The Frontiersman Part 34

"Then I'll tell the men what ye did, ye coward. Ye left 'im a sick man, to starve, to die in the Ibex cabin; that's what ye did. Ye stole his gold, an' left 'im thar."

"You lie!" came from the prostrate man.

"It's no lie, I tell ye that. An' what's more, when the parson came along, cared fer 'im, an' when he died buried 'im, ye made out that he killed 'im. Ye went sneakin' around an' found a book he left thar, an'

tried to stir up the men here at Kla.s.san agin 'im. That's what ye did."

A cry of rage burst from the miners as they listened with amazement to this revelation.

"Is it true?" they shouted, as they surged near. "Tell us, is it true?"

"It's not true! By heavens, it's a lie!" and Pritchen, with face pale as death, struggled to his feet and faced the angry men.

"Stand back, b'ys, stand back!" cried Pete. "Lave 'im to me! He's injured 'im that's as dear to me as the apple of me eye. Lave 'im to me!"

Just what would have happened is hard to tell, if at that moment three Indians had not entered the room. One was Amos, the catechist, who was accompanied by three stalwart hunters.

In the exciting affray between Pete and Pritchen the Indians for a time had been forgotten. But the presence of these natives recalled their uncertain position, and with one accord they turned their attention to the visitors.

For a few minutes silence reigned in the room, and then Amos stepping forward delivered his message in broken English.

"Pale-face brothers," he began. "The Tukudhs come back from hunt. Dey find store burn, teacher gone. Beeg chief call Council. He want pale face come. Amos has spoke."

With this the catechist stepped back by the side of his companions, who had remained perfectly erect during it all.

Among the miners there was a hurried whispered conversation, and at length Caribou Sol arose to speak.

"Whar," he asked, "will the Council be held?"

"On de flat, at foot of hill. Half way," replied Amos.

"When?"

"Bime by, to-day. Two, mebbe tree hour. Beeg chief wait word."

"All right, then. Go an' tell the chief that the white men will come to the Council. Is that the will of all?" and Sol glanced around the room.

"Ay, ay," came the response as one voice. "It is well."

"It is well," repeated Amos, as he and his companions turned and left the building.

Pritchen, too, hastened away. In the excitement of the moment no one thought of him. Terrified, filled with rage, he reached his own cabin, stumbled through the door, and flung himself upon his cot.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE COUNCIL

The miners' cabins at Kla.s.san were erected on a level strip of land along the Kaslo River. Upon the hill above nestled the Indian camps, secure from the wild north wind in winter, and the over-flowing stream in the springtime. At the foot of the hill was a s.p.a.ce of ground, covered in summer with wild gra.s.s, but now denuded of every sign of vegetation. This spot was chosen by the Indians for the holding of the Council as being half way between the two settlements. Here, too, the earth was dry, free from the mud which was found so abundantly elsewhere. Near by stood several fir trees, gaunt and half dead, through whose naked branches the storms had howled for many years.

It was a bright spring day, and the sun riding high poured its hot beams upon the land. Ma.s.ses of fleecy clouds drifted overhead, and early-returned birds flitted through the air or chirped and twittered among the trees. Everything in Nature spoke of peace; peace in the great blue vault above; peace in the air, and peace on earth. Most fitting was the day for men of different tongues, different races and different modes of life to meet together in sacred Council for the settling of their disputes.

No intimation was given, no sign was vouchsafed to the miners as they gathered there, that miles up the river millions of tons of water were ready to burst their bonds, and sweep down upon them their fearful besom of destruction.

It was late ere the Indians arrived, and the miners became much impatient. When at length they did appear, they seemed to the white men like an army marching to battle. The old chief led the way with uncertain steps. Behind him came scores of hunters, great, stalwart men some of them, regular Anaks in girth and stature.

They were a proud race of men, unsubdued and untarnished by contact with civilization. And good reason was there for their proud bearing and firm, elastic step as they moved along the trail. Was not the land theirs? Had they not received it from a long line of ancestors? No sword had ever conquered them, and no foreign yoke had ever been placed upon their necks. The birds of the air, the fishes of the streams, the lordly moose of the forests, and the bighorn sheep of the mountains--all were theirs. And so they came to the Council, not as suppliants, not as beggars, but as free men, in whose veins flowed the blood of a race which will break, but not bend. How many, oh, how many before them, throughout the length and breadth of North America, had drawn near in the same spirit to greet their pale-face brothers in open Council. They too had a.s.sembled with weapons laid aside, with confidence in their faces, and peace in their hearts, only to find in the end treachery for goodwill, betrayal for trust, and contempt for respect. Could these st.u.r.dy Tukudhs have looked forward to the day when their land would be flooded by thousands of greedy gold seekers, their game slaughtered, and their sons and daughters demoralized by bad whiskey, their att.i.tude would have been very different to these fore-lopers of a foreign race.

On the ground a wolf-skin robe was placed, and upon this the old chief squatted, facing the miners. Around him gathered the hunters of his band, two hundred strong, in the form of a semicircle. There was no haste, no jostling one another as they took their various positions.

Everything was done quietly and with much decorum, the younger giving the foremost places to their elders.

By the side of the chief stood Amos, who was to act as interpreter, dressed in a simple hunting costume. His face bore an expression of care, and ever and anon he cast anxious glances towards the Indians and then at the white men. To him the day had been one of severe strain, and he knew the end was not yet. In the Indian Council he had fought a hard battle against the hot-headed youths who thirsted for revenge upon the miners. With infinite patience, much tact and burning eloquence he had pleaded for the Christlike virtue of forgiveness. He listened to their harangues, settled disputes and appealed to their higher nature.

He sketched their mode of living ten years before, and emphasized the changes which had taken place upon the arrival of the missionary.

After hours of discussion the matter reached a deadlock, so it was left for the old chief to decide. He favoured peace, and gave as his reasons for this conclusion the Christian teaching he had received, and the friendly visit of the pale-face maiden to his lodge."

"Let the guilty men be punished," he had said in conclusion. "Let us not do it in the spirit of revenge, but only as a warning to others."

Squatting upon the wolf-skin robe the chief now scanned the miners as intently as his weak eyes would permit, and then addressed a few words to the interpreter.

"Pale-face brothers," began Amos, turning to the white men, "chief of Tukudhs give you welcome to Council. He come here with peace in heart.

His hunters all leave guns in camps, dey trust white man. But white man no trust Tukudh. Dey come with guns. Dey keep guns in hand. Old chief moche sorry."

The miners looked at one another when Amos ended, uncertain what to do.

"Stack yer guns, b'ys," demanded Old Pete, who was the only one among them without a rifle. "Be fair to the Injuns an' they'll be fair to us."

"Well said," replied Caribou Sol, and suiting the action to the word, he stepped forward and laid his weapon in the open s.p.a.ce of ground, half way between the two parties.

One by one the rest of the miners went forward, and in the same manner deposited their rifles.

A general exclamation of "Ah, ah," from the natives signified their approval of this friendly act.

But still something disturbed the chief. He looked long and intently at the white men, and again spoke to Amos.

"De chief," explained the latter to the miners, "ask if white man all here?"

"No," responded Sol, who had been requested by his companions to act as spokesman, "there are two absent, the gray-haired man up in yon cabin, and Bill Pritchen."

"De chief only want Bill," was the response. "He no want ole man in cabin on hill."

"But mebbe he won't come. Can't we git along without 'im?"

When this was communicated to the chief he shook his head.

"We wait den till Bill come," and having said this Amos moved back a few steps.

The Indians maintained a stolid silence as they watched the miners discussing the matter.