CHAPTER XV
THE GOOD WHITE FATHER
For a week Hamilton and I had been busy in our respective lodges gettingpeltries and personal belongings into shape for return to Red River. OnSaturday night, at least I counted it Saturday from the notches on mydoorpost, though Eric, grown morose and contradictory, maintained thatit was Sunday--we sat talking before the fire of my lodge. A drearyraindrip pattered through the leaky roof and the soaked parchment tackedacross the window opening flapped monotonously against the pine logs.
Unfastening the moon-shaped medallion, which my uncle had given me, Islowly spelled out the Nor'-Westers' motto--"Fortitude in Distress."
"For-ti-tude in Dis-tress," I repeated idly. "By Jove, Hamilton, we needit, don't we?"
Eric's lips curled in scorn. Without answering, he impatiently kicked afallen brand back to the live coals. I know old saws are poor comfort topeople in distress, being chiefly applicable when they are not needed.
"What in the world can be keeping Father Holland?" I asked, leading offon another tack. "Here we are almost into the summer, and never a sightof him."
"Did you really expect him back alive from the Bloods?" sneeredHamilton. He had unconsciously acquired a habit of expecting the worst.
"Certainly," I returned. "He's been among them before."
"Then all I have to say is, you're a fool!"
Poor Eric! He had informed me I was a fool so often in his ravings I hadgrown quite used to the insult. He glared savagely at the fire, and if Ihad not understood this bitterness towards the missionary, the nextremark was of a nature to enlighten me.
"I don't see why any man in his senses wants to save the soul of anIndian," he broke out. "Let them go where they belong! Souls! Theyhaven't any souls, or if they have, it's the soul of a fiend----"
"By the bye, Eric," I interrupted, for this petulant ill-humor, that sawnaught but evil in everything, was becoming too frequent and alwaysended in the same way--a night of semi-delirium, "by the bye, did yousee those fellows turning up soil for corn with a buffalo shoulder-bladeas a hoe?"
"I wish every damn Red a thousand feet under the soil, deeper than that,if the temperature increases."
It was impossible to talk to Hamilton without provoking a quarrel.Leaning back with hands clasped behind my head, I watched throughhalf-closed eyes his sad face darkling under stormy moods.
At last the rain succeeded in soaking through the parchment across thewindow and the wind drove through a great split in chilling gusts thatadded to the cabin's discomfort. I got up and jammed an old hat into thehole. At the window I heard the shouting of Indians having a hilariousnight among the lodges and was amazed at the sound of dischargingfirearms above the huzzas, for ammunition was scarce among the Mandanes.The hubbub seemed to be coming towards our hut. I could see nothingthrough the window slit, and lighting a pine fagot, shot back thelatch-bolt and threw open the door. A multitude of tawny, joyous,upturned faces thronged to the steps. The crowd was surging about somenewcomer, and Chief Black Cat was prancing around in an ecstasy ofdelight, firing away all his gunpowder in joyous demonstration. I liftedmy torch. The Indians fell back and forth strode Father Holland, hisface shining wet and abeam with pleasure. The Indians had been welcoming"their good white father." As he dismissed his Mandane children we drewhim in and placed his soaked over-garments before the fire. Then weproffered him all the delicacies of bachelors' quarters, and filled andrefilled his bowl with soup, and did not stop pouring out our lye-blacktea till he had drained the dregs of it.
Having satisfied his inner-man, we gave him the best stump-tree seat inthe cabin and sat back to listen. There was the awkward pause ofreunion, when friends have not had time to gather up the loose threadsof a parted past and weave them anew into stronger bands of comradeship.Hamilton and the priest were strangers; but if the latter were asovercome by the meeting after half a year's isolation as I was, thesilence was not surprising. To me it seemed the genial face wasunusually grave, and I noticed a long, horizontal scar across hisforehead.
"What's that, Father?" I asked, indicating the mark on his brow.
"Tush, youngster! Nothing! Nothing at all! Sampled scalping-knife on me;thought better of it, kept me out of the martyr's crown."
"And left you your own!" cried Hamilton astonished at the priest'scareless stoicism.
"Left me my own," responded Father Holland.
"Do you mean to say the murderous----" I began.
"Tush, youngster! Be quiet!" said he. "Haven't many brethren come fromthe same tribe more like warped branches than men? What am I, that Ishould escape? Never speak of it again," and he continued his silentstudy of the flames' play.
"Where are your Indians?" he asked abruptly.
"In the lodges. Shall I whistle for them?"
