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Suddenly, into the firelit circle staggered a British soldier, hatless, dishevelled, his scarlet uniform in rags. For a moment he stood staring about him, swaying where he stood, then with a hopeless gesture he flung his musket from him and passed a shaking hand across his eyes. "O Amochol!" cried the Sorceress, pointing a slim and steady finger at the bloody soldier.
By Waiandaia we stretched the scalp of Skull-Face; at Thaowethon we painted it with Huron and Seneca tear-drops; at Yaowania we peeled three trees and wrote on each the story so that the Three Clans might read and howl their anguish. Thus should it be done tonight if we are to deal with Amochol!" Once more I ventured to protest to Boyd. "Leave it to me, Loskiel," he said pleasantly.
I do not know who took his scalp; but it was taken by some Indian or Ranger who came crowding around to look down upon this painted dead man in his scarlet cloak. "Amochol is dead," I said to Boyd. He looked at me with lack-lustre eyes, nodding. We marched on along the trail by which we had arrived. For five miles we proceeded in silence, my Indians flanking the file of riflemen.
I ventured to remind him of the General's instructions that we find the Chinisee Castle and report at sunrise. "Damn it, I know it," he retorted impatiently, "but I have my own plans; and the General will bear me out when I fling Amochol's scalp at his feet." The Grey-Feather drew me aside and said in a low, earnest voice: "We are too many to surprise Amochol.
And here we saw a little bird flitting the first we had seen that day. At the western end of the oval glade a path ran straight away as far as we could see, seeming to pierce the western wall of the hills. The little brook followed at. As Lois knelt to drink, the Sagamore whispered to me: "This is the pass to the Vale Yndaia! You shall not tell her yet not till we have dealt with Amochol."
Lodge, the surveyor, and his party Thomas Grant with the Jacob-staff, four chain-carriers, and Corporal Calhawn. Usually we remained in touch with them while they ran their lines through the wilderness, but sometimes we were stealing forward, far ahead and in touch with the retreating Tory army, patiently and persistently contriving plans to get at Amochol.
"Not till we have dealt with Amochol," I repeated, staring at the narrow opening which crossed this black and desolate region like a streak of sunshine across burnt land. Tahoontowhee examined the trail; nothing had passed since the last rain, save deer and fox. So I went over to where Lois was bathing her flushed face in the tiny stream, and lay down to drink beside her.
"Did he not squat, squalling at us from his cave, deriding every secret plan we entertained, and boasting that the Senecas had now a prophetess who could reveal to them everything their white enemies were plotting because her own throat was white?" I looked at him in silent horror. "Hai-ee!" he said grimly. "If she still lives at all it is because she dreams for Amochol.
Every drop you saw was a dead man falling. And the red cloud was red by reason of blood; and the plume was the crest of a war chief." "What chief!" said Amochol, turning his deadly eyes on her. "A Gate-Keeper of the West." The shuddering silence was broken by the eager voice of another girl, bounding from her place a flash of azure and jewelled paint. "And I, O Sorceress!
Many who run are stumbling, falling, lying still and crushed and wet with blood. I, Sorceress of the Senecas, see and hear these things; and as I see and hear, so must I speak my warning to you all!" She whirled on Amochol, flinging back her hair. Her skin was as white us my own! With a stifled cry Lois sprang to her feet; but I caught her and held her fast. "Good God!"
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