Instead of waiting until the patriot had proven the truth of hisdeclaration, the renegade succumbed at once. It is hard to kick thewretch who clasps your knees, and the lieutenant, who was determined torid the world of the man as soon as he had made the declaration of hispurposes respecting the captives, found his resentment gone.
Mr. Brainerd, with an expression of scorn, sprang up from the log andstrode over to his son.
"In Heaven's name, let him go, Fred! Kick him out of sight, for hehasn't the manhood to stand up and be shot like a man."
"Get up!" commanded Fred, catching him by the collar of his coat, andjerking him to his feet: "I want to speak to you."
But Golcher was no sooner on his feet than he went to pieces again,groaning and whining, and begging for that mercy that he had so oftendenied to others.
Again the lieutenant yanked him to the upright position, and, findinghim collapsed as before, he cuffed his ears until they tingled,shouting:
"Stand up, or you're a dead man!"
Finally, after wabbling about several minutes, Golcher summoned enoughstrength to keep his feet, though in a shaky condition; and finding hewas not to be executed immediately, he managed to grasp the situation.
"I was going to say--What do you mean, Gravity?"
This sudden question was caused by Gimp, the African, who, with achuckle, ran forward from the darkness that was beginning to give awaybefore the approach of day, and, jamming his head down in the groundbetween Godfrey and Golcher, threw his huge feet in the air, and begankicking with such recklessness that one of them struck the lieutenant inthe breast, nearly knocking him over, while the other sent the Toryrecoiling some distance.
"Can't help it!" exclaimed the happy African; "Jake Golcher's s'priseparty dat was to hab arriv, hab arroven, and me and Aunt Peggy feelslike standin' on our heads, and kickin' de limbs off de trees."
Gravity used his feet rather too vigorously, and, swaying beyond thepoint of nature's gravity, came down on his back with a resoundingthump; but he did not mind it, and leaping up, ran to the fallen tree,where he sat down among his friends with the most extravagantmanifestations of joy.
It is not to be supposed that the six Senecas remained idle spectatorsof this extraordinary scene. They were quick to comprehend what itmeant, and had they but maintained guard for the preceding hour or twowith their usual care the surprise could not have been effected.
But, if any warriors could feel warranted in believing themselves beyonddanger of molestation from white men, it was those Indians who took partin the Wyoming massacre.
When they grasped their guns and glanced around, their eyes encountereda strange sight. It seemed as if a score of men had sprung from theground like so many visions of the night, and every one of the Iroquoiswho used his eyes saw a gun leveled at him.
Had the scene occurred in Texas to-day, it would have been said thatDick Durkee and his foresters "had the drop" on the Tory and hisIroquois.
The latter saw they were caught, and they preserved a masterlyinactivity, pending the negotiations between the two parties.
There was a threatened complication that might turn the tables again,and this time against the patriots. Some of the Senecas were absent andwere likely to come back. Gray Panther might be among them, and in suchan event the whites were likely to find themselves between two fires.
"You poor fool," said Fred, when Golcher got into such shape that hecould understand what was said to him; "stand up like a man, or I'llshoot you!"
"Yes--yes--yes, I--w-w-wi-ll; what do you want?"
"I want to make an agreement with you, and it's got to be done mightyquick or not at all."
Thereupon the Tory straightened up wonderfully; but, happening to lookabout him and to catch sight of the patriots standing, as it seemedeverywhere, with their guns leveled, he was seized with another fit ofshivering, and it was some time before he could compose himself.
"You see," said the lieutenant, "that you are at my mercy, and I'lltreat you better than you deserve. I have but to give the signal, as Itold you a minute ago, and ten seconds from now there wouldn't be aTory or red Indian standing alive in this camp. Every one of you iscovered, but I'll agree to let you and them withdraw, on condition thatyou do so without a second's delay."
"I'll do it--I'll do it!" gasped Golcher; "I'll give you an escort toStroudsburg, or anywhere you want to go."
