Part 21 (1/2)
He rose, making Curumilla a sign to follow him; and after a.s.suring himself that his arms were in good condition, he walked to the end of the island. The Indians were still continuing their signals, and Valentine raised his hands to his mouth in the shape of a speaking trumpet.
”What do the Buffalo Apaches want?” he shouted.
”The chiefs have to speak with the palefaces, but they cannot hear them at such a distance. Will the palefaces promise them safety if the warriors come to them?”
”Come,” Valentine replied, ”but mind, only two of you.”
”Good,” the chief said, ”two warriors will come.”
The Apaches consulted for an instant together, and then took from among the lofty gra.s.s in which it was concealed a light raft, which the hunters had not noticed, and prepared to gain the island.
The whites awaited them, resting on their rifles, apparently careless, but anxiously watching the shrubs on the bank, behind which the Apache warriors were doubtless hidden, and watching them in their turn.
The Indians landed and walked toward the hunters with all the etiquette prescribed by the law of the prairies. On seeing that the Indians were unarmed, Valentine handed his rifle to Don Pablo, who laid it a few paces behind him.
”Good,” Black Cat muttered, with a smile; ”my brother acts loyally. I expected that from him.”
”Hum, chief!” Valentine answered, sharply; ”Enough of compliments--what have you to say to me?”
”My pale brother does not like to lose time in vain words,” the Indian said; ”he is a wise man. I bring him the propositions of the princ.i.p.al chiefs of the tribe.”
”Let us hear them, chief. If they are just, although we are not in so bad a position as you may suppose, we may possibly accept them, merely for the sake of saving bloodshed.”
”There are at this moment more than two hundred warriors a.s.sembled on the riverbank; tomorrow there will be five hundred. Now, as the palefaces have no canoes, as they are not otters to plunge unseen into the 'endless river,' or birds to soar in the air--”
”What next?” Valentine interrupted him impertinently.
”How will my brothers eat, when the little provision they have is exhausted? With what will my brothers defend themselves when they have burnt all their powder?”
”I presume that is of little consequence to you, chief,” the hunter answered, with ill-concealed impatience. ”You did not ask the interview I have granted to talk nonsense, so I must ask you to come to facts.”
”I only wished to prove to my brother that we are well-informed, and know that the palefaces have no means of flight or safety. If, then, my brothers are willing, they can rejoin their nations, without being impeded by us in their retreat.”
”Ah, ah! And in what way, chief, if you please?”
”By delivering to us immediately two persons who are here.”
”Only think of that! And who may these two persons be?”
”The White Lily and the Coras Chief.”
”Listen, chief: if you took the trouble to come here in order to make me such a proposal, you were wrong to leave your comrades,” Valentine said, with a grin.
”My brother will reflect,” the Apache said, with perfect calmness.
”I never reflect when the question is the commission of an act of cowardice, chief,” Valentine answered sharply. ”We have known each other for a long time; many of your warriors have been sent by me to the happy hunting grounds. I have often fought against you, and never on the desert have you or your brothers had to reproach me with an action unworthy of an honest hunter.”
”That is true,” the two chiefs answered, with a deferential bow; ”my brother is beloved and esteemed by all the Apaches.”
”Thanks. Now listen to me: the maiden you call White Lily, and whom you made prisoner, is free by right and in fact, and you know very well that you have no right to ask her of me.”