Erskine Dale—Pioneer

by John Fox

  XIX

  With the head of that column of stalwart backwoodsmen went Dave Yandelland Erskine Dale. A hunting-party of four Shawnees heard their comingthrough the woods, and, lying like snakes in the undergrowth, peered outand saw them pass. Then they rose, and Crooked Lightning looked at BlackWolf and, with a grunt of angry satisfaction, led the way homeward. Andto the village they bore the news that White Arrow had made good hisword and, side by side with the big chief of the Long Knives, wasleading a war-party against his tribe and kinsmen. And Early Morncarried the news to her mother, who lay sick in a wigwam.

  The miracle went swiftly, and Kaskaskia fell. Stealthily a cordon ofhunters surrounded the little town. The rest stole to the walls of thefort. Lights flickered from within, the sounds of violins and dancingfeet came through crevice and window. Clark's tall figure stolenoiselessly into the great hall, where the Creoles were making merry andleaned silently with folded arms against the doorpost, looking on at therevels with a grave smile. The light from the torches flickered acrosshis face, and an Indian lying on the floor sprang to his feet with acurdling war-whoop. Women screamed and men rushed toward the door. Thestranger stood motionless and his grim smile was unchanged.

  "Dance on!" he commanded courteously, "but remember," he added sternly,"you dance under Virginia and not Great Britain!"

  There was a great noise behind him. Men dashed into the fort, andRocheblave and his officers were prisoners. By daylight Clark had thetown disarmed. The French, Clark said next day, could take the oath ofallegiance to the Republic, or depart with their families in peace. Asfor their church, he had nothing to do with any church save to protectit from insult. So that the people who had heard terrible stories of thewild woodsmen and who expected to be killed or made slaves, joyfullybecame Americans. They even gave Clark a volunteer company to march withhim upon Cahokia, and that village, too, soon became American. FatherGibault volunteered to go to Vincennes. Vincennes gathered in the churchto hear him, and then flung the Stars and Stripes to the winds offreedom above the fort. Clark sent one captain there to take command.With a handful of hardy men who could have been controlled only by him,the dauntless one had conquered a land as big as any European kingdom.Now he had to govern and protect it. He had to keep loyal an alien raceand hold his own against the British and numerous tribes of Indians,bloodthirsty, treacherous, and deeply embittered against all Americans.He was hundreds of miles from any American troops; farther still fromthe seat of government, and could get no advice or help for perhaps ayear.

  And those Indians poured into Cahokia--a horde of them from every tribebetween the Great Lakes and the Mississippi--chiefs and warriors of everyimportance; but not before Clark had formed and drilled four companiesof volunteer Creoles.

  "Watch him!" said Dave, and Erskine did, marvelling at the man'sknowledge of the Indian. He did not live in the fort, but always onguard, always seemingly confident, stayed openly in town while thesavages, sullen and grotesque, strutted in full war panoply through thestraggling streets, inquisitive and insolent, their eyes burning withthe lust of plunder and murder. For days he sat in the midst of theringed warriors and listened. On the second day Erskine saw Kahtoo inthe throng and Crooked Lightning and Black Wolf. After dusk that day hefelt the fringe of his hunting-shirt plucked, and an Indian, with facehidden in a blanket, whispered as he passed.

  "Tell the big chief," he said in Shawnee, "to be on guard to-morrownight." He knew it was some kindly tribesman, and he wheeled and went toClark, who smiled. Already the big chief had guards concealed in hislittle house, who seized the attacking Indians, while two minutes laterthe townspeople were under arms. The captives were put in irons, andErskine saw among them the crestfallen faces of Black Wolf and CrookedLightning. The Indians pleaded that they were trying to test thefriendship of the French for Clark, but Clark, refusing all requests fortheir release, remained silent, haughty, indifferent, fearless. He stillrefused to take refuge in the fort, and called in a number of ladies andgentlemen to his house, where they danced all night amid thecouncil-fires of the bewildered savages. Next morning he stood in thecentre of their ringed warriors with the tasselled shirts of hisriflemen massed behind him, released the captive chiefs, and handed themthe bloody war belt of wampum.

  "I scorn your hostility and treachery. You deserve death but you shallleave in safety. In three days I shall begin war on you. If you Indiansdo not want your women and children killed--stop killing ours. We shallsee who can make that war belt the most bloody. While you have been inmy camp you have had food and fire-water, but now that I have finished,you must depart speedily."

  The captive chief spoke and so did old Kahtoo, with his eyes fixed sadlybut proudly on his adopted son. They had listened to bad birds and beenled astray by the British--henceforth they would be friendly with theAmericans. But Clark was not satisfied.

  "I come as a warrior," he said haughtily; "I shall be a friend to thefriendly. If you choose war I shall send so many warriors from theThirteen Council-Fires that your land shall be darkened and you shallhear no sounds but that of the birds who live on blood." And then hehanded forth two belts of peace and war, and they eagerly took the beltof peace. The treaty followed next day and Clark insisted that two ofthe prisoners should be put to death; and as the two selected cameforward Erskine saw Black Wolf was one. He whispered with Clark andKahtoo, and Crooked Lightning saw the big chief with his hand onErskine's shoulder and heard him forgive the two and tell them todepart. And thus peace was won.

  Straightway old Kahtoo pushed through the warriors and, plucking the bigchief by the sleeve, pointed to Erskine.

  "That is my son," he said, "and I want him to go home with me."

  "He shall go," said Clark quickly, "but he shall return, whenever itpleases him, to me."

  And so Erskine went forth one morning at dawn, and his coming into theShawnee camp was like the coming of a king. Early Morn greeted him withglowing eyes, his foster-mother brought him food, looking proudly uponhim, and old Kahtoo harangued his braves around the council-pole, whilethe prophet and Crooked Lightning sulked in their tents.

  "My son spoke words of truth," he proclaimed sonorously. "He warned usagainst the king over the waters and told us to make friends with theAmericans. We did not heed his words, and so he brought the great chiefof the Long Knives, who stood without fear among warriors more numerousthan leaves and spoke the same words to all. We are friends of the LongKnives. My son is the true prophet. Bring out the false one and CrookedLightning and Black Wolf, whose life my son saved though the two wereenemies. My son shall do with them as he pleases."

  Many young braves sprang willingly forward and the three were haledbefore Erskine. Old Kahtoo waved his hand toward them and sat down.Erskine rose and fixed his eyes sternly on the cowering prophet:

  "He shall go forth from the village and shall never return. For hiswords work mischief, he does foolish things, and his drumming frightensthe game. He is a false prophet and he must go." He turned to CrookedLightning:

  "The Indians have made peace with the Long Knives and White Arrow wouldmake peace with any Indian, though an enemy. Crooked Lightning shall goor stay, as he pleases. Black Wolf shall stay, for the tribe will needhim as a hunter and a warrior against the English foes of the LongKnives. White Arrow does not ask another to spare an enemy's life andthen take it away himself."

  The braves grunted approval. Black Wolf and Crooked Lightning avertedtheir faces and the prophet shambled uneasily away. Again old Kahtooproclaimed sonorously, "It is well!" and went back with Erskine to histent. There he sank wearily on a buffalo-skin and plead with the boy tostay with them as chief in his stead. He was very old, and now thatpeace was made with the Long Knives he was willing to die. If Erskinewould but give his promise, he would never rise again from where he lay.

  Erskine shook his head and the old man sorrowfully turned his face.