For a moment it blazed up, and when I had turned from my hasty flight I saw only a tiny flicker of flame from the powder. Then came a cloud of smoke from the entrance, a low, thunderous roar that reverberated from the high cliffs overhead, and the great rocks crashed down in utter ruin. The cave was no more. Pierre Radisson slept with those whom he had chosen for company in his last long sleep.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS.
With saddened hearts we turned our faces toward the Barren Places once again. Swift Arrow had killed two of the dogs in his dash for help, but the others were sufficient to draw the sled bearing Grim and Ruth. The old dog's wounds had become too stiff and sore to permit of his traveling afoot, so he curled up at Ruth's feet.
The antlers of the Mighty One were lashed to the sled behind the little maid, forming a rest for her to lean back upon. My wound did not prevent traveling, and there was no great need of haste. A band of the warriors pushed on to provide food for us who followed, and at length we emerged from that dismal, howling passage through the cliffs into the frozen silence of the desolate wastes.
Not until the second evening did we reach the village once more. On the journey I initiated Uchichak into the mysteries of a musket, for although the Crees had often seen our guns and knew their uses, they had never heard them fired until that shot wherewith I killed the Mighty One. The chief was delighted with the weapon which I gave to him, as were the other chiefs, for I kept only one fusil for my own use.
At the village the party of Talking Owl remained for a great feast. On the second evening of this feast a great council was held of the two bands, for so Ruth had urged upon me that day.
"We must not forget, Davie, that our task is not finished here," she said gravely, as we were discussing what we had best do. "See if you can get them to admit me to a Council again, to read to them from the Book. I can put it into Cree, I think."
So we crowded into the lodge of council in the evening, and among others who were admitted was Soan-ge-ta-ha the Chippewa. The destruction of his band and the death of Gib seemed to have broken the old chief, and he had readily agreed to return home in peace and to lead no more war-parties into the Ghost Hills. Three of the foremost seats, however, were left empty out of respect, while from the top of the lodge was suspended the great pair of antlers which the giant moose had borne. The first who addressed the Council was Uchichak, when the calumet had been ceremoniously passed around, Brave Heart accepting it in silence.
"My brothers," he began gravely, "once before has Yellow Lily been admitted to the Council. Then she told us about the Great Spirit and His Son, and about the Book, of which we understood little. But in the Ghost Hills, my brothers, she found this same paper-talk, sent to her by the Great Spirit, and she wishes that we should hear it.