CHAPTER XXVI
AN UNEXPECTED INTERVIEW
Having turned his back on his pursuers, Deerfoot gave them nofurther attention. His purpose now was to defend Jack Carleton andOtto Relstaub from the two red men in pursuit.
It will be remembered that the youthful warrior had fixed in his ownmind the course taken by the others, and he hastened to a pointwhere he was hopeful of finding the trail. But the calculationwhich led him thither was drawn too fine. Like the detective whospins a theory, perfect in every part and bristling with proof, hefound that a slight hitch at the beginning destroyed it all.Neither the pursuers nor pursued had crossed the spot where he wasso certain he would discover their footprints.
This was a disappointment to Deerfoot, who stood several minutesdebating what to do. It would require considerable time to returnpoint where he separated from the boys follow them thence, besideplacing him well to the rear of the red men from whom the harm wasdreaded. It was this fact which disturbed Deerfoot, but thereseemed no other course open. He could easily speculate as to theroutes by which to head off the warriors, but the mistake just madewarned him that he had no time guesses of that character.
Clearly the only thing to do was to follow the course named, andwith his usual promptitude, he moved through the wood toward thepoint where he was more than likely to come into collision with thelarger party of Shawanoes. He turned aside from his own trail, ashe invariably did under circumstances, but had not gone far when hefound that which was lost.
The Shawanoe halted and looked at the ground with a grim smile, forhe saw the print of the horse's hoof, the tracks made by Jack andOtto, and the lighter impressions of two pain of moccasins.
Having caught sight of the warriors not long previous, he knew theywere at no great distance. They were walking at such a leisurelypace that unless it was increased, they were not likely to overtakethe unconscious fugitives before they halted for the night.
The Shawanoe wheeled and hurried along the trail, with the loping,noiseless trot which could be maintained without distress from riseof morn till set of sun. He did not scrutinize the earth directlyat his feet, but glanced several rods in front. He could readilydetect the trail that far, and was thus enabled to keep keen watchof his surroundings, without retarding his own gait.
He occasionally flung a glance over his shoulder, but he was wellsatisfied that none of the larger party was after him: they hadbecome impressed with the fact that it wouldn't pay.
A quarter of a mile off and he leaped lightly over a small stream,which crossed his path. He paused long enough to learn that thehome had stopped to drink, doing so with some difficulty, for thewater was so shallow that his lips must have stirred the mud on thebottom.
The boys did not halt, but one of the warriors had got down on hisknees and hands, the latter spread apart like the fore legs of acamelopard, as to touch his dusky lips to the water, of which hedrank his fill. All this Deerfoot noted, with only a few moments'pause, then he was off again.
But he had gone only a little way, when he observed other facts thatwere more disquieting. The Shawanoes had changed pace similar tohis own, and beyond question were gaining upon the boys, who couldnot know peril. Deerfoot was convinced that the red men hadhastened through fear of losing the trail in the coming darkness.It followed, therefore, that he himself must advance faster or losethe scent.
While able to follow the tracks of a horse, entirely by the sense offeeling, the progress must necessarily be too slow to be effectiveunder circumstances like those which now confronted him.
The youth made a tremendous bound and struck a gait which renderedit unnecessary to look behind him, for no pursuer could equal hisspeed. He watched only the forest in front, through which he washurrying with a velocity that raised a gale about his ears and kepthim dodging and ducking his head to avoid unpleasant consequences.
All at once, he leaped sideways behind the nearest large tree, setdown his rifle and bow and drew his tomahawk. He had discoveredthrough the gathering twilight one of the Shawanoes returning overthe trail. It was a fortunate accident which prevented himdetecting his pursuer, since he was on the watch against that verydanger, but Deerfoot was an instant quicker, and awaited him asgrimly as he confronted the two warriors who followed him to thebase of the hill, where one was pierced by his unerring arrow.
Deerfoot at first believed both were coming back, having beensummoned thither perhaps by some signal from the larger party, buthe saw there was only one. The youth could have picked him offwithout difficulty, but he was too chivalrous to do so, inasmuch asthe red man was actually retreating instead of advancing, and hadnot as yet made the first move against him.
A guarded peep from his hiding-place showed the warrior approachingon a loping trot, similar to his own, his long rifle in his rightband, while a glimpse was obtained of his blanket rolled andstrapped like a knapsack behind his shoulders.
He held his head well forward, his restless eyes scanning the woodas it opened before him, but evidently with no thought of the dangerwhich really menaced him. All at once, the figure of Deerfootglided softly from behind the tree and confronted him with histomahawk drawn back and ready to throw.
The Indian checked himself as abruptly as if an unfathomable chasmhad opened at his feet, but quick as he was, Deerfoot was so closethat the latter could have touched him with his extended bow.
