They spoke the truth, for Evan Harris lay unconscious across the ranger’s shoulder.
“Now back to the bloody cave!” suddenly cried Captain Jack. “The false-face has been torn from the spy. Turn upon your heels, Modocs, to witness the punishment that Mouseh inflicts upon the dog that steals to his councils with lying words!”
He darted a fierce look upon Cohoon, whose eye did not quail the least, and the next moment turned upon his heel, followed by the executioners of his will.
Now all hopes of succor from the Klamath nation had been torn from the Modoc’s heart. He saw that he had been completely hoodwinked by his worst enemies, and the events which had just transpired were transforming him into the demon incarnate.
CHAPTER X.
COHOON AND HIS ENEMIES.
The band soon reached the main cave, in the center of which a fire burned brightly.
The scowl of vengeance still rested upon the Modoc’s face, and his hands were clenched until the nails bruised the palms.
He had been the prey of deep thought during the return; he saw that successful resistance was not to be expected, and the determination to fall upon the troops, rifle in hand, then animated his breast. Arrow-Head, the Klamath, was too cowardly to help him, and it seemed that the hand of every red-man was against him.
He was the first to enter the cave, and he suddenly paused near the fire and fastened his eyes upon a figure that lay against a wall.