But Sansuta had already forgotten her question, and was again singing softly to herself.
Presently she stopped once more, and putting both arms around Alice"s neck, murmured that she was tired.
The pale-faced maiden kissed her, and, as she did so, the tears from her eyes fell on Sansuta"s cheek.
"Why do you weep? Who has injured you?"
Had Alice framed her thoughts into words she would have answered, the whole world; but, instead, she only replied to her companion with gentle endearments, and, at length, caressed her into a gentle sleep.
It was a beautiful tableaux for a painter to delineate--beautiful--but at the same time sadly impressive.
A young Indian chief, who had been a silent witness to it, must have thought so, by the sigh that escaped him, as he turned his face away.
Wacora was the chief who thus sighed.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
STRANGE CHANGES.
Wacora"s love for Sansuta had long since changed into pity.
A new feeling now possessed his heart.
A new love had arisen from the ashes of the past:
Alice Rody was the object!
He had at first been struck with admiration at her courage; afterwards he had witnessed her discretion and tenderness, and then noted her beauty.
His thoughts, thus stirred; soon ripened into a pa.s.sion far stronger than respect.
Pity and love had exchanged places within his bosom.
He and his captive had done the same.
The girl was free; her gaoler had become her prisoner.
This new phase of feeling was not accomplished suddenly.
It grew silently and slowly but surely.
One thought troubled Wacora.
It was Nelatu"s admiration for Alice Rody.
He saw that she cared not for his cousin, but he forebore to urge his suit, out of compa.s.sion for Sansuta"s brother.
His love, therefore, was speechless, and his captive was unconscious of it.
But what of her? She, too, had changed.
By one of those marvellous transformations of which the human heart is capable, Alice Rody not only became reconciled to her residence among the Indians, but even found much that interested her, even to the awakening of pleasant thoughts.
Many of the Seminoles were, as has been stated, well educated, and with education had come the usual chastening influence.
This was especially true of the young chief Wacora, and she had not failed to observe it.
Her first reflection was what he might have been had he been brought up amongst her own race, for, although she had not been told of his mother being a white woman, she did not doubt that he had white blood in his veins.
What might not a man of his intelligence, chivalric courage, and purity of thought have become in a society where civilisation would have developed all these mental qualities?
The question was a natural one when viewing only the advantages which high culture presented; but its obverse was unfavourable, when considering that civilisation is often an approach to barbarism through selfishness and rapacity.
She answered the query herself, and favourably for him. This mental questioning once commenced, did not pause, but went on to farther consideration of the character of the young chief.
His thoughtfulness seemed as much sprung from regret at the compulsory warfare he was waging against her race, as the n.o.ble enthusiasm with which his soul was filled.
The heart of a woman easily yielded its admiration to an enthusiast!
The motive may be condemned, but the spiritual essence of thought that prompts to action still remains to be admired.
It will then be seen that the first abhorrence had given place to interest; and interest had ripened into--
Into what?
There was no answer to that question. As it came before Alice Rody"s mind she evaded it, and strove calmly to consider Wacora as her captor.
But it soon seemed impossible to look upon him in this light.
No _preux chevalier_ could be more courteous in his bearing--no prince more calmly conscious of his own birthright.
His was of the oldest patent. Whether thinking so or not, he was one of Nature"s n.o.blemen.
A few months had wrought these marvellous changes in the personages of our tale, and upon Wacora"s sudden departure to the scene of war, both he and his captive felt a strange void in their hearts, unaccountable, because novel.
Nelatu, whose hope of winning the regard of the pale-faced maiden had sunk into a calm state of despair, departed with his cousin, hoping that in the field of battle he might find a still calmer rest.
His fate, wrapt in the dark mystery of the future, was veiled from him.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.
A PEACEFUL WARNING.
The summer had waned into autumn.