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Page 75
"Close within the doorway lay the dead body of Mr.
Heywood--"
"The dead body of Mr. Heywood!" exclaimed Elmsley, starting
from his chair in almost dismay at the intelligence. "How
comes it, Ronayne, that you have never spoken of this
before?"
"No interruption, Elmsley--hear me to the close--close
within the doorway, I repeat, lay the dead body of Mr.
Heywood--his face much disfigured--and his large frame
almost rigid in a pool of clotted blood. Imagine what a
sight this was to me, whose sole object and hope it had
been to restore the father in safety to the daughter,
although at intervals during the route, I had more than
once dreaded something of the sort. Stupefied at the
spectacle, I felt my heart to sicken, as the idea of the
grief by which Maria would be overwhelmed when this sad
tale should be revealed to her, rose to my imagination.
But even then my presence of mind did not desert me, and
I already determined on what was to be done. In some
degree consoled by this, I raised my glance from the body
to observe what further atrocity had been committed.
Three or four Indians were grouped around, evidently
regarding the corpse with deep interest, for Mr. Heywood
had often hunted with them, and given them refreshments
when stopping to rest at his place, while on their way
to the Fort laden with game. Further on the great body
of Waunangee's people were standing leaning on their
rifles, and enjoying the mistake of three of our fellows,
who naturally taking them, from the great resemblance of
dress, to be their enemies who had obtained an entrance,
were holding aloft, in an attitude of defiance--one a
huge poker thrust through the carcass of an enormous
bird, and two others a blackened leg and wing, evidently
belonging to the same animal, which they ever and anon
brandished over their heads, while their eyes were rivetted
on the dusky forms before them. The wooden partition
sustained their muskets, from which the interposing
Indians had cut them off, and against the front door of
the house, which was closed and barred, leaned the only
armed man of the party, deprived, however, of all power
of action."
"What a scene for some American Hogarth!" interrupted
the lieutenant, "and how graphically you have described
it. I can see the picture before me now."
"I confess," answered Ronayne, "I could not even, amid
all my own painful feelings, suppress a smile at its
extreme absurdity, for the appearance of three men seeking
to defend themselves from what they believed to be fierce
and blood-thirsty enemies, with the burnt carcass and
limbs of an old turkey-cock, was such a burlesque on the
chivalrous, that, knowing as I did how little their
supposed enemy was to be dreaded, I could not suppress
thoughts which, while they forced themselves upon me, I
was angry at allowing myself to entertain. To understand
the scene fully, you must have looked on it yourself.
Had I recounted this to you yesterday, or even this
morning, I could have filled up the picture more
grotesquely, and yet not less truly. But now I have too
great a weight on my spirits to give more than a simple
sketch.
"At the announcement of my name and purpose, the statue
at the door became suddenly disenchanted--the legs and
wings fell--a man dropped lightly from the loft, musket
in hand, and Cass only, with his gaze intently fixed on
the mocking savages before him, of whom he took me indeed
to be one, continued his defensive attitude with the
poker, nor was it until I had advanced and taken his
weapon from him, amid the loud laughter of the young
Indians, that he finally came to his senses. And yet,
after all, poor devil, his distrust was but natural.
"No time was to be lost. While some of the men were,
according to my instructions, wrapping in a blanket the
body of Mr. Heywood, after removing from it what blood
they could, and the others bore to the boat the unfortunate
Le Noir, whom I had not at first distinguished, so
completely had he been covered over by his dog and walnut
blossoms, I took the corporal aside, and explained to
him how important it was that nothing should be known at
the Fort of the fate of Mr. Heywood. On his asking what
he should say if questioned, I desired him (with some
hesitation, I confess, for I knew I was setting a bad
example to the men, which only the peculiar circumstances
of the case could justify), to give an evasive answer,
and say that the Indians had carried him off with them,
which indeed would be the fact, as I intended him to be
borne away by the party I had brought. I told him,
moreover, that at a fitting opportunity, I would explain
every thing to Captain Headley, and take all the
responsibility upon myself.
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