The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-06-09
NUMBER 4e.

tened absently as the snken SWEEP
voice murmured to him. Then, ere she
could detain him, he broke away, and.
springing 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, one by one the
elders of the tribe arose to bear wit
ness 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 al
most stilled, as the men and women
parted to either side. The old medi-
cine man drew his circle around the
two, while the red fame from the fire
leaped and threw its golden light on the
faces of Malcolm Davent and Wanna.
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
wine to pledge them after the man.
ner of the paleface," 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. "Poisoni Poisonv' And a low
murmur Of horror ran around the great
tent.
Nadula drew her slender form to fts
full height and glanced proudly from
one face to another. What say ye,
my people? Am 1 guilty?" The defl-
ance rang clear as clarion note, and
no man answered. Again: what say
ye, my people? Judge We between us
the white serpent or the true daughter
of the Ottawasv' 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. hailr' And the
elk teeth ratified on his shrunken chest
as he knelt, spreading out his clawliko
hands. "Hearken to the voice Of one
old in council. Hear, accuser and ac-
cused. If there be poison in the cup.
as the Lady Wanna hath said, then let
the Lady Nadula drink that which she
hath prepared for another, but IL there
be no poison then shall she drink to
proye the blackness of q lie. ! have
spoken"
A shudder ran along the surge d
faces that gathered around Nadula.
Wahna's hand fell away, and she cow
cred against Davent's shoulder.
Nadula's proud eyes swept the mass
before her, hostile and grim There
was not an answering eye. Drink.
Nadular' the old voice commanded.
and Nadula drained the wine. Then
she gathered her robes around her and
went out from among them.
Miles away to the westward rode Da-
vent, with Wanna close at his side, the
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 be.
yond the fringe of the desert, in the
land Of the Ottawas, there are shroud'
ed faces among the older men, and the
ponies are laden for a long march
away to the south. In the hut Of Nsrar
lay something that they might NOT
touch under the law of the Ottawas
alone, accursed. the unseeing eye1
peering through the shadows OF the
tent into the deeper shadows beyond