Chapter Sixteenth.
"Calamity is man's true touchstone."
"You have talked too much, senor," Juanita said with concern, notingthe look of utter exhaustion that came over his face with the lastwords; "I am but a poor nurse to have allowed it. Your lips are parchedtoo," she added, dropping her work and gliding from the tent to returna moment later with a gourd full of the cold, sparkling water of themountain stream.
She raised his head and held the cup to his lips.
He drank with feverish eagerness.
As he lay back upon his couch again Juanita remarked that hiswounds must be painful and in need of dressing, adding thatLight-of-the-Morning, Thunder-Cloud's wife, who had great knowledge ofthe virtues of many plants and roots growing in that region, would sooncome in and dress them with a certain kind of leaf that was famed amongthe Indians for its healing qualities, and had already worked wondersfor him.
"And she has been dressing my hurts all these days?" asked Rupert.
"Yes."
"Ah, how long have I lain here, senora?"
"Three weeks, senor," she answered, and at that moment the old squaw hehad seen before came in bearing a bark basket filled with the healingleaves.
Juanita withdrew to the farther side of the wigwam, and seated herselfwith her back toward them while Light-of-the-Morning did her work.
The task was performed a trifle roughly, but with dexterity and skill,and the applications proved very cooling and soothing to Rupert'swounds, which before had tortured him with a sensation of dryness andburning heat.
He returned warm thanks, Juanita acting as interpreter.
The squaw nodded, her grim features relaxing in a slight smile, as ofpleasure, that her labors were appreciated; then pointing to Rupert'smedicine case, lying by his side, asked what it was.
Juanita repeated the query in Spanish, and translated Rupert's answerinto Apache, which she had learned to speak with tolerable fluency.
The squaw then asked for some medicine for a sick child in the camp,whose ailment baffled her skill.
Rupert was a good druggist, and had sufficient knowledge of medicineto prescribe for the child when he had heard what were the symptoms;also the proper remedy was in his case, and he gave it. The result wassatisfactory, and raised him in the esteem of the whole village.
Squaws, pappooses, a few lads and young girls, and a sprinkling of oldmen were all that were in it at this time, the braves having gone againupon the war-path. This Rupert learned from Juanita.
In a few days he was able to crawl out from the wigwam and lie on abearskin, which she laid for him underneath a spreading tree. He foundthe pure mountain air very delightful and invigorating, and from thattime his recovery was rapid.
He was soon able to sit up a part of the day and amuse himself withwhittling bits of soft wood, making whistles for the little Indianboys and a variety of toys for the girls--tiny chairs, tables, spoons,knives and forks--which greatly delighted them.
Thus he made friends of the children, and also of their mothers, whileto his generous nature it was a great satisfaction to be able to givesuch pleasure even to these rude children of the desert.
Also, as he picked up their language, he tried to tell them the old,old story so dear to every Christian heart. To Juanita he was ableto tell it at once, and often as she sat by his side during hisconvalescence, he read to her passages from his Bible, stopping now andthen to give an explanation or answer a question; for she listened withinterest and a desire to fully comprehend.
That his Bible had been spared to him was a source of deep joy andthankfulness, such comfort did he find in its many great and preciouspromises.
His heart was often oppressed with sadness as he thought of Don, andlonged to know his fate, or of the dear ones at home and the distressthey would undoubtedly feel on account of his disappearance. Hesupposed the report would be that he had been killed by the Indians,and pictured to himself his mother's anguish on hearing the terribletidings; his father's also, for he knew that to both their childrenwere very near and dear.
When overwhelmed by these sorrowful reflections, his only comfort wasin prayer to Him who is mighty to save, and who, he doubted not, wasable both to give consolation to his loved ones and to deliver him fromthe hands of his foes.
His situation was not an enviable one at the first, but it became lessso upon the return of the braves, most of whom regarded him with scowlsand looks of hate.
He gave them back pleasant looks, was on the watch to do them anylittle service in his power, but avoided them when he could withoutoffence. As time went on he found opportunities to win their good-will.
From a boy he had made a practice of learning all that he could onevery subject, and about every kind of work that came in his way; andnow he found use for some kinds of knowledge that most lads would thinkit beneath them to acquire; and he was not only an expert whittler, butequally accomplished as a cook, and he taught the squaws to make savorydishes that the braves, their husbands and sons, loved, thus winningfavor for himself.
