CHAPTER VIII.
THE FLIGHT.
The night covered the tranquil desert with its dark blue sky, studdedwith dazzling stars. A majestic silence brooded over the prairie; allwere asleep in the island save the two Canadian sentries, who, leaningon their rifles, followed with absent eye the tall shadows of the wildbeasts that slowly came down to drink in the river.
At times a mysterious quiver ran over the trees, and shook their tuftedcrests, whose leaves rustled with a strange sound.
Dick and Harry, the two worthy hunters, interchanged a few words in alow voice to while away the tedium of their long sentry go, to whichthey were condemned, when suddenly a white shadow glided through thetrees, and Ellen stood by their side.
The young men started on seeing her; but the maiden greeted them with asmile, sat down on the grass, and with a graceful gesture made them asign to seat themselves by her side. They hastened to obey her.
The hunters looked at the maiden, who smiled on them with that infantilegrace which no expression can render.
"You were talking when I came up."
"Yes," Harry answered, "we were talking of you."
"Of me?" she said.
"Was it not for your sake alone that we joined this troop of bandits?"Dick said, in an ill-humoured tone.
"Do you regret being here?" she asked, with a soft smile.
"I did not say that," the young man continued; "but we are not in ourplace among these villains. We are free and loyal hunters, honourablewood rangers; the life we lead oppresses us."
"Were you not talking of that when my presence interrupted you?"
They remained silent.
"Answer boldly!" she went on.
"Good heavens! You know that such a life is as oppressive to me as itis to you."
"What do I know?" Harry said. "Many times I have proposed to you to fly,and leave these men whose hands are constantly polluted with blood, butyou have ever refused."
"That is true," she said sadly; "alas! Although these men are criminal,one of them is my father."
"For two years that we have been following you everywhere, you havegiven us the same answer."
"It was because I hoped that my father and brother would abandon thiscareer of crime."
"And now?"
"I have no hope left."
"In that case?" Harry exclaimed sharply.
"I am ready to follow you," she answered, sharply.
"Is that the truth? Is it your heart that is speaking, Ellen? Do youreally consent to abandon your family and trust to our honour?"
"Listen," she answered, sorrowfully; "for two years I have thoughtdeeply, and the more I reflect the more does it appear to me that RedCedar is not my father."
"Can it be possible?" the hunter exclaimed, in amazement.
"I can say nothing certain; but when I go back I fancy (though this isvague and surrounded by shadows in my mind) I can remember anotherexistence, very different from the one I am leading at present."
"You can remember nothing positive?"
"Nothing: I see pass, as in a vision, a lovely pale lady, a man with aproud glance, and of tall stature, who takes me in his arms, and coversme with kisses, and then--"
"Well, and then?" the hunters exclaimed, in a panting voice.
"And then I see flames, blood, and nothing more, but a man carrying meoff through the night on an impetuous steed."
The maiden, after uttering these words in a broken voice, hid her headin her hands. There was a lengthened silence, during which the Canadiansattentively observed her: at length they drew themselves up, and Harrylaid his hand on her shoulder: she raised her head.
"What would you of me?" she said.
"Ask you a question."
"Speak!"
"Since you have grown up have you never tried to clear up your doubts byquestioning Red Cedar?"
"Yes," she answered, "once."
"Well?"
"He listened to me attentively, let me say all I had to say, and thengave me a glance of undefinable meaning, shrugged his shoulders, andanswered, 'You are silly, Ellen; you must have had a bad dream. Thatstory is absurd.' Then he added, in an ironical voice, 'I feel sorry foryou, poor creature, but you are really my daughter.'"
"Well," Dick said, in a tone of conviction, as he struck the butt of hisrifle fiercely on the ground, "I tell you that he lied, and that man isnot your father."
"Doves do not lay their eggs in the nests of vultures," Harry added."No, Ellen, no, you are not that man's daughter."
The maiden rose, seized each of the hunters by the arm, and, afterlooking at them for a moment, said:
"Well, and I believe so too. I know not why, but for some days past asecret voice has cried in my heart and told me that this man cannot bemy father; that is why I, who, up to this day, have always refused youroffers, have come to trust myself to your honour, and ask you if you willprotect my flight."
"Ellen," Harry answered in a grave voice, and with an accent full ofrespect, "I swear to you before that God who hears us, that my companionand myself will risk death to protect or defend. You shall always be asister to us, and in that desert we are about to traverse in order toreach civilised countries, you shall be as safe and treated with as muchrespect as if you were in Quebec Cathedral, at the foot of the highaltar."
