Little Moccasin gave the speaker a glance of hatred, and then said in her silvery tone:
"Areotha comes from the Blacksnake"s spy. The guide is dead; he sleeps where the storm tore down the trees. Fair Face says that he will soon bring the white girl back to her people!"
"And he sent you here to say this?" said Carl Merriweather, in a tone which told that he did not believe a word which had fallen from the girl"s lips.
"He told Areotha to tell the mother and the father this, that their eyes might get bright again."
"It is a pretty story, but it don"t go down," Carl said.
The black eyes flashed again.
"You might as well have told us that Kate was in the camp now," said George Darling.
"That is so!"
"We believe that you are the biggest mischief-maker in these parts. Who knows how many young men you have decoyed to their doom by your smiles.
And now you have another in your net--a brave young fellow, but blind enough to follow your infernal witchery to his death. Come, lay your rifle down; we want to deal with you as you deserve."
"If we let you off with a whole skin you may thank our mercy," said Carl with a smile.
Little Moccasin, finding herself completely in the power of the young men, hesitated a moment, and then dropping her rifle, surrendered herself. There was no pity in her captor"s eyes, and her pale face made them laugh outright.
"A little whipping--that is all!" said George Darling, fiendishly, as he seized the girl"s arm and led her to a tree that stood near by.
While Carl guarded her, his companion stripped a lynn tree of its bark covering, which he converted into ropes, and returned to the selected tree.
Blushing at the purposed indignity, the girl permitted herself to be lashed to the tree--her cheek against the bark--but with pressed lips and flashing eyes.
This operation performed, a number of keen withes were selected, and armed with several bundles which had been converted into whips as cutting as the Russian knout, the gallant young bordermen approached their captive.
"Now my forest lady," said Darling, sarcastically, "we"ll give you a dressing that will not be forgotten on your dying day. Come, now, confess that you are a forest witch in league with Jim Girty and his minions, red and white."
"The Manitou knows that Areotha never lifted a hand against the American people."
"Lying to the last," said Carl. "Ten extra licks for that."
"Twenty of them," answered Darling, eager to deal the first blow.
"We should have taken off her jacket."
"No, the sticks will cut through it like a razor."
"Then let her have the whipping, George. When your arm tires, I will continue the work."
George Darling selected the longest bundle of withes, and stepped back for a terrible sweeping blow. The girl gritted her teeth and waited. Her white face seemed frozen against the tree.
With demoniac pleasure in his eye, the young man raised the whip and swung his arm back for the blow. Carl Merriweather did not cease to watch him.
The second of silence that followed was suddenly broken, but not by the sound of the sticks on Little Moccasin"s back.
There came a stern voice from the right:
"Stop! I"ll kill the rascal that touches that girl!"
George Darling started, and the knout fell from his hand. There were more than one white face beneath the tree.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!" said the same voice, and the would-be whippers saw Wolf Cap advancing. "It is a pretty business for two young men to be engaged in--whipping a girl in the woods. By hokey!
I ought to take the whips and wear them out on your backs."
The youths were too astonished to reply. They trembled like criminals before the tall spy, and did not stir until he had cut the girl"s bonds and released her.
"Go back to the camp!" he commanded. "Or hold! Apologize to this creature. Down on your knees, or by the great horn spoon, I"ll cut your faces into strings with your own whips."
The tall man was in a tempest of pa.s.sion, and, frightened almost out of their wits, the young men dropped upon the ground and craved forgiveness of the creature whom they had so grossly insulted.
"Areotha cannot hate the Americans," she said softly. "She will forget the bark and the whips."
Sullen and abashed, Carl Merriweather and his companion slunk away, leaving Wolf Cap and Little Moccasin at the tree.
For a long time the scout and spy looked into the girl"s eyes, and all at once he covered his face with his hands and groaned.
"Every time I see her I think of that terrible night," he said.
"What does the hunter say?" said the girl, catching his words but indistinctly, for they were spoken through his great hard hands.
"Nothing," Wolf Cap answered, starting at the sound of her voice.
"Nothing; don"t speak to me! You make me think of a voice that I heard when I was a happy man."
As he uttered the last word, he staggered back with great emotion, and saw Little Moccasin staring strangely into his face.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE BROTHERS" LAST INTERVIEW.
Meanwhile Wayne was advancing with that caution and intrepidity which had rendered him famous in wars prior to the one in which he was then engaged. His spies brought him hourly reports of the movements of the enemy, and he knew where the decisive conflict would be fought.
The allied tribes had selected as their battle ground the forest of Presqu"-Isle, a place on the left bank of the Maumee, and almost within reach of the guns of the British Fort Miami.
During the night preceding the battle, the chiefs of the different nations a.s.sembled in council, and it was proposed by some to go up and attack Wayne in his encampment. The proposition was opposed, and the council did not determine to attack him that night!
A great deal of responsibility rested upon this nocturnal council, at which the Girtys were present. Simon did not say much in the council, but held private talks with the prominent chiefs. He approved the plan of attacking the Americans in their camp, and his plan was ably seconded by Little Turtle and others.
The fate of the tribes of the Northwestern Territory hung upon the decision of the council.
"We have beaten the enemy twice under separate commanders,"[E] said the Turtle in the council. "We cannot expect the same good fortune always to attend us."