The Yellow Chief

His companion was not over half his age, nor in any way like the man we have taken for a trapper, although garbed in the costume common to “mountain men” (the Rocky Mountain trappers so style themselves). He wore the hunting-shirt, leggings, and moccasins; but all were tastefully cut and elaborately embroidered.

It might have been the difference between youth and age; and both may have been trappers alike. Still there was something about the younger man – a delicacy of feature and refinement of manner – very different from those who take to this rude adventurous calling.

A thought of the kind seemed to have come uppermost in the mind of his older companion, as they sate by their camp-fire just kindled. It still wanted half an hour of sunrise; and they had issued out of their skin lodge, standing close by, to cook their morning meal. It was preparatory to starting out on a tour of inspection to their traps, set overnight in the streams near at hand. A large flitch of buffalo-meat, comprising several hump-ribs, was roasting in the blaze; and they were waiting till it should be sufficiently done.

It was the elder who spoke first; at least upon a subject foreign to the preparation of their repast.

“Durn it, Ned!” said he, “I hev been dreemin’ ’bout ye last night.”

“Indeed! I hope that nothing promises bad luck. Bah! why should I think of luck, one way or the other? For me there can be none in the future worse than I’ve had in the past. What was your dream, ’Lije?”

“Oh! nutin’ much. I only thort I seed ye alongside o’ a gurl; an’ she war a pullin’ at ye to get ye away from the mountings. She war tryin’ to toat you along wi’ her.”

“She didn’t succeed, I suppose?”

“Wal; I woke up afore it kim to thet. But ef’t hed been the gurl as I seed in my dreem, an’ it war all true, I reck’n she’d ’a hed a good chance.”

“And pray what girl did you see in your dream?”

“Maybe you’d like to purnounce the name; ef ye do, I’d say Clar’ Blackedder. She war the very gurl as war a draggin’ at ye.”

At the mention of the name “Ned” heaved a deep sigh, though the sizzling of the hump-ribs hindered his companion from hearing it. But, by the brighter light caused by the fat falling among the cinders, a shadow could be seen suddenly overspreading his countenance, his features at the same assuming a cast, half-sad, half-angry.

“Not much danger of that dream coming true,” he said, with an effort at composing them. “Clara Blackadder has no doubt long ago changed her name; and forgotten mine too.”

“I don’t think she’s dud eyther one or the tother. Weemen air a kewrous kind o’ varmint; an’ cling on to thar affecshuns a deal harder’n we do. Beside; that gurl wa’n’t one o’ the changin’ sort. I knowed her since she war knee high to a duck. She war the only one o’ the hul family o’ Blackedders worth knowin’; for a bigger cuss than the brother wa’n’t nowhar to be foun’ in Massissippi, ’ceptin’ ’twar the ole squire hisself. That gurl loved you, Ned; an’ ef you’d tuk the right way wi’ her, you mout yourself ’a had the changin’ o’ her name.”

“What way?”

“Whipped her off on the crupper o’ yur seddle – jest es these hyar purairia Injuns sometimes does. Ye shed a dud thet an’ said no more about it, eyther to her father, or to anybody else. It’s the way I dud myself wi’ Sal Slocum, down thar in Tennersee bottom, nigh on thirty yeern ago, ’fore I went down to the Choctaw Purchiss. Dick, her ole dad, war all agin me havin’ his gurl, ’cause he hed a spite at me, for beatin’ him at a shootin’ match. ’Twa’n’t no use his oppersishun. I got my critter seddled up, one night when Dick war soun’ asleep in his shanty, an’ I toated Sal off, an’ took her afore a Methody preecher, who coupled us thegither in the shakin’ o’ a goat’s tail. An’ I niver hed reezun to rue it. Sal made me a good wife, as long as she lived. I hain’t hed a better ’un since.”

The young man smiled sadly at the strange ideas of his trapper companion; but the subject being a painful one to him, he made no rejoinder.

