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"Who?" inquired Seguin, running forward in haste. "The Indians, master; the Indians!" "You are mad! Where did you see them?" "In the camp, master. Look yonder!" I pressed forward with Seguin to the rocks that lay along the entrance of the defile. We looked cautiously over. A singular sight met our eyes. The camp-ground was lying as the Indians had left it.
"Oh, nothing! just to kill your dog for taking my hare." "Bah! you're joking." "Joking! am I? You shall see;" and I proceeded quietly to raise my gun. "Gently, my lad," roared the Père Séguin, and he seized the weapon in his iron grasp. "I may be but a 'lad, but I'll not give up my rights; the hare is mine, and I'll have her. Let go my gun!" "No!" "By " "No!"
"You are right, Rube," replied Seguin, encouraged by the probability of what the other had asserted. "What do you advise us?" continued he, appealing to the old trapper, whose counsel he was in the habit of seeking in all cases of similar difficulty. "Wal, cap, it's a twistified piece o' business as it stans; an' I hain't figured it out to my satersfaction jest yet.
The hunters heard this proposition with surprise. They knew that Seguin's efforts to awaken any recollection of himself in the mind of the girl had been unsuccessful. What likelihood was there that she would remember her mother? But Seguin himself had little hope of this, and a moment's reflection convinced us that his proposal was based upon some hidden idea.
I remembered that too; for during the absence of the guide, Seguin and I had dismounted and climbed it. It commanded a view of the whole outside country to the south and west. No doubt, then, on that very cliff would the videttes be stationed. Would they be on its top?
It was with a feeling of awe that one looked up the face of these stupendous cliffs, and I felt a shuddering sensation as I neared the mighty gate between them. "Do you see that point?" asked Seguin, indicating a rock that jutted out from the highest ledge of the chasm. I signified in the affirmative, for the question was addressed to myself. "That is the leap you were so desirous of taking.
"Question them," I whisper to the chief. "Ha! you are right. I did not think of that. Come, come!" We run together down the ladders, and approach the delivered captives. Seguin hurriedly describes the object of his search. "It must be the Mystery Queen," says one. "Yes, yes!" cries Seguin, in trembling anxiety; "it is; she is the Mystery Queen." "She is in the town, then," adds another.
Among them were El Sol and Garey, Rube, and the bull-fighter Sanchez. Seguin and I were of the number. Most of the trappers, with a few Delaware Indians, completed the complement. The twenty were soon selected; and, stepping out on the open ground, as the Navajoes had done, we piled our rifles in the presence of the enemy. Our captives were then mounted and made ready for starting.
"It 'ud be better, cap, fust to gi' them a good sight o' what we've got. They hain't seed Dacoma yet, nor the queen. Thur in the bushes." "Right!" answered Seguin. "Comrades! bring forward the captives to the edge of the barranca. Bring the Navajo chief. Bring the my daughter!"
And then he enlarged upon the subject, giving the crudest and most precise particulars, much to the delight of Seguin, who every now and again interpolated remarks of approval, while both Mathieu and Marianne grew more and more ill at ease. The young woman sat looking with amazement at Santerre as he calmly recapitulated horror after horror, to the evident enjoyment of the others.
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