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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1941-10-02, Page 6PAGE SIX THE SEAFORTH NEWS ;5. 1 A1l this Mabel q i 1 i.asked in rapid con- nection, p fearing that the answer might not be as she wished. She had thought it extraordinary that June. should be of the party, and impro- bable as it seemed, she had fancied. that the woman had covertly follow- ed the Iroquois in her own canoe, and had got in their advance, merely to give her notice which had prob- ably saved her life. But in all this she was mistaken. as June, in her imperfect manner, now found means to let her know. Arrowhead. though a chief, was in disgrace with his own people, and was acting with the Iroquois temp- orarily. though with a perfect under- standing. He had a wigwam, it is true, hut was seldom in it; feigning friendship for the English, he had passed the surmnt'l' ostensibly in their service. while he was, in truth acting for the French, and his wife journeyed with hien in his many mi- grations. most of the distance being passed over in canoes. In a word, her presence was no secret, her hus- band seldom without her. Enough of this to embolden Mabel to wish that her friend might go out, to ascertain the fate of her uncle, did June suc- ceed in letting the other know; and it was soon settled between them that the Indian woman should quit the blockhouse with that object the moment a favourable opportunity offered. They first examined the island, as thoroughly as their position would allow. from the different loops, and found that its conquerors were pre- paring for a feast, having seized up- on the provisions of the English and rifled the huts. Most of the stores were in the blockhouse; but enough were found outside to reward the Indians for an attack that had been attended by so little risk. A party had already removed the dead bod- ies, and Mabel saw that their arms were collected in a pile near the spot chosen for the banquet. June suggested that, by some signs which she understood. the dead themselves were carried into a thick- et, and either buried or concealed from view. None of the more prom- inent objects on the )eland. however, were disturbed, it being the desire of the conqueror to lure the party of the Sergeant into an ambush on its return. June made her compan- ion obser e a man in a tree, a look- out. as she said, to give timely ad- vice of the approach of any boat, al- though the departure of the expedi- tion being so recent, nothing but some unexpected event would be Iikely to bring it back so soon. There did not appear to be any in- tention to attack thee blockhouse immediately; but every indication, as understood by June, rather show- ed that it was the intention of the Indians to keep it beseiged until the return of the Sergeant's party, lest the signs of an assault should give a warning to eyes as practised as those of Pathfinder. The boat, however, had been secured, and was removed to the spot where the canoes of the Indians were hid in the bushes. June now announced her inten- tion to join her friends, the moment being particularly favourable for her to quit the blockhouse. Mabel felt some distrust as they descended the ladder; but at the next instant she was ashamed of the feeling, as unjust to her companion and un- worthy of herself, and by the time they both stood on the ground her confidence was restored. The pro- cess of unbarring the door was con- ducted with the utmost caution, and when the last bar was ready to be turned .lune took her station near the spot where the opening must ne- cessarily be. The bar was just turn- ed free of the braekets. the door was opened merely wide enough to allow her body to pass, and .lune glided through the :;pace, Mab& closed the dor again, with a convul- sive movement; and as the bar turn- ed into its place, her heart beat aud- ibly. She then felt secure; and the two othe • bars weredown t turned in amore deliberate manner.ner. When all was fast again, she ascended to the first floor, where alone she could get a glimpse of what was- going on without. Long and painfully melancholy hours passed, during which Mabel had no intelligence from June. She heard the yells of the savages, for liquor had -carried them beyond the bounds of precaution; occasionally caught glimpses of their mad orgies through the loops; and at all times was conscious of their fearful pre- sence by sounds and sights- that would have chilled the blood of one who had not so lately witnessed scenes so much more. terrible. To- ward the middle of the day, she fancied she saw a white man on the island, though his dress and wild ap- pearance at first made her take him for a newly -arrived savage. A view of his face, although it was swarthy naturally and Hutch darken- ed by exposure. left no doubt tlint her conjecture was true; and she felt as if there was now one of a species more like her own present, and one to whom she might appeal for succour in the last emergency. Mabel little