“Thet’s what you oughter dud wi’ Clar’ Blackedder,” persisted the trapper, without noticing his companion’s chagrin, “cut cl’ar away wi’ her. Ef ye’d a hed her for yur wife, it ’ud a been diff’rent for ye now. Instead o’ bein’ hyar in the mountains, mopin’ yer innards out – for I kin see ye’re doin’ thet, Ned – ye mout now been settled in the State o’ Massissippi workin’ a cotton plantashun wi’ a smart chance o’ niggers on’t. Not as I myself shed care ’bout eyther; for arter twenty yeern o’ ramblin’ over these hyar reejuns, I ain’t fit to live in the settlements. It’s diff’rent wi’ you, however, who ain’t noways shooted for a trapper’s life – though I will say thar ain’t a better shot nor hunter in all these purairias. Anybody kin see ye’re only hyar for a diff’rent purpiss; tho I reck’n ’Lije Orton air the only ’un to which ye’ve confided yur secret. Wal; you know I like ye, Ned; an’ that’s why I don’t like to see ye so down in the dumps. They’ve been on yur ever since yur left the Massissippi; and I reck’n yur’ll find no cure for ’em out hyar.”

“Admitted, ’Lije, that I still think of Miss Blackadder. As I know you are my friend, I will admit it. But what would you have me do?”

“Go back to the Choctaw Purchiss, get once more ’longside the gurl, an’ do wi’ her as I did wi’ Sal Slocum – run away wi’ her.”

“But she may be married? Or perhaps no longer cares for me?”

This was said with a sigh.

“Neyther one nor t’other. ’Lije Orton air willin’ to bet high thet. First place, thar wur reezuns she wudn’t git married eezy. The ole Squire her dad, wa’n’t poplar about the Purchiss; an’ I don’t think he wur over rich. The young ’un must a spent most o’ the shiners as come in for the cotton. I know you wudn’t a cared ’bout that; but others wud; an’ I guess Clar’ Blackadder wa’n’t like to hev her choice ’mong the sons o’ the best planters; an’ I guess too she wa’n’t the gurl to hev any o’ the second-rates. Then she liked you powerful. She told me so, time I wur back thar, jest arter you left. Yes, Ned; she liked you, an’ take this chile’s wud for it, she’ll stick to thet likin’ as death to a dead nigger.”

Quaint and queer as was the trapper’s talk, it was pleasant to the ear of Edward O’Neil: for such was the name of the young man – the same who had made suit for the hand of Clara Blackadder, and been scornfully rejected by her father.

Of his life since that time the story is easily supplied. On leaving the State of Mississippi he had gone westward into that of Arkansas; staying for some time at Little Rock. He had afterwards made his way to the Rocky Mountains, in the hope that among their deep defiles he might be enabled to bury the sorrow that was preying upon him. Chance had brought him in contact with ’Lije Orton, a noted trapper of the time; and something besides had made them trapping companions, as well as fast friends: for ’Lije, though of rude habit and exterior, was at the heart true as steel.

The young Irishman, smiling at the crude simile of his companion, made no reply. Indeed, there was no opportunity; for, while delivering it, ’Lije saw that the buffalo-ribs were sufficiently roasted; and, leaning forward over the fire, he transferred them from the spit to a large wooden platter, taken out of his “possible sack” (The “Trapper’s travelling bag”). Before any response could be given, he had separated the ribs with his knife; and, taking hold of one in both hands, he commenced stripping it with his teeth, as quickly and adroitly as could have been done by the hungriest coyoté (Pronounce, Cohote. The “Prairie-Wolf” (Canis latrans)).

Chapter Seven.

Breakfast Interrupted

The two trappers had got about half through their Homeric meal, when a sound reached their ears, that caused them not only to stop mastication, but hold the half-polished ribs suspended, as if they would have dropped them out of their hands! It was a shot they heard – first one, and then several others following in quick succession. They were heard only indistinctly, as if fired far off upon the prairie. But even thus, the sounds were not agreeable; for the report of fire-arms in that solitary region has a significance, and not always a safe one. It might be a friend, who had discharged his gun; but it is more likely to be an enemy. Evidently so believed the two trappers, else they would not have fixed their camping-place in a spot so difficult of access – requiring them to wade waist-deep in water, and twice too, every time they went a hundred yards from their tent! The spring-branch occupying the full bed of the cañon, the only way by which they could conveniently pass out to the plain, nailed for this semi-immersion. But the same gave them protection against idle intruders.

