United States or Jamaica ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The words of Sure-shot, spoken in English, were of course unintelligible to them; but, notwithstanding the inappropriate gestures which he had made use of, the suspicions of one were aroused. This was Red-Hand himself. "What says he of the yellow scalp-lock to the captive?" inquired the chief in Spanish. "Let him take heed, or he too shall become a shooting-mark for the Arapaho warriors!"
After gazing at it for a moment, the Mexican slid down from his horse; and, hobbling towards the hat, took it up. Then uttering a fierce "Carajo," he dashed the "tile" back to the ground, and commenced stamping upon it, as if it had been some venomous serpent he desired to annihilate! "Hilloo! theer, hombre!" shouted Sure-shot. "What the ole scratch air ye abeout?
We passed close under the edge of the butte. In the excitement of the chase, I had almost forgotten to look up when a shrill shout recalled to my memory the captive on the cross. The cry came from the summit from Sure-shot himself. Thank Heaven! he lived! "Hooza! hoozay!" shouted the voice. "Heaving speed yees, whos'ever ye be! Hooza! hoozay! Arter the verming, an' gie 'em goss!
Our absence was of short duration a turn to the tents and back again. While there, I had spoken a word to Wingrove and Sure-shot. Archilete was still absent. I had warned my comrades not to picket our horses at too great a distance from the tents: as we knew not how soon we might need them.
It was a terrible time for him an ordeal equal to that endured by Sure-shot and myself. Every now and then some half drunken savage would come staggering past; and he knew not how soon some one of these strollers might stick a spear into him, out of mere wantonness! On the arrival of night, his hopes had revived; and the cool air had also the effect of partially restoring his strength.
As Sure-shot put the question, he took up the plumed bonnet of an Arapaho warrior which had been left lying among the rocks and, adjusting the gaudy circlet upon his head, strode backward and forward over the ground with all the swelling majesty of an Indian dandy! The odd-looking individual and his actions caused the laughter of the bystanders to break forth in loud peals.
It was easy to tell that he too odd, and even ludicrous as was his personal appearance either was, or had been, one of love's victims. I fancied he might have a story to tell a love story? and at that moment my mind was attuned to listen to such a tale. Sure-shot had also left us our animals picketed a few paces off requiring his attention and the two of us were left alone by the fire.
The timbers were between me and the body for I viewed it from behind and at such a distance, I could not have told who was the crucified man, even had he been facing me. Wingrove or Sure-shot one or the other. Of that much I was certain. I could make out that the man was naked just as I had been myself: I saw his white skin glistening along each side of the upright post.
Of course he was aware, like all the others, of the purpose of our pursuit. From Sure-shot, or Wingrove, he might have learnt a little more; but neither he nor they could possibly have been acquainted with a sentiment of which, alas! I was myself in doubt the very doubt which was producing my despondency. His incidental allusion could have been only conjecture.
O'Tigg was not the man to keep his tongue in tranquillity for any extended time. Neither was Sure-shot an admirer of the silent system. Both were talkers. On this occasion, the "infantry" was the first to make himself heard.
Word Of The Day