The Forge in the Forest

by Sir Charles G. D. Roberts

  Chapter X

  A Bit of White Petticoat

  We had not advanced above a score of paces when, peering stealthilybetween the stems of herbs and underbrush, we saw what Grul had desiredus to see. Two more canoes were drawn up at the water's edge. Foursavages were in sight, sprawling in indolent attitudes under the shadeof a wide water-maple. In their midst, at the foot of the tree, lay awoman bound securely. She was huddled together in a posture ofhopeless despair; and a dishevelled glory of gold-red tresses fell overher face to hide it. She lay in a moveless silence. Yet the sound ofweeping continued, and Marc, gripping my hand fiercely, set his mouthto my ear and gasped:--

  "'Tis my own maid! 'Tis Prudence!"

  Then I saw where she sat, a little apart, a slender maid with a lilyface, and hair glowing dark red in the full sun that streamed upon her.She was so tied to another tree that she might have no comfort orcompanionship of her sister,--for I needed now no telling to convey itto me that the lady with the hidden face and the unweeping anguish wasMistress Mizpah Hanford, mother of the child whom I had just seencarried away.

  I grieved for Marc, whose eyes stared out upon the weeping maid from aface that had fallen to the hue of ashes. But I praised the saints forsending to our aid this madman Grul,--whom, in my heart, I nowgraciously absolved from the charge of madness. Seeing the BlackAbbe's hand in the ravishment of these tender victims, I made no doubtto cross him yet again, and my heart rose exultantly to the enterprise.

  "Cheer up, lad," I whispered to Marc. "Come away a little till weplot."

  I showed my confidence in my face, and I could see that he straightwaytook heart thereat. Falling back softly for a space of several rods,we paused in a thicket to take counsel. As soon as we could speakfreely, Marc exclaimed, "They may go at any moment, Father. We musthaste."

  "No," said I, "they'll not go till the cool of the day. The otherswent because they have plainly been ordered to part the child from hismother. It is a most cunning and most cruel malice that could so orderit."

  "It is my enemy's thrust at me," said Marc. "How did he know that Iloved the maid?"

  "His eyes are in every corner of Acadie," said I; "but we will foil himin this as in other matters. Marc, my heart is stirred mightily bythat poor mother's pain. I tell you, lad,"--and I looked diligently tothe priming of my pistols as I spoke,--"I tell you I will not rest tillI give the little one back into her arms."

  But Marc, as was not unnatural, thought now rather of his lily maidsobbing under the tree.

  "Yes, Father," said he, "but what is to be done now, to save Prudenceand Mizpah?"

  "Of course, dear lad," I answered, smilingly, "that is just what we arehere for. But let me consider." And sitting down upon a fallen tree,I buried my face in my hands. Marc, the while, waited with whatpatience he could muster, relying wholly upon my conduct of thebusiness, but fretting for instant action.

  We were well armed (each with a brace of pistols and a broadsword, theforest being no place for rapiers), and I accounted that we were anovermatch for the four redskins. But there was much at stake, withalways the chance of accident. And, moreover, these Indians wereallies of France, wherefore I was most unwilling to attack them fromthe advantage of an ambush. These various considerations decided me.

  "Marc, we'll fight them if needful," said I, lifting up my head. "ButI'm going to try first the conclusions of peace. I will endeavour toransom the prisoners. These Micmacs are mightily avaricious, and mayyield. It goes against me to attack them from an ambush, seeing thatthey are of our party and servants of King Louis."

  At this speech Marc looked very ill content.

  "But, Father," he objected, "shall we forego the advantage of asurprise? We are but two to their four, and we put the whole issue athazard. And as for their being of our party, they bring shame upon ourparty, and greatly dishonour the service of King Louis."

  "Nevertheless, dear lad," said I, "they have their claim upon us,--notlightly to be overlooked, in my view of it. But hear my plan. Youwill go back to where we lay a moment ago, and there be ready with yourpistols. I will approach openly by the water side and enter intoparley with them. If I can buy the captives, well and good. If theydeny me, we quarrel. You will know when to play your part. I amsatisfied of that. I shall feel safe under cover of your pistols, andshall depend upon you to account for two of the four. Only, do not betoo hasty!"

  "Oh, I'm cool as steel now, Father," said Marc. "But I like not thisplan. The danger is all yours. And the quarrel is mine. Let us gointo it side by side!"

  "Chut, lad!" said I. "Your quarrel's my quarrel, and the danger is notmore for me than for you, as you won't be long away from me when thefight begins,--if it comes to a fight. And further, my plan is both anhonest one and like to succeed. Come, let us be doing!"

  Marc seized my hand, and gave me a look of pride and love which put aglow at my heart. "You know best, Father," said he. And turning away,he crept toward his post. For me, I made a circuit, in leisurelyfashion, and came out upon the shore behind a point some rods below thespot where the savages lay. Then I walked boldly up along the water'sedge.

  The Indians heard me before I came in view, and were on their feet whenI appeared around the point. They regarded me with black suspicion,but no hostile movement, as I strode straight up to them and greeted,fairly enough but coldly, a tall warrior, whom I knew to be one of theBlack Abbe's lieutenants. He grunted, and asked me who I was.

  "You know well enough who I am," said I, seating myself carelessly upona rock, "seeing that you had a chief hand in the outrages put upon methe other day by that rascally priest of yours!"