“Speel up, Ned!” cried his companion, “an’ see what you kin see.”

The request was at once complied with; the young trapper, flinging down his half-picked bone, commenced climbing the steep face of the rock, assisted by the branches of the cedars. ’Lije remained below, continuing his matutinal meal.

In a few seconds time O’Neil had reached the summit of the cliff; and with a small binocular glass, which he had taken up along with him, commenced examining the country in the direction whence the shots appeared to have come.

It was yet only the earliest dawn, and the plain towards the east was still shrouded in darkness. But as the young man kept gazing through the glass, a quick flash came before its field, followed by the report of a gun. At the same instant sparks flew up, as if from a fire that had been trampled upon, and on the still morning air, he could hear the confused sounds of strife, in which human voices appeared to be intermingled with the yelling of demons!

“D’ye see anything, boy?” called his comrade from below. “I hyurd another shot out purairiaward. You must ’a seed the flash o’t?”

“More than that,” responded the young man, speaking with bated breath. “Come up, ’Lije! There’s a fight going on not far off. Some travellers have been encamped, as I can tell by the sparkling of their fires. They appear to have been attacked, and by Indians. Come up, quick!”

The old trapper, grumbling his chagrin at being interrupted in his déjeuner, dropped the buffalo-rib; and taking his rifle along with him, commenced ascending the cliff.

By the time he had joined his companion on the summit, the day had almost dawned; for the morning twilight is of short duration on the head waters of the Southern Platte.

Looking eastward over the plain, they could now see something more than the gleaming of camp-fires; the white tilts of waggons set in corralled shape, and around dark forms, of both men and horses, swarming and moving like bees hiving upon a branch. They could hear, too, the sounds of strife still continuing, or it might be the exulting shouts succeeding a triumph.

“A camp o’ whites,” said the old trapper, half speaking to himself, and half to his comrade. “That’s clar from their havin’ waggons. And they’ve been attackted by Injuns; that’s equally sartin from the shouts. Thar’s no mistakin’ them yells. They kedn’t come from any other than an Injun’s throat. I wonder who the whites kin be?”

His young comrade, equally wondering, but still busy with his binocular, made no rejoinder.

“A party o’ emigratin’ travellers, I reck’n?” pursued the old trapper. “Can’t ’a be any o’ Bent’s or Saint Vrain’s people. They wudn’t a got surprised that eezy, nor ’ud they a’ gone under so quick. Sartint sure hev they gone under. Listen to them yells! Thet’s the conquerin’ screech o’ Injuns, sure as my name’s ’Lije Orton!”

His companion did not need any assurance, beyond what he himself heard and saw. There could be no doubt about its being a travelling party, either of emigrants or prairie-traders, that had succumbed to an onslaught of savages.

Neither were they long doubtful as to the character of the travellers. The sun, now peeping up over the far prairie edge, illumined the scene of strife, showing half-a-dozen waggons, with some of their canvas covers dragged off; and around them the dark forms of a savage cohort.

“It’s a karryvan o’ emigrants, as I tuk it for,” said the trapper. “Rayther a small ’un at thet! What durned fools they must a’ been to ventur’ acrosst the purairias wi’ sech a trifle o’ strength as they ’pear to have! They’re all ‘rubbed out’ now, I reck’n; or them as lives is captered, an’ in the hands o’ the Injuns.

“If them Injuns be, as I suspect they ur – Yellow Chief an’ his band – the Lord pitty them poor critters! They’d better got rubbed out in the scrimmage, and thar ’ud a been an eend o’t.”

“Yellow Chief!” repeated the trapper’s companion. “Ah! if it be he, the cruel ruffian, and he have captives, you are right, ’Lije, in pitying them. I heard some terrible tales of him last time I was over at Bent’s Fort. Whoever the Indians be, they are certain to have taken some captives. An emigrant train, there should be women and children along with it? Surely the savages will not kill them! Can we do nothing towards rescuing them? Think, ’Lije!”

