melville clarendon was so interested in the efforts of the three sioux to capture his horse, that for a minute or two he forgot that dot was below-stairs. her cry, however, roused him to the situation and truth, and he flew down the steps.
in fact, the little girl had had a stirring time. while she was too young to realize the full danger of herself and brother, she knew there were bad indians trying to get into the house, and the best thing for her to do was to obey every instruction melville gave to her.
it will be recalled that melville had a few words of conversation with one of the sioux outside the door, who asked to be admitted. after the youth's refusal, there was silence for a minute or two, and, supposing the indian was gone, the lad hurried to the upper story to gain a survey of his surroundings.
but the warrior had not left. after the departure of melville he resumed his knocking on the door, but so gently that no one heard him except dot. in her innocence she forgot the warnings given to her, and, sliding off her chair, stepped forward, and began shoving the end of the leathern string through, so that the indian could raise [26]the latch. she had tried to raise it herself, but the pressure from the outside was so strong that the friction prevented.
"pull the string, and the door will open."
"there!" said the little girl; "all you've got to do is to pull the string, and the door will open."
when the indian saw the head of the string groping its way through the little hole in the door like a tiny serpent, he grasped the end, and gave it such a smart jerk that the latch flew up.
but, fortunately, it was necessary to do more than draw the latch to open the door. the massive bar was in place, and the sioux, most likely with a suspicion of the truth, made no effort to force the structure.
but while he was thus employed red feather had slipped from the back of his pony and approached the house. he took the side opposite to that from which melville was looking forth, so that the youth did not notice his action. he saw the idleness of trying to make his way through the door, and formed another plan.
with little effort he raised the sash in the narrow window on the [27]right. about half-way to the top was a wooden button to hold the lower sash in place when raised. the occupants of the house used no care in securing the windows, since, as i have explained, they were too narrow to allow any person, unless very thin of figure, to force his way through them.
red feather seemed to forget that he had tried to take the life of one of the white persons only a few minutes before; but, since no return shot had come from within the building, he must have concluded the defenders were panic-stricken, or else he showed a daring that amounted to recklessness; for, after raising the sash, he pushed the curtain aside, and began carefully shoving his head through the opening.
now, the house being of logs, it was necessary for the chieftain to force his shoulders a slight distance to allow his head fairly to enter the room. this required great care and labor, and more risk on the part of the sioux than he suspected—since he should have known that it is easier to advance under such circumstances than to retreat, and, inasmuch as it was so hard to push on, it was likely to be still harder to retreat.
dot clarendon, like her brother, was so interested in another direction that she failed for the time to note that which was of far more importance.
but the feeling that she and her brother were in a situation of great danger became so strong that she felt there was only one who could save them, and, just as she had been taught from earliest infancy, she now asked that one to take care of them.
sinking on her chubby knees, she folded her hands, shut her eyes and poured out the simple prayer of faith and love to him whose ear [28]is never closed to the appeal of the most helpless. her eyes were still closed, and her lips moving, when the noise made by red feather in forcing himself through the narrow opening caused her to stop suddenly and look around.
the sight which met her gaze was enough to startle the bravest man. the head and shoulders of a hideous sioux warrior were within six feet of where she was kneeling. the indian was still struggling but he could get no farther, and, as it was, he was wedged very closely.
it must have caused strange feelings in the heart of the wicked savage when he observed the tiny figure kneeling on the floor, with clasped hands, closed eyes, upturned face, and murmuring lips. it is hard to think there could be any one untouched by the sight, though red feather gave no sign of such emotion at the time.
the face of the sioux was not painted, though it is the fashion of his people to do so when upon the war-trail. it could not have looked more frightful had it been daubed with streaks and spots, and dot was terrified. springing to her feet, she recoiled with a gasp, and stared at the dreadful countenance.
red feather beckoned as best he could for the little one to come nigh him.
it was at this juncture that dot uttered the cry which brought melville in such haste from the room above. he rushed down, loaded gun in hand, and it is stating the matter mildly to say that he effected a change in the situation. startled by the sound of the steps on the stairs, red feather glanced up and saw the lad, his face white with anger, and a very dangerous-looking rifle in his hand.
"i'll teach you manners!" called out melville, halting on reaching [29]the floor, and bringing his weapon to a level; "such a rogue as you ain't fit to live."
"poured out the simple prayer of faith and love."
as you may suppose, red feather was satisfied that the best thing for him to do was to leave that place as quickly as he knew how. he began struggling fiercely to back out, and he must have been surprised when he found he was fast, and that the more he strove to free himself the more firmly he became wedged in.
seeing his predicament, melville advanced a couple of steps, holding his weapon so that its muzzle was within arm's length of the terrified visage of the chieftain.
"i've got you, red feather!" said the exultant youth; "and the best thing i can do is to shoot you."
