Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant Part 27

Just before sundown, John and Deer Runner beached their canoe at the Indian village; while the Indians in sullen, almost hostile, silence watched them. The tribe at the time was at war with the whites and they resented and were curious to know the purpose of this unarmed white man who dared to come among them.

John would have been made prisoner and tortured except for his adoption and rank as a Mingo chieftain; which was satisfactorily established by the girdle and the tattoo marks on his chest, both of which he was forced to exhibit. When it was understood that by adoption he was a brother of Tec.u.mseh and the Prophet, he was a.s.signed a lodge and given food.

When he asked to talk with the white prisoners the request was denied; though the chief took him so near that he and Dorothy recognized and waved a greeting to each other. He was told that the following morning a council would be called and he would be given an opportunity to explain why he had visited their village, after which he might be permitted to confer with the prisoners.

He lay down on the deer skins over which he had spread his blanket and slept through the night. Dorothy was alive and well; and he was near to protect her; and friends would soon arrive to help in her rescue.

When he awoke the sun was filling the valley with its first light; the dew sparkled on the leaves and gra.s.s; his morning prayer was a song of praise; his heart was so full of the love of life that he felt attuned with and understood as his own tongue the songs of the birds that warbled so sweetly in the tree tops along the river.

Walking up the river beyond sight of the village, he undressed on a bar of white sand and swam across and back again; then returned to the village, where he found Deer Runner waiting to begin their breakfast of meat, green corn and potatoes, all of which had been cooked together with some seasoning herbs by an old woman, who had been a.s.signed as their servant.

On the way to the council hall he pa.s.sed near Dorothy, who waved a good morning; and entered, feeling fit to plead with confidence even so momentous a cause as involved her freedom-and his happiness.

The chief asked that he explain in the Mingo dialect, which all understood, being members of the Confederacy, the purpose of his visit to their village.

"As you saw, I came among you unarmed, showing that my mission was one of peace. I am a man of peace and have never yet shed blood of or wronged either Indian or Long Knife. Before coming to Kentucke I lived in the Jackson River Country and my father's lodge was the stopping place of all Indians. They were not only entertained as guests but treated as friends.

"When a little boy I was taken prisoner by Logan, who driven to violence by the murder of all his kindred, thought for a while to even scores; but he learned before his death that an act of violence following another in retaliation, neither righted wrong nor salved injury.

"He brought me to Shauane-Town on the Scioto. I was adopted into the family of Tec.u.mseh and the Prophet, in place of Tec.u.mseh's twin brother who had died. While they are warriors, I belong to the priesthood; and my body, which no Indian at peace with the Mingoes dare mutilate, bears the marks of dedication to the Great Spirit.

"When I was taken prisoner, a little girl, now a grown woman and your prisoner, was carried off and she by adoption is a Mingo; the daughter of Logan, himself an adopted chief of the Sciotha tribe. He was murdered at Detroit as you have heard.

"Are you at peace with the Mingoes? If so, what right have you to hold the daughter of Logan a prisoner? Does she not speak the Mingo tongue?

Is that acquired in a day? Has she not told you she is the daughter of Logan? As I now say and as Deer Runner will tell you.

"Her white father was aboard the boat and was shot and scalped by you; but his daughter did not fight, she killed no one; her hands are not stained by blood. She merely sought to escape as the wild duck flees from the eagle; swimming way out into the river, she was pursued by Gray Wolf and his men in a canoe and taken prisoner. By the law between allies, and you are allies of the Mingoes, you cannot hold her prisoner unless she has killed one of your people and then her fate is fixed by the family of whom the one killed was a member. Only three of your warriors were killed in the battle, a fourth has since died. None of these were kindred of Gray Wolf, nor was he even wounded. What right has he to hold this woman prisoner?"

(The Chief) "How do you know all this?"

"I saw the battle from the Pinnacle at c.u.mberland Gap, more than two hundred miles away. If any doubt, let him ask what occurred and I will tell him."

(Gray Wolf) "How many braves were in the canoe when we took the woman?

And if any here were present point them out."

