Chapter VII: The Maiden’s Doom

We will now go back for a few minutes, and note how it was that Ruth and her friends fell into the clutches of the savages.

It will be remembered that the scout told them to move slowly onward in the direction they were going; while he and Ned Tapley attended to the savages whom he had seen hanging in their rear.

These orders they had obeyed, keeping a sharp look-out about them for danger, until the moment when they had been startled by the shots fired by their friends behind them.

Ruth, in spite of herself, uttered a cry of terror at the sound, fearful that one of the reports might announce the death of her lover.

“Hush!” exclaimed her father, warningly. “Be calm, Ruth. You know that Dick warned us not to speak above our breath.”

They were passing now through a little thicket of evergreens, whose branches were so thick above their heads that the rays of moonlight could not penetrate to the earth.

It was as good a place as the savages could have selected for an ambush; but that there was really danger there, not one of them suspected.

That, they were looking for in their rear, where the rifle-shots told them that their friends had already encountered it.

Suddenly the settler, who was leading the way, recoiled as though he had received a blow.

As if by magic, a savage sprung up before him, directly in his path.

The next instant a cry of fear broke from the lips of his wife and daughter.

On either side the forms of a half-dozen savages sprung up so close to them that they could almost have touched them by reaching out their hands.

Unmindful of the hopelessness of their situation, the settler raised his rifle and discharged it at the breast of the savage before him.

But the bullet went wide of its mark, for as he pulled the trigger, a savage upon his right caught hold upon it, and attempted to wrest it from his grasp.

But this he did not succeed in doing, and pulling it from the clutches of the savage, the settler brought it down with such force upon his head as to stretch him senseless upon the earth.

Another savage had sprung upon Peleg Parker, and with one hand had grasped his pack on his back, while the other he entwined in his long hair, and attempted to pull him to the earth.

But the Yankee had no notion of parting with the former, even if he lost his hair, and drawing a pistol he endeavored to shoot down his opponent. But by some mischance it exploded, before he had taken aim, and throwing it to the earth he had recourse to his fist.

“Take that, you thieving varmint!” he cried, as he dealt him a blow between the eyes, that would have felled an ox; “I’ll l’arn ye how to hanker arter other people’s property.”

The savage went down like a log, but he had so good a hold in the hair of the Yankee that he took him along with him, and they both rolled upon the earth together.

Peleg struggled hard to rise; but before he could do so another savage was firmly planted upon his breast.

Meanwhile Sam Wilson had been assaulted by three or four of the enemy and was at last borne to the earth; and one of them, catching him by the hair, circled his scalping-knife above his head as though he would rob his victim of his scalp, even before he took his life.

But, with a cry for mercy, Ruth threw herself beside the savage, and implored him not to do the fatal deed.

“Take my life, if you will,” she cried, “but spare my father. He has never harmed a red-man, and do not have his blood upon your hands.”

It was Rushing Water himself to whom she appealed, though she did not recognize him in the darkness.

“And what will the white maiden give if no harm shall be done to her friends?” he said, in a low tone.

Ruth felt a ray of hope steal into her heart at these words.

“Any thing she has,” she replied. “If Rushing Water has not a heart of stone, let no harm be done to any.”

“The will of the white maiden is law to Rushing Water. The lives of her kindred shall be spared as she asks. But let her remember the promise she has made. The chief will claim it soon.”

He spoke a word of command, and coming at that moment it saved the life of at least one of them. An instant later, and the Yankee would have had no further use for his pack in this world. An arm was even at that moment raised to take his life.

“Do not save me by any such promise as you have made,” cried her father. “Think what it is that the chief will require of you. There is but one thing he desires, and that is to take you to his lodge. Let us rather die where we are, than this fate should be yours.”

Ruth felt her heart sink like lead in her bosom. But her promise had been given and she would not revoke it. Of what use would it be for her to do so. She was completely in his power, and he would do with her as he chose, even though she stood out against him. Now she had his promise that the lives of her friends should be spared, and that was more than she had hoped for.

At this moment there was the report of another rifle, and a bullet whistled above their heads.

Our friends knew well it came from Ned’s rifle, and that he was rushing upon his own destruction.

But there was no help for it. Even before they had a chance to think, he had dashed wildly in among them, dealing blows right and left with the breech of his rifle.

But his career was of short duration. Valiant as he was, he could not successfully contend against such fearful odds, and in less time than it takes to tell it, he was thrown to the earth, where his limbs were secured in such a manner that he was entirely powerless.

His life would have been taken in an instant, had it not been for the promise the chief had given to Ruth, and who eagerly reminded him of it when she saw the fearful danger her lover was in.