[30]"oh, mel!" called dot, running towards her brother, "don't hurt him, for that would be wicked."
i must do melville clarendon the justice to state that he had no intention of shooting the sioux chieftain who was caught fast in such a curious way. such an act would have been cruel, though many persons would say it was right, because red feather was trying to slay both melville and his little sister.
but the youth could not help enjoying the strange fix in which the indian was caught, and he meant to make the best use of it. it is not often that an american indian loses his wits when in danger, but red feather, for a few minutes, was under the control of a feeling such as a soldier shows when stricken by panic.
had he kept cool, and carefully turned and twisted about as required, while slowly drawing backward, he could have released himself from the snare without trouble; but it was his frantic effort which defeated his own purpose, and forced him to stop, panting and despairing, with his head still within the room, and at the mercy of the youth, who seemed to lower his gun only at the earnest pleading of his little sister.
it was no more than natural that the sioux should have felt certain that his head and shoulders were beginning to swell, and that, even if the lad spared him, he would never be able to get himself out of the scrape, unless the side of the house should be first taken down.
it was a time to sue for mercy, and the desperate, ugly-tempered red feather was prompt to do so. ceasing his efforts, and turning his face, all aglow with cold perspiration, towards the boy, who had just lowered the muzzle of his gun, he tried to smile, though the expression of his countenance was anything but smiling, and said—
[31]"red feather love white boy—love white girl!"
it is hard to restrain one's pity for another when in actual distress, and melville's heart was touched the instant the words were uttered.
"sit down in your chair," he said gently to dot, "and don't disobey me again by leaving it until i tell you."
"but you won't hurt him, will you?" she pleaded, half obeying, and yet hesitating until she could receive his answer.
not wishing red feather to know his decision, he stooped over and whispered in her ear—
"no, dot, i will not hurt him; but don't say anything, for i don't want him to know it just yet."
it is more than likely that the distressed sioux saw enough in the bright face to awaken hope, for he renewed his begging for mercy.
"red feather love white folks—he been bad injin—he be good injin now—'cause he love white folks."
"red feather," said he, lowering his voice so as not to reach the ears of the other sioux, drawn to the spot by the strange occurrence; "you do not deserve mercy, for you came to kill me and all my folk. there! don't deny it, for you speak with a double tongue. but she has asked me to spare you, and perhaps i will. if i keep away all harm from you, what will you do for us?"
"love white folks—red feather go away—won't hurt—bring game to his brother."
having rested a few minutes, the sioux began wriggling desperately again, hoping to free himself by sheer strength; but he could not budge his head and shoulders from their vice-like imprisonment, and something like despair must have settled over him when all doubt that he was swelling fast was removed.
[32]it was at the same instant that two of the warriors on the outside, seeing the hapless position of their chief, seized his feet, and began tugging with all their power.
they quickly let go, however; for the impatient sachem delivered such a vigorous kick that both went over backward, with their feet pointed towards the clouds.
"red feather," said melville, standing close enough to the hapless prisoner to touch him with his hand, "if i help you out of that place and do not hurt you, will you and your warriors go away?"
the sioux nodded so vigorously that he struck his chin against the wood hard enough to cause him some pain.
"me go away—all sioux go away—neber come here 'gin—don't hurt nuffin—hurry way."
"and you will not come back to harm us?"
"neber come back—stay way—love white folks."
"i don't believe you will ever love them, and i don't ask you to do so; but you know that my father and mother and i have always treated your people kindly, and they have no reason to hurt us."
"dat so—dat so—red feather love fader, love moder, love son, love pappoose of white folks."
"you see how easy it would be for me to shoot you where you are now without any risk to myself, but i shall not hurt you. i will help to get your head and shoulders loose; but i am afraid that when you mount your horse again and ride out on the prairie you will forget all you promised me."
"neber, neber, neber!" replied the chieftain, with all the energy at his command.
[33] "oh, mel!" called dot "don't hurt him."—page 30[34]
"you will think that you know enough never to run your head [35]into that window again, and you will want to set fire to the house and tomahawk us."
the sioux looked as if he was deeply pained at this distrust of his honorable intentions, and he seemed at a loss to know what to say to restore himself to the good graces of his youthful master.
"you are sure you won't forget your promise, red feather?"
"red feather sioux chief—he neber tell lie—he speak wid single tongue—he love white folks."
"i counted five warriors with you; are they all you have?"
"dey all—hab no more."
melville believed the indian spoke the truth.
"where are the rest?"
"go down oder side muddy riber—won't come here."
melville was inclined to credit this statement also. if red feather spoke the truth, the rest of his band, numbering fully a score, were twenty miles distant, and were not likely to appear in that part of the country. such raids as that on which they were engaged must of necessity be pushed hard and fast. even if the settlers do not instantly rally, the american cavalry are quite sure to follow them, and the indians have no time to loiter. the rest of the band, if a score of miles away, were likely to have their hands full without riding thus far out of their course.
"well," said melville, after a moment's thought, as if still in doubt as to what he ought to do, "i shall not hurt you—more than that, i will help you to free yourself."
he leaned his gun against the table near him, and stepped forward and placed his hands on the head and shoulders of the suffering prisoner.
[36]"oogh!" grunted red feather; "grow bigger—swell up fast—bimeby red feather get so big, he die."
"i don't think it is as bad as that," remarked melville, unable to repress a smile, "but it will take some work to get you loose."
