“Watchemenetoc aids the young She-wolf,” he said, as calm as the zenith of a summer’s sky, “but we are strong enough to vanquish both. Three of our band lie stiff and cold in her den, and shall she advance, though all the beings of darkness aid her, and shoot us down like sheep? Shall the Death League be exterminated ere the dawn of light? Shall none live to meet the Black Snake on the field of battle? Let my brothers answer. ’Tis Turkey-foot, the Ottawa, that speaks.”
By Leather-lips, the sorcerer, the chief’s speech was answered.
“We shall not die ignobly,” he cried. “If we can, let us escape and hunt her down at another time. Now she stands by the small hole ready to strike us down, one at a time, before our arms can reach her. She can not long escape us; we can, we will hunt her down before we meet the Black Snake. Let us escape.”
But now arose the question by what avenue should they gain freedom?
The Girl Avenger did not press her new success; she seemed confident of ultimate triumph—that every fleeting moment brought the quartette nearer the dark river. She stood with ready rifle, knife and tomahawk, at the orifice and awaited with strange patience for the approach of the doomed band. Around her, easily distinguishable in the light of a number of dying brands, lay the forms of three members of the League of Death, and not far away stood as many more suffering from wounds that laid bones bare. Her right foot rested upon Speckled Snake, whose warm scalp bled in her girdle beside those of his red brethren whose brains the butt of her avenging rifle had dashed against the limestone walls. Her escape from the corridor that now confined the remainder of the League was easily accomplished. The cave, as I have before mentioned, was far below the surface of the cliffs, and consisted of gloomy apartments above one another like the rooms of some great hotel. All of the dark passages had never been explored by the Girl Avenger; but she had examined enough for utility and comfort. In the roof of the particular corridor above mentioned, was the orifice of a passage whose tortuous track brought the traverser to the main cave through one of the somber niches. With a view to future use in times of danger, the Girl Avenger, by means of strong wooden levers, had rolled a loose stone to the edge of the opening, over which it could be pushed with the strength of her slender arms. When she reached the termination of the corridor she threw herself up into the higher passage, gave the stone a trial of her strength, and heard—for it was too dark to see—it settle down over the cavity.
Then taking the right corridor, for others led different ways from the aperture, she gained the cave again, and gave forth the shout which drove the color from the faces of her foes.
By excessive manipulation Turkey-foot’s torch burned with a bright flame, and revealed to their eyes the avenue by which their bitter enemy had escaped; but the great stone completely blocked it now.
The next moment Leather-lips, the Hercules of his nation, sprung forward, put his shoulders against the bowlder, and exerted all his strength, which did nothing more than to move it a hair’s breadth. With a cry of anger he struck it with his tomahawk, and the sound of the blows were wafted to the ears of the avenger in the cave.
The stone must be moved: without its removal the League of Death would become extinct. They knew that a passage above them led to the main cave, for events had just demonstrated this, and could they gain the passage they could assail the Girl Avenger from two points, and the battle would result favorably to them, after all.
“Now all hands to the stone!” cried Joe Girty, who had observed the result of Leather-lips’ performance. “Leather-lips moved it a bit, and can we not throw it entirely back? I can throw near half a ton over my head, or could a short time since, though now I may be even stronger than ever. Now, braves, for your lives summon all the strength you ever possessed. If we move that stone our hands will grow redder than ever in her heart; if we fail, her hands will bathe in ours. Now! Snakes! I wish I was Samson!”