Part 20 (1/2)
For his life Stuart could not control his countenance; the color flared to the roots of his hair; his eyes flashed; his hand trery as he was, he was both amazed and daunted
Oconostota broke in upon his speechless agitation in a s voice to remind him of the clemency he enjoyed in that his life had been spared, and only yesterday, even at the suprearrison in the concealh with their designs, for Oconostota himself would lead the expedition (Stuart as a military man realized a necessity, that soanizations, which they felt of curbing the power of a possibly too successful and a too aspiring subordinate) How generous, declared Oconostota, had been the intercession of the noble Atta-Kulla-Kulla,--half-king of the Cherokees,--who had given in effect all his wealth to ransom him, a reat Willinawaugh, that this e for his life
Stuart's eyes turned away; he sought to veil their expression; he looked through the tall narrow door of the red clay walls at the waters of the Tennessee River, silver-shotted and blue as ever, still flowing down and down beyond the site of Fort Loudon--unust domes of the Great Sainst the hard blue of the turquoise sky, and anon drew a silver shi+mmer of reen, rose in the uely re in his boat on the shallows close to the shore, the red coat giving a bright spot of color to the harmonious duller tones of the landscape, and wondered were it possible aer of a stealthy rifle shot Now there were no red coats,--nevermore were they to be seen here! Between hi of a tall cluster of the great ethereally delicate snowy blossoms, since known as the Chilhowee lily
He kept his eyes still averted, his voice deepening with the seriousness of his sentiment as he replied that this was impossible--he could not undertake the coe; he was bound by his oath of fidelity which he had sworn to the English govern chuckle recalled his gaze to the dusky red interior of the council-chamber Oconostota's countenance was distorted with derision, and his twinkling eyes were swirave Indian--even Atta-Kulla-Kulla's face wore a protesting sht to speak, and he sputtered, and choked, and could not, for his relish of the thought in his mind Then with a deep mock-seriousness he demanded slowly if it were fireproof And relapsed into his shaking chuckle
”What?” de
”This oath of yours--to the English government Does this fidelity so clothe your body that it will not burn and crisp and crinkle in the anguish as of your hell? Does your oath harden your flesh as a rock, that arrows and knives shall not pierce it and sting and ache as they stick there waiting for the slow fires to do their work? Will your oath restore sight to your eyes when a red-hot iron has seared theht that shook and shook his lean old body
Atta-Kulla-Kulla spoke in reproach The Cherokee kings had offered Captain Stuart life and practically liberty in exchange for this service If he denied it and talked of his oath, it was but just that vengeance should take its way Many a Cherokee had fallen dead frouns and sround A wise man was Captain Stuart, and he would choose wisely
He was a hearty h his life had been but little worth of late, he was loath to throw it away
He began to teht to talk discontentedly of the project, as if he found it infeasible The commandant, he said, as if he conteht at an infinite advantage within the strong defenses of Fort Prince George, while he outside, without intrenchht, and beaten down by the eneuns soon silenced A regular approach would be iht unscreened They would never open a parallel under fire, and a vigilant defense wouldparties
He noted the effect of the unfamiliar military theories upon the Indians, as they both seemed to anxiously canvass them
”You cannot skulk behind a tree with cannon,” he continued ”The artillery, to be able to coe of the enemy's batteries, and without efficient cover it would be necessary, in serving each piece, for the gunners to be exposed to fire all the ti silence ensued At length Atta-Kulla-Kulla said he believed there would be little or no fight on account of the prisoners
”What prisoners?” demanded Stuart, shortly
Then Oconostota explained, with his blandest circuood faith, bound as he was by his oath of fidelity to the English government,--and he almost choked with the relish of his derision every time he uns properly, and fire the theht fly over the fort, or fall short, not spiking the guns, or otherwise dee of the arnorance of the poor red man unpreventable, they had deterarrison, their lives to be pledges of his good conduct and effective marksmanshi+p; and if at last his earnest and sincere efforts should prove unavailing, and the commandant should continue to hold out and refuse to surrender when finally summoned, these, the countryly tortured and burned before his eyes, within full sight and hearing of Fort Prince George
As the fiendish ingenuity of this scheuish he had suffered seeht of responsibility The lives of the poor rearrison,-- upon such discretion as he could summon to aid his exhausted powers in these repeated and tor; he could not see and he did not care for the succession of chuckles in which Oconostota was resolved at the delightful spectacle of his dismay The Cherokee had beaten this ame of war, and now had out!
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote J: Tooth!]
[Footnote K: Very excellent]
[Footnote L: Three]
[Footnote M: Four--six]
[Footnote N: The great hawk is at home!]
CHAPTER XIII
Stuart seeone In silence he was conducted back to his quarters in Demere's house at Fort Loudon And as there he sat in the spare, clean roole chair it contained, with one elbow on the queer, rough little table, constructed according to a primitive scheme by the post carpenter, he stared forward blankly at the inevitable prospect so close before hiht have rallied his faculties On the buffalo rug on the floor Atta-Kulla-Kulla reclined and s-stemmed pipe and watched him with impenetrable eyes Once he spoke to hi the unners of the expedition Stuart lifted his head abruptly