knew, alas! how small was the influence exercised by the whites over their savage allies, when the latter had begun to taste blood; or how slight, indeed, was the dis- position to divert them from their cruelties. The day seemed a month by-Mab- eI's computation, and the only part of it that did not drag were the min- utes spent in prayer. She had re- course to this relief from time to time; and at each effort she found her spirit firmer, her mind more tranquil. and her resignation more confirmed. She understood the rea- soning of June, and believed it high- ly probable that the blockhouse would be left unmolested until the return of her father, in order to en- tice him into an ambuscade, and she felt much less apprehension of hn- mediate danger in consequence; but the future offered little ground of hope, and her thoughts had already begun to calculate the chances of her captivity. At such moments, Arrowhead and his offensive admir- ation filled a prominent place in the background; for our heroine well knew that the Indians usually car- ried off to their villages, for the pur- poses of adoption. such captives as they did not slay; and that many in- stances had occurred in which indi, viduals of her sex bad passed the minder of their lives in the wig - warns of their conquerors. Such thoughts as these invariably drove her to her knees and to her prayers. While the light lasted the situa- tion of our heroine was sufficiently alarming; but as the shades of ev- ening gradually gathered over the island, it became fearfully appalling. By this time the savages had wrought 'themselves up to the point of fury, for they had possessed themselves of all the liquor of the English; and their outcries and ges- ticulations were those of men truly possessed by evil spirts. All the eff- orts of their French leader to re- strain them were entirely fruitless, and he had wisely withdrawn to an adjacent island, where he had a sort of bivouac, that he •might keep at a safe distance from friends so apt to. run into excesses. Before .quitting the spot, however, this officer, at great risk to his own life, had suc- ceeded in extinguishing the fire, and in securing the ordinary means to relight it. This precaution he- took, lest the Indians should burn. the blockhouse, the preservation of which was necessary to the success of his future plans. He would glaek ly have removed all the arms also, hut this he, found impracticable, the warriors. clinging to their knives and tomahawks with the tenacity of men who -regarded a - point of honour as long as a faeolty was left; and to r ri•:, o.FT the •rifles, and :leave be- hind him the very weapons that were generally used on such occa- sions, would have been an idle ex- 1n'dient, 'rite extinguishing of the file proved to be the most prudent measure; for no sooner was the of- ficer's back turned than one of the warriors in fact proposed to fire the bit) c'khotise. Arrowhead had also withdrawn from the group of drunk- ards as soon as he found that they were losing their senses and had taken possession o1' a hut, where he had thrown himself on the straw and sought the rest that two wake- ful and watchful nights had render- ed neeessary. It followed that no one was left among the Indians to care for Mabel, if, indeed, any knew of her existence at all; and the pro- posal of the drunkard was received with yells of delight by eight or ten more as much intoxicated and habit- ually brutal as himself. This was the fearful moment for Mabel, The Indians, in their present condition, wore reckless of rifles that the blockhouse might hold, though they ho tet did retain dim recollec- tions of its containing living beings, an additional incentive to their ent- erprise; and they approached its base whooping and leaping like de- mons. .As yet they were excited, not overcome by the liquor they had drunk, The first attempt was made at the door, against which they ran in a body; but the solid structure. Which was built entirely of logs, de- fied their efforts. The rush of a hun- dred men with the same object would have been useless. This Mabel however did not know; and her heart seemed to leap into her mouth as site heard the heavy shock of each renewed eil'ort. At length when she found that the door resisted these assaults as if it were stone, neither trembling nor yielding, and only be- traying its being a part of the wall by rattling a little an its heavy hinges, her courage revived, and silo seized the first moment of a cessa- tion to look down through the loop, in order, if possible, to learn the ex- tent of her danger. A silence, for which it was not easy to account, stimulated her curiosity; for nothing is so alarming to those who are con- scious of the: presence of imminent danger as to be unable to trace its approach. Mabel found that two or three of the Iroquois had been raking the embers, where they had found a few small coals, and with these they were endeavoring to light a fire. The interest with which they labored, the