“Suppose that I could overcome this temporary obstacle of money?” she questioned, as if to test his honesty of purpose.
It was with difficulty that Densmore suppressed his eager anticipation. Nearing the goal of his sordid aspirations, an incautious word might overthrow all. It was with apparent musing that he answered:
“Such a possibility had not entered my mind, and, while I do not relish the idea of you putting up the cash for our bridal tour, it would only be in the nature of a loan; and if such arrangement could add to your happiness, I hardly believe that it should be my part to reject it. How soon could you have the money?”
“Within two weeks, if I decide to do it. I will think it over! If only I knew that it was right, the proper thing to do.”
Again did the wily schemer pause before making reply:
“Of course it is utterly impossible for me to eliminate self-interest, but first is my consideration for your well being. Because of this, and for the reason that I believe that it will be better if I get away from Jim, I trust that you can without serious difficulty, effect the proposed arrangement. Will you not do it?”
“Alfred!” she implored, lifting her eyes beseechingly to his. “Are you really sincere?”
“I only wish that I could do or say more to convince you of my sincerity,” was the bland response. “What special reason have you for doubting me?”
“Oh! I don’t know. I am doing things that I never dreamed! things that I had never expected to do.”
“Then, may I take advantage and ask you to be mine?”
The girl nodded blushingly, with eyes showing confusion.
“Indian ceremony?”
“White, since it is the recognized law.”
“Now may I claim a kiss?”
“Yes, at the altar. Let’s hit the trail! It’s getting late!”
With this, Cogewea gently pushed his hand from her and turned away. Densmore caught her arm:
“Wait a moment! There’s plenty of time! Let’s plan—”
“No, let’s go! Stemteemä will give me the twice over if I stay longer.”
“Oh! do not hurry. We are betrothed and whose business is it how late we are out?”
“That may be all right with white people, but my race is different. Indian parents do not permit their girls to stay out even with their proposed future husbands. If you are to play Injun, you must fall in line! There are no side trails.”
Before the Easterner could protest further, she was gone. Concealing his disappointment, he moved to follow, when a startled look came over his face. In the dust and sand there appeared the innumerable imprints of a small moccasined foot. They were about the spot where he had cast the torn letter, of which not a visage now remained. The fragments had disappeared since the previous evening, when he had noticed them when fishing. For a moment, he stood, mentally cursing his stupidity in not effectively destroying the sheet instead of leaving it exposed to possible detection. But, he reflected, the one terrific storm to which it had been subjected, must evidently have carried away or effaced sufficient of the message to render it unintelligible. He smiled at the memory of the Swa-lah-kin. With this rather hazardous assurance, he hurriedly rejoined Cogewea, who was now some distance on the path.
The two walked homeward, the countenance of the one, now feeling secure of his prey, glowing with subtle selfish satisfaction. The other incapable of guile, radiant in the unbounded happiness of devoted fidelity.
Avoiding the teepee, they approached the veranda. Seated on the steps, Jim and the shy girl were intently scrutinizing an apparent letter, which the foreman unconcernedly folded and pocketed.
Cogewea failed to note Densmore’s perceptible start and Jim’s cynical smile as the eyes of the two rivals met.
XXVI
Stemteemä Consults the Sweat House
It is blessed and enchanted,
Hiawatha
It has magic virtues in it.
⋮
Nor forgotten was the Love-song,
The most subtle of all medicines,
The most potent spell of magic,
Dangerous more than war or hunting!
Jim saw the shy-girl disappear among the willows near the river, a big knife in one hand and bearing an axe in the other. Wondering what it could mean, he sat down on a boulder to watch proceedings or await her return. He fell into a deep reverie, as he carved a stock into a grotesque human-headed sand-lizard. He was unconsciously droning a weird, improvised melody which he had heard among the riders:
There’s a wailin’ of the spirits
In the desert winds that blow;
There’s a plaintive trill of sorrow
In the friendless coyote’s howl.There’s a sadness in the moanin’
Of the pine tree in the gale;
There’s a melancholia callin’
From the darkness of the plain.
Jim continued shaping his lizard. Into the eye-orifices he fitted two bits of agate, one red, the other green.
The foreman was in trouble of late. Twice had he essayed to convince Cogewea of Densmore’s double personality, and twice had he gone down in ignominious defeat. And now, in some mysterious way the accusing fragmentary letter had disappeared from his pocket the first night after its reception. A week had passed since his council with the Stemteemä, with no apparent progress toward severing the relations of the two. His every effort looking to this had only served to estrange the girl the more from himself, weakening the ties of a former warm and close friendship.
The nondescript carving was nearing completion, requiring only a few chips from about the half opened mouth, disclosing an array of formidable looking fangs.
Cogewea often took long horseback rides with the tenderfoot. Of these jaunts Jim well knew that the grandmother was not cognizant. He had thought to warn her, but could see no good in such a course. It would place him in the role of a spy—at which his better manhood revolted—and could serve no other purpose than to add to
