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Page 4
"And so," replied the soldier, "I was goin' to, when Loup
Garou began with his capers. Then it was I gave a parable
like, about his scentin' the varmint better nor we human
critters could."
"Ephraim Giles," said Mr. Heywood, sharply, while he
fixed his dark eye upon him, as if he would have read
his inmost soul, "you say that you have been a soldier,
and fought with our army on the Wabash. Why did you leave
the service?"
"Because," drawled the ex-militaire, with a leering
expression of his eye, "my captin was a bad judge of good
men when he had 'em, and reckoned I was shammin' when I
fell down rale sick, and was left behind in a charge made
on the Injins at Tippecanoe. I couldn't stand the abuse
he gave me for this, and so I left him."
"Cool, indeed," sneered Mr. Heywood; "now then, Ephraim
Giles, hear my opinion. Your captain thought you were a
coward, for he judged you from your conduct. I, too,
judge you from your conduct, and have no hesitation in
pronouncing you to be a rogue or a fool."
"Well, I want to know!" was the only rejoinder of the
man, as he went on unconcernedly with his whittling.
"Le Noir," said his master to the Canadian, who, imitating
his example, had taken down a long duck gun from the same
side of the hut, "take your dog with you and reconnoitre
in the neighborhood. You speak Indian, and if any of
these people are to be seen, ascertain who they are and
why--"
Here he was interrupted by the gradually approaching
sounds of rattling deer hoofs, so well known as composing
one of the lower ornaments of the Indian war-dress, while,
at the same moment, the wild moaning of Loup Garou, then
standing at the front door-way, was renewed even more
plaintively than before.
Mr. Heywood's cheek blanched. It was not with fear, for
he was a man incapable of fear in the common acceptation
of the word, but independently of certain vague
apprehensions for others, his mind had been in a great
degree unhinged by an unaccountable presentiment of evil,
which instinctively had come over it that day. It was
this, that, inducing a certain irresoluteness of thought
and action, had led him into a manifestation of peevish
contradiction in his address to Ephraim Giles. There are
moments, when, without knowing why, the nerves of the
strongest--the purposes of the wisest, are unstrung--and
when it requires all our tact and self-possession to
conceal from others, the momentary weakness we almost
blush to admit to ourselves.
But there was no time for reflection. The approach to
the door was suddenly shaded, and in the next instant
the dark forms of three or four savages, speedily followed
by others, amounting in all to twelve, besides their
chief, who was in the advance, crossed the threshold,
and, without uttering a word, either of anger or salutation,
squatted themselves upon the floor. They were stout,
athletic warriors, the perfect symmetry of whose persons
could not be concealed even by the hideous war-paint with
which they were thickly streaked--inspiring anything but
confidence in the honesty or friendliness of their
intentions. The head of each was shaved and painted as
well as his person, and only on the extreme crown had
been left a tuft of hair, to which were attached feathers,
and small bones, and other fantastic ornaments peculiar
to their race--a few of them carried American rifles--the
majority, the common gun periodically dealt out to the
several tribes, as presents from the British Government,
while all had in addition to their pipe-tomahawks the
formidable and polished war-club.
Such visitors, and so armed, were not of a description
to remove the apprehensions of the little party in the
farm-house. Their very silence, added to their dark and
threatening looks, created more than mere suspicion--a
certainty of evil design--and deeply did Mr. Heywood
deplore the folly of Ephraim Giles in failing to apprise
him of his meeting with these people, at the earliest
moment after his return. Had he done so, there might have
been a chance, nay, every assurance of relief, for he
knew that a party from the fort, consisting of a
non-commissioned officer and six men, were even now
fishing not more than two miles higher up the river. He
was aware that the boy, Wilton, was an excellent runner,
and that within an hour, at least, he could have reached
and brought down that party, who, as was their wont, when
absenting themselves on these fishing excursions, were
provided with their arms. However, it might not yet be
too late, and he determined to make the attempt. To call
and speak to the boy aside, would, he was well aware,
excite the suspicions of his unwelcome guests, while it
was possible that, as they did not understand English,
(so at least he took it for granted) a communication made
to him boldly in their presence, would be construed into
some domestic order.
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