hope of destroying and the force of habit, enabled them to act intelli- gently and in unison, so long as their fell object was in view. A white man would have abandoned the at- tempt to light the fire in despair, with coals that came out of the ashes resembling sparks; but these child- ren of the forest had many expedi- ents that were unknown to civiliza- tion. By the aid of a few dry leaves which they alone knew where to seek, a blaze was finally kindled, and then the addition of a few light sticks made sure of the advantage that had been obtained. When Mabel stooped down over the loop, the In- dians were making a pile of brush against the door, and as she re- mained gazing at their proceedings, site saw the twigs ignite, the flame dart from branch to branch, until the whole pile was cracking and snapping under a bright blaze. The Indians now gave a yell of triumph and returned to their companions, well assured that the work of des- truction was commenced, Mabel re- mained looking down, scarcely able to tear herself away from the spot, 80 intense and engrossing was the interest she felt in the progress of the lire. A, the pile kindled through- out, however, the Hautes mounted. until they flashed so near her oyes as to compel iter to retreat. Just as she reached the opposite side of the room, to whirh site had retired in her alarm, a forked stream shot up through the loophole, the lid of tvlt!clt she had left open, and illum- inated the rude apartment, with Mabel and her desolation. Our her- oine now naturally enough supposed that her hour was conte; for the door, the only means of retreat, had been blocked up by the brush and fire with hellish ingenuity, and �hherself,believ- ed, addressedas she halc . c ed, for the last time to her Maker in prayer. Her eyes were closed, and for more titan a minute her spirit was abstracted; but the interests of the world too strongly divided her feelings to be altogether suppressed; and when they involuntarily opened again, site perceived that the streak of flame was no longer flaring in the room, though the wood around the little aperture had kindled, and the blaze was slowly mounting under the impulsion of a current of air that sucked inward. A barrel of water stood in a corner; and Mabel, acting more by instinct than by rea- son, caught up a vessel, filled it, and pouring it on the wood with a trembling hand, succeeded in extin- guishing the fire at that particular spot. The smoke prevented her from looking down again for a coupli+ of minutes; but when she did her heart beat high with delight and. hope at finding that the pile of blaz- ing brush had been overturned and scattered, and that water had been thrown on the logs of the door, which were still smoking though no longer burning. "Who is there?" said Mabel, with her mouth at the loop. "What friendly hand has a merciful Provi- dence sent to my succour?" A light footstep was audible be- low, and one of those gentle pushes at the door was heard, which just moved the massive beams on the hinges. "Who wishes to enter? Is it you dear uncle?" "Saltwater no here. St. Lawrence sweet water," was the answer. "Open quick; want to come in." The step of Mabel was never lighter, or her movements Wrote quick and natural, than while she was descending the ladder and turn- ing the bars, for all her motions were earnest and active. This time site thought only of her escape, and she opened the door with a rapidity which did not admit of caution, Her first impulse was to rush into the open air, in the blind hope of quit- ting the blockhouse; but June re- pulsed the attempt, and entering, slte coolly barred the door again be- fore she would notice Mabel's cage)' efforts to embrace her. "Bless yonl bless you, June!" cried our heroine most fervently; "you are sent by Providence to be my guardian angel!" - "No hug so tight," answered the Tuscarora woman. "Paleface won - man all cry, or 'all laugh. Let June fasten door." Mabel became more rational, and in a few minutes the two were again in the upper room, seated as before, hand in hand, all feeling o1 distrust between 1110111 being banished. "Now tell me, June," Mabel com- menced as soon as she had given and received one warm embrace, "have you lean or heard aught of my poor uncle?" 'Don't know. No one see hits; no one hear him; no one know anyt' ing•. Saltwater run into river, I t ink, for I no find flim, Quartermaster gone too. 1 look, and look, ate look; but no see 'em, one, t'other, nowhere." "Blessed be God! They must have escaped, though the means are not known to us. I thought I saw a Frenchman on the island, June." "Yes: French captain come, but he go away too. Plenty of Indian on island." "Oh, June, June, are there no means to prevent niy beloved father from falling into the bands of his enemies?" "Don't know; t'ink dat warroirs wait in ambush, and Yengeese must lose scull)." "Surely, surely, June, you, who have done so much for the slaughter, will not refuse to help the father?" "Don't know fader, don't love fa- der, June help her own people, help Arrowhead --- husband love scalp." "`Jude this is not yourself. I can- not, will not believe that you wish to see our men murdered?" June turned her dark eyes quietly on Mabel; and for a moment her look was stern, though it was soon changed into one of melancholy compassion. "Lily, Yengeese girl?" she said, as one asks a question. "Certainly, and as a Yengeese girl I would save my countrymen from slaughter." 