklist depths The let
ter was never meant for me; twas for
Richard Jennifer, who, as she would think.
must know the story of her marriage to
with the giving of her. hand. And she
named him Lion Heart because he was
brave, and true, and strong like that first
English Richard of the kingly line.
l thrust the message back upon the
bearer OF 1T, begging him in dumb show to
give 1T quickly to my companion. l knew
not at the time If he did 1t, being so
But when the Indians drew off to ring us
in chanting circle for the final act I
would not let the lad see my face for fear
and know the cause of It,
Twas at this crisis, when all was ready
and one had run to fetch the fire, that L
heard a smothered oath from Dick and saw
the Indian who was coming up to fire the
wood heaps drop his brand and tread
upon it.
"Ecodr' said voice courtier-like and
smoothly modulated. Its most devilish
lucky l came. Captain Ireton. Another
moment and they would have grilled Won
In the kings uniform-a rank treason. to
say na cgf OF 81 poor jack h Warden left with
1t needed not the glance aside to name
mi, mine enemy But l would not pleasure
MN MN M Tna,f an answer s Neither would Rich
space, smiling and nursing his chin i'm one
hand, as his habit was. Then he spoke
again.
Il came to bid you godspeed, gentlemen.
You tumbled bravely into my little tran.
[ made no doubt you'd follow where the
lady led, and so you did. But you'll turn
be any virtue in an Indian barbecue"
At this Richard could hold in no longer.
Curse you." he gritted. do you mean
that you KIDNAPPED Mistress Stair to draw
Truly. said this arch fend. smiling
again, Most unluckily for you, you both
stood In my wayIyou see. l am speaking
of it now as thing past-and / CHANGED
upon this thought of killing two birds with
the one stone: nay, three 1 should say.
If you count the lady in
Have doner choked Richard in q voice
thick with impotent rage Give place
you hound, and let your savages to their
work.
"At your pleasure. Mr.. Jennifer I have
no fancy for funeral baked meats. hot or
cold though they be made, as now. TO fur
nish forth marriage supper. 1 bid you
good night. gentlemen. n go and make
that call upon the lady which you were SO
rude as to interrupt a little while ago. .
And with that he turned hic back upon us
! and strobe away, forgetting 10 tell his red.
skinned myrmdons to strip me of tha,
kings uniform he was loath to have me
burned in.
The Cherokees waited till the master
eXecutioner was out of sight among the
| trees. Then they set W their internal
| bowling again and the fire lighter ran II
| fetch a fresh brand.
Courage, lad; twill soon be over now -
| said /, hearing groan from my poor Dick
His reply was a chattering curse no,
| upon Falconnet or the Indians, but upon
| his malady. the tertian fever.
Now. by. all the fiends! I'm chilling
| wood wolves mark it they'll set il down n
woman cowardice. and that will break m,
heart,''
| Again 1 babe him be of good courage
assuring him, not derisively, as il look.
| presently medicine the chilling In tbs
| middle OF the saying the lighted brand wa,
| fetched and thrust among our faeotines
and the upward curling smoke wrea IN,
made me gasp and strange at the finish
| For little time after the suckinc In NJ
that nrst smoke oreath-natures ahodyn,
for any OF her poor creatures doomed e
die by fire-I saw and heard less clearl,
and suffered only by anticipation. But e
| this day the smell of burning pine wood i,
| like sleeping potion TO me, and the slee,
II brings Is full OF dreams vaguely troubled