“Thank God, Ruth, you are alive,” cried the young man, as he hopelessly wrestled with his captors. “I was fearful that you all had perished.”

“But we are unharmed, Ned. The chief has promised that for the present, at least, our lives shall be spared. Therefore, make no more resistance as it will only be worse for us all.”

Sam Wilson heaved a groan.

“But she throws herself away, Ned, to save us. Better by far that we never move from this spot. Oh! that I should have ever lived to see this hour when my child sells herself to save the lives of her friends.”

Ned Tapley started up, and strained at the bonds that fettered his limbs with all his strength.

“What do you mean?” he cried. “Ruth, what is it that you have promised?”

“Let the white maiden be still. Rushing Water will answer the pale-face’s words. She is to be the bride of the chief. When the Indian village is gained, she will go to his lodge. Let her pale-face friends keep as silent as the dead if they would live. If they do not, the chief may forget his promise and slay them now. The white maiden will be his all the same.”

Our friends knew by the tone in which these words were uttered, that the chief meant what he said, and that he would not hesitate a moment to carry out his threats. Therefore, they thought silence on their part was the best thing for them now. It was hard for the settler, or Ned, to contain themselves, yet they saw that they must if they would save their own lives. Something might turn up before the Indian village was reached which would help them to make their escape. As yet the scout was free, and they hoped he would remain so; for it might be that he could achieve their deliverance. If man could do it, they knew he would.

Each silently prayed that he might make good his escape, instead of coming to their assistance now. He could do no good at present, and should he fall into their hands his doom was sealed at once. No power on earth could prevent their taking summary vengeance upon him. The Death-Dealer had sent too many of their braves to the spirit-land, for them to spare him, should they once get him into their clutches.

The work of securing their captives had hardly been completed, when one of them caught a glimpse of the scout surveying the scene before him.

His form was too well known to them; too strange and uncouth to be mistaken, and a flight of arrows was at once sent in his direction, while they bounded forward toward the spot where he stood. A parting shot from him, which made one of them bite the dust, was what they received in return, and then he fled away, while they followed on for awhile, in what they knew, from past experiences, would be hopeless pursuit.

Meanwhile those that remained behind carefully secured those of their prisoners that as yet had remained unbound.

Peleg Parker submitted to his bonds with very ill grace. With his hands bound tightly behind him he felt that he had not so good a hold upon his pack as he could have desired.

In fact now it was at the mercy of the savages whenever they saw fit to explore its mysteries.

That they would find an opportunity to do so sooner than he liked he had no doubt.

He had first tried to coax and then to hire the savages not to bind him.

He was magnanimous enough to offer them two dollars “and the darndest best chance to trade they ever had in their lives” to let him go, but it had no effect upon their hardened natures.

They kept at their work as unconcernedly as though he had not been talking to them as fast as his tongue could run.

At first it had been in a low tone, but as he found he made no impression upon them, he kept raising his voice, until at last it became a whining sort of a howl.

At last Rushing Water thought it was about time for him to stop, and striding up to where he lay he shook his knife threateningly at him.

“Let not the pale-face whine like a licked cur,” he said. “If the chief hears more, the coward shall have a knife in his heart.”

Peleg thought it best to keep quiet, though he was half tempted to ask him how he would trade the knife he held in his hand for one that he carried in his pack. But the moonlight was shining upon the face of the savage and he saw a look in his eye which told him that it would require but little to make him put his threat into execution.

None of them had been spared the bonds. Even Mrs. Wilson and Ruth were secured the same as their male friends, though perhaps their bonds were a little softer and not drawn quite so tightly. Evidently Rushing Water did not mean that any of his captives should escape him through any fault of his.

In less than half an hour, those who had gone in pursuit of the scout, returned. As their chief expected they came empty-handed. None of them were fleet enough to overtake the Death-Dealer. They had tried that game with him before and had always failed. There was not a savage on the river who could keep pace with him when he done his best.

It was now near daylight. A little longer and the short summer night would be gone and the East would grow gray with the coming morn.

The night had been one of toil and excitement to both parties and they felt the need of rest. But Rushing Water decided that they could not have it here. No time should be lost in getting away from the neighborhood of the settlements, where danger might be apprehended should the whites get a clue to what had been going on that night. Once at the Indian village in the stronghold of his tribe he would defy any force that might be sent against him.

Therefore he gave orders for them to start at once, and closely surrounding their prisoners so that there might be no loophole of escape, they set forth upon the long, wearisome way that lay before them.

Rushing Water walked by the side of Ruth and her mother. He did not mean to leave sight of her who had cost him so much trouble.

To the great delight of Peleg, he was made to carry his own pack. One of the savages tried it but found it too heavy for his comfort. But the Yankee would have borne double its weight rather than to have been separated from it.