CHAPTER IX.

When Captain Flint had decided to take possession of the cavern, and fit it up as a place of retreat and concealment for himself and his gang, he saw the necessity of having some one whom he could trust to take charge of the place in his absence. A moment's reflection satisfied him there was no one who would be more likely to serve him in this capacity than the Indian woman who had rescued him from the fearful fate he had just escaped.

Lightfoot, who in her simplicity, looked upon him as a great chief, was flattered by the proposal which he made her, and immediately took charge of the establishment, and Captain Flint soon found that he had no reason to repent the choice he had made, so far as fidelity to his interests was concerned.

For a while at first he treated her with as much kindness as it was in the nature of such as he to treat any one.

He may possibly have felt some gratitude for the service she had rendered him, but it was self-interest more than any other feeling that caused him to do all in his power to gain a controling influence over her.

He loaded her with presents of a character suited to her uncultivated taste.

Her person fairly glittered with beads, and jewelry of the most gaudy character, while of shawls and blankets of the most glaring colors, she had more than she knew what to do with.

This course he pursued until he fancied he had completely won her affection, and he could safely show himself in his true character without the risk of loosing his influence over her.

His manner to her now changed, and he commenced treating her more as a slave than an equal, or one to whom he felt himself under obligations.

It is true he would now and then treat her as formerly, and would occasionally make her rich presents, but it would be done in the way that the master would bestow a favor on a servant.

Lightfoot bore this unkind treatment for some time without resenting it, or appearing to notice it. Thinking perhaps that it was only a freak of ill-humor that would last but for a short time, and then the great chiefs attachment would return.

Flint fancied that he had won the heart of the Indian woman, and acting on the presumption that "love is blind," he thought that he could do as he pleased without loosing hold on her affections.

In this he had deceived himself. He had only captured the woman's fancy. He had not won her heart.

So that when Lightfoot found this altered manner of the captain's towards her was not caused by a mere freak of humor, but was only his true character showing itself, her fondness for him, if fondness it could be called, began to cool.

Things had come to this pass, when Hellena Rosenthrall was brought into the cave.

The first thought of Lightfoot was that she had now discovered the cause of the captain's change of manner towards her. He had found another object on which to lavish his favors and here was her rival. And she was to be the servant, the slave of this new favorite.

Flint, in leaving Hellena in charge of Lightfoot, gave strict charges that she should be treated with every attention, but that she should by no means be allowed to leave the cave.

The manner of Lightfoot to Hellena, was at first sullen: and reserved, and although she paid her all the attention that Hellena required of her, she went no further.

But after awhile, noticing the sad countenance of her paleface sister, and that her face was frequently bathed in tears, her heart softened toward her, and she ventured to ask the cause of her sorrow. And when she had heard Hellena's story, her feelings towards her underwent an entire change.

From this time forward the two women were firm friends, and Lightfoot pledged herself to do all in her power to restore her to her friends.

Her attachment to Captain Flint was still too strong, however, to make her take any measures to effect that object, until she could do so without endangering his safety.

But Lightfoot was not the only friend that Hellena had secured since her capture. She had made another, and if possible a firmer one, in the person of Black Bill.

From the moment Hellena entered the cavern, Bill seemed to be perfectly fascinated by her. Had she been an angel just from heaven, his admiration for her could hardly have been greater. He could not keep his eyes off of her. He followed her as she moved about, though generally at a respectful distance, and nothing delighted him so much, as to be allowed to wait upon her and perform for her such little acts of kindness as lay within his power.

While Hellena was relating the story of her wrongs to Lightfoot, Black Bill sat at a little distance off an attentive listener to the narrative. When it was finished, and Hellena's eyes were filled with tears, the darkey sprang up saying in an encouraging tone of voice:

"Don't cry, don't cry misses, de debble's comin arter massa Flint berry soon, he tell me so hisself; den Black Bill take care ob de white angel."

This sudden and earnest outburst of feeling and kindness from the negro, expressed as it was in such a strange manner, brought a smile to the face of the maiden, notwithstanding the affliction which was crushing her to the earth.

"Why Bill," said Hellena, "you don't mean to say you ever saw the devil here, do you?"

"Never seed him, but heer'd him doe, sometimes," replied Bill.

Now, Hellena, although a sensible girl in her way, was by no means free from the superstition of the times. She believed in ghosts, and witches, and fairies, and all that, and it was with a look of considerable alarm that she turned to the Indian woman, saying:

"I hope there ain't any evil spirits in this cave, Lightfoot."

"No spirits here dat will hurt White Rose (the name she had given to Hellena) or Lightfoot," said the Indian woman.

"But the place is haunted, though!" said Hellena.

"The spirits of the great Indian braves who have gone to the land of spirits come back here sometimes."

"Do you ever see them?" asked the girl, her alarm increasing.

"Neber see dem, but hear dem sometime," replied Lightfoot.

"Do they not frighten you?" asked Hellena.

"Why should I be afraid?" said Lightfoot, "are they not my friends?"

Lightfoot perceiving that Hellena's curiosity, as well as her fears were excited; now in order to gratify the one, and to allay the other, commenced relating to her some of the Indian traditions in relation to the cavern.

The substance of her narrative was as follows:

She said that a great while ago, long, long before the palefaces had put foot upon this continent, the shores of this river, and the land for a great distance to the east and to the west, was inhabited by a great nation. No other nation could compare with them in number, or in the bravery of their warriors. Every other nation that was rash enough to contend with them was sure to be brought into subjection, if not utterly destroyed.

Their chiefs were as much renowned for wisdom, and eloquence as for bravery. And they were as just, as they were wise and brave.

Many of the weaker tribes sought their protection, for they delighted as much in sheltering the oppressed as in punishing the oppressor.

Thus, for many long generations, they prospered until the whole land was overshadowed by their greatness.

And all this greatness, and all this power, their wise men said, was because they listened to the voice of the Great Spirit as spoken to them in this cave.

Four times during the year, at the full of the moon the principal chiefs and medicine men, would assemble here, when the Great Spirit would speak to them, and through them to the people.

As long as this people listened to the voice of the Great Spirit, every thing went well with them.

But at last there arose among them a great chief; a warrior, who said he would conquer the whole world, and bring all people under his rule.

The priests and the wise men warned him of his folly, and told him that they had consulted the Great Spirit, and he had told them that if he persisted in his folly he would bring utter ruin upon his people. But the great chief only laughed at them, and called them fools, and told them the warnings which they gave him, were not from the Great Spