“And we won’t never git things mixed and twisted ag’in?”
“No,” said she; “nothin’ shan’t never part us ag’in!”
And the long-sundered hearts were reunited.
“Sarah,” said the Elder, through his nose, “are you going to marry with that ungodly man of strife?”
“Yes, uncle Tugwoller,” she answered; “I’m a-goin’ to marry that same ungodly man of strife, an’ be jist as good a wife to him as I know how!”
Darke was beginning to evince great anxiety to see his daughter once more, and the ludicrous reunion of the big hunter and his old-time sweetheart, that he had just witnessed, somehow made Clancy long to meet Vinnie.
“Come,” said the woodman, “let us go at once.”
“Wait a few minits,” answered the now happy Leander. “We’ve got a little bizness to attend to yet. I’ve got Ku-nan-gu-no-nah tied to a stake down thar, and it’s about time he retired from bizness. He’s committed crimes—blacker ones than ye can imagine—and he must have his punishment. We’ll give him a trial before we finish him off. Come on.”
And he led the way back to the open space in the center of the encampment, where, to the same stake to which Ku-nan-gu-no-nah had so often bound his captives, he was himself tied so securely that, struggle as he might, he could not get free, and knowing that his doom was at hand, he had made superhuman efforts to break his bonds, but without avail. He was completely cowed; at the last, all his courage and hardihood seemed to have left him, and he stood, quaking with terror, his dusky face blanched to an ashen hue!
“Now,” said the big hunter, laying his hand on the Indian’s shoulder, “ef any one here has got any charges to prefer ag’in’ the prisoner at the stake, the court is ready to attend to the case.”