The Sun Maid: A Story of Fort Dearborn

  CHAPTER VII.

  A THREEFOLD CORD IS STRONGEST.

  "She is a spirit. I know that nothing can harm her. Yet manythings can harm me. I have no desire to suffer any further anxiety.Therefore--this. My Girl-Child, my White Papoose, come here."

  The Sun Maid reluctantly obeyed. It was the morning after her perilousride on the back of an untamed horse and her joyful reunion withGaspar, her old playmate of the Fort. The two were now just withoutthe wigwam of Wahneenah, sitting clasped in each other's arms, as iffearful that a fresh separation awaited them should they oncerelinquish this tight hold of one another; and it was in much the samefeeling that the foster-mother regarded them.

  "But why, Other Mother? I do love my Gaspar boy. I did know himalways."

  "You've known me two years, Kitty," corrected the truthful lad. "But Isuppose that is as long as you can remember. You're such a baby."

  "How old is the Sun Maid--as you white people reckon ages?" askedWahneenah.

  "She is five years old. Her birthday was on the Fourth of July. We hada celebration. Our Captain fired as many rounds of ammunition as shewas years old. The mothers made her a cake, with sugar on the top, andwith five little candles they made themselves on purpose, and coloredwith strawberry juice. Oh, surely, there never was such a cake in allthe world as they made for our 'baby!'" cried the lad, forgetting forthe moment present troubles in this delightful memory.

  "Well, there are other women who can make other cakes," saidWahneenah, with ready jealousy.

  "Oh, but an Indian cake--" began Gaspar, then stopped abruptly,frightened at his own boldness.

  Wahneenah smiled. For small Kitty was swift to see the change in herplaymate's face, and her own caught, for an instant, a reflection ofits fear. The foster-mother wished to banish this fear.

  "Wahneenah likes those who say their thoughts out straight and clear.She is the sister of the Man-Who-Cannot-Lie. It is the crime of thepale-faces that they will lie, and always. Wherefore, they are alwaysin danger. Take warning. Learn to be truth-tellers, like thePottawatomies, and you will have no trouble."

  A quick retort rose to Gaspar's lips, but he subdued it. Then hewatched what was being done to Kitty, and a faint smile brightened hisface, that had been so far too gloomy for his years. Wahneenah hadmade a long rope of horsehair, gaily adorned with beads and trinkets,and was fastening it about the Sun Maid's waist. The little onesubmitted merrily, at first; but when it flashed through her mind thatshe was thus being made a prisoner, being "tied up," she burst into aparoxysm of tears and temper that astonished the others, and evenherself.

  "I will not be 'tied up!' I was not a naughty girl. When I am bad, Iwill be punished, and I will not cry nor stamp my feet. But when I amgood, I will be free--free! There shall nobody, nobody do this to me!Not any single body. Gaspar, will you let her do it?"

  The boy's timidity flew to the winds. His dark eyes flashed withindignation, and his heavy brows contracted in a fierce scowl. At thatinstant, he appeared much older than he really was, and he advancedupon Wahneenah with upraised hand and threatening gesture.

  She might easily have picked him up and tossed him out of the way; butthere is nothing an Indian woman admires more greatly than courage. Inthis she does not differ from her pale-faced sisters, and, instead ofresenting Gaspar's rudeness, she smiled upon him.

  "That is right, Dark-Eye. It is a warrior's duty to protect hiswomen. You are not yet a warrior, nor is the Sun Maid yet a woman, butas you begin so you will continue. Hear me. Let us make compact. I wasfastening the child for her own good, not in punishment. Is that awhite mother's custom? Well, this is better. Let us three pledge ourword: each to watch over and protect the other so long as our liveslast. The Great Spirit sent the Sun Maid into my arms, by the hands ofBlack Partridge, my brother and my chief. The meanest Indian inMuck-otey-pokee brought you to the village, and the meanest boy to mywigwam. But when the chief saw you, he took you by the hand, and gaveyou, also, to me. A triple bond is the strongest. Shall we clasp handupon it?"

  It was a curious proceeding for one so much older than these children,but it was in profoundest earnest. Wahneenah recognized in Gaspar arepresentative of a race whose wisdom exceeded that of her own, evenif, as she believed, its morality was of a lower standard. But herbrother and the other braves had already told her of his great courageon the day before, and of his wonderful skill with the bow and arrow.He had done a man's work, even though a stripling, and she wouldaccord him a man's honor. As for the Sun Maid, despite her veryhuman-like temper, she was, of course, a being above mortal, andtherefore fit to "compact" with anybody, even had it been the casewith one as venerable as old Katasha. So she felt that there wasnothing derogatory to her own dignity in her request.

  Gaspar fixed his piercing eyes upon Wahneenah's face, and studied itcarefully.

  The penetration of a child is keen, and not easily deceived. What heread in the Indian woman's unflinching gaze satisfied him, for afterthis brief delay, he lay his thin boyish hand within the extended palmin entire trust. Of course, what Gaspar did Kitty was bound to do. Toher it was a game, and her own plump little fingers closed about thebacks of the lad's with a mischievous pinch. Already her anger haddisappeared, and her sunny face was dimpling with laughter.

