THE WEST SHORE.
2.13
the latter, as a pretext for bo doing, complaining of
indisposition. They had already planned their mode
of escape, which they knew to be fraught with great
danger. Nitia was to leave the lodge first and alone,
gave for Bruno, knowing that if she should unfortun
ately be detected while trying to escape, the savages
would not be likely to suspect her of anything wrong;
whereas, if Dees should be with her, they would im
mediately divine their purpose. She was to have the
horses in readiness, the swiftest in the band, and in
twenty minutes from the time she left the tent, Dess
was to follow her, and repair to a certain place near
the creek, a place with which they were both familiar.
This was the plan of action agreed upon, and, when
the Indians had been asleep some time, the squaw
stealthily crept from the wigwam, with Bruno by her
side. Dess found it somewhat difficult to make the
dog understand that he was to accompany the Indian
woman, he preferring to remain with his mistress.
It was a perilous undertaking, but, in her eagerness
to escape, she never hesitated for a moment The
wily savage himself could not have crept away more
stealthily than she; and though the moon had not
yet shown her smiling visage above the treetops, the
found no difficulty in reaching the rendezvous agreed
upon. She found the squaw awaiting her, agreeably
to promise, and in less than half a minute they were
ready for the tedious journey that lay before them.
" Let Naoma follow," said Nitia, at the same time
plunging her horse into the midat of the rapid stream.
They rode along as swiftly as possible, though it
was slavish work for the animals to forco their way
against the rapid current. Old Bruno did not seem
to enjoy the excursion very much, being obliged to
pick his way along the rugged shore, but, neverthe
less, he did not lose sight of his mistress for a mo
ment The moon had risen high in the sky ere Bess
and her guide emerged from the bed of the stream.
" Naoma must go alone now," said the iquaw,
reining in her pony. " Go that way," pointing to tho
south, "and when the sun goeB down to-morrow, turn
to the Betting sun, and before the sun comes up again
he will be near her homo."
" But you; will you go with me? "
" No, pale-face home not good for Indian woman."
" What! Will you go back to Wntumni?"
" No, Watumni kill. Nitia go to reservation. Kh
has brothers and sisters there, and they will "W'P
her. Maybe she never see Naoma again," and a tre
mor was noticeable in her voice, thouyb lit w. :
impaflaive. j
" This is cruel, Nitia. I thought you would g
homo to live with me."
" No, Nitia go to her own people. Lot the whit, ,
girl be brave, aud she find her people. She- has a
good heart and a bright eye, and Nitia lovo her much."
With this, Dess and her companion clasped hands
and parted, each punuing an opposite direction, and
urging their ponies to their utmost ijhhhI It was a
rough, perilous journey, but tho bravo girl never for
got for an instant that hor future destiny depo tided
upon this night's work, and sho gallantly urged her
noble little nag ahead, unmindful of tho wild, rugged
character of tho country through which sho must pass.
At the dawn of day, next morning, iho pained on tho
slope of a rugged mountain, in order to rent her wea
ried pony. She looked alout her in every direction,
uncertain as to tho course, she. was pursuing. Hho
could form no adequate, idea as to whero she was, nor
how far distant sho might Im from tho Indian lodges.
Sho know only that sho must push on for her life,
lost tho wily savages pursue and recapture her, Kro
long, tho sun showed his pleasant faco above tho high
mountains, and tho girl was over-joyed to find that
she was pursuing tho proper direction.
Her ouly fear now was that her horso would not
prove equal to tho heavy jauut that lay Mors him.
By the time it was midday, sho had reached tho sum
mit of tbo high mountain, tho ascent of which had
greatly wearied both horse and rider. Nevertheless,
sho was delighted to know that sho was thus far re
moved from her much dreaded captors, though tho
vast wilderness that lay before, her was by no weans
an inviting scene. Hho never halted till darkness had
gathered around her; and then, seeing that her horso
was about to weaken from fatiguo and hunger, sho
dismounted and prepared to rest for tho night I far
ing tethered her wny, but leaving him saddled and
bridled, that sho might remount at a moment's warn
ing, sho threw herself on tho ami, green grass Ix-sldo
her canino friend, and cautioned him to l on tho
alert for any f that might approach thnn, however
warily. Bruno, though greatly fatigued, tu faithful
to the command; but their peaen was undisturbed,
save for tho piercing howl of cayotes and tho hooting
of a great owl which sat in tho tp of a Ull pins just
above their heads.
At the dawn of day, tho girl was oneo mora in tho
saddle, and was birg carried away at tho atmt
i i i . i.. ...... wMrli owlnff to his n I u hl's rest
mid the luiuriant grass u-n which ho had fed,
greatly rcruit"
(r coursrt was now wrsterly, and
r,. 1,1.111, as li" pu"l ,,n of ft Liuh, roll-
jnjM.,-ati..H of Utid.sho perceive,!, away IOeUl ner
MJj t), t! westward, a river, which, owing to tho
,r,'.at d.!ai.r apj-.f"! ! U7 fl,,wln
t r.. a l. pietuMM0 littlo valley. JIr heart
ut, ,.V with d-liglt " tho thought dawned upon
,r V v .he was gaiing Mtl valley of Oak