"Five, you sat in the bow, and after the woman had dived three times, she came up within reach, when you caught her by the hair and pulled her aboard. You and the brave on your left held her until you came ash.o.r.e.

The fourth one from you on the right was with you and the seventh. The fifth man is not here; he has gone up the river."

(The Chief) "Who has told Cross-Bearer these things? Have any of you gossipped like old women, either with him or with Deer Runner?"

"No one has spoken. I saw it as it has been told. If Gray Wolf refuses to release the prisoner, he will die tonight by his own hand; it is the will of the Great Spirit. My brother, the Prophet, comes tomorrow. He loves you people, but he loves his brother more; nor will he permit a woman of his tribe to be held a prisoner without cause. Let there be peace. Let the prisoner go. I have no right to demand the release of the other prisoner. You are at war with the whites. She was taken in battle; she is an enemy, not an ally; but as your friend I would advise you not to war upon women and children."

(The Chief) "Chief Cross-Bearer is right; the woman who is the daughter of Logan must be released. It is the law of the Confederacy."

(Gray Wolf) "I will not be frightened into releasing the woman. Chief Cross-Bearer has spoken. He has told of strange things; but he may have learned them from the prisoner. I have heard of but never seen a person who could see where others were blind and who could foretell what was to happen on the morrow. He claims to know too much when he says I shall die tonight unless the prisoner is released. What is to be will happen.

It is not in his power to know the time of my death. Gray Wolf, though he has no cause to kill himself, is not afraid to die. The woman shall go free at the rising of the sun but not before. Gray Wolf will not then release her because of threats but because she is the daughter of Logan.

I have spoken."

He was next in authority to the chief; and as all thought no harm could come of the woman remaining a prisoner over night the council adjourned without further comment.

Gray Wolf, about four months before, leading a war party had attacked a flat boat floating down the Ohio. After killing all the crew he had boarded it and found a small shepherd puppy aboard which he had brought back with him. The now half grown dog was his constant companion and his most prized possession.

In the afternoon, while John, the chief and several of the braves, were seated under a great elm near the river, the dog came near them and before lying down on an absolutely bare spot, turned about many times tramping with his feet as though to crush down a heavy growth of gra.s.s.

This started a discussion of the hereditary or birthmark traits of birds, animals and men, which lasted some time. The dog, his nap over, left them and began playing in the open some distance from Gray Wolf's lodge. He gave a yelp of terror, just as a great bald eagle, dropping as it seemed from the sky, caught him in her talons and flew away. The weight and struggles of the dog caused the bird to light after a flight of a hundred yards; and Gray Wolf, s.n.a.t.c.hing up his rifle, started running for the spot. Intent to reach the eagle which was tearing the life out of his dog, he carelessly stumbled over a bramble. His rifle was thrown from his hand and, striking a stone, was discharged, the bullet pa.s.sing through his chest. They carried him into his lodge and laid him upon a pallet of skins. Two hours after sunset he choked to death, from the acc.u.mulation of blood in his lungs.

A few minutes before his death he asked for Chief Cross-Bearer and when he came near, in a choking voice said: "You are a true prophet-the prisoner is yours. Take her and go. You will have peace and she will be your wife."

When he came out the chief met him and calling two of his braves directed them to place food and some deer skins in the Mingo canoe, then turning to John said: "We wish you to leave at once. Take both women.

The Great Spirit is offended and may punish others than Gray Wolf."

John, the two women and Deer Runner departed within the hour.

Near daylight, they came within sight of the willows. On the beach a camp fire blazed and beside it by its light they recognized the Prophet and some thirty of his warriors, who were just breaking camp, on their way to demand the release of Dorothy.

They paddled to the sh.o.r.e and after greetings were asked to land and rest; but Dorothy said no. She wished to leave the place at the earliest moment.

Their belongings were transferred to a large canoe, then they climbed in followed by four Indians, who paddled l.u.s.tily and silently down stream, while their pa.s.sengers slept; Dorothy beside John with her head pillowed on his arm.