He did not answer, but leaned forward with elbows on his knees, rubbinghis chin vigorously first with one hand, then the other, still studyingthe fire.
"How strong are the Mandanes?" he asked.
"Weak, weak," I answered. "Few hundred. It hasn't been worth while fortraders to come here for years."
"Was it worth while this year?"
"Not for trade."
"For anything else?" and he looked at Eric's dejected face.
"Nothing else," I put in hastily, fearing one of Hamilton's outbreaks."We've been completely off the track, might better have stayed in thenorth----"
"No, you mightn't, not by any means," was his sharp retort. "I've beenin the Sioux lodges for three weeks."
With an inarticulate cry, Hamilton sprang to his feet. He was tremblingfrom head to foot and caught Father Holland roughly by the shoulder.
"Speak out, Sir! What of Miriam?" he demanded in dry, hard, raspingtones.
"Well, well, safe and inviolate. So's the boy, a big boy now! May yehave them both in y'r arms soon--soon--soon!" and again he fell tostudying the fire with an unhurried deliberation, that was torture toHamilton.
"Are they with you? Are they with you?" shouted Hamilton, hope boundingup elastically to the wildest heights after his long depression. "Don'tkeep me in suspense! I cannot bear it. Tell me where they are," hepleaded. "Are they with you?" and his eyes burned into the priest's likelive coals. "Are--they--with--you?"
"No--Lord--no!" roared Father Holland, alarmed at Hamilton's violentcondition. "But," he added, seeing Eric reel dizzily, "but they're allright! Now you keep quiet and don't scare the wits out of a body!They're all right, I tell you, and I've come straight from them for theransom price."
"Get it, Rufus, get it!" shouted Hamilton to me, throwing his handsdistractedly to his head, a habit too common with him of late. "Get it!Get it!" he kept calling, utterly beside himself.
"Sit down, will you?" thundered the priest, as if Eric's sitting downwould calm all agitation. "Sit down! Behave! Keep quiet, both of you, ormy tongue'll forget holy orders and give ye some good Irish eloquence!What d' y' mane, scarin' the breath out of a body and blowing his ideasto limbo? Keep quiet, now, and listen!"
"And did they," I cried, in spite of the injunction, "did they do thatto you?" pointing to the scar on his brow.
"Yes, they did."
"Because they saw you with me?"
"No, that's a brand for the faith, you conceited whelp, you--theystopped their tortures because they saw you with me. Now, swell out,Rufus, and gloat over your importance! I tell you it was the devil,himself, snatched my martyr's crown."
"Le Grand Diable?"
"Le Grand Diable's own minion. I saw his devilish eyes leering from theback o' the crowd, when I was tied to a stake. 'Bring that Indian tome,' sez I, transfixing him with my gaze; for--you understand--Icouldn't point, my hands being tied. Troth! But ye should 'a' seen theirlooks of amazement at me boldness! There was I, roped to that tree, likea pig for the boiling pot, and sez I, 'Bring--that Indian--to me!' justas though I was managing the execution," and the priest paused to enjoythe recollection of the effects of his boldness.
"A squaw up with an old clout," he c
ontinued, "and slashed it across myface, saying, 'Take that, pale face! Take that, man with a woman'sskirts on!' and 'Take that!' howled a young buck, fetching the flat ofhis dagger across me forehead, close-cropped hair giving no grip forscalping, not to mention a pate as bald as mine," and the priest roaredat his own joke, patting his bare crown affectionately.
"Though the blood was boilin' in me enraged veins and dribblin' down myface like the rain to-night, by the help o' the Lord, I felt no pain.Never flinchin' nor takin' heed o' that bold baste of a squaw, I bawledlike a bull of Bashan, 'Bring--that Indian--to me, coward-heartedSioux--d' y' fear an Iroquois? Bring him to me and I'll make him enrichyour tribe!'
"Faith! Their eyes grew big as a harvest moon and they brought Le GrandDiable to me. Knowing his covetous heart, I told him if he still had thewoman and the child, I'd get him a big ransom. At that they all jangleda bit, the old squaw clouting me with her filthy rag as if she wantedto slap me to a peak. At length they let Le Grand Diable unfasten thebands. With my hands tied behind my back, I was taken to his lodge.Miriam and the boy were kept in a place behind the Sioux squaw's hut.Once when the skin tied between blew up, I caught a glimpse of her poorwhite face. The boy was playing round her feet. I was in a corner of thelodge but was so grimed with grease and dirt, if she saw me she thoughtI was some Indian captive and turned away her head. I told Le GrandDiable in _habitant_ French--which the rascal understands--that I couldobtain a good ransom for his prisoners. He left me alone in the lodgefor some hours, I think to spy upon me and learn if I tried to speak toMiriam; but I lay still as a log and pretended to sleep. When he cameback, he began bartering for the price; but I could make him no promisesas to the amount or time of payment, for I was not sure you were here,and would not have him know where you are.