'Very good, if can. June no Yen - geese; June Tuscarora—got Tusca- rora husband -Tuscarora heart — Tuscarora feeling—all over Tusca- rora. Lily wouldn't run and tell French that her fader was coming to gain victory?" "Perhaps not," returned Mabel, pressing a hand on a brain that felt bewildered, --,"perhaps not; but you serve isle, aid me—have saved me, June! Why have you done this, if you only feel as a Tuscarora?" "Don't only feel as Tuscarora; feel as girl, feel as squaw. Love pretty Lily and put it in my bosom." Mabel melted into tears, and she pressed the affectionate creature to her heart. It was near a minute be- fore she could renew the discourse. but then she succeeded in speaking more calmly and with greater co- herence. "Let isle know the worst, June," said she. "To -night your people are feasting; what do they intend to do ounter Che _ :. oo 0 We Are Selling Quality Books Books are Well Made, Carbon is Clean and Copies Readily. All styles, Carbon Leaf and Black Back. Prices as Low as You Can Get Anywhere. Get our Quotation on Your Next Order. e • Se f SEAPORTH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1941 PROFESSIONAL CARDS MEDICAL SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. D. A. McMaster, M.B„ Graduate of University of Toronto Paul L, Brady, AD., Graduate of University of Toronto, The Clinic is fully equipped with complete and modern x-ray and other up-to-date diagnostic and thereuptic equipment. Dr, F, J. R. Forster, Specialldt in Diseases of the Lar, Eye, Nose and Throat, will be at the Clinic the first Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 p.m, Free well -baby clinic will be held on the second and last Thursday in every month from 1 to 2 p.m. JOHN A. GORWILL, S.A„M.D. Physician and Surgeon In Dr, 11. H. Ross' office, Phone 6.1 DR. F. .1. R. FORSTER Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto. Late Assistant New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospitals, London, Bug. At Commercial Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 2 to 4 p.m. Also at Seaforth Clinic first Tuesday in each month, -68 Waterloo St,, Stratford. Telephone 267. AUCTIONEER GORDON M. GRANT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron, Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at the Seaforth News, or by writing Gordon NI. Grant, Goderich Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed. F, W. AIIRENS, Licensed Auction• eer for Perth and Huron Counties Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stock, chattels and real estate prope"•ty, R. R. No. 4, Mitchell. Phone 034 r 6, Apply at this office, HAROLD JACKSON Licensed in Huron and Perth coun- ties. Prices reasonable; satisfaction guaranteed. For information, write or phone Harold Jackson, phone 14 on 661; R, R. 4, Seaforth. EDWARD W. ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for Huron. Correspond, ence promptly answered. ImmediatY arrangements can be made for Sale Date by calling Phone 203, Clinton. Charges moderate and satisfactiou guaranteed. Watson & Reid REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. The McKillop Mutual Fire Insurance Co., HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Wm. Knox, Londesboro Vice ,President, W. R. Archibald Seaforth; Secretary Treasurer, M. A Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. McKercher, R. R.1, Dublin; John, E. Pepper, 11, R, 1, Brucefleld; J. 2' Prneter, Brodhagen; James Watt Blyth; Aldred Yeo, Holmesville. DIRECTORS Alex Broadfoot, Seaforth; William Knox, Londesboro; Cluis Leonhardt, Dublin; D. J. Trewartha, Clinton; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth; W. R Archibald, Seaforth; Alex Mc1wing Blyth; Frank McGregor, Clintons Hugh Alexander, Walton. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, will ba promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective post offices. to -morrow?” "Don't know; afraid to see Ar- rowhead, rrowhead, afraid to ask question; t'ink hide away till Yengeese corn° back." "Will they not attempt anything against the blockhouse? You have seen what they can threaten if they will." "Too much rum. Arrowhead sleep, or no dare; French captain gone away, or no dare. All go to sleep now." "And you think I am safe for this night at least?" "Too much rum. If Lily like June, might do much for her people." "I am like you, June, if a wish to serve my countrymen can make a resemblance with one as courageous as yourself," Private---'noctor l" Medical Offerer—"Wall?" "Of course not, Would I come to you if I were?"