Good fortune attended the daring attempt of Brinton Kingsland. By a providential occurrence, most of the hostiles were on the side of the supply camp, in the direction of the ridge1 from whose crest2 the signal smoke was ascending3, when the youth, dexterously4 guiding his pony5 through the waggons6 that surrounded him, quickly cleared himself of all obstacles.
The intelligent creature thrust his nose forward, and was off like a shot. He knew what was wanted, and nobly responded to the call upon his fleetness. The teamsters forgot all about the Indians, and fixed8 their gaze upon the youth.
He was fully9 a hundred yards from camp before the Sioux comprehended what was done. Then, when they saw the messenger dashing over the plain, fully a dozen of the best mounted were after him in a flash, discharging several of their guns at the moment of starting.
Brinton was seen to thunder up the incline of the first swell10, sitting firmly in his saddle, and instantly disappeared over the crest. A minute later, the foremost two of the pursuers skimmed up the same incline, just as the lad shot into sight on the summit of the next elevation11, instantly whisking out of view over that, while his superb horse continued his arrowy flight toward Wounded Knee. Then the excited and hopeful teamsters could see no more, and all but the foremost two of the pursuers gave up the chase and came straggling back to join their comrades in the attack on the camp. They knew that the result of that flight of the messenger would be to bring help, and, if anything was to be accomplished12, it must be before it could arrive.
And so the attack on the camp was begun at once, and with a fierceness that speedily brought a crisis.
Meanwhile, Brinton Kingsland was going with undiminished speed over the prairie, skimming up the inclines and down the slopes at a break-neck pace, with every nerve of his splendid steed strained to the highest. The rider heard the dull report of the rifles that were fired at him, but the distance was too great to cause alarm, and he did not even hear the singing of the bullets, so wide went they of the mark; but the glance cast over his shoulder showed that he had only two pursuers to fear.
It was easy to compare their speed with his, and less than a half-mile was passed, when all doubt vanished. They had been thrown a hundred paces to the rear and were losing ground every minute.
At the instant of shooting up one of the slopes and disappearing over the crest, Brinton snatched off his cap and swung it over his head, with a joyous13 shout.
Nevertheless, the speed of the pony was maintained for a brief while, until it became certain that his two pursuers had given up the attempt to overtake him, and had gone to wreak15 their fury on the imperilled teamsters before help could reach them. Then Brinton made Jack drop to a pace which he could continue for hours without fatigue17. The youth knew the course to follow to reach the camp at Wounded Knee Creek18, and he calculated that he could readily cover the ground in the course of an hour or so.
He was too sensible, however, to imagine that an open and uninterrupted course lay before him. At that time, as the reader well knows, the country in the neighbourhood of the Bad Lands, the reservations and the space between, was overrun with hostiles, as eager as so many jungle tigers to slay19 settlers, small squads20 of soldiers, and all white people whom it was safe to attack. He was liable to encounter some of these bands at any moment, and only by continual vigilance could he avoid running into the cunningly laid traps which proved fatal to scores of others.
Now that the burst of excitement was over, and he was riding at a less killing21 pace, his thoughts went back to the loved ones from whom he had been so strangely separated. His heart became as lead as he reflected that they could hardly have escaped, considering the condition of his father, from the environing perils22 which covered miles of territory in every direction.
"If I only knew where they were, if alive, I would guide this escort from Wounded Knee to their help——"
What was that? Surely he heard the report of guns from some point in advance. Jack pricked23 his ears and increased his pace.
"It can have but one meaning," muttered Brinton, with a throbbing24 heart; "someone is in peril16: can it be they?"
He reined25 up his pony and stood still on the crest of the first elevation he reached, after the ominous26 sounds fell on his ears.
At that moment he descried27 coming over another ridge, a furlong away, a troop of thirty or forty cavalry28, riding at a gallop29 toward him.
"That's the escort from Wounded Knee," was his instant conclusion; "I was right when I told Captain Wadsworth that Nick Jackson said the escort was on the way, though I wasn't certain of it."
But evidently the firing had not come from the cavalry. It was from some point between, and, instead of being directly in front, as it first seemed, was off to the right, where he observed a depression, with several dismounted Indians crouching30 around it.
