CHAPTER XV.
For several days after the departure of Captain Flint, the inmates ofthe cavern felt no uneasiness at his absence; but when day after daypassed, until more than a week had elapsed without his making hisappearance they began to be alarmed.
It had uniformly been the practice of Captain Flint on leaving thecave, to give Lightfoot charges to remain there until his return, andnot to allow any one to enter, or pass out during his absence.
This charge she had strictly obeyed.
Singularly enough he had said nothing about it the last time. This,however, made no difference with Lightfoot, for if she thought of itat all, she supposed that he had forgotten it. Still she felt nodisposition to disobey his commands, although her feelings towardshim, since his late brutal treatment had very much changed.
But their provisions were giving out, and to remain in the cavern muchlonger, they must starve to death. Lightfoot therefore resolved to goin search of the means of preventing such a catastrophe, leaving theothers to remain in the cave until her return.
On attempting to pass out, she found to her horror that the way wasbarred against her from the outside.
In fact, they were buried alive!
In vain she endeavored to force her way out. The entrance had been toowell secured.
There seemed to be no alternative but to await patiently the return ofthe captain.
Failing in that, they must starve to death!
Their supply of provisions was not yet quite exhausted, and theyimmediately commenced putting themselves on short allowance, hoping bythat means to make them last until relief should come.
While the two women were sitting together, talking over the matter,and endeavoring to comfort each other, Hellena noticing the plain goldring on the finger of Lightfoot, that had been placed there by CaptainFlint during her quarrel with the Indian, asked to be allowed to lookat it.
On examining the ring, she at once recognized it as the one worn byher lost lover.
Her suspicions in regard to Flint were now fully confirmed. She wassatisfied that he was in some way concerned in the suddendisappearance of the missing man.
Could it be possible that he had been put out of the way by thisvillain, who, for some reason unknown to any but himself, was nowdesirous of disposing of her also?
The thought filled her with horror.
That night the two women retired to rest as usual. It was a long timebefore sleep came to their relief. But it came at last.
The clock which the pirates had hung in the cave, struck twelve, whenHellena started from her slumber with a suppressed cry, for the figureshe had seen in the vision many nights ago, stood bending over her!But now it looked more like a being of real flesh and blood, than aspectre. And when it spoke to her, saying, "has the little palefacemaiden forgotten; no, no!" she recognized in the intruder, her oldfriend the Indian chief, Fire Cloud.
Hellena, the feelings of childhood returning, sprang up, and throwingher arms around the old chief, exclaimed:
"Save me, no, no, save me!"
Lightfoot was by this time awake also, and on her feet. To her theappearance of the chief seemed a matter of no surprise. Not that shehad expected anything of the kind, but she looked upon the cave as aplace of enchantment, and she believed that the spirits having it incharge, could cause the walls to open and close again at pleasure. Andshe recognized Fire Cloud as one of the chiefs of her own tribe. Hewas also a descendant of one of its priests, and was acquainted withall the mysteries of the cavern.
He told the prisoners that he had come to set them at liberty, andbade them follow.
They had got everything for their departure, when they observed forthe first time that Black Bill was missing.
They could not think of going without him, leaving him there toperish, but the cavern was searched for him in vain. His name wascalled to no better purpose, till they were at last compelled to gowithout him, the chief promising to return and make another search forhim, all of which was heard by the negro from his hiding place underthe pile of skins as related in the preceding chapter.
The chief, to the surprise of Hellena, instead of going to what mightbe called the door of the cavern, went to one of the remote corners,and stooping down, laid hold of a projection of rock, and gave it asudden pressure, when a portion of the wall moved aside, disclosing apassage, till then unknown to all except Fire Cloud himself. It wasone of the contrivances of the priests of the olden time, for thepurpose of imposing upon the ignorant and superstitious multitude.
On passing through this opening, which the chief carefully closedafter him, the party entered a narrow passageway, leading they couldnot see where, nor how far.
The Indian led the way, carrying his torch, and assisting them overthe difficulties of the way, when assistance was required.
Thus he led them on, over rocks, and precipices, sometimes the pathwidening until it might be called another cavern, and then againbecoming so narrow as to only allow one to pass at a time.
Thus they journeyed on for the better part of a mile, when theysuddenly came to a full stop. Further progress appeared to beimpossible.
It seemed to Hellena that nothing short of an enchanter's wand couldopen the way for them now, when Fire Cloud, going to the end of thepassage, gave a large slab which formed the wall a push on the lowerpart, causing it to rise as if balanced by pivots at the center, andmaking an opening through which the party passed, finding themselvesin the open air, with the stars shining brightly overhead.
As soon as they had passed out the rock swung back again, and no oneunacquainted with the fact, would have supposed that common lookingrock to be the door of the passage leading to the mysterious cavern.
The place to which they now came, was a narrow valley between themountains.
Pursuing their journey up this valley, they came to a collection ofIndian wigwams, and here they halted, the chief showing them into hisown hut, which was one of the group.
Another time, it would have alarmed Hellena Rosenthrall to findherself in the wilderness surrounded by savages.
But now, although among savages far away from home, without a whiteface to look upon, she felt a degree of security, she had long been astranger to.
In fact she felt that the Indians under whose protection she now foundherself, were far more human, far less cruel, than the demon callinghimself a white man, out of whose hands she had so fortunatelyescaped.
For once since her capture, her sleep was quiet, and refreshing.