  At this the chief stepped up to me with an air of menace, hishigh-cheeked, coppery face scowling with wrath. But I eyed himsteadily, and raised my hand with a little gesture of authority."Wait!" said I; and he paused doubtfully. "I have no grudge againstyou for that," I went on. "You but obeyed your master's ordersfaithfully, as you will doubtless obey mine a few weeks hence, when Itake command of your rabble and try to make you of some real service tothe King. I am one of the King's captains."

  At this the savage looked puzzled, while his fellows grunted inmanifest uncertainty.

  "What you want?" he asked bluntly.

  I looked at him for some moments without replying. Then I glanced atthe form of Mizpah Hanford, still unmoving, the face still hidden underthat pathetic splendour of loosened hair. Prudence I could not catchview of, by reason of another tree which intervened. But the sound ofher weeping had ceased.

  "I am ready to ransom these prisoners of yours," said I.

  The savages glanced furtively at each other, but the coppery masks oftheir features betrayed nothing.

  "Not for ransom," said the chief, with a dogged emphasis.

  I opened my eyes wide. "You astonish me!" said I. "Then how will theyprofit you? If you wanted their scalps, those you might have taken atAnnapolis."

  At that word, revealing that I knew whence they came, I took note of astir in the silent figure beneath the maple. I felt that her eyes werewatching me from behind that sumptuous veil which her bound hands couldnot put aside. I went on, with a sudden sense of exaltation.

  "Give me these prisoners," I urged, half pleading, half commanding."They are useless to you except for ransom. I will give you more thanany one else will give you. Tell me your price."

  But the savage was obstinate.

  "Not for ransom," he repeated, shaking his head.

  "You are afraid of your priest," said I, with slow scorn. "He has toldyou to bring them to him. And what will you get? A pistole or two foreach! But I will give you gold, good French crowns, ten times as muchas you ever got before!"

  As I spoke, one of the listening savages got up, his eyes a-sparklewith eagerness, and muttered something in Micmac, which I could notunderstand. But the chief turned upon him so angrily that he slunkback, abashed.

  "Agree with me now," I said earnestly. "Then wait he
re till I fetchthe gold, and I will deliver it into your hands before you deliver thecaptives."

  But the chief merely turned aside with an air of settling the question,and repeated angrily:--

  "I say white girls not for ransom."

  I rose to my feet.

  "Fools, you are," said I, "and no men, but sick women, afraid of yourrascal priest. I offered to buy when I might have taken! Now I willtake, and you will get no ransom! Unloose their bonds!"

  And I pointed with my sword, while my left hand rested upon a pistol inmy belt. I am a very pretty shot with my left hand.

  Before the words were fairly out of my lips the four sprang at me.Stepping lightly aside, I fired the pistol full at the chief's breast,and he plunged headlong. In the next instant came a report from theedge of the underbrush, and a second savage staggered, groaned, andfell upon his knees, while Marc leaped down and rushed upon a third.The remaining one snatched up his musket (the muskets were forgotten atthe first, when I seemed to be alone), and took a hasty aim at me; butbefore he could pull the trigger my second pistol blazed in his face,and he dropped, while his weapon, exploding harmlessly, knocked up somemud and grass. I saw Marc chase his antagonist to the canoes at thepoint of his sword, and prick him lightly for the more speed. But atthe same instant, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the savage whomMarc's shot had brought down struggle again to his feet and swing hishatchet. With a yell I was upon him, and my sword point (the point isswifter than the edge in an emergency) went through his throat with asobbing click. But I was just too late. The hatchet had left hishand; and the flying blade caught Marc in the shoulder. The sworddropped from his grasp, he reeled, and sat down with a shudder before Icould get to his side. I paid no further heed to the remaining Indian,but was dimly conscious of him launching a canoe and paddling away inwild haste.

  I lifted the dear lad into the shade, and anxiously examined the wound.

  "'Tis but a flesh wound," said he, faintly; but I found that the blowhad not only grievously gashed the flesh, but split the shoulder blade.

  "Flesh wound!" I muttered. "You'll do no more fighting in thiscampaign, dear lad, unless they put it off till next spring. Thisshoulder will be months in mending."

  "When it does mend, will my arm be the same as ever?" he asked,somewhat tremulously. "'Tis my sword arm."

  "Yes, lad, yes; you need not trouble about that," said I. "But it is acase for care."

  In the meantime, I was cleansing the wound with salt water which I hadbrought from the river in my cap. Now, I cast about in my mind for abandage; and I looked at the prisoner beneath the maple. Marc first,courtesy afterwards, I thought in my heart; for I durst not leave thewound exposed with so many flies in the air.

  The lady's little feet, bound cruelly, were drawn up in part beneathher dark skirt, but so that a strip of linen petticoat shone underthem. I hesitated, but only for a second. Lifting the poor littlefeet softly to one side, with a stammered, "Your pardon, Madame, butthe need is instant!" I slit off a breadth of the soft white stuffwith my sword. And I was astonished to feel my face flush hotly as Idid it. With strangely thrilling fingers, and the help of my swordedge, I then set free her feet, and with no more words turned hastilyback to Marc, abashed as a boy.

  In a few moments I had Marc's wound softly dressed, for I had someskill in this rough and ready surgery. I could see by his contractingpupils that the hurt was beginning to agonize, but the dear lad neverwinced under my fingers, and I commended him heartily as a bravepatient. Then placing a bundle of cool ferns under his head for apillow, I turned to the captives, from whom there had been never a wordthis while.