"Great heavens! it's father fighting them off," he gasped31; "he is in that hollow and they have attacked him!"
He struck his heels against the ribs32 of Jack, fiercely jerked the bridle-rein, and shouted to him to run at his best straight for the spot.
But the approaching cavalry had descried the same thing, and were nearer the hollow than was the youth. They turned the heads of the horses and struck off at full speed.
The assailing33 Indians, too, had discovered their danger and were seen skurrying for their ponies34, waiting near. The obedient animals turned until their masters sprang upon their backs, when they dashed off at full speed, with a single exception. One of them, forgetful of his danger or determined35 upon revenge, even at the cost of his life, was observed to have something in his arms as he held his ground.
"It is Edith that he is about to slay; maybe he has already killed her! O heaven!" the brother groaned36, "is it too late to save her?"
Jack was tearing over the ground at a killing pace, but he could not reach them in time. He could carry his rider there in time to shoot down the Indian, but not soon enough to prevent his burying his knife in the innocent heart.
But there was a wonderful sharpshooter among the cavalry. He saw the awful peril, and throwing his horse on his haunches, brought his gun to his shoulder.
During the instant it was at a level, Hugh Kingsland dashed out of the hollow, bare-headed, and, with hair streaming, ran toward the Indian and his little girl. One pace behind him sped his wife; she was seen to make quick, earnest gestures to the approaching horsemen, and they thought it an appeal to them not to lose a second if they would save her child.
At that instant the sharpshooter pressed the trigger of his weapon; the Indian dropped the little one, threw up his arms in an aimless way, staggered back and sank to the ground.
The next minute the troop thundered up, Brinton almost among them.
"Are you hurt, my darling Edith?" he called, leaping out of the saddle, catching37 her in his arms, pressing her to his heart and kissing her; "speak! did he hurt you?"
The child was bewildered by the great confusion, and, without answering her brother, looked him affrightedly in the face.
"Why, Brint, is that you?"
"Yes, yes; heaven be praised, you are not harmed! Oh, how can I be thankful enough? And you, father and mother! what a blessed sight!"
The mother gave him one grateful glance and then knelt by the fallen Indian, just as Edith, slipping from the grasp of her brother, ran to the prostrate38 figure and bent39 over it, asking in a voice of inexpressible tenderness—
"What is the matter, Wolf Ear?"
The young Ogalalla lay on his back, but at the moment the child spoke40 he managed, by a great effort, to raise his head and rest it on his hand. He had not spoken, but now, fixing his dark eyes on Edith, said in a faint voice—
"Wolf Ear is hurt!"
The troopers sat silent on their horses, looking down on the strange scene. Hugh Kingsland, with no trace of his illness, stood back a few paces with folded arms, gazing at the moving sight and trying in vain to restrain his emotions. His wife placed her arm under the head of the Ogalalla, and, resting it on her knee, smoothed the black hair from his forehead, murmuring words of sympathy; Edith covered her face with her hands, and sobbed41 with a breaking heart.
"Mother, we can all pity him, but he was our enemy; and had he not been shot at that moment Edith would not be living now."
"You are wrong, my son," she replied gently. "Wolf Ear came forward to save Edith."
"What are you saying?"
"He was with the party that attacked us; he did what he could to restrain them; he could not do so, and he ran forward to join and help us defend ourselves against them. Edith saw him first and hurried out to meet him; he caught her up, and, when his companions would have harmed her, he would not let them touch her. He shouted to us to have no fear, that he was our friend. At that moment the soldiers came in sight and the other Indians made off. Wolf Ear knew we were saved, and so he stood still, with Edith's arms around his neck. I saw one of the soldiers aiming at them with his gun; husband and I ran out to shield him. I shouted and motioned to the soldier not to shoot, but he did not understand me, and—this is the sad result of the dreadful mistake."
Wolf Ear fixed his eyes upon the wondering Brinton, who, walking forward and stooping down, asked in a choking voice—
"Is all this true, Wolf Ear?"
"The words of your mother are true."
"But what meant your course toward me yesterday? I cannot reconcile that with what I have just heard."
