Part 16 (1/2)
”My white brothers in the tent of Thunder-maker? They are very welcoreeting, as he demanded--
”Does Thunder-maker think that we are fools? Do you think we did not hear you piping to those vile serpents of yours?”
The Indian looked puzzled
”My white brothers speak strange words, or it may be that the mind of Thunder-maker still sleeps----”
”Rot!” interrupted Arnold brusquely ”The Thunder- to us? We know that you put those snakes into our teepee, and we heard you call them back when you found that your purposes had failed”
For answer, the Indian raised one of the blankets and disclosed a basket against which he had been leaning during his pretended sleep He raised the lid, looked in, and signed the Englishrassthe basket so as to show the tangle of green bodies that it contained
”We can gain nothing by further talking,” remarked Arnold to his companion in an undertone ”The fellow has done us this ti to support us if we accuse hih,” returned Holden ”He is best ain covered the basket with a blanket, after which he looked up with a cunning and triuhty Hand take trail for Pleasant Valley!”
How he seeht of the terrible fate that awaited his eneh they were, they could not but feel a sense of shrinking at the picture that this man's attitude and tone conjured up There are times when anticipations of pleasure see by reason of description It is also so with expectancy of pain Words may paint that picture in crimson colours so that our revulsion is intensified before we see it
”We will gain nothing by re here,” said Arnold abruptly, as he turned from the tent, whence he was followed by his colish aloud, purposely to be overheard--
”The pale-face no' think that he see Pleasant Valley, but fiery toterinned evilly to himself as he watched the departure of his visitors Then he rose up, folded around hins, and crept with the slythe various teepees Reaching the farther side of the camp, he stopped in front of one of the tents that stood a little way apart from the others Gently he raised the flap and looked in An Indian of gigantic size was sitting by his and moccasins He looked up to observe his visitor, and it was noticeable that as he did so Thunder-h he were in pain
There were feho could look upon that -days it had been slashed on one side with a scalping-knife in such a way that the left eye was totally destroyed, and a livid scar ran fro the flesh into creases that robbed that part of the face of any semblance to humanity The other side hole, but the entire expression was so horrible that even familiarity did little to prevent repulsion in the senses of the beholder
”Thunder-maker is welcoain to the completion of his wardrobe
”Thunder-maker would speak ords with his brother,” said the Medicine Man, entering, but not deigning to sit in the tent of that ”brother” He seldom paid that honour to any teepee except his own and that of the chief
”It is well,” returned the other ladly hear the ords the Thunder-maker will speak”
The Medicine Man did not waste any time in needless palaver The hours were precious to him, and even an Indian can cut tireat warrior; Red Fox have eyes like father of his naood work for Red Fox to do”
The listener had broken the cord of aall his attention on knotting the break But his attention was iven to Thunder-maker all the same, and the latter knew it, so he continued--
”Thunder-hty Hand wear Many dollars as leaves in tree not buy the robe of Thunder-maker
Yet--Red Fox may wear it”
”Huh! Red Fox poor He not have dollars to buy new traps for hunting”