"I rather think you won't," was the reply of Godfrey. "You have escortedus altogether too much as it is. Thank Heaven, we are in shape to takecare of ourselves now."
"Wal, I'm ready to do whatever you want; fact is, leftenant, I nevermeant one-half I said about you, and I ain't half as mean as--"
"Not another word!" commanded Fred. "We'll attend to business now."
CHAPTER LI.
Lieutenant Fred Godfrey expected such a reception from Jake Golcher aswould give him a suitable excuse for opening fire on the Tory and theSenecas, but the panic of the leader disarmed his enmity, and reallyforced the arrangement that was now carried out; one that, it may besaid, was intensely disagreeable to Dick Durkee and his comrades, whowere unwilling to spare such miscreants.
But the lieutenant was the commander, and there was no rebellion againsthis orders.
"Bring your warriors up here," ordered Fred, and Golcher made a sign forthe Senecas to approach.
They moved forward a few paces, but, mistrusting the purposes of thepatriots, refused to come further. Golcher berated, and ordered them toadvance, telling them--what they already knew--they were covered by theguns of the whites.
But they stood sullenly apart, and began moving in the direction of theriver.
At this moment Dick Durkee called out:
"Lieutenant, shall we fire? We've got every wretch of 'em fast."
"Keep them covered, but don't shoot unless they raise their guns,"called Fred, who was embarrassed by the unexpected turn.
"May I go with 'em?" asked Jake Golcher, in a cringing voice, beginningto back away from his dreaded master.
"Yes, go; and I pray Heaven none of us may ever look on your faceagain."
Fred should have been prepared for what followed, inasmuch as no oneunderstood the treacherous nature of Tory and Indian better than he,but, as we have intimated, he was confronted by an unexpected conditionof affairs, and was caught off his guard, so to speak.
He saw the warriors withdrawing, and already entering the wood on hisleft, while he stood in the full light of the camp-fire, calmly watchingthe movement.
"Fred, move away from there," called out his father; "you are too good amark for them."
Fortunately, the young man stepped back and to one side, placing himselfnear Dick Durkee, who stood with cocked rifle, fairly quivering withrage, because he was forced to hold his fire.
Fred himself had his pistol at command, but he was without any rifle,having handed his over to one of his friends, when he went forward withHabakkuk McEwen.
The Indians were in the fringe of the wood, when all the formerprisoners, who were sitting on the fallen tree, sprang up, and beganmoving away.
At this juncture one of Durkee's men shouted:
"Look out! They're going to shoot!"
The words were yet in his mouth, when Jake Golcher, with unparalleledtreachery, raised the gun that he had caught from one of the Senecas,and aimed directly at Maggie Brainerd.
His position was such that only her father understood his purpose, andhe sprang forward to shield his daughter, throwing himself before her atthe very moment the Tory discharged his gun.
With a groan of pain, the brave parent staggered a few steps and fellheavily to the ground.
"Just as I expected," exclaimed Dick Durkee. "Give it to 'em, boys!Don't spare one!"
With incredible celerity the Iroquois fired their guns almostsimultaneously with the Tory, and then darted off like so many shadowsthrough the wood, the dim morning light being insufficient to betraythem in the thick undergrowth.
But Dick Durkee and his men ret
urned the volley instantly, and sprangafter them.
Fred Godfrey had not noticed the fall of his father, but, with his wholesoul aflame at the outrage, he dashed toward the wretches, pistol inhand, determined to wreak vengeance on the party, who, he well knew,were inspired to the deed by Golcher himself.
On the edge of the wood, where the Senecas had stood for a singlemoment when they fired their guns, two of their number were stretchedlifeless, proving that the return volley had done some execution.
The settlers charged through the undergrowth without any regard to orderand the peril into which they might precipitate themselves.
Had Gray Panther and his warriors appeared on the ground at that crisis,in all probability he would have drawn the entire party into ambush, andcut them off to a man.
