Part 89 (1/2)
”Who shall find my Hidden Son Where the ta.s.selled corn is growing?
Let them seek my Hidden One From the Silver Horicon North along the Saguenay, Where the Huron c.o.c.ks are crowing, Where the Huron maids are mowing Hay along the Saguenay; Where the Mohawk maids are hoeing Corn along the Carenay, Let them seek my Hidden Son, West across the inland seas, South to where the cypress trees Quench the flaming scarlet flora Of the painted Esaurora, Drenched in rivers to their knees!
*Honowehto! Like Thendara!
[* ”They have vanished.”]
Let them hunt to Danascara Back along the Saguenay, On the trail to Carenay, Through the Silver Horicon Till the night and day are one!
Where the Adriutha flowing Sings below Oswaya glowing.
Where the sunset of Kandaia Paints the meadows of Yndaia, Let them seek my Hidden Son 'Till the sun and moon are one!”
*TE-KI-E-HO-KEN [* ”Two Voices (together).”]
* ”Nai Shehawa! She lies sleeping, [* ”Behold thy children!”]
Where the green leaves closely fold her!
He shall wake first and behold her Who is given to his keeping; He shall strip her of her leaves Where she sleeps amid the sheaves, Snowy white, without a stain, Nothing marred of wind or rain.
So from slumber she shall waken, And behold the green robe shaken From his shoulders to her own!
*Ye-ji-se-way-ad-kerone!”
[* ”So ye two are laid together.”]
The pretty song of the Hidden Children softened to a murmur and died out as our trail entered the swamp once more, north of the oval glade.
And into its sombre twilight we pa.s.sed out of the brief gleam of suns.h.i.+ne. Once more the dark and bitter water coiled its tortuous channel through the slime; huge, gray evergreens, s.h.a.ggy and forbidding, towered above, closing in closer and closer on every side, crowding us into an ever-narrowing trail.
But this trail, since we had left the sunny glade, had become harder under foot, and far more easy to travel; and we made fast time along it, so that early in the afternoon we suddenly came out into that vast belt of firm ground and rocky, set with tremendous oaks and pines and hemlocks, on the northern edge of which lies Catharines-town, on both banks of the stream.
And here the stream rushed out through this country as though frightened, running with a mournful sound into the northern forest; and the pines were never still, sighing and moaning high above us, so that the never ceasing plaint of wind and water filled the place.
And here, on a low, bushy ridge, we lay all day, seeing in the forest not one living thing, nor any movement in that dim solitude, save where the grey and wraith-like water tossed a flat crest against some fallen tree, or its dull and sullen surface gleamed like lead athwart the valley far ahead.
My Indians squatted, or sprawled p.r.o.ne along the ridge; Lois lay flat on her stomach beside me, her chin resting on her clasped hands. We talked of many things that afternoon--of life as we had found it, and what it promised us--of death, if we must find it here in these woods before I made her mine. And of how long was the spirit's trail to G.o.d--if truly it were but a swift, upward flight like to the rus.h.i.+ng of an arrow already flas.h.i.+ng out of sight ere the tw.a.n.ging buzz of the bow-string died on the air. Or if it were perhaps a long, slow, painful journey through thick night, toilsome, blindly groping, wings adroop trailing against bruised heels. Or if we two must pa.s.s by h.e.l.l, within sight and hearing of the thunderous darkness, and feel the rus.h.i.+ng wind of the pit hot on one's face.
Sometimes, like a very child, she prattled of happiness, which she had never experienced, but meant to savour, wedded or not--talked to me there of all she had never known and would now know and realize within her mother's tender arms.
”And sometimes, Euan, dreaming of her I scarce see how, within my heart, I can find room for you also. Yet, I know well there is room for both of you, and that one without the other would leave my happiness but half complete.... I wonder if I resemble her? Will she know me--and I her? How shall we meet, Euan--after more than a score of years? She will see my moccasins, and cry out! She will see my face and know me, calling me by name! Oh, happiness! Oh, miracle! Will the night never come!”
”Dear maid and tender! You should not build your hopes too high, so that they crush you utterly if they must fall to earth again.”
”I know. Amochol may have slain her. We will learn all when you take Amochol--when G.o.d delivers him into your hands this night.... How will you do it, Euan?”
”Take him, you mean?”
”Aye.”
”We lie south, just outside the fire-ring's edge. Boyd watches them from the north. His signal to us begins the business. We leap straight for the altar and take Amochol at its very foot, the while Boyd's heavy rifles deal death on every side, keeping the others busy while we are securing Amochol. Then we all start south for the army, G.o.d willing, and meet our own people on the high-ridge east of us.”
”But Yndaia!”
”That we will scour the instant we have Amochol.”