"We parted friends, though I told you I was the enemy of the rest of your race. From the time we separated I have done all I could to find your people and save them before it was too late. Until now, I have not met you."
"You forget; we met in the gorge43 last night, and only this morning, when you sought the life of Nick Jackson, I chased you over the ridge in the effort to make you prisoner."
A smile overspread the dark face, and the head swayed a single time to one side.
"Brinton, you are mistaken; the Ogalalla whom you met, as you say, in the gully, and whom you sought to make prisoner, was not I—he was my twin brother, Young Bear; our mother can hardly tell us apart, and I taught him to speak English as well as I."
"Oh, what have I done!" wailed44 Brinton, breaking down utterly45, and covering his face with his hands. "I never dreamed of this; can you forgive this dreadful mistake?"
"Yes," said Wolf Ear faintly, "I forgive you; I forgive the soldier who shot me, for he did it to save her life."
He wearily closed his eyes, but opened them again when he felt the chubby46 arms of Edith clasped round his neck, and her lips pressed against his.
"Oh, Wolf Ear!" she sobbed, in tones that brought tears to more than one eye among the bronzed troopers, "do not die! I love you, next to Brint and papa and mamma——"
Among the silent troopers touched by the scene was the sharpshooter who had brought Wolf Ear low. He was a brave, rugged47 soldier, but, like most men, had a tender heart. He had not spoken for some minutes, and his eyes were moist as he swung his foot from his stirrup and over the haunch of his horse to the ground.
"Jim Budworth don't often make a miss," he said in a broken voice, "and I didn't miss this fellow; but then I didn't aim to kill him, and I don't believe I did. I know a little about surgery myself—so let me take a look at Wolf Ear, as you call him."
Wondering at the words of the sharpshooter, and hardly daring to hope he was right, all watched him as he made what may be called a medical examination of the sufferer. The bullet had struck him in the side, and evidently had inflicted48 the wound intended.
"Injins are tough," remarked Budworth, "and this one is as tough as the rest. He isn't going to die. Here, Wolf Ear, try this."
As he spoke, the trooper held a flask49 of spirits to the lips of the young Indian and forced him to swallow some of it. It produced an immediate50 effect; and, to the astonishment51 of everyone, Wolf Ear assumed a sitting position and looked round with a smile.
"I feel better—much better, thank you," he said, with a grateful look at Budworth.
"Of course you do. It was a narrow chance for you, no mistake; but all you want is careful nursing, and I reckon Mrs. Kingsland here will be glad to give it you."
"Indeed I will," said the delighted woman; "there is nothing that I will not do for Wolf Ear. Can it be possible that he is going to get well after all?"
"Of course it is; I know all about Injins."
"Oh, I am so glad!" exclaimed the happy Edith, throwing her arms again about his neck.
"Easy now, easy now," said Budworth; "don't go to rolling and tumbling him about until he gets a little stronger. After that you can handle him as you choose."
Wolf Ear rallied with amazing quickness, and showed all the heroism52 of his race, when he was helped upon his horse and the party moved back to the supply camp, where the teamsters had succeeded in driving off the hostiles.
The Indian was given an easy, comfortable couch in one of the waggons, and some hours later the party arrived at Wounded Knee. There the sufferer received the best of medical attention, and was soon able to move about with scarcely any pain or trouble. His recovery was rapid; and to-day only a slight scar remains53 to tell how nearly he met death in his efforts to save his friends from the warriors54 of his own race.
And within the following few weeks the threatening cloud that had overspread the Western sky, behind which the blood-red lightning gleamed and played, dissolved, and gave place to the sweet sunshine of peace, which, let us pray, may continue for ever.
The End
The End
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1
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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dexterously
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| adv.巧妙地，敏捷地 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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7
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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wreak
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| v.发泄；报复 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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squads
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| n.（军队中的）班( squad的名词复数 )；（暗杀）小组；体育运动的运动（代表）队；（对付某类犯罪活动的）警察队伍 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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30
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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33
assailing
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| v.攻击( assail的现在分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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42
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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44
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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48
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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50
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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51
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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52
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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53
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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54
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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