"Better conciliate them to a small extent, though I never did believe in buying off your Danes," said Winthrop. "I'll give them an order for coffee and sugar and tobacco on the post we last quitted; but I'll see them hanged before they'll get anything out of us here."

This resolve Vipan communicated to the chiefs. The white Colonel felt quite strong enough to protect his own camp and did not need the escort so kindly offered. At the same time his red brothers could best show their friendship by retiring altogether and leaving him quite alone.

The chiefs had admitted their inability to control their young men under all circ.u.mstances, and this being so, it would be best to part good friends. They could proceed to Fort Jervis and obtain the supplies, for which he would give them an order.

The emissaries saw that the game was up. They might eventually wear out the patience and watchfulness of the whites, and obtain the scalps and plunder they so ardently desired, but they would have to fight. No safe and easy way of treachery lay open to the coveted spoil, and this they recognised.

Then Mountain Cat, who up till now had preserved a stern and contemptuous silence, said:

"Golden Face, the friend and brother of the Dahcotah! Should he not rather be called Double Face?"

The sneering and vindictive tone was not lost upon the other two whites, although they understood not a word of its burden. Glancing at Vipan, they noticed that he was as unconcerned as though the other had never spoken.

"Does one friend kill another?" went on the savage, his eyes flashing with hatred. "Ha! More than one of our young men has been shot this day. Who was their slayer? Golden Face--the friend and brother of the Dahcotah nation!"

"What were my words to the great Council at Dog Creek?" was the calm rejoinder. "'Those who strike my friends strike me, and turn me into an enemy.' Were there not enough whites abroad upon the plains for your war-party to strike without attacking my friends whom I accompany?

Enough. My words stand. I never go back from them."

For a moment things seemed to have come to a crisis. The chief made a step backward and cast a half-involuntary glance in the direction of his party. A threatening scowl came over his grim countenance, and his hand made a movement towards the revolver in his belt. But Vipan never moved a muscle, beyond carelessly dropping his rifle so as to cover the Indian in a manner apparently accidental.

"The Dahcotah have entertained a false friend in their midst," went on Mountain Cat, darting forth his hand with a menacing gesture, "one who smokes in their council and then betrays them. Where is War Wolf?"

"Is War Wolf my horse or my dog that it is my business to take care of him?" was the coldly contemptuous reply.

"Who witnessed the scalp-dance in our village at Dog Creek, when War Wolf showed his scalps? Who delivered him into the hands of the soldiers?" said the other, meaningly.

"I know who did not--and that was myself. We may as well speak plainly.

War Wolf appears to have gone about the country bragging how he took the scalps of two white men, when he ought to have kept his mouth shut.

If he was seized by the soldiers he has himself to thank for it, and n.o.body else--certainly not me, any more than yourself. I would even have warned him if I had been able, but it was impossible. That is enough about the matter."

"Good," repeated the savage chieftain, in a tone full of grim meaning.

"Golden Face talks well, but in future our war-parties will know an enemy from a friend."

"So be it," replied Vipan, wholly unmoved by the threat. "If your party attacks our outfit again, we shall fight, as we did before."

"Excuse me," put in Winthrop, who was waxing impatient during this protracted conversation. "Excuse me--but our friend there does not seem to enter into the situation in a right spirit. Here is the order. It is made available only up till three days hence. So if you will kindly inform him accordingly, no doubt we shall get rid of the whole crew."

On the principle of "half a loaf," the other two chiefs grasped the bit of paper eagerly. They were beaming with smiles, and br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with affection for their dear white brothers. Only Mountain Cat held scowlingly aloof. Then they returned to their men.

It was uncertain now how matters would turn. Watching them, the occupants of the corral could see that an animated conference was being held. Would there be another battle? Even if not, a large war-party like this, determined to annoy them, could soon reduce their position to one of imminent peril. By closely investing the camp they could render it nearly an impossibility for the stock to obtain proper grazing--let alone bringing all progress forward to an utter standstill. They could even make it a matter of extreme difficulty to replenish the water supply--and then, too, there would be the constant strain and fatigue of ever being on the watch against surprise--whether by day or night. So that when their conference ended, the whole party mounted their ponies and retreated in the same way as they had come, the feeling evoked in the minds of the spectators was one of entire and undiluted relief.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

A PERIL OF THE PLAINS.

"A 'tenderfoot,' and--'turned round'!" [Lost.] And the speaker hands his field-gla.s.s to his companion. The latter brings it to bear and gazes with interest upon the object under observation.

The said object is a horseman, now between three and four miles distant.

The observers from their point of vantage and concealment, a little belt of scrub and timber cresting a knoll, have been watching this object ever since it appeared on the skyline.

Thanks to the powerful gla.s.s they can make out every movement of the solitary horseman, and very irresolute his movements are. Now he reins in, and looks anxiously around; now he spurs his nag to the brow of some slight eminence, only to encounter disappointment, for the broad rolling plains lie around in unbroken monotony, affording no sort of landmark for the guidance of this inexperienced traveller. There is weariness and disappointment in his every movement. In his countenance there is more--an expression of strong apprehension, not to say alarm. This, too, thanks to the developments of science, is clear to the observers.