Yet it seemed not altogether good policy; for finding him so usefulthey were the more determined never to part with him; and whiletreating him well in other respects, kept him a close prisoner in thatlittle mountain fastness, watching with vigilance his every movement,and never suffering him to go out of sight of the village.
Still, Rupert never for a moment faltered in his determinationto effect his escape; but while constantly on the alert for anopportunity, was extremely careful to do nothing to excite suspicionthat such was his purpose.
It was, however, no secret from Juanita, who was to share the attemptwhenever made; and frequently when alone, plans for flight, thedirection it should take, and what provision could be made for it,formed the principal theme of their conversation.
Neither knew exactly where they were, but Rupert had an idea thattheir nearest route toward civilization would lie in a south-easterlydirection and take them into Texas.
He had no means of determining the matter, nor could he for a long timedo anything more than think and plan.
In the mean while he tried to be useful in every possible way to thoseabout him, more especially Juanita.
He taught her to speak and read English, using his Bible as histext-book; it was the only one at hand, but it proved sufficient. Hefound her deplorably ignorant of almost everything but embroidery andmusic--for which she possessed remarkable talent--but managed, in thecourse of the three years they spent in the wilds together, to giveher a great amount of general information--teaching her many thingsorally--drawing maps in the sand for her instruction in geography andhistory, using the heavens at night to assist in giving her a knowledgeof astronomy, the plants and flowers to which they had access to teachher the rudiments of botany.
Juanita proved an apt pupil, bright and interesting, readily catchingan idea and retaining it in her memory; all the more easily, doubtless,that she dearly loved her teacher.
She was very young, had seen nothing of the world, and in her artlesssimplicity made her affection quite apparent to its object; but he hadno difficulty in returning it, and before they had been six monthstogether they had come to a full understanding, and were plightedlovers.
Then Rupert drew bright pictures of his home--the home to which hehoped one day to take her--and of his father and mother, brothers andsisters, all of whom he said would welcome and love her as one ofthemselves.
But one year and then another rolled slowly away, while deliveranceseemed no nearer than at first, and oftentimes their hearts were sickwith hope deferred.
It was harder for Rupert than for Juanita; for he whom she had with herwas all she had to love, while he, though fondly attached to the lovelygirl sharing his captivity, was separated from many who were also verydear to his heart, and who must, he knew, be suffering much distress ofmind on his account.
Then, too, the enforced inactivity in business matters was very tryingto him, while she knew nothing of it.
He was her world, and she had him there; yet she did not enjoy savagelife; longed to return to civilization for her own sake, and still morefor his.
Besides, they were at times in great danger when the Indians wereexcited by drink or preparations to go upon the war-path, or upon thereturn of the braves from such an expedition, either exultant fromvictory or depressed and angered by defeat.
At length, in the third year of Rupert's captivity, the vigilance ofthe Indians began to relax somewhat; they thought their prisoners hadbecome enamored of their wild life, and would hardly care to risk anattempt to escape, knowing, as they undoubtedly did, that if recapturedtorture and death would be almost sure to follow; so Rupert and Juanitawould occasionally find themselves free to ramble through the extent ofthe valley, and even to climb some of the nearer hills and mountains.
Hope now revived in their breasts, and was quickened erelong by afortunate discovery: they one day came upon some small nuggets of gold,which they carefully secreted about their persons, with the joyfulthought that it would help them on their contemplated journey.
Then, some weeks later, Rupert picked up a stone which he feltconfident was a diamond. This too he secreted with the greatest care,sewing it securely upon the inner side of the deerskin hunting-shirtwhich he now wore day and night, and letting no one but Juanita know ofits existence. From her he had no concealments, for their interestswere one and the same.
They now watched more eagerly than ever for the longed-for opportunity;but weeks and months dragged on their weary way, and it came not.
Another winter, with its suffering from cold and storms, from whichthey were but poorly protected in the rude huts of the savages, passedslowly by, spring opened, and once more the braves went forth upon thewar-path.