  "Kitty was dreadful bad, wasn't she? She wouldn't be tied up first,because she wasn't naughty. Now she has been bad as bad, she did stampand scream so; and she may be tied, if Other Mother wishes. Do you,nice Other Mother? It is a very pretty string. It wouldn't hurt, Iguess."

  But Wahneenah's desire to fasten her ward to the lodge-pole hadvanished. She would far rather trust the true, loving eyes of the boyGaspar than the stoutest horsehair rope ever woven.

  "We will tie nobody. But hear me, my children, for you are both minenow. In this village are many friends and more enemies. Braves andtheir families, from other villages and other branches of our tribe,have raised their tepees here. It is easier for them to do this thanto build villages of their own, and we are hospitable people. When aguest comes to us, he must stay until he chooses to go away again, andthere are none who would bid them depart. Some of other tribes thanour own are also here. It is they who are stirring up much mischief.They are giving the Black Partridge anxiety; they will not be wise.They will not learn that their only safety lies in friendship withthe white faces. Therefore the heart of our chief is heavy withforeboding. He has the inner vision. To him all things are clear thatto us are quite invisible. This is his command to me, ere he departedin the dawn of this day, to seek our friends who were of the Fort, andhelp them in their need, if need again arises. Listen to the words ofBlack Partridge:

  "'Have these white children trained to ride as an Indian rides. Theboy Gaspar is to be given the black gelding, Tempest, for his veryown. I shall see the man who owns it, and I will pay his cost. TheWhite Snowbird belongs to the Sun Maid. Let nobody else dare touch themare, except to handle it in care. The day is coming when they willneed to ride fast and far, and with more skill than on yesterday. TheSnake-Who-Leaps is the best horseman in our tribe. I have bidden himcome to this tepee when the sun crosses the meridian. He is friendlyto these prisoners, because they are mine, and he will guide themwell.'"

  Gaspar's eyes had opened to their widest extent. The words he hadheard seemed incredible; yet he was shrewd and practical by nature,and he promptly inquired:

  "Why? Why will the Indian chief bestow so rich a gift upon his whiteboy-prisoner? For if he buys Tempest from the Captain he will have topay big money. There isn't another like the black gelding this sidethat far-away Kentucky where he was bred."

  "Hear me, Gaspar Keith; prisoner, if you will. But I would rather callyou an adopted son of the Black Partridge, and by your new name ofDark-Eye. This is the reason: In these troubles which are coming, youmay not only serve yourself, the Sun Maid, and me, by having as yourown the gelding Tempest, but you may help the helpless, also. In thisone village of Muck-otey-pokee are many old and many very young. TheSpotted Adder was the oldest
man I ever knew, and though he has diedjust now, there are others almost of his age. They ought to die, too,and not burden better people. But nobody dies who should while thosewho should not are snatched away like a feather on the breeze."

  Here Wahneenah became absorbed in her own reflections, and was so longsilent that Kitty stole her arms about the woman's neck and kissed thedark face to remind her that they were still listening.

  "Yes, beloved, Child of the Sunshine and Love! You do well to call meback. Let the dead rest. You are the living. I will remember onlyyou," and she laid the little one against her heart.

  "Gaspar, too, Other Mother," suggested the loyal little maid.

  But Gaspar was quite able to speak for himself.

  "No decent white person would wish the old to die!" he exclaimed,hotly. "There was a grandmother at our Fort, and she was the bestloved, the best cared for, of all the women. That is what a white boythinks, even if he is an Indian's prisoner!"

  "Ugh! So? You are an odd youth, Dark-Eye. As timid as a wild pigeonone minute, and the next--flouting your chief's sister."

  "I don't mean that, Wahneenah. I--I only--I don't just know what I domean, except that it seems cowardly to wish the old should die. If youshould grow very, very old some day, and Kitty and I should not be--benice to you, then you would understand what I feel, if I cannot say itrightly."

  Wahneenah laughed.

  "Your halting speech makes me happy, Dark-Eye. Kitty and you and I;still all together, even when age shall have dimmed my sight anddulled my hearing. It is well. I am satisfied. But hear me. Hereinlies the trouble: when folks are young they forget that they will everbe old. That is a mistake. One should remember that youth flies away,fast, fast. They should teach themselves wisdom. They should learn tobe skilled in the things which will make them lovely when they areold. For, despite your judgment, there are some among us whom we wouldkeep till all generations are past. Katasha, the One-Who-Knows; andthe Snake-Who-Leaps--why, he is older even than Katasha. Yet there isnobody can ride a horse, or shoot a flying bird, or bring in the gamethat he can. He is the friend of his chief. He is the most honored onein our whole village. Why? Because he makes few promises, and breaksnone. He has never lowered his manhood by drinking the fire-water thataddles one's brains and sets the limbs a-tremble. He has talked littleand done much. He is One-To-Be-Trusted. That was his name in hisyouth, when he began to practise all his virtues. The other name cameafterward, because of the swift punishment he can also inflict uponhis enemies. You would do well to pattern after your teacher,Dark-Eye."