"A 'tenderfoot,' and turned round," repeats Vipan. "Now, what the deuce can he be doing here, alone, and away from his outfit? Why--what's the matter, Miss Santorex?"

"Look--look!" is the hurried reply. "There--to the right--down in the hollow! What--who are they?"

In her eagerness she has seized his arm, and her face has gone pale as death. But Vipan has seen at the same time what she herself has. His reply is grave and in one word.

For a new factor has appeared on the scene. Stealing around the slope of the hill, out of sight of the horseman, but so that a few minutes will bring them suddenly upon him, come nearly a score of mounted figures. Their plumed heads and long lances show them to be Indians, their painted faces and the fantastic trappings of their ponies show them to be warriors on the war-path. Their stealthy glide, as nearer and nearer they advance upon their wholly unconscious victim, leaves no doubt whatever as to their present intentions. Indeed, the observers can plainly distinguish the exultant grin on each cruel countenance as the warriors exchange glances or signals. A few moments, and the solitary horseman will ride right into their midst.

"Oh, can nothing be done to save him?" cried Yseulte Santorex, clasping her hands in the intensity of the situation.

"I'm afraid, under present circ.u.mstances--nothing," was the reply, given with a calmness that outraged and exasperated her.

"What! I should never have believed it of you, Mr Vipan," she cried, her eyes flashing with indignation. "I should never have believed that you--you of all men--would stand by and see a fellow-creature barbarously done to death, and make no effort to save him, or even to warn him."

There was a strange look in Vipan's eyes as he met her scornful and angry glance--full and unflinchingly.

"Should you not!" he replied. "Well, then, I would stand by and see a hetacomb of 'fellow-creatures' done to death, if the alternative lay in exposing you to serious danger."

"Forgive me," she said, hurriedly, and in a softer tone. "But leave me out of the question, and let us try and save him. See! There are not many Indians; we can surely do something. Oh! It is too late!"

The stranger's horse was seen suddenly to stop short, pause, swerve, then start forward with a bound that nearly left his rider rolling on the plain. He had scented the Indians, who at the same moment appeared within a few hundred yards of the white man. Feigning astonishment at the suddenness of the meeting, one of the foremost warriors called out in broken English:

"How! White brother not run away. We good Injun--d.a.m.n good Injun!

Stop!--say 'how.' Smoke pipe--eat heap 'chuck'! d.a.m.n good Injun, we!

White brother--stop!"

But the "white brother," though obviously a greenhorn, was not quite so soft as that. For all answer he dug the spurs into the sides of his nag in such wise as materially to increase the distance between himself and the savages. The latter, baulked of an easy and bloodless capture, together with the rare sport of putting a prisoner to death amid all manner of slow and ingenious tortures, cast all pretence to the winds, as they darted in pursuit.

Then began a race for life, which the spectators could not but watch with thrilling interest. Fortunately for the fugitive, his horse was an animal of blood and mettle, and seemed likely to show a good lead to the fleet war-ponies. But on the other hand the fugitive himself was an indifferent rider, and more than once, wholly unaccustomed to the tremendous pace, he would sway in the saddle, and only save himself by a hurried clutch at his steed's mane from being cast headlong to the earth. The whoops and yells of the savage pursuers sounded nearer and nearer in his ears, and the expression of his countenance, livid as with the dews of death, and eyeb.a.l.l.s starting from their sockets, was that of such despairing horror as to turn one of the two spectators sick and faint.

"There's just a chance for him," muttered Vipan, more to himself than to his companion. "If he takes the right fork of the valley he's a dead man--nothing can save him. If he takes the left, it'll bring him close under us, and I'll give him a hail."

"Do, for the love of Heaven!" gasped the girl through her ashy lips.

"G.o.d will help us, if we try and save this stranger."

Along the valley-bottom swept this most engrossing of all hunts--a man-hunt. Whatever advantage the superiority of his horse afforded him the fugitive was throwing away by his own clumsiness; for wildly gripping the bridle to steady himself in his seat, he was checking and worrying his steed to a perilous extent. Bent low on the necks of their ponies, the savages were urging the latter to their utmost speed.

Slowly but surely now they were gaining. But a minute more and the fugitive must choose--the right fork of the valley, away into certain death--the left, succour, possible safety.

Suddenly a warrior, urging his steed in advance of the rest, literally flying over the ground, comes within fifty yards of the fugitive.

Five--ten--another effort and he will be within striking distance. Then rising upright in his saddle the savage whirls a la.s.so in the air.

Another moment and the fatal coil will have settled around the doomed man's shoulders.

But it is not to be. A crack and a puff of smoke from the spectators'

hiding-place. The distance is too great for accuracy of aim--six hundred yards if an inch--but the ball ploughs up the ground under the pony's feet, causing the animal to swerve and the rider to miss his cast. The warriors, disconcerted by this wholly unlooked-for danger, halt for a moment, gazing in the direction of the report. At the same time a stentorian voice calls out:

"This way, stranger. This way, for your blessed soul, or you're a dead man!"