Seated together upon a ledge of rock on the side of a mountainoverlooking the Indian village, and forming part of the barriershutting in the little valley from the outer world, Rupert and Juanitawatched the departure of the Apache chiefs and braves, hideous in theirwar-paint and feathers; and as the last of them disappeared in thedefile that formed the sole entrance to this natural mountain fastness,Rupert, turning to his companion, said, in tones of half-tremulouseagerness and excitement, "Juanita, love, this is our opportunity; Idoubt if we shall ever have a better."
"What mean you, Rupert?" she asked in some surprise; "what will preventLight-of-the-Morning from watching our every moment as vigilantly asever? and does not old Crouching Wildcat keep guard day and night atthe only entrance to the valley? and is he not constantly armed andready to shoot us down if we so much as approach the spot where hestands sentinel?"
"All quite true," returned Rupert; "yet I have a plan; listen,maiden mine, while I unfold it. It is that to-day and to-morrowwe make, quietly and unobserved, every preparation in our power;then that you make a quantity of that savory venison stew that bothLight-of-the-Morning and Crouching Wildcat delight in, adding a littlewhite powder which I shall give you; let them both sup upon it, andthey will sleep soundly for some hours--so soundly that we may stealfrom our wigwams, join each other at the old warrior's side, and passout of the valley unmolested and unnoticed by him."
"And they will wake again and suffer no harm from the powder?" sheasked.
"Yes," he said. "You know, Juanita, I would not murder them even togain liberty for myself and you. The powder will cause them to sleepheavily for a time, and perhaps make them sick for some hours after,but will do them no permanent injury."
The girl's face grew radiant. "Oh," she cried, clasping her hands inecstasy, "how sweet, how delightful to be free! But why not to-night?why should we wait another day?"
"That when our flight is discovered the braves may be too far away fora messenger to reach them with the news in time for them to overtakeus."
"Ah, yes; you are much wiser than I; you think of everything."
The braves were quite gone; the last faint echo of their horses' hoofshad died away far down the pass, and the squaws and children, who hadbeen watching their departure, scattered to their work or play.
Juanita sighed; then, with a shudder, "How many bloody scalps shall wesee dangling aloft from their spears when they come back!" she said.
"Please God, we shall not be here to behold the horrible, sickeningsight," said Rupert. Then taking her hand in his, "Juanita, you shouldbe my wife before we start upon our journey."
She glanced up into his face half shyly, flushing rosy red. "But howcan it be?" she asked timidly; "there is no priest here to unite us."
"We will marry ourselves by Friends' ceremony," he said; then explainedit to her, for she had never heard of it before.
"I fear I shall not feel married," she remarked, in a tone of doubt andhesitation.
"I have the same feeling," he said, "particularly because we have nowitnesses. But it is the best we can do now, and as soon as we can wewill be remarried by a minister.
"Juanita," tightening his clasp of her hand, "I take you to be my wife,and promise to be to you a true, faithful, and loving husband tilldeath do us part."
The beautiful eyes filled with glad tears. "And I," she said, in low,musical tones, "take you, Rupert, to be my lawful and wedded husband,and promise to be to you a true, loving, faithful, and obedient wife."
He put his arm about her, and drew her into a close, tender embrace,imprinting a long and ardent kiss upon the rich red lips. "We are one,love," he whispered, "and what God hath joined together shall no manput asunder."
After some further discussion of their plans they separated, and bymutual consent were seen together less than usual during that day andthe next, so fearful were they of arousing suspicion of their designto attempt an escape.
But late in the afternoon of the second day Rupert contrived to giveJuanita the little morphine powder which she was to administer toLight-of-the-Morning and Crouching Wildcat, and to do it unperceived byany of the Indians.
Juanita hastily concealed it, fastening it into the folds of her tunicwith a pin.
There were but few cooking utensils in the Indian village, butLight-of-the-Morning was the proud possessor of a little iron potcarried off by the braves in one of their raids upon their whiteneighbors, and of this Juanita was allowed to make use in preparing thesavory stew of which Rupert had spoken.
When she proposed doing so to-night, the old squaw nodded consent witha smile of approval.
The newly made bride went cheerily to work, moving about with heraccustomed grace, and softly humming a snatch of song, yet with aquaking heart as she thought of the risk she and Rupert were now to run.
