The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-05-13

You were ever lucky in the game
u chance. replied Pembroke.
Too lucky" said Law But n,
winner here is the loser. if IL be my
seil"
TeganisOris roughly took from Mar
Co1nynges hand the little bits q
bOne- He cast them into the hollow o.
ne mOceasin and shook them dra-
nziIcally together, holding them higt
shove his head Then he lowered them
and took out from the receptacle two
q the dice. He placed his hand on
Laws shoulder. signifying that his was
b be the first cast. Then he handed
back the moccasin to the woman.
Mary Connynge took the shoe IN her
hand and stepped forward to the line
which had been drawn upon the
ground. The red spots still burned up
on her cheeks; her eyes, amber. feline,
still famed hard and dry. She still
glanced rapidly from one to the other.
her eye as lightly quick and as brill
FAINT as that of the crouched cat about
~ spring.
Which? Which would it be? Could
size control this game? Could she
eject which man should live and which
should die-this woman. scorned,
abased, mastered? Neither of these
sought TO read the riddle of her set
rnre and blazing eyes. Each as he
might offered his soul to his Creator
The hand of Mary Connynge was
raised above her head. Her face was
turned once more to John Law, her
master. her commander, her repudi-
stOr Slowly she turned the moccasin
over in her hand. The white bone fell
srst, the red for moment hanging in
Che soft folds of the bucksllin. She
shook it out 1t fell with its face near
fy parallel to the ground and alighteo
nnt more than a foot from the line, re-
bounding scarce more than an inch OF
50. Low EXPLANATIONS arose from all
around the thickened circle
AS l said, my friend" cried Sir
Arthur, 81 have won The throw is
passing close for you."
Teganisoris again caught Mary Con-
Eyuge by the shoulder, and dragged
her step or so farther along the line
che two dice being left on the ground
rs they had fallen. Once more her
haad arose, once more ii turned, once
more the dice we're cast.
The goddess of fortune still stood
faithful to this bold young man who
Rad so often confidently assumed her |
friendship. His life, later to be SO in |
hmately concerned with this same new |
savage country, was to be preserved |
txsr an ultimate opportunity.
The white and the red bone fell to- !
setter from the moccasin. Had ii /
been the white that counted Sir Arthur I
had been saved, for the white bone lay |
upon the line. The red fell
asGl0st as close, but alighted on its
end AS though impelled by some
spirit of evil, it dropped upon some
little pebble or hard bit of earth
into the air, fell, and rolled
quite away from the mark,
Even on that crowd of cruel savages
'ssere came a silence. OF the whites
1ne scarce dared look at the other
SESwiy the faces of Pembroke and Law
armed one toward the other.
Would God could shake you by the
hand" said Pembroke. "Good-by."
AS for you, dogs and worse than
fngs." he cried, turning toward the red
ares about him. mark you, where ]
land the feet of the white man shall
aand forever, and crush your faces
atO The dirt"
Whether or not the Iroquois under
ssS0d his defiance could not be deter
ained. With wild shout they pressed
Ep0n him. Borne struggling and
tanbling by the impulse of dozen
aRds, Pembroke half walked and halt
fas carried over the distance between
he village and the brink of the chasm
Niagara.
Until then it had not been apparent
hat was to be the nature of his fate
ut when he looked upon the sliding
COR OF waters below him, and heard {
eyond the thunderous voices of the ! {
staraet, Pembroke knew what was tC
g his final portion. !
There was, at some distance above :
ne great falls, a spot where descent y
as possible TO tne euSe OF the water | :
embrokes feet were loosened and he ?
as compelled to descend the narrow l.
ath. A canoe was tethered at the l.
s0re. and the face of the young En-.
shman went pale as he realized what o
AS to be the use assigned it. Bound n
gain hand and foot, helpless, he was i
,st into the canoe. A strong arm sent L
le tiny craft out toward midstream. i
The hands of the great waters 2
asped the frail cockleshell, twisted il Il
,out. tossed it. played with it, and b
armed it irrevocably for their own tt
VI a few moments it was visible as ri
passed on down with the resistless n-
trent of the mighty stream. Almost 81
the verge of the plunge, the eyes 81
atching from the shore saw at a dis 81
nee the struggle made by the victim W
0 halt raised himself in the boat and a
rev himself against its side. 1t was al
crset For one instant the cold sun 81
one gi3tening on the wet bark OF &c