Part 43 (1/2)
”Upon the day before his departure for the land of the white man he gave to the girl the skin of Diablesse, and then she told him she loved him, and begged him to remain with her in the country of the Indians.
”But he would not, for he does not love Jeanne, but another--a woman of his own people, who lives in the great city of the white man. And even though this woman sent him from her, he loves her, and will marry no other.
”Listening, Wa-ha-ta-na-ta heard him tell this to Jeanne; but of this woman the girl knew, for he talked incessantly of her, and cried out that she would marry another--in the voice of the fever-spirit, in the time of his great sickness.
”The following day he departed in a canoe, and as he pushed from the sh.o.r.e, Jeanne handed him his mackinaw, and words pa.s.sed between them that Wa-ha-ta-na-ta could not hear from her position behind a log.
”But, as the canoe pa.s.sed from sight around a bend in the river, the girl plunged into the woods, and Wa-ha-ta-na-ta returned to the tepee and made up a light pack and slipped silently upon her trail. The girl cut through the forest and came again to the river, and for a night and a day awaited the coming of the canoe.
”The third evening it came and the man camped, and Jeanne crept close and watched him across the blaze of his little fire as he smoked and stared into the embers. While Wa-ha-ta-na-ta also crept stealthily to the fire, making no sound, and she came to within an arm's reach of the man's back, and in her hand was clutched tightly the sheath-knife with its long, keen blade.
”At the midnight the man unrolled his blankets and laid down to sleep, and then it was that Jeanne stepped into the firelight. And in the deep shadow, Wa-ha-ta-na-ta gripped more tightly the knife and made ready to strike.”
The half-breed paused while the others waited breathlessly for him to resume.
”Think not that Jeanne is bad. She is good, and her heart is the pure heart of a maiden. But, such is the love of woman--to face gladly the sneers of the world, and the wrath of her people--for she did not ask him to marry her--only to take her.
”But the man would not, and commanded her to return to the lodge. She told him that she could not return--that three days and three nights had pa.s.sed since they had departed together, and that, if he would not take her, she would go alone to the land of the white man.
”Then M's'u' Bill arose and folded his blankets and made up his pack, and when he spoke to her again it was in the voice of the terrible softness--the softness that causes men first to wonder, and then to obey, though they know not why. He said that he himself would take her back, and that Wa-ha-ta-na-ta, who is old and very wise, would know that his words were true.
”Wa-ha-ta-na-ta, lurking there in the deep shadow, in that moment knew that the man's heart was good. And she stepped into the firelight, and looked long into his eyes--and she broke the knife--and between them there pa.s.sed the _promise_.”
Jacques puffed slowly upon his cigar, arose to his feet, and stood looking down upon the two who had listened to his words.
”It is well,” he said, and his dark eyes flashed, ”for the heart of Moncrossen is bad, and the beauty of Jeanne has inflamed the evil pa.s.sions of him, and he will stop at nothing in the fulfillment of his desire.
”But, into the North has come a greater than Moncrossen. And terrible will be the vengeance of this man if harm falls upon Jeanne. For he is her friend, his word has pa.s.sed, his heart is strong and good, and he knows not fear.
”Upon Moncrossen will fall the day of the Great Reckoning. And, in that day, justice will be done, for he will stand face to face with M's'u'
Bill--The-Man-Who-Cannot-Die--the man whom Wa-ha-ta-na-ta has named 'The One Good White Man'!”
CHAPTER x.x.xIX
BILL'S WAY
”And, to think,” whispered Mrs. Appleton as she wiped a tear from her eye, after the half-breed's departure, ”that in New York this same man had earned the name of 'Broadway Bill, the sport'!”
”Yes,” answered her husband; ”but Broadway Bill has pa.s.sed, and in his place, out here in the big country, is Broadgauge Bill, the _man_! I knew I was right, Margaret, by gad, I knew it! Look in his eye!”
Followed, then, in the little office, an hour of intimate conversation, at the conclusion of which the two arose.
”Not a word to Ethel, remember,” admonished the woman, and laughed knowingly as her husband stooped and kissed her.
During the days that followed, Appleton and Sheridan, accompanied by Blood River Jack, hunted from early morning until late evening, when they would return, trail-weary and happy, to spend hours over the cleaning and oiling of guns and the overhauling of gear.
Young Charlie was allowed to go on some of the shorter expeditions, but for the most part he was to be found d.o.g.g.i.ng the heels of Bill Carmody; or perched upon a flour-barrel in the cook-shack, listening to the tales of Daddy Dunnigan.