As he and she were to partake of the meal, she also broiled venisonand fish over the coals, and baked bread, making her dough into long,slender rolls, which she then twisted round and round a stick; that shestuck into the ground close to the fire, and so baked the bread, nowand then pulling up the stick and replanting it with another side tothe fire.
Light-of-the-Morning sat watching her with a look of greatsatisfaction, evidently enjoying the feast in anticipation.
At length all was ready, and Juanita began to despair of an opportunityto carry out her design, when the squaw supplied it by seizing a gourdand going for water for the meal.
She had scarcely dropped the curtain of the wigwam behind her ereJuanita had snatched the powder from its hiding-place and poured itinto the stew, trembling and turning pale as she did it; for oh, howmuch depended upon the success of the measure!
And it was an anxious moment to both herself and Rupert whenLight-of-the-Morning first tasted of the medicated dish. She paused,tasted again, and remarked that it was not quite so good as usual, hada slightly bitter taste; Juanita must have been careless and let itscorch; but to their great relief she went on to make a hearty meal ofit, not seeming to notice that neither of them touched it.
There was a good deal left, and Rupert surreptitiously carried it offto Crouching Wildcat, who received the attention with satisfaction,and devoured the food with great gusto, apparently never noticing theunusual
taste of which the squaw had complained.
Although but little past sunset, the village was already quiet,scarcely any one, old or young, to be seen moving; for as a rule theykept early hours there.
Juanita had purposely delayed the evening meal in Thunder-Cloud'swigwam, rather to the displeasure of its mistress, whose appetite hadgrown very keen while waiting; a good thing for the success of theyoung people's plans, for she ate very heartily, and almost immediatelythrew herself down on her couch of skins and fell into a deep sleep.
It was thus Rupert found her on bringing back the vessel in which hehad carried Crouching Wildcat his portion.
Juanita sat beside the couch, gazing upon the sleeper with batedbreath, her hands folded in her lap, her whole frame trembling withexcitement.
As Rupert pushed aside the curtain and entered, she looked up at him,and laid her finger upon her lips.
He smiled and nodded, then stooped and whispered in her ear, "All isalready quiet; I think we may set out as soon as it is dark enough togain the entrance of the pass unperceived. Come then, love; you willfind me there."
Her speaking eyes gave the promise he sought, and with a parting,half-regretful glance at the old squaw, who had always been kind to himand Juanita also, he left the wigwam.
Withdrawing to a short distance, he knelt in the shadow of a tree andpoured out his soul in fervent prayer for guidance and help in thisperilous undertaking.
The shades of evening were falling fast as he rose from his knees. Hesent one swift glance around to make sure that no human eye was nearenough to watch his movements, and, satisfied of that, walked withrapid yet noiseless step toward the foot of the mountain that shut inthe valley on the nearest side.
Ascending a little way, he came to a ledge of rock; here stoopingdown and thrusting aside the overhanging branches of a wild vine thatconcealed a little hollow, he took from thence a bundle of jerkedbuffalo meat and venison, which he had collected in preparation forthe flight, and with it in his hand rapidly retraced his steps.
He paused beneath the tree he had but just left, to take anotherreconnoitring glance, and was startled to find some one leaning againstit, the faint outline of whose figure was barely perceptible in thegathering darkness; but only for an instant; the next he knew it wasJuanita, and his arm stole round her waist.
"My love, my darling," he whispered, "does your heart fail you?"
"No, beloved, not while you are with me and lead the way," she answeredsoftly.
"Come, then; I think they are all asleep, and it is quite dark; now isour time," he said, taking her hand and leading her onward.
Both had learned to walk with the Indian's noiseless tread; they woremoccasins, and there was no sound of footsteps as they pursued theirsilent way to the mouth of the pass.
Before they reached it the loud snoring of the sentinel told them therewas no danger of molestation from him. He lay prone upon the ground, sosoundly asleep that Rupert was able to divest him of his arms withoutwaking him.
The gun, powder-horn, and shot-bag were Rupert's own, which had beentaken from him at the time of his capture, so that the most scrupulousconscience could have seen no wrong in his taking possession; though,indeed, had they not been his own he would have thought it no robberyunder the circumstances.
He was exceedingly glad to find both bag and horn well filled, foron that largely depended his ability to supply food for himself andJuanita on the long journey that lay before them ere they could reachthe confines of civilization.
