“But hear me, brother,” interposed the Elder.
“I heard more’n enough, now. The fact is I don’t believe more’n half you say, anyhow, and if you was to divide that half by about ten I think it might be better still. Anyhow, I am not a-going with you, and that’s flat.”
“But think of the poor girl.”
“Think of my wife and little children.”
“They will be well taken care of. Upon the head of those who disobey and make light of the prophets of the Lord shall fall grievous curses.”
“Well, now, fire away with them. I don’t think the curses of a man that goes around stealing other folks’ children can hurt a man much, anyhow. Come, boys, who’s a-going with me?”
A large portion, the greater part in fact, drew away from the Elder and gathered round their champion.
The horse of the self-appointed leader of the dissenting party was turned with his last word, and he started down the mountain path. A few only remained behind, but they, one by one, departed also.
Thomas turned his horse’s head toward the scene of the late affray, and, after passing the night crouched low among the rocks where the awful majesty of God was written on the sky in the blazing lightning and spoken in the bellowing thunder, he safely reached it just as morning was shaking roseate light from its glorious wings.
Morning, in all its splendor, was abroad. The mist cleared away, and the dense fog disappeared from the valley. A boundless prospect was opened to the searching eye of this bad man. In the far-off prairie, he could see the train of his people winding slowly along—miniature men and cattle and wagons. Wondering at his absence, they journeyed on. He could see the pine-trees bowing their lofty crests, and whispering to the wind a thousand feet below. But vainly he sought for a trace of the red-man. A tiny smoke, a single curling ribbon of thin, blue vapor rose before his vision—a slender spiral coil of azure floated softly from the earth, and soon lost itself in the clouds. The dry wood, always used by the red-man, gave forth these delicate traces of smoke, and he followed its guidance. But what if he should encounter Black Eagle and his troop of savage warriors when angry with defeat? He still carried more gold about his person, and that would buy their favor; but might it not, also, be a tempting bait for his own murder? Strangely woven, indeed, was the web of his thoughts, and he was half tempted to sacrifice every thing and return to his followers. He looked after them with this purpose firmly planted in his heart; but the long train of white-covered wagons had disappeared in the distance, and, almost sadly, he again pressed forward.