Fire Cloud Part 16

Bill was anxious to leave the cave, and by that means escape the clutches of the devil, who was in the habit of frequenting it.

He endeavored to induce Flint to change his resolution by a.s.suring him that he had heard the devil say that he was coming after him. But the captain only laughed at the boy, and he was compelled to remain.

CHAPTER XV.

For several days after the departure of Captain Flint, the inmates of the cavern felt no uneasiness at his absence; but when day after day pa.s.sed, until more than a week had elapsed without his making his appearance they began to be alarmed.

It had uniformly been the practice of Captain Flint on leaving the cave, to give Lightfoot charges to remain there until his return, and not to allow any one to enter, or pa.s.s out during his absence.

This charge she had strictly obeyed.

Singularly enough he had said nothing about it the last time. This, however, made no difference with Lightfoot, for if she thought of it at all, she supposed that he had forgotten it. Still she felt no disposition to disobey his commands, although her feelings towards him, since his late brutal treatment had very much changed.

But their provisions were giving out, and to remain in the cavern much longer, they must starve to death. Lightfoot therefore resolved to go in search of the means of preventing such a catastrophe, leaving the others to remain in the cave until her return.

On attempting to pa.s.s out, she found to her horror that the way was barred against her from the outside.

In fact, they were buried alive!

In vain she endeavored to force her way out. The entrance had been too well secured.

There seemed to be no alternative but to await patiently the return of the captain.

Failing in that, they must starve to death!

Their supply of provisions was not yet quite exhausted, and they immediately commenced putting themselves on short allowance, hoping by that means to make them last until relief should come.

While the two women were sitting together, talking over the matter, and endeavoring to comfort each other, h.e.l.lena noticing the plain gold ring on the finger of Lightfoot, that had been placed there by Captain Flint during her quarrel with the Indian, asked to be allowed to look at it.

On examining the ring, she at once recognized it as the one worn by her lost lover.

Her suspicions in regard to Flint were now fully confirmed. She was satisfied that he was in some way concerned in the sudden disappearance of the missing man.

Could it be possible that he had been put out of the way by this villain, who, for some reason unknown to any but himself, was now desirous of disposing of her also?

The thought filled her with horror.

That night the two women retired to rest as usual. It was a long time before sleep came to their relief. But it came at last.

The clock which the pirates had hung in the cave, struck twelve, when h.e.l.lena started from her slumber with a suppressed cry, for the figure she had seen in the vision many nights ago, stood bending over her!

But now it looked more like a being of real flesh and blood, than a spectre. And when it spoke to her, saying, "has the little paleface maiden forgotten; no, no!" she recognized in the intruder, her old friend the Indian chief, Fire Cloud.

h.e.l.lena, the feelings of childhood returning, sprang up, and throwing her arms around the old chief, exclaimed:

"Save me, no, no, save me!"

Lightfoot was by this time awake also, and on her feet. To her the appearance of the chief seemed a matter of no surprise. Not that she had expected anything of the kind, but she looked upon the cave as a place of enchantment, and she believed that the spirits having it in charge, could cause the walls to open and close again at pleasure. And she recognized Fire Cloud as one of the chiefs of her own tribe. He was also a descendant of one of its priests, and was acquainted with all the mysteries of the cavern.

He told the prisoners that he had come to set them at liberty, and bade them follow.

They had got everything for their departure, when they observed for the first time that Black Bill was missing.

They could not think of going without him, leaving him there to perish, but the cavern was searched for him in vain. His name was called to no better purpose, till they were at last compelled to go without him, the chief promising to return and make another search for him, all of which was heard by the negro from his hiding place under the pile of skins as related in the preceding chapter.

The chief, to the surprise of h.e.l.lena, instead of going to what might be called the door of the cavern, went to one of the remote corners, and stooping down, laid hold of a projection of rock, and gave it a sudden pressure, when a portion of the wall moved aside, disclosing a pa.s.sage, till then unknown to all except Fire Cloud himself. It was one of the contrivances of the priests of the olden time, for the purpose of imposing upon the ignorant and superst.i.tious mult.i.tude.

On pa.s.sing through this opening, which the chief carefully closed after him, the party entered a narrow pa.s.sageway, leading they could not see where, nor how far.

The Indian led the way, carrying his torch, and a.s.sisting them over the difficulties of the way, when a.s.sistance was required.

Thus he led them on, over rocks, and precipices, sometimes the path widening until it might be called another cavern, and then again becoming so narrow as to only allow one to pa.s.s at a time.

Thus they journeyed on for the better part of a mile, when they suddenly came to a full stop. Further progress appeared to be impossible.

It seemed to h.e.l.lena that nothing short of an enchanter's wand could open the way for them now, when Fire Cloud, going to the end of the pa.s.sage, gave a large slab which formed the wall a push on the lower part, causing it to rise as if balanced by pivots at the center, and making an opening through which the party pa.s.sed, finding themselves in the open air, with the stars s.h.i.+ning brightly overhead.

As soon as they had pa.s.sed out the rock swung back again, and no one unacquainted with the fact, would have supposed that common looking rock to be the door of the pa.s.sage leading to the mysterious cavern.

The place to which they now came, was a narrow valley between the mountains.

Pursuing their journey up this valley, they came to a collection of Indian wigwams, and here they halted, the chief showing them into his own hut, which was one of the group.

Another time, it would have alarmed h.e.l.lena Rosenthrall to find herself in the wilderness surrounded by savages.

But now, although among savages far away from home, without a white face to look upon, she felt a degree of security, she had long been a stranger to.

In fact she felt that the Indians under whose protection she now found herself, were far more human, far less cruel, than the demon calling himself a white man, out of whose hands she had so fortunately escaped.

For once since her capture, her sleep was quiet, and refres.h.i.+ng.

CHAPTER XVI.

Black Bill, on leaving the captain, after having vainly endeavored to persuade him to leave the cave, crawled in to his usual place for pa.s.sing the night, but not with the hope of forgetting his troubles in sleep.

He was more firmly than ever impressed with the idea that the cavern was the resort of the Devil and his imps, and that they would certainly return for the purpose of carrying off his master. To this he would have no objection, did he not fear that they might nab him also, in order to keep his master company.

So when everything was perfectly still in the cavern excepting the loud breathing of the captain, which gave evidence of his being fast asleep, the negro crept cautiously out of the recess, where he had thrown himself down, and moved noiselessly to the place where the captain was lying.

Having satisfied himself that his master was asleep, he went to the table, and taking the lamp that was burning there, he moved towards the entrance of the cave. This was now fastened only on the inside, and the fastening could be easily removed.