What mean you, Cash? inquired the uncle.
I mean, uncle, that that fellows been misleading us. I wont say it for certain; but it looks ugly. Weve come more than five miles six, I should say and wheres the tree? Ive examined the horizon, with a pair of as good eyes as most have got, I reckon; and there isnt such a thing in sight.
But why should the stranger have deceived us?
Ah why? Thats just it. There may be more reasons than one.
Give us one, then! challenged a silvery voice from the carriole. Were all ears to hear it!
Youre all ears to take in everything thats told you by a stranger, sneeringly replied Calhoun. I suppose if I gave my reason, youd be so charitable as to call it a false alarm!
That depends on its character, Master Cassius. I think you might venture to try us. We scarcely expect a false alarm from a soldier, as well as traveller, of your experience.
Calhoun felt the taunt; and would probably have withheld the communication he had intended to make, but for Poindexter himself.
Come, Cassius, explain yourself! demanded the planter, in a tone of respectful authority. You have said enough to excite something more than curiosity. For what reason should the young fellow be leading us astray?
Well, uncle, answered the ex-officer, retreating a little from his original accusation, I havent said for certain that he is; only that it looks like it.
In what way?
Well, one dont know what may happen. Travelling parties as strong, and stronger than we, have been attacked on these plains, and plundered of every thing murdered.
Mercy! exclaimed Louise, in a tone of terror, more affected than real.
In what way?
Well, one dont know what may happen. Travelling parties as strong, and stronger than we, have been attacked on these plains, and plundered of every thing murdered.
Mercy! exclaimed Louise, in a tone of terror, more affected than real.
By Indians, replied Poindexter.
Ah Indians, indeed! Sometimes it may be; and sometimes, too, they may be whites who play at that game not all Mexican whites, neither. It only needs a bit of brown paint; a horsehair wig, with half a dozen feathers stuck into it; that, and plenty of hullabalooing[51]. If we were to be robbed by a party of white Indians, it wouldnt be the first time the things been done. We as good as half deserve it for our greenness, in trusting too much to a stranger.
Good heavens, nephew! this is a serious accusation. Do you mean to say that the despatch-rider if he be one is leading us into into an ambuscade[52]?
No, uncle; I dont say that. I only say that such things have been done; and its possible he may.
But not probable, emphatically interposed the voice from the carriole, in a tone tauntingly quizzical.
No! exclaimed the stripling Henry, who, although riding a few paces ahead, had overheard the conversation. Your suspicions are unjust, cousin Cassius. I pronounce them a calumny. Whats more, I can prove them so. Look there!
The youth had reined up his horse, and was pointing to an object placed conspicuously by the side of the path; which, before speaking, he had closely scrutinised. It was a tall plant of the columnar cactus, whose green succulent stem had escaped scathing by the fire.
It was not to the plant itself that Henry Poindexter directed the attention of his companions; but to a small white disc, of the form of a parallelogram, impaled upon one of its spines. No one accustomed to the usages of civilised life could mistake the card. It was one.
Hear whats written upon it! continued the young man, riding nearer, and reading aloud the directions pencilled upon the bit of pasteboard.
The cypress in sight!
Where? inquired Poindexter.
Theres a hand, rejoined Henry, with a finger pointing no doubt in the direction of the tree.
All eyes were instantly turned towards the quarter of the compass, indicated by the cipher on the card.
Had the sun been shining, the cypress might have been seen at the first glance. As it was, the sky late of cerulean hue was now of a leaden grey; and no straining of the eyes could detect anything along the horizon resembling the top of a tree.
Theres nothing of the kind, asserted Calhoun, with restored confidence, at the same time returning to his unworthy accusation. Its only a dodge another link in the chain of tricks the scamp is playing us.
You mistake, cousin Cassius, replied that same voice that had so often contradicted him. Look through this lorgnette[53]! If you havent lost the sight of those superior eyes of yours, youll see something very like a tree a tall tree and a cypress, too, if ever there was one in the swamps of Louisiana.
Calhoun disdained to take the opera glass from the hands of his cousin. He knew it would convict him: for he could not suppose she was telling an untruth.
Poindexter availed himself of its aid; and, adjusting the focus to his failing sight, was enabled to distinguish the red-leafed cypress, topping up over the edge of the prairie.