Attaching those two articles to the belt that confined hishunting-shirt about the waist, and putting the gun over his shoulder,with the bag of dried meat hung upon it, he took Juanita's hand in hisagain, and led her up the pass, away from the scene of their captivity.
It was very dark in that narrow defile, with the mountains toweringfar above them on each side, and the way was narrow, rough, and stony;again and again they stumbled and were near falling, yet held eachother up; but they pressed patiently, determinately onward, withoutpause or exchange of word or syllable, till they reached the end, andcame out upon a wide open plain.
The newly-risen moon, flooding it with silver light, showed themsomething of its nature and extent; it was treeless and, except alongthe margin of a stream that crossed it, a sandy waste. It did not lookinviting, but across it lay the path to freedom, home, and friends.
They paused but a moment to recover breath and take in the view by onesweeping glance from side to side, then pressed forward more rapidlythan had been possible in the darkness of the defile from which theyhad just emerged.
"Thank God, there is no foe in sight!" ejaculated Rupert, "but we mustmake all haste across this plain; for if pursued we can be seen from agreat distance. Also let us gain yonder stream as quickly as possible,and walk in the water to destroy the scent of our footsteps, and leaveno mark of a trail, by which we can be tracked."
"Yes, yes," panted Juanita; "oh, let us hasten."
"My poor darling, you are already almost spent," Rupert said tenderly."Lean on me. If I were but free of the gun and bag of meat, I wouldtake you in my arms."
"No, no," she returned, with a little pleased laugh. "I should notallow it. I am but a trifle out of breath; that is all, my best ofhusbands."
"I am happy to hear it," he said, "for I fear your strength will besorely tried before we can reach a place of safety. Draw your blanketmore closely about you, for the night wind has full sweep across thisopen plain, and its cold is piercing."
They had both been forced to adopt the Indian style of dress; Juanitahad neither cloak nor shawl, but wore a blanket wrapped about hershoulders, after the manner of the squaws.
She drew it closer, took Rupert's arm, and they sped swiftly over theplain, the sense of impending danger lending them unnatural strengthand speed.
They reached the stream, and followed its course for some miles,keeping just within the water's edge, then left it for a more directroute, which brought them, about daylight, to a dense forest.
Being now utterly spent with fatigue, they were obliged to stop andtake some rest. Rupert spread his blanket at the foot of a tree, madeJuanita lie down upon it, and carefully covered her with his own. "Mypoor child, how very weary you are!" he sighed in tender accents.
"Ah, if I could but provide a cup of hot coffee and a good warmbreakfast for your refreshment! But I have nothing to offer you butthis dried venison, and dare not even kindle a fire to dry your wetfeet, lest the smoke should attract the attention of our savage foes."
"Ah," she said, with a determined effort to be cheerful, and giving hima sweet, bright smile, "we will not mind such trifles, if only we mayescape being recaptured. Give me a bit of the venison; I can eat itwith appetite."
They rested and slept where they were for some hours; then, late inthe afternoon, started on again through the forest, trying to keep asouth-easterly direction, and guided by the sun, of which they caughtoccasional glimpses between the tall tree-tops.
About the time of his setting they came out upon a little opening inthe forest; and here they halted, made another meal upon the driedmeat, then lay down and slept until the moon rose, when they pressedon again, guided by her light.
So for many weeks they journeyed on, the sun guiding them by day, themoon and stars at night, sometimes, when clouds covered these fromview, obliged to lie by for hours or days; often compelled to do sofrom utter weakness and weariness, drinking water from the streams,and satisfying their hunger upon fish caught in them, or such game asRupert was able to bring down with his gun or catch in snares laid forthem when he and Juanita stopped for a night's rest.
He kept an account of the days of the week, and was careful to observethe rest of the Sabbath. He had brought his Bible with him, and thegreater part of the day would be passed in the study of its pages andprayer to that God who is everywhere present and able to deliver fromall dangers and fears. Rupert and Juanita were in a situation to feelvery sensibly the need of His protecting care; for danger from wil
dbeasts and roving bands of Indians threatened them on every side;venomous reptiles, too, often lay in their path, and they were notseldom assailed by both hunger and thirst, sometimes travelling many,many miles without finding either food or water.
Mildred at Home: With Something About Her Relatives and Friends. Page 16