Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"A good man," replied Isquay, who was tender-hearted, and could not speak of him without moist eyes. "He was a good hunter. None of the young men could equal him. And he was kind. He always had plenty of things to give me and Adolay." "They say he did not love war," remarked Bartong. "No; he hated it: but he was brave, and a good fighter the best in the tribe.
"Isquay is well," replied the old chief, and a barely perceptible sigh of relief escaped Nazinred. Then Mozwa asked about his wife and received a satisfactory answer. Still, it was obvious to both men, from the old chief's manner, that there was something wrong. "Adolay", said the old man, and stopped. "Dead?" asked Nazinred, with a look of alarm that he did not attempt to conceal.
That will enable me to carry food enough for a long journey. I will take my gun, of course." "But what will you do for fire?" objected Isquay; "there are no woods on the ice." "I will do without it." The poor woman was so amazed at this reply that she gave up further questioning. "You have plenty strong moccasins ready, have you not?" asked Nazinred, "and pemmican, and dried meat?" "Yes, plenty.
Having questioned the old chief a little more on this point, he wandered off into other subjects, and finally left intending to visit the wife of Nazinred on his way back to camp. Isquay was sitting beside her niece Idazoo, embroidering a moccasin, when Bartong entered, squatted on a deerskin unceremoniously, and began to fill his pipe. "What kind of a man is your husband?" asked the guide.
Nazinred, hastening to the fire, examined it with minute care, and a deep "hoh!" of satisfaction escaped from him; for he knew it well as being one of a pair made by Isquay for her daughter's little feet.
Springing up the bank, he shook a shower from his sides and bounded into the bushes, with the certain knowledge, no doubt, that he had reached home at last, and that his faithful nose would not fail to guide him to the tent of Isquay. "O ye rascal!" growled MacSweenie, "you've let the cat out o' the bag for I make no doubt that every man an' wummin o' the tribe knows you by sight."
Mozwa, who was very fond of his friend, and pitied him sincerely, made no attempt to comfort him, for he knew the nature of the man too well to think that by any words he could assuage his sorrow. All the fine things that Nazinred had brought home, and with which he had hoped to rejoice the hearts of his wife and child, were utterly neglected. He let Isquay do what she pleased with them.
Knowing also that Isquay was gifted with such an intense desire for sympathy that she could not resist communicating whatever she knew to a few of her dearest friends in the strictest confidence he did not mention the matter to her until all his preparations were completed. Then he told her.
No one took the trouble to inquire the cause of this, for they knew, somehow, intuitively. As we have said more than once, it is unusual for North American Indians to demonstrate, but Isquay and Adolay were, like Nazinred, in advance of their times, and were in the habit of snapping their fingers in the hideous face of the Red Indian Mrs Grundy!
"Don't cry, Isquay; Nazinred will come back, you may be sure of that," said the guide, in a confident tone, "and he will bring your little girl along with him, for when a man is good and brave he never fails!"
Word Of The Day