But the fleeing force was too small to attempt a stand, or any suchtactics, and they devoted themselves entirely to getting away.
They were more expert in this than their pursuers, and scattering--as isthe custom of the red men to this day, when closely pressed--each usedall his energy and cunning in flight.
Dick Durkee and his men, including Fred Godfrey, went crashing andtearing ahead, glaring in front and to the right and left in quest of atarget, but finding none, until, when the blind pursuit had lastedfifteen minutes or more, it dawned on those concerned that it was idleto attempt anything more.
Then they stopped for breath, and, turning about, began straggling backtoward camp.
Fred Godfrey would have been the last to rejoin his friends had he notbeen seized with a dread that something might go wrong with those whowere left defenseless.
He therefore hastened, and in the gray light of the morning came upon ascene of sadness.
Richard Brainerd, his step-father, lay on his back, with his head in thelap of Maggie, while Eva was weeping over him, and Aunt Peggy wasstanding beside them, her face streaming with tears.
Gravity Gimp was rolling on the ground in an agony of sorrow, for he sawwhat was apparent to the young man--the loved father and master wasdying.
Fred knelt by his side, and taking a whisky flask from the rough butkind-hearted Dick Durkee, pressed it to the white lips of the sufferer.
"It's no use, Fred," said he, with a sad smile; "I'm done for. JakeGolcher fired that shot, but he meant it for Maggie, and not for me.I'm close to death."
"I hope it isn't as bad as that," said Fred, through his tears, hismanner showing he could not believe his own words.
"It's as well that I should go," said the old man, rallying slightly;"and I'm thankful that the rest of you escaped. Good-bye, Fred."
The youth took the hand that was already growing clammy and limp, and,returning the pressure, could only murmur:
"Good-bye, good bye; would that it had been I, rather than such a noblefather as you have always been to me."
Gravity Gimp, rousing to a sense of the situation, rushed forward withirrestrainable grief, and shook the hand of his master, bending over andkissing his forehead.
Aunt Peggy did the same, and then came the last, sad parting scenebetween the father and his loved daughters.
The murmured words were heard only by Maggie and Eva, who treasured themup in after-years as the most precious mementos of their lives.
When the mild, loving eyes of the parent gradually grew dim, they restedupon the tearful faces of the two girls; and, as he entered the land ofshadows, his last memory of the world he left behind was illumined bythose two yearning countenances, whose kisses were pressed upon hislips. And the dark angel, reaching out his hand, took that of thepatriot, and led him through the shadowy valley into the bright realmsbeyond.
CHAPTER LII.
Among the most eager pursuers of the treacherous Tory and his Senecaallies, was Habakkuk McEwen, who had withdrawn to the rear of thesettlers that held the Indians at their mercy during the interviewbetween Jake Golcher and Fred Godfrey.
The natural timidity of the new Englander led him to do this, but he wasso infuriated by the act of the party, that he lost all thought ofpersonal danger, and charged through the wood at the very head of theavengers.
McEwen had no rifle, but he quickly supplied himself with one. Catchingsight of a Seneca who had fallen before the volley of Dick Durkee andhis comrades, he snatched the weapon from his rigid grasp and sped alonglike a deer.
He had ammunition, and a hasty examination showed that the gun wasunloaded. With a coolness hardly to be expected, McEwen stopped in hispursuit and deliberately recharged the rifle, which seemed to be a fineweapon.
"I don't want to be catched without anything to help myself with," hesaid to himself, resuming the chase.
This was conducted in such a blind, headlong fashion, that Habakkukspeedily found himself not only out of sight of the Indians, but of hiscomrades, who were threshing in different directions, some of themshouting like madmen.
"I think they'll make for the river," concluded the New Englander, aftera moment's pause, "and I'll keep on till I reach the water myself."
As the flush of the first excitement wore off, Habakkuk began to doubtwhether he was doing a prudent thing, in chasing a whole war party inthis single-handed style.