"He kept me hanging on for his answer during the whole week, and many atime Miriam brushed past so close her skirts touched me; but thatshe-male devil of his--may the Lord give them both a warm, frontseat!--was always watching and I could not speak. Miriam's face washidden under her shawl and she looked neither to the right, nor to theleft. I don't think she ever saw me. On condition you stay in your campand don't go to meet her, but send your two Indians alone for her withyour offer, he let me go. Here I am! Now, Rufus, where are your men? Offwith them bearing more gifts than the Queen of Sheba carried toSolomon!"
* * * * *
From the hour that La Robe Noire and Little Fellow, laden with gaudytrinkets and hunting outfits, departed for the Sioux lodges, Hamiltonwas positively a madman. In the first place, he had been determined todisguise himself as an Indian and go instead of La Robe Noire, whosefigure he resembled. To this, we would not listen. Le Grand Diable wasnot the man to be tricked and there was no sense in ransoming Miriam fora captive husband. Then, he persisted in riding part of the way with ourmessengers, which necessitated my doing likewise. I had to snatch hishorse's bridle, wheel both our horses round and head homeward at agallop, before he would listen to reason and come back.
Round the lodges he was a ramping tiger. Twenty times a day he went fromour hut to the height of land commanding the north country, keeping meon the run at his heels; and all night he beat around the cramped shackas if it had been a cage. On the fourth day from the messengers'departure, chains could not bind him. If all went well, they should bewith us at night. In defiance of Le Grand Diable's conditions, which anarrow from an unseen marksman might enforce, Eric saddled his mare androde out to meet the men.
Of course Father Holland and I peltered after him; but it was onlybecause gathering darkness prevented travel that we prevailed on him todismount and await the Indians' coming at the edge of the village.
At last came the clank, clank of shod hoofs in the valley. The nativesused only unshod animals, so we recognized our men. Hamilton darted awaylike a hare racing for cover.
"The Lord have mercy upon us!" groaned Father Holland. "Listen, lad!There's only one horse!"
I threw myself to the earth and laying my ear to the turf strained forevery sound. The thud, thud of a single horse, fore and hind feetstriking the beaten trail in quick gallop, came distinctly up from thevalley.
"It may not be our men," said I, with sickening forebodings tugging atthroat and heart.
"I mistrusted them! I mistrusted the villains!" repeated the priest. "Ifonly you had enough Mandanes to ride down on them, but you're too weak.There are at least two thousand Sioux."
Hamilton and Little Fellow, talking loudly and gesticulating, rodecrashing through the furze.
"I knew it! I knew it!" shouted Hamilton fiercely, "One of us shouldhave gone."
"What's wrong?" came from Father Holland in a voice so low andunnaturally calm, I knew he feared the worst.
"Wrong!" yelled Hamilton, "They hold La Robe Noire as hostage anddemand five hundred pounds of ammunition, twenty guns and ten horses. Ofcourse, I should have gone----"
"And would it have mended matters if you'd been held hostage too?" Idemanded, utterly out of patience and at that stage when a little strainmakes a man strike his best friends. "You know very well, the men wereonly sent to make an offer. You'd no right to expect everything on onetrip without any bargaining----"
"Shut up, boy!" exclaimed Father Holland. "Just when ye both need ally'r wits, y'r scattering them to the four winds. Now, mind yourselves! Idon't like these terms! 'Tis the devil's own doing! Let's talk thisover!"
With a vast deal of the wordy eloquence that characterizes Indiandiplomacy, the tenor of Le Grand Diable's message was "His shot pouchwas light and his pipe cold; he hung down his head and the pipe of peacehad not been in the council; the Sioux were strangers and the whiteswere their enemies; the pale-faces had been in their power and they hadalways conveyed them on their journey with glad hearts and something toeat." Finally, the Master of Life, likewise Earth, Air, Water, and Firewere called on to witness that if the white men delivered five hundredrounds of ammunition, twenty guns and ten horses, the white woman andher child, likewise the two messengers, would be sent safely back to theMandane lodge; none but these two messengers would be permitted in theSioux camp; also, the Sioux would not answer for the lives of the whitemen if they left the Mandane lodges. Let the white men, therefore, sendback the full ransom by the hands of the same messenger.