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Page 18
In destroying the great storehouse, with its winter's supply of
provisions of his tribe, his desire had not been so much to injure his
own people as the white men, whom he knew were also dependent upon it
for food, and of whom Has-se's friend was one who would thus suffer.
He had thought to escape detection after committing this wicked act,
and that the fire would be supposed to be the result of an accident.
This hope had been dashed by the unexpected appearance of Has-se, who
had overheard his muttered threats; and now he knew that he must be an
outlaw from his tribe forever, and that he would meet with a terrible
punishment if he ever fell into their hands.
Of all his bitter thoughts the one uppermost in his mind was the desire
for revenge upon the gentle but high-spirited Has-se, who had not only
won from him his coveted position, but against whom he had just struck
such a cruel and cowardly blow.
This is the way of the world, with white as well as with red men, and
with boys and girls as well as with grown people. The more we injure a
person, the more bitter do we feel against him; and the more we help
and do good to him, the more kindly do we feel towards him.
The deep scowl of hate had not left Chitta's face when he ran his canoe
ashore at the foot of the high bluff upon which Admiral Ribault had
erected the stone pillar engraved with the French coat of arms.
Securing his canoe, and carefully concealing it from those who might
pass on the river, Chitta made his way, by means of a narrow path
through the tangled underbrush, to the summit. From here, by daylight,
he would command a view of the river for miles in either direction, and
would be able to detect the approach of any who should come in search
of him while yet they were a long way off.
As it was still night, and nothing was now to be seen except what was
disclosed by the moon, the young Indian gathered together a small heap
of moss and leaves, and drawing his robe over his head, flung himself
down for a few hours' sleep.
Tired as he was, Chitta fell asleep almost instantly; but it was fully
an hour after he had done so that a tall Indian rose, without a sound,
from the clump of bushes, concealed by which he had all this time been
watching the motionless figure, and cautiously approached it. In his
hands the tall Indian held a slender cord of twisted deer-hide, in one
end of which was a noose.
Without a movement that could arouse the lightest sleeper, he knelt by
Chitta's side, and with great dexterity managed to pass the noose over
both his moccasined feet without disturbing his slumber. Drawing it as
tightly as he dared, the tall Indian made the other end fast to a
sapling, and sat down beside the sleeper to patiently await his
awakening.
At length, just as the sun was appearing in the far east, Chitta
stirred uneasily, yawned, threw the blanket off from his head, and sat
up. As his gaze fell upon the motionless figure beside him he uttered
a sort of a gasping cry and sprang to his feet. He had hardly gained
them before the noose did its work, and, tripped by it, he fell heavily
to the ground. The tall Indian had also sprung to his feet, and now
stood over the prostrate form of his victim, with a cruel smile
lighting his dark features.
Although wicked, Chitta was no coward, and finding himself thus trapped
by an unknown enemy, he coolly asked, as he lay there,
"Who art thou, and what have I done to thee that thou shouldst thus
snare me like Pet-che?" (the pigeon).
For answer the tall Indian said, "I will first tell thee who thou art.
Thy name is Chitta. Thou wast overthrown but yesterday at the Feast of
Ripe Corn by the lad who wears in his hair the To-fa chat-te" (red
feather). "Thou art he who set fire to the storehouse of corn. Above
all, thou art now, like myself, an outlaw forever from thy people; for
know that I am that Seminole called Cat-sha" (the tiger).
At this name Chitta gave a start of surprise, for though he had never
before seen this Indian, the name of Cat-sha had been familiar to him
from his childhood. It was one used by Indian mothers to frighten
their unruly children, and quiet them into obedience, for it belonged
to the crudest, boldest, and most dreaded of all the outlawed Seminoles.
When still a youth, Cat-sha had, in a fit of ungovernable anger, struck
one of his young companions a blow, from the effects of which he died.
For this he was driven from his tribe, and from that day he had been an
outcast, whose hand was raised against all men, and who had become
famed and dreaded for his deeds of savage cruelty. He had gathered
together and become chief of that band of Seminoles of whom Has-se had
told R�n�, and under his leadership it was rapidly becoming a scourge
to all the more peaceful inhabitants of that country. Knowing all
this, it is no wonder that Chitta gave a start of surprise not unmixed
with alarm when he learned into whose hands he had fallen.
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