The warrior, old enough to be the father of the other, saw that hewas helpless. He was without the power to raise a finger to savehimself, even though he held a loaded rifle in one hand and carriedthe regulation knife and tomahawk in his girdle. Had he made thefirst motion toward using his weapons, the upraised tomahawk wouldhave left the grasp of Deerfoot with the swiftness of lightning, andthe skull of his foe would have been cloven as though made of tissuepaper.
"Let the Shawanoe obey the words of Deerfoot," said the youth, "andhe shall not be harmed."
The other made no answer, but his frightened looks showed he wasready to follow any orders received from such high authority.
"He carries a blanket on his back which Deerfoot would love to have,that he may sleep upon it when the night is cold and he has nocamp-fire to warm him."
The elder Shawanoe dropped his gun to the ground beside him, that hemight use both bands more readily to unfasten the bundle for hismaster. Flinging it at his feet, he looked inquiringly up andawaited the next command.
Deerfoot did not stoop to take the article, for that would haveinvited a treacherous attack. He merely glanced downward and thenasked, "Whither is my brother going?"
"He seeks those who sent him here; they are not far and we heard theshout of one of our warriors, which we did not understand."
"'Twas his cry when the arrow of Deerfoot pierced his heart," saidthe youth with flashing eye. "Deerfoot has crossed the great riverand means never to visit the other shore; he has left Kentucky andOhio, and the Shawanoes must look for his footprints on this side.They cannot find him, and he will shoot them from behind the treesand rocks. He will flee from them no more."
The red man to whom these words were addressed could not fail tounderstand their meaning. They gave distinct notice that the youthwould strike back, whenever harm was offered him, while west of theMississippi. He had located there for life and was prepared todefend himself against one and all of his enemies.
Beyond question, the elder Indian would have given much could hehave been in Kentucky at that moment. He was watching for somechance to turn with panther-like quickness on his youthfulconqueror, but the latter took care that no such opportunity wasgiven him.
Deerfoot could not know that the group whom he left behind hadresolved to withdraw from the dangerous country, and while theiragreement would have been interesting and possibly gratifying newsto him, yet he was not particularly concerned, since he wasdetermined to force them sooner or later to that conclusion.
"Deerfoot took a gun that belonged to one of those who stole hisblanket and broke his ca
noe; his blanket has been restored to himand he will now give the gun to his brother."
This statement was not understood by the other, which fact is not tobe wondered at, since it was not only in violation of what may becalled common sense, but the gun itself was not in sight.
It was within reach, however, and the youth had but to take a singlestep backward, when he grasped it with his right hand and profferedit to the other, whose very amazement caused him to take it withmuch awkwardness. Thus it came about that Deerfoot allowed thewarrior to have two rifles, both loaded, while he stood guard overhimself, with only his tomahawk in hand.
The transfer being made, the elder was at liberty to go, so soon ashe answered a few questions. He knew much of Deerfoot fromreputation, and, therefore, was not so dumfounded as otherwise hewould have been, when informed that no harm would be done him.
"When my brother left his comrades, he took a warrior with him,"said Deerfoot in his native tongue. "Where is he?"
Daring as the young Shawanoe was, he was guarded to give up the gun,until satisfied the second foe was not likely to appear on thescene. While he would have made his usual brilliant stand againsttwo of his enemies, he would have needed all the means which hepossessed to combat them.
"My brother waits my return; he sits on fallen tree and listens formy footsteps that may learn what ill has befallen our brothersnearer the great river."
"When my brother has learned and tells them what then will they do?"
"They will hasten across the great river and never come back."
Deerfoot smiled faintly, for he saw the purpose of this remark; thewarrior was seeking to propitiate his conqueror. The latter mightwell have added that, inasmuch as he had already given him the fact,the elder was in duty bound to turn about and hasten to his waitingfriend with the news; but it was too much to ask him to accept theword of an enemy, and the youth preferred that he should make theslight journey and ascertain the truth for himself.
What followed was unique and curious. Deerfoot stepped aside, justenough to allow the other to pass. The elder held a gun in eachhand and stood motionless a moment, as if uncertain what to do; buthis conqueror was waiting, and he, therefore, advanced three steps,enough to bring him opposite Deerfoot, while the fourth carried himbeyond. It was at that juncture he caught sight of the long bowleaning against the tree where the gun had been standing. He longedto seize it, but he knew instant death would follow the attempt.
Without turning to the right or left, the released Shawanoe strodeby with deliberate and dignified step. He held his own gun in hisright hand, and with no evidence of what he was doing, he stealthilydrew back the hammer which clasped the flint. He then notedcarefully the number of paces he took.
When he had counted nearly fifty, he felt safe from the crash of thetomahawk. Dropping the strange rifle to the ground, he wheeled likea flash and sighted quickly at the spot where he last saw hisconqueror, but he had vanished.
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