The Wild Huntress Part 8

Even before entering the glade, this magnificent panorama had burst upon my sight--from a little embayment that formed the _debouchure_ of the path--and I had drawn bridle, in order for a moment to enjoy its contemplation. The young hunter was still the length of his horse in advance of me; and I was about requesting him to pull up; but before I could give utterance to the words, I saw him make halt of himself.

This, however, was done in so awkward and hurried a manner, that I at once turned from gazing upon the scene, and fixed my eyes upon my companion. As if by an involuntary effort, he had drawn his horse almost upon his haunches: and was now stiffly seated in the saddle, with blanched cheeks and eyes sparkling in their sockets--as if some object of terror was before him! I did not ask for an explanation. I knew that the object that so strangely affected him must be visible--though not from the point where I had halted.

A touch of the spur brought my horse alongside his, and gave me a view of the whole surface of the glade. I looked in the direction indicated by the att.i.tude of the hunter: for--apparently paralysed by some terrible surprise--he had neither pointed nor spoken.

A little to the right of the path, I beheld a white object lying along the ground--a dead tree, whose barkless trunk and smooth naked branches gleamed under the moonlight with the whiteness of a blanched skeleton.

In front of this, and a pace or two from it, was a dark form, upright and human-like. Favoured by the clear light of the moon, I had no difficulty in distinguishing the form to be that of a woman.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

SU-WA-NEE.

Beyond doubt, the dark form was that of a woman--a young one too, as evinced by her erect bearing, and a light agile movement, made at the moment of our first beholding her. Her attire was odd. It consisted of a brownish-coloured tunic--apparently of doeskin leather--reaching from the neck to the knees; underneath which appeared leggings of like material, ending in moca.s.sins that covered the feet. The arms, neck, and head were entirely bare; and the colour of the skin, as seen in the moonlight, differed from that of the outer garments only in being a shade or two darker! The woman, therefore, was not white, but an _Indian_: as was made further manifest by the sparkling of beads and bangles around her neck, rings in her ears, and metal circlets upon her arms--all reflecting the light of the moon in copious coruscations. As I brought my horse to a halt, I perceived that the figure was advancing towards us, and with rapid step. My steed set his ears, and snorted with affright. The jade of the hunter had already given the example-- each, no doubt, acting under the impulse of the rider. Mine was a feeling of simple astonishment. Such an apparition in that place, and at that hour, was sufficient cause for surprise; but a more definite reason was, my observing that a different emotion had been roused in the breast of the young hunter. His looks betrayed fear, rather than surprise! "Fear of what?" I asked myself, as the figure advanced; and still more emphatically as it came near enough to enable me to make out the face. As far as the moonlight would permit me to judge, there was nothing in that face to fray either man or horse: certainly nothing to create an emotion, such as was depicted in the countenance of my companion.

The complexion was brown, as already observed; but the features, if not of the finest type, were yet comely enough to attract admiration; and they were lit up by a pair of eyes, whose liquid glance rivalled the sheen of the golden pendants sparkling on each side of them. I should have been truly astonished at the behaviour of my guide, but for the natural reflection, that there was some cause for it, yet unknown to me.

Evidently, it was not his first interview with the forest maiden: for I could now perceive that the person who approached was not exactly a woman, but rather a well-grown girl on the eve of womanhood. She was of large stature, nevertheless, with bold outline of breast, and arms that gave token of something more than feminine strength. In truth, she appeared possessed of a _physique_ sufficiently formidable to inspire a cowardly man with fear--had such been her object--but I could perceive no signs of menace in her manner. Neither could cowardice be an attribute of my travelling-companion. There was an unexplained something, therefore, to account for his present display of emotion.

On arriving within six paces of the heads of our horses, the Indian paused, as if hesitating to advance. Up to this time, she had not spoken a word. Neither had my companion--beyond a phrase or two that had involuntarily escaped him, on first discovering her presence in the glade. "She here? an' at this time o' night!" I had heard him mutter to himself; but nothing more, until the girl had stopped, as described.

Then, in a low voice, and with a slightly trembling accent, he p.r.o.nounced interrogatively, the words "Su-wa-nee?" It was the name of the Indian maiden; but there was no reply.

"Su-wa-nee!" repeated he, in a louder tone, "is it you?"

The answer was also given interrogatively, "Has the White Eagle lost his eyes, by gazing too long on the pale-faced fair ones of Swampville?

There is light in the sky, and the face of Su-wa-nee is turned to it.

Let him look on it: it is not lovely like that of the _half-blood_, but the White Eagle will never see that face again."

This declaration had a visible effect on the young hunter: the shade of sadness deepened upon his features: and I could hear a sigh, with difficulty suppressed--while, at the same time, he appeared desirous of terminating the interview.

"It's late, girl," rejoined he, after a pause: "what for are ye here?"

"Su-wa-nee is here for a purpose. For hours she has been waiting to see the White Eagle. The soft hands of the pale-faced maidens have held him long."

"Waitin' to see me! What do you want wi' me?"

"Let the White Eagle send the stranger aside. Su-wa-nee must speak to him alone."

"Thar's no need o' that: it's a friend that's wi' me."

"Would the White Eagle have his secrets known? There are some he may not wish even a friend to hear. Su-wa-nee can tell him one that will crimson his cheeks like the flowers of the red maple."

"I have no saycrets, girl--none as I'm afraid o' bein' heerd by anybody."

"What of the half-blood?"

"I don't care to hear o' her."

"The White Eagle speaks falsely! He does care to hear. He longs to know what has become of his lost Marian. Su-wa-nee can tell him."