  Gaspar listened respectfully; but this sounded so very much like the"lectures" he had received at the Fort that it had less originalitythan most of Wahneenah's conversations; and, besides that, he had justespied, approaching over the village street, a tall Indian leading theblack gelding and Snowbird. Behind this man walked Osceolo; butgreatly changed from the bullying youth whom Gaspar had met on theprevious day.

  Whatever had occurred in the closed tepee of Black Partridge, when itsdoor flaps fell behind himself and the lad he had ordered to accompanyhim, nobody knew; but, whatever it was, Osceolo was certainly--atleast for the time being--a changed young person.

  He walked along behind the Snake-Who-Leaps in a meek, subdued mannerquite new to him, but which immediately impressed Dark-Eye as being avast improvement on his former bearing. He paused, when ordered to"Halt!" by the old man, as if he had been stricken into a woodenimage, and only when requested to take the Snowbird's bridle did hemake any other motion.

  "Why, Osceolo! What's the matter?" asked the Sun Maid, running towardhim in surprise.

  But he did not answer, and she was hastily snatched back by the stronghand of the foster-mother.

  "The Girl-Child speaks to none who is in disgrace."

  "But I will speak to anybody who is unhappy, Other Mother! I cannothelp that, can I? One day, Osceolo was all laughing and clapping; andnow--now he looks like Peter Wilson did after his father had whippedhim with a musket. Did anybody whip you with a musket, poor, poorOsceolo?"

  Not a sign from the disgraced youth.

  "Has you lost your tongue, too? Well as your eyes, that you can't lookup? Never mind, Osceolo. Kitty is sorry for you. Some day Kitty willlet you ride her beau'ful White Snowbird; some day."

  "The Sun Maid will first learn to ride the Snowbird, herself,"corrected the Snake-Who-Leaps. "She will begin now."

  With unquestioning confidence, a confidence that Gaspar did not share,she ran back to the old warrior's side, and stood on tiptoe to belifted into place.

  "Ugh!" he grunted in satisfaction. "That is well. The one who has nofear has already conquered the wildest animal. But the White Snowbirdis not wild. She has been given an evil name, and it has clung to heras evil always clings," and the One-To-Be-Trusted turned to give hissilent attendant a meaning glance. But Osceolo had not yet raised hisgaze from the ground, and the reproof fell pointless.

  Nobody had observed that, from another direction, another youth hadquietly led up a beautiful chestnut horse, whose cream-colored maneand tail would have made it a conspicuous object anywhere; butWahneenah had expected this addition to their equestrian party and, asshe turned to look for it, exclaimed in pleasure at its promptappearance.

  The Snake-Who-Leaps heard her ejaculation, and evinced his disgust.

  "Ugh! Is it to teach a lot of women and a worthless pale-faced ladthat I have left the comfort of my own lodge this hot summer day?"

  "The old forget. It was long ago, when I was no bigger than the SunMaid here, that the One-To-Be-Trusted took me behind him on a wildride over the prairie. It was the only lesson he ever gave--or neededto give--_me_. I will show him that I am still young enough toremember!" cried Wahneenah, with all the gayety of girlhood, and withso complete a change in her appearance that it was easy to see how shehad come to be named The Happy.

  Even before the teacher had settled the Sun Maid in her tiny blanketsaddle, Wahneenah had sprung upon the chestnut's back. As she touchedit, a clear, determined, if very youthful voice, shouted behind her:

  "I am a white man! No Indian shall ever teach me a thing that I canlearn for myself!"

  For suddenly Gaspar remembered the wrongs he had suffered at thered men's hands, and leaped to Tempest's back unaided. Anotherinstant, and the trio of riders dashed away from Muck-otey-pokee in amad rush that left their disgruntled instructor in doubt which was thebetter pupil of them all.

  "Who begins slow finishes fast; but who begins fast may never live tofinish slow," he remarked, sententiously; then observing that Osceolohad, for the first time, raised his eyes, he promptly laid a heavyhand upon the youth's shoulder and wheeled him about.

  "To my wigwam--march!"

  And Osceolo marched--exactly as if all his limbs were sticks and hisjoints mechanical.

  "Ugh! So? Like the jointed dolls of the papooses, eh? Very good. Keepat it. From now till those three return, dead or alive, my fine youngwarrior, you shall be my pupil. You have set me the pace you like. Youmay keep at it. From the locust tree east of my lodge to the pawpaw onthe west, as the branch swings in the wind, so shall you swing. Ugh!May they ride far and long. One--two--commence!"

  It was noonday when he began that weary, weary automatic "step,step"; but when the last rays of the sun had disappeared beyond theprairie, Osceolo was still enduring his discipline, and making hispendulum-like journey from locust-tree to pawpaw, from pawpaw tolocust. His head swam, his sight dimmed, but still sat stolidSnake-Who-Leaps in the entrance of his tepee, "instructing" theonly pupil fate had left him.