Its true, he said: the tree is there. The young fellow is honest: youve been wronging him, Cash. I didnt think it likely he should have taken such a queer plan to make fools of us. He there! Mr Sansom! Direct your teamsters to drive on!
Calhoun, not caring to continue the conversation, nor yet remain longer in company, spitefully spurred his horse, and trotted off over the prairie.
Let me look at that card, Henry? said Louise, speaking to her brother in a restrained voice. Im curious to see the cipher that has been of such service to us. Bring it away, brother: it can be of no further use where it is now that we have sighted the tree.
Henry, without the slightest suspicion of his sisters motive for making the request, yielded obedience to it.
Releasing the piece of pasteboard from its impalement, he chucked it into her lap.
Maurice Gerald! muttered the young Creole, after deciphering the name upon the card. Maurice Gerald! she repeated, in apostrophic thought, as she deposited the piece of pasteboard in her bosom. Whoever you are whence you have come whither you are going what you may be Henceforth there is a fate between us! I feel it I know it sure as theres a sky above! Oh! how that sky lowers! Am I to take it as a type of this still untraced destiny?
Chapter 4
The Black Norther
For some seconds, after surrendering herself to the Sybilline thoughts thus expressed, the young lady sate in silence her white hands clasped across her temples, as if her whole soul was absorbed in an attempt, either to explain the past, or penetrate the future.
Her reverie whatever might be its cause was not of long duration. She was awakened from it, on hearing exclamations without mingled with words that declared some object of apprehension.
She recognised her brothers voice, speaking in tones that betokened alarm.
Look, father! dont you see them?
Where, Henry where?
Yonder behind the waggons. You see them now?
I do though I cant say what they are. They look like like Poindexter was puzzled for a simile I really dont know what.
Waterspouts? suggested the ex-captain, who, at sight of the strange objects, had condescended to rejoin the party around the carriole. Surely it cant be that? Its too far from the sea. I never heard of their occurring on the prairies.
They are in motion, whatever they be, said Henry. See! they keep closing, and then going apart. But for that, one might mistake them for huge obelisks of black marble!
Giants, or ghouls[54]! jokingly suggested Calhoun; ogres[55] from some other world, whove taken a fancy to have a promenade on this abominable prairie!
The ex-officer was only humorous with an effort. As well as the others, he was under the influence of an uneasy feeling.
And no wonder. Against the northern horizon had suddenly become upreared a number of ink-coloured columns half a score of them unlike anything ever seen before. They were not of regular columnar form, nor fixed in any way; but constantly changing size, shape, and place now steadfast for a time now gliding over the charred surface like giants upon skates anon, bending and balancing towards one another in the most fantastic figurings!
It required no great effort of imagination, to fancy the Titans[56] of old, resuscitated on the prairies of Texas, leading a measure after some wild carousal in the company of Bacchus[57]!
In the proximity of phenomena never observed before unearthly in their aspect unknown to every individual of the party it was but natural these should be inspired with alarm.
In the proximity of phenomena never observed before unearthly in their aspect unknown to every individual of the party it was but natural these should be inspired with alarm.
And such was the fact. A sense of danger pervaded every bosom. All were impressed with a belief: that they were in the presence of some peril of the prairies.
A general halt had been made on first observing the strange objects: the negroes on foot, as well as the teamsters, giving utterance to shouts of terror. The animals mules as well as horses, had come instinctively to a stand the latter neighing and trembling the former filling the air with their shrill screams.
These were not the only sounds. From the sable towers could be heard a hoarse swishing noise, that resembled the sough of a waterfall at intervals breaking into reverberations like the roll of musketry[58], or the detonations of distant thunder!
These noises were gradually growing louder and more distinct. The danger, whatever it might be, was drawing nearer!
Consternation became depicted on the countenances of the travellers, Calhouns forming no exception. The ex-officer no longer pretended levity. The eyes of all were turned towards the lowering sky, and the band of black columns that appeared coming on to crush them!
At this crisis a shout, reaching their ears from the opposite side, was a source of relief despite the unmistakable accent of alarm in which it was uttered.
Turning, they beheld a horseman in full gallop riding direct towards them.
The horse was black as coal: the rider of like hue, even to the skin of his face. For all that he was recognised: as the stranger, upon the trail of whose lazo they had been travelling.