“I am a-thinkin’, an’ hev been, ever since I kim up hyur. But ’tain’t no use. We mout think our heads off, ’ithout devisin’ any way to be o’ use to them. We’d only git ourselves into the same trap as they’re in – an’ maybe wuss; for them Cheyennes – ’specially Yellow Chief’s gang – he’s late tuk a desperate anger agin’ us trappers, because, as they say, some o’ our fellurs carried off one o’ thar squaws from the place whar they war campin’ last spring in the middle Park. If it’s the Cheyenne tribe, as is squeelin’ out thar, the furrer we keep away from ’em, the longer we’ll hev har on our heads. Hilloa! what’s thet thing comin’ on yonder?”

The exclamation, as the query that followed, was called forth at sight of a dark object, that seemed to be moving over the prairie, and in the direction of the cliff – from the top of which the two trappers, themselves concealed behind a cedar-tree, were scanning the outward plain. It had the appearance of a human being; but one so diminutive in size and of such dusky hue, that it might have passed for a fresh dropped buffalo calf, or one of the dark-brown wolves sometimes seen among the mountains. And it seemed to go with a crouching gait, unlike the upright attitude of man!

“It’s a nigger!” cried the old trapper, as the moving object began to get near. “A nigger, an’ a boy at thet! Durn me ef ’taint! What a cunnin’ young darkey he be. Look how he winds about through the bushes, crawlin’ from scrub to scrub! Durn me ef thet boy ain’t wuth his weight in best beaver skins! Now, I kin see how it air. He’s been one o’ the karryvan, which by thet, I reck’n, must be from the South; one o’ thar slaves sartin; an’ seeing his master rubbed out, he’s tuk leg bail on his own account. Wagh! he’s comin’ right this way! Ned, yu’re soopler than I’m; skoot out, an’ try ef ye kin catch him, while I stay hyur, an’ look out for what’s a doin’ yonder. Grit your claws on the darkey, ef ye ken, an’ we may larn all about it.”

O’Neil sprang down the cliff; and wading through the cañon, was soon alongside the black-skinned fugitive – a negro boy, as anticipated.

There was no chase required for the catching him: the darkey was already breathless and broken down, after his long run; and submitted to being taken prisoner without any attempt at running away – the more readily no doubt on seeing that his captor was white.

The young Irishman did not question him on the spot: but at once conducting him into the cove, called to his comrade to come down.

“Wall, ye young imp o’ darkness!” began the trapper, as soon as he had descended, “whar hev you come from, so skeeart-like?”

“From de wagins, massa – de wagins, whar da wa camp – ”

“What wagons?”

“De wagins dat we’re all a trabellin’ wif, cross de big praira. Dar war de white folk and de collr’d people, all ob de plantash’n; an’ I ’speck dey all kill’d ceptin’ maseff.”

“Who kilt them?”

“De Injuns, dem as war paint’d red, an white, an’ ebery colour – dey come gallop up on da hosses jess as our folks wa ’bout to git breakfass; an’ ’fore we know what we doin’ dey fire dar gun, an’ run dar long ’pears troo de people. O, massa! I’se sure ebbery body gone killed.”

“Wharfor de ye think thet?”

“Kase I see ole massa fall down an’ de blood ’treaming out o’ him face, and den I see de obasseah fire shot from his gun, and den de young missa she holler out, an’ so did all de ress ob de women an’ chilren, boaf de bracks an’ de whites. Gorramity! how dey did ’cream!”

“What war the name o’ yur ole massa, as ye call him? Kin ye tell us that?”

“Law, boss, sartin I kin tell dat. Ebbery body know de name ob ole massa. He call de Squiah Brackedder.”

“Squire Brackedder!”

“Squire Blackadder?” asked O’Neil, listening with intense anxiety for the answer.

“Ya, massa; dat am de name.”

“Whar did ye come from? Kin ye tell thet, darkey?”