"I swear that I will do all Harry has just said; and that you can, inall confidence, place yourself under the safeguard of our honour," Dickadded, raising his right hand to Heaven.
"Thanks, my friends," the maiden answered. "I know your honour. I acceptwithout reservation, persuaded as I am that you will fulfil yourpromise."
The two men bowed.
"When shall we start?" Harry asked.
"It will be better to take advantage of Red Cedar's absence to fly,"said Dick.
"That thought is mine, too," Ellen remarked, but added, with somehesitation, "I should not like to fly alone."
"Explain yourself," Dick said.
"It is needless," Harry quickly interrupted him. "I know what youdesire. Your thought is an excellent one, Ellen, and we gladly assent toit. The young Mexican lady can accompany you. If it be possible for usto restore her to her family, who must feel in despair about her, wewill do it."
Ellen gave the young man a look, and slightly blushed.
"You are a noble-hearted fellow, Harry," she replied. "I thank you forhaving guessed what I did not know how to ask of you."
"Is there anything else you want of us?"
"No."
"Good! Then bring your companion here as speedily as possible, and, whenyou return, we shall be ready. The gambusinos are asleep. Red Cedar isabsent. We have nought to fear, but you had better make haste, so thatbefore sunrise we may be far enough from here not to fear those who willdoubtless pursue us when they observe your flight."
"I only ask you for a few minutes," the maiden said, and soondisappeared in the shrubs.
In vain had Dona Clara sought sleep, in obedience to her friend'srecommendations. Her mind, agitated by hopes and fears, had not allowedher to enjoy a moment's rest. With eye and ear on the watch, shelistened to the voices of the night, and strove to distinguish, in thegloom, the shadows that at times glided through the trees.
Ellen found her awake, and ready to start. The maidens' preparations forflight were not lengthy, for they only took with them a fewindispensable articles.
In rummaging an old box, which Red Cedar and his family employed to keeptheir clothes in, Ellen discovered a small coffer, about the size of herhand, of carved rosewood, inlaid with silver, which the squatter hardlyever left out of his possession, but which he had not thought itnecessary to take with him on the present expedition.
The maiden examined this coffer for a moment, but it was closed. By anintuitive movement, for which she could not account, but whichcompletely mastered her, she seized it, and put it in her bosom.
"Let us go," she said to Dona Clara.
"I am ready," the young Mexican replied, laconically, thoug
h her heartbounded.
The maidens left the hut, holding each other's hand. They crossed theclearing, and proceeded in the direction of the Canadians. Thegambusinos lying ground the fire did not stir. They were all fastasleep.
For their part, the two hunters had made their preparations for flight.While Dick fetched out to the riverside the four sturdiest horses hecould find, Harry collected the saddles and bridles of the other horses,and threw them into the river, where they immediately disappeared in thecurrent. The Canadian had reflected that the time the gambusinos wouldoccupy in making up their loss would be so much gained to them.
The maidens reached the riverbank at the moment when Dick and Harry werefinishing saddling the horses. They mounted at once, the Canadiansplaced themselves at their side, and the fugitives forced their horsesinto the river. Fortunately, the water was low; and hence, although thecurrent was rather powerful in the centre, the horses managed to crossthe Gila without obstacle.
It was about eleven in the evening when the fugitives landed. So soonas they were concealed in the tall grass, so as not to be seen from theisland, they drew bridle to let their horses breathe after the rudepassage they had just made.
"Let us profit by the hours we have before us to travel the wholenight," Harry said, in a low voice.
"Our absence will not be observed till sunrise," Dick observed. "Thetime spent in seeking us on the island, and in providing some substitutefor the bridles, will give us twelve or fourteen hours which we mustprofit by to get away as far as possible."
"I ask nothing better," Harry said; "but, before starting, we mustchoose our road."
"Oh!" Ellen said, "the direction we must follow is easily settled: wemust only go straight to the northwest."
"Be it so," the hunter went on; "one direction is as good as another.Our principal object is to get off as soon as possible: but whynorthwest rather than any other quarter of the wind?"
Ellen smiled.
"Because," she said, "a friend you know--the Indian chief who formedpart of the band--left the camp before us, in order to warn hiswarriors, and bring us help in the event of an attack."
"Well thought of," the hunter said. "Let us be off, and not spare ourhorses, for on their speed our safety depends."
Each bowed over the neck of the horses. The little party started withthe speed of an arrow in a northwestern direction, as had been agreedon. The four riders soon disappeared in the darkness; the footsteps oftheir horses ceased to re-echo on the hardened ground, and all fell backinto silence.
The gambusinos were peacefully sleeping on the island.