The last words produced an instantaneous change in the bearing of the young hunter. Instead of the repelling att.i.tude, he had hitherto observed towards the Indian girl, I saw him bend eagerly forward--as if desirous of hearing what she had to say. Seeing that she had drawn his attention, the Indian again pointed to me, and inquired: "Is the pale-faced stranger to know the love-secrets of the White Eagle?"

I saw that my companion no longer desired me to be a listener. Without waiting for his reply, I drew my horse's head in the opposite direction, and was riding away. In the turning, I came face to face with him; and by the moonlight shining full over his countenance, I fancied I could detect some traces of mistrust still lingering upon it. My fancy was not at fault: for, on brushing close past him, he leaned over towards me, and, in an earnest manner, muttered: "Please, stranger! don't go fur--thar's danger in this girl. She's been arter me before." I nodded a.s.sent to his request; and, turning back into the little bay, that formed the embouchure of the path, I pulled up under the shadow of the trees.

At this point I was not ten paces from the hunter, and could see him; but a little clump of white magnolias prevented me from seeing the girl--at the same time that it hid both myself and horse from her sight.

The chirrup of the cicadas alone hindered me from hearing all of what was said; but many words reached my ear, and with sufficient distinctness, to give me a clue to the subject of the promised revelation. Delicacy would have prompted me to retire a little farther off; but the singular caution I had received from my companion, prevented me from obeying its impulse.

I could make out that a certain Marian was the subject of the conversation; and then more distinctively, that it was Marian Holt.

Just as I expected, the daughter of my squatter: that other and older one, of whom mention had been already made. This part of the revelation was easily understood: since I was already better than half prepared for it. Equally easy of comprehension was the fact, that this Marian was the sweetheart of my travelling companion--_had been_, I should rather say; for, from what followed, I could gather that she was no longer in the neighbourhood; that some months before she had left it, or been carried away--spirited off in some mysterious manner, leaving no traces of the why or whither she had gone. Nearly all this I had conjectured before: since the young hunter had half revealed it to me by his manner, if not by words. Now, however, a point or two was added to my previous information relating to the fair Marian. _She was married_. Married-- and to some odd sort of man, of whom the Indian appeared to speak slightingly. His name I could make out to be Steevens, or Steebins, or something of the sort--not very intelligible by the Indian's mode of p.r.o.nouncing it--and, furthermore, that he had been a schoolmaster in Swampville.

During the progress of the dialogue, I had my eye fixed on the young hunter. I could perceive that the announcement of the marriage was quite new to him; and its effect was as that of a sudden blow. Of course, equally unknown to him had been the name of the husband; though from the exclamatory phrase that followed, he had no doubt had his conjectures.

"O G.o.d!" he exclaimed, "I thort so--the very man to a' done it. Lord ha' mercy on her!" All this was uttered with a voice hoa.r.s.e with emotion. "Tell me!" continued he, "whar are they gone? Ye say ye know!"

The shrill screech of a tree-cricket, breaking forth at that moment, hindered me from hearing the reply. The more emphatic words only reached me, and these appeared to be "Utah" and "Great Salt Lake." They were enough to fix the whereabouts of Marian Holt and her husband.

"One question more!" said the rejected lover hesitatingly, as if afraid to ask it. "Can ye tell me--whether--she went _willingly_, or whether-- thar wan't some force used?--by her father, or some un else? Can ye tell me that, girl?"

I listened eagerly for the response. Its importance can be easily understood by one who has _sued_ in vain--one who has _wooed_ without _winning_. The silence of the cicada favoured me; but a long interval pa.s.sed, and there came not a word from the lips of the Indian.

"Answer me, Su-wa-nee!" repeated the young man in a more appealing tone.

"Tell me that, and I promise--"

"Will the White Eagle promise to forget his lost love? Will he promise--"

"No, Su-wa-nee; I cannot promise that: I can _niver_ forget her."

"The heart can _hate_ without forgetting."

"Hate _her_? hate Marian? No! no!"

"Not if she be false?"

"How do I know that she war false? You haven't told me whether she went willin'ly or agin her consent."

"The White Eagle shall know then. His gentle doe went willingly to the covert of the wolf--_willingly_, I repeat. Su-wa-nee can give proof of her words."

This was the most terrible stroke of all. I could see the hunter shrink in his saddle, a death-like pallor over-spreading his cheeks, while his eyes presented the gla.s.sy aspect of despair.

"Now!" continued the Indian, as if taking advantage of the blow she had struck, "will the White Eagle promise to sigh no more after his false mistress? Will he promise to love _one_ that can be true?"

There was an earnestness in the tone in which these interrogatories were uttered--an appealing earnestness--evidently prompted by a burning headlong pa.s.sion. It was now the turn of her who uttered them, to wait with anxiety for a response. It came at length--perhaps to the laceration of that proud heart: for it was a negative to its dearest desire.

"No, no!" exclaimed the hunter confusedly. "Impossible eyther to hate or forget her. She may a been false, an' no doubt are so; but it's too late for me: _I can niver love agin_."

A half-suppressed scream followed this declaration, succeeded by some words that appeared to be uttered in a tone of menace or reproach. But the words were in the Chicasaw tongue, and I could not comprehend their import.

Almost at the same instant, I saw the young hunter hurriedly draw back his horse--as if to get out of the way. I fancied that the crisis had arrived, when my presence might be required. Under this belief, I touched my steed with the spur, and trotted out into the open ground.

To my astonishment, I perceived that the hunter was alone. Su-wa-nee had disappeared from the glade!