"I'll take a little pains that they don't get after _me_," he thought,beginning to use more caution in his movements.
It was a considerable distance to the Susquehanna, but he pushed on, andjust as the gray light of the morning was penetrating the wildernessand spreading over the water, he caught the familiar gleam of thebeautiful stream.
Looking across, he paused in silent contemplation of the familiar scene.Naturally, he first noticed that landmark so well remembered by oldsettlers, which was known as the "umbrella tree," on account of itspeculiar shape, and which was visible a long distance, standing as itdid on the mountains of the western shore.
But he was withdrawn from viewing the general features of the landscape,by the sight of the heavy smoke that rested like a pall on the otherbank. It partly shut out from sight the straggling houses, most of whichwere smoldering ashes, and suggested the awful desolation that had beenwrought in Wyoming Valley during the few hours that had passed since thememorable battle was fought near Forty Fort.
"I've no doubt pandemonium was let loose there last night," mutteredHabakkuk, "and it was a good thing for us that we got across when wedid, and a much better thing that Dick Durkee and his men j'inedus--Hello!"
He was standing where his body was pretty well screened, and waswondering that he saw no one moving, when he was alarmed by a splash inthe water a short distance above him.
Fearful of being discovered, Habakkuk crouched down, and cocked his gun.
"It must be some of the scoundrels, who are everywhere; I hadn't orterbeen quite so rash--"
At that moment some one sprang into the river, and, wading out a shortdistance, began swimming for the other shore.
The timid patriot did not dare look out at him until he had gotten somedistance away, when he peeped through the undergrowth, and scrutinizedthe head and shoulders that were moving rapidly across the stream.
Then, to his amazement, he recognized the man as Jake Golcher, the Tory,who had wrought all this ruin and sorrow; though Habakkuk was far fromsuspecting the whole result of the shot of the renegade.
"By the great Caesar! it's him," gasped Habakkuk, trembling withexcitement; "and that gives me a chance to win some laurels with theother folks, especially with pretty Maggie."
Assuming a kneeling position, he took the most careful aim of his lifeat the unsuspecting ingrate, and when certain there could be no miss,pulled the trigger.
There was no flash in the pan nor miss of aim. The career of JakeGolcher ended then and there, with a suddenness and freedom fromsuffering that were mercy compared to what he deserved.
Habakkuk McEwen lingered long enough to make certain that there was nomistake, and then he stealthily reloaded his rifle before stirring fromthe spot. He was apprehensive when several Indians appeared on the othershore and showed some signs o
f an intention to cross the stream.
This was enough for McEwen, who scrambled out of his hiding-place, andscarcely paused until he reached the camp, where he came upon thesorrowful scene to which we have already referred.
Mr. Brainerd was no more, and the mourning friends, having rallied fromtheir first shock of grief, were preparing to leave the spot, which fora while to come must be one of exceeding great danger to them.
After some consultation, Fred Godfrey, Dick Durkee, and Gravity Gimptenderly lifted the body and carried it to a mass of rocks but a shortdistance away.
Had they possessed a shovel they would have given it burial until theycould return, but that was impossible.
Accordingly, it was laid away in a natural sepulchre, and the boulderswere so piled around it as to prevent disturbance from animals; then allbade it a tearful adieu, and the faces of the little party were turnedtoward the far-off settlements of the upper Delaware.
Already the sounds of firing and the shouts of Indians were heard fromthe other side of the Susquehanna, while terrified fugitives werecontinually encountered.
Some of these were in such sore extremity that they were taken charge ofby Fred Godfrey and Dick Durkee. Maggie and Eva Brainerd were so meltedby their own sufferings that they found it impossible to pass by any ofthe poor beings without doing their utmost to relieve their distress.
And among all the fugitives that hastened in such horror from theWyoming settlements that day, there were many who had been smitten in amore cruel manner than the loving daughters, but there was not one whosewoe was deeper than theirs.