CHAPTER XVI.-A Wedding.

Reverend David Rice, known to everyone as "Father Rice," was a graduate of Princeton, the first ordained Presbyterian minister of Kentucky, and a firm believer and pract.i.tioner of the three ideals of Presbyteranism: First, the family as a unit in human life; second, the necessity for a true understanding of the faith; third, the importance of education.

He came to Kentucky from Hanover County, Virginia, in 1783, and between that time and 1785 organized three churches-at Danville, at Cane Run and at the Forks of d.i.c.k's River.

The first Presbytery of Transylvania met in the court house at Danville, Tuesday, October 17, 1786. Father Rice was chosen as moderator and the other ministers present were Adam Rankin, Andrew McClure, James Crawford and Terah Templin.

He was the first teacher at Transylvania Seminary, founded at Lexington in 1793. For several years prior to that time, being deeply interested in the education of young men for the ministry, he had conducted a private school for Presbyterian theological students at his home; and the cla.s.s or school was usually attended by from four to seven students.

In January, 1790, John Calvin Campbell, a graduate of William and Mary's entered Rice's Seminary, from which he graduated and was shortly thereafter ordained, after an examination and services conducted by Father Rice, James Crawford and Adam Rankin.

Among those present at the service, were Dorothy and her mother, David Clark and his wife and Richard Cameron.

Clark and his wife were a lonely couple, broken and aged by sorrow. They had never had word of their son, from the departure of the Spanish frigate on which he had been taken as a prisoner; nor had they ever told John the contents of Daniel Clark's letter; thinking it might bring sorrow into his life; and he was ignorant of the cause of their son's continued absence.

Mrs. Fairfax's chief aim in life was her daughter's happiness; living anew her own life in that of her daughter. She loved John because her daughter did; not as a prospective son-in-law, but as a part of her daughter's life. She seemed to have recovered from the shock of her husband's tragic death; or at least treated the incident as a closed chapter in her life. It may have been that she dreaded to inflict her sorrows upon others; rarely speaking of him even to Dorothy. It may have been the easier borne because her husband for several years before his death had been in the habit of making long business trips for Wilkinson and these had severed the companionable relations.h.i.+p that had existed in Virginia.

It was understood among the young people of Danville that Dorothy and John were engaged. They were much together. The comrades.h.i.+p that had existed between them when they were little children had been renewed by the journey home after Dorothy's rescue. Each took it for granted that they were to be married and spoke of it as a matter of course. If Dorothy had been called upon to tell when and how John proposed, she first would have been amused, and then after a moment's thought embarra.s.sed by the question. If John had been asked if they were engaged, he would have answered: "Why, certainly."

At the close of the service of ordination, Dorothy was the first to congratulate him. As they stood talking Father Rice came up, and taking her left hand, because John retained the right, said:

"Miss Fairfax, we have made a preacher of your sweetheart. As he stood before us, I was impressed by his strong face, his great frame and his deep voice, thinking what a leader of men he would make, fighting the battles of men among men; dress him in the uniform of a soldier and he would look the part; place him in the Congress of our nation and he would make a name for himself and be an honor to his State. Yet, he has elected to lay these opportunities aside and answered a call to service, which many consider an humble one. He is now a warrior of peace; may he in truth become Chief Cross-Bearer among us, as with the Mingoes. His greatest reward shall come after death; but he shall find here the peace of a clear conscience, the satisfaction of work well done and shall be blessed by the love of a woman, who will make him a happy home and help him always in his work; though his wife should know that a preacher belongs to his people rather than to his family. John, am I to be asked to marry Dorothy and you? If so shall it be within a day or two or after the Presbytery has a.s.signed you a definite field and you are established? You know I think all preachers should be married and that the home next to the church is the most important inst.i.tution."

"Father Rice, that is as Dorothy wishes. We shall talk it over tonight."

Mrs. Fairfax, Mrs. McDowell, Miss Logan and Mr. and Mrs. Clark coming forward, their intimate conversation was broken off and John forced to release Dorothy's hand to respond to the congratulations of his friends.