“From Massissippy ’tate – de ole plantashun ain’t berry fur from de town o’ Vickburg, on de big ribba.”

This was about all the information the negro lad could give.

It was sufficient for the time. On obtaining it, the trapper threw up his hands, and gave utterance to a loud “Phew;” while his companion stood silent, as if suddenly struck dumb!

Chapter Eight.

Planning a Rescue

“What’s best to be dud? What d’ye say, Ned?”

“Let us go straight to the place, and see what has happened. Oh, heavens! If Clara has been killed!”

“Go straight to the place! Yur a dreamin’, young ’un! Supposin’ it be Yellur Chief an’ his crowd o’ cut-throats? We’d both o’ us get sculped to a sartinty.”

“But we might approach under cover near enough – ”

“Near enuf for nothin’. Thar ain’t no kiver in that quarter, as I kin see from hyur; an’ to cut acrosst the purairia, ’ud be to go strait sartint inter the teeth o’ them squallin’ skunks. Thay’re boun’ to be drunk jest about this time; and whether it’s Yellur Chief’s lot or no, we’d get sharp sass from ’em. Thet ye may swar to.”

“We must do something, ’Lije. I cannot bear to think that she may be in the hands of those horrid savages, and I standing here almost within sight of her! If she be living I must rescue; and if dead, by heavens, I shall revenge her! We must do something, ’Lije! we must.”

“An’ who said we wa’n’t a go in’ to do somethin’? Not this chile, sure. Maybe I mout a said so, ef thar hed been only ole Blackedder in the scrape an’ his precious son along wi’ him, an’ along wi’ both thet scoundrel o’ a overseeur, Sam Snively. But the gurl – she’s diff’rent; an’ I feel as desprit on doin’ somethin’ for her as you kin. F’r all thet it’s no use our doin’ what air durned foolechness. We must set ’bout this thing wi’ percaushun. Hyur you, darkey! Kin you tell how many Injuns thar war in the party thet attackted ye?”

“Dar war a big lot, massa – gobs on ’em; I’se sure more’n a hunder – far more’n dat.”

“Bah!” exclaimed the trapper, disappointedly. “’Tain’t no use inquirin’ o’ him. See hyur, niggur! Did you notice any o’ them as ’peered to be thar leader?”

“Wha – what, massa?”

“A leeder, durn ye! A chief!”

“A chief?”

“Yes, one that war actin’ as boss, or overseer.”

“Ah! de boss. Yes, thar war a bossy ’mong dem; I ’pose he muss ’a been, lease he order all de oders ’bout.”

“Kin ye discribe what he war like? How war he dressed? What sort o’ duds had he on him?”

“Easy ’nuf dat, massa. He drest moas like de ress ob dem – only on de top ob him head dar wa’ a big spread ob feather, shinin’ like de tail o’ a peacock.”

“The Yellur Chief!” exclaimed the questioner, on hearing the description.

“No, massa. He no yella’. He wa’ painted red. Dar wa’ some yella’ stripe; but mos’ ob him wa’ a bright red colour – redder dan blood.”

“Never mind that, nigger: you don’t know what I’m talkin’ ’bout. What did ye see him do?”

“Seed him try to ’top de shootin’ and killin’.”

“Stop the shootin’ and killin’! You saw him tryin’ to do thet? Air ye sure o’t, boy?”

“No, massa, I ain’t shoo’. I thort he wa’ doin’ so. I wa’n’t shoo’. I wa’ ’feard dey ud go on wif de killin’, an’ dat’s why I ’tole ’way from de place, an’ run out dis way.”

“Eft be Yellur Chief, odd ’bout his tryin’ to stop the killin’. ’Tain’t his way.” This remark was to O’Neil, who stood chafing at the delay.

“It is strange;” he answered. “In any case, it’s no use our remaining longer here, if we’re going to do anything. What can you think of, ’Lije?”

The trapper, with his right palm resting upon the stopper of his gun, stood for a while, reflecting.

“Thar’s one thing,” he said at length; “eft air this Cheyenne skunk, an’ he ha’nt kilt the hull lot o’ them outright, thar’s jest a chance o’ our savin’ some o’ ’em.”

“Thank God!” exclaimed O’Neil, in a tone of relieved anxiety. “You think there’s a chance, ’Lije?”

“I duz.”

“In what way?”

“Wal; still concedin’ the point o’ its bein’ Yellur Chief, I kin guess putty near what it means. He’s out wi’ a band o’ the young braves, that ain’t likely to track strait back to the town o’ thar tribe; so long’s they’ve got captive weemen among ’em.”

The young Irishman started at the words. They conveyed a thought that gave pain to him; but, anxious to hear his comrade’s scheme for their rescue, he did not interrupt him.

“An’ ef’t be them, I kin guess whar they’ll go – most sartin o’t. This chile chances to know one o’ Yellur Chief’s private campin’ grouns’. I larnt thet when I war trappin’ in this quarter too yeern ago – time’s you war down stayin’ at Bent’s. They’re over yonner now, a plunderin’ the poor emigrants an’ thar wagins, an’ we mout go strait to ’em ef we wanted to git shet o’ our scalps. But as we don’t want thet, the question is, whar they’ll be when we kum back in search o’ ’em.”

“Come back! You purpose going somewhere? Where to?”

“To Saint Vrain’s.”

“Ah! For what purpose?”

“For the only purpiss thet kin sarve our purpise: an’ thet air to git a wheen o’ mounting men as kin lend us a han’ in this bisness. Without thet, we’d hev as much chance to rescoo the captives – ef thar be any sech – as for a kripple to catch a Kit-fox.”9

“Do you think we should find any there?”

“I’m sartint we will. The darkey hez tolt us o’ a party that passed the wagins on thar way. No doubt they war boun’ for the Fort. Besides, I met sev’ral fellurs last seeson while I war trappin’ on the Collyrado, as sayed they war goin’ east, an’ intended makin’ stop at Saint Vrain’s on thar way. I shedn’t be serprised ef we foun’ fifty on ’em thar now. Helf o’ the number will be enuf to chestise Yellur Chief an’ his gang o’ freebooters. Thurfor let’s go to the Fort right away, an’ see what kin be done.”

“I’m with you, ’Lije! We must lose no time! Think of the danger she may be in; that is, if not past all danger already. Oh, I fear to reflect on it.”

“Ye’re right, ’bout not losin’ time,” said the trapper, without noticing the last exclamatory remark. “Same time,” he added, “’twon’t do for us tu make too much haste, else we mout find it the wuss speed, as the spellin’ book used ter say. We must keep clost in to the bottom o’ the bluffs in goin’ torst Saint Vrain’s; else them Injuns may spy us. Ef they shood, we’ll be in for a ugly scrape; an’ not like to git clar o’t ’ithout sheddin’ the skins o’ our two skulls. Wagh! thet ere wudn’t be no way agreeable; an’ ef’t wa’n’t thet thar’s a gurl in the questin, whose life, an’ somethin’ else, oughter be saved, I’d a stayed hyur to finish my breakfust, and let Yellur Chief an’ his cut-throats go straight to custrut to – darnation! But come, Ned! we’re a wastin’ time, an’ I know you don’t weesh thet. Hyur now nigger! you help wi’ the saddlin’ o’ these hosses. Ef you’ve been brought up ’bout Squire Blackedder’s stables I reck’n you know somethin’ ’bout hosses. An’ harkee, boy! we two air goin’ away a bit. So you keep clost in this hyur hole, till we kum back agin’. You kin rest yur black karkidge inside that thar tent, whar ye’ll find somethin’ in the way o’ buffler meat to keep yur ivories from chatterin’. Don’t eet it all, d’ye heer. We may come back sharp-set; an’ ef thar’s nothin’ left, may take it into our heads to eet you.”

While this talk was going on, two horses were led forth from a cave in the cliff that served them for stable.

Both being quickly accoutred, the trappers sprang into their respective saddles; and spurring towards the cañon, were soon plunging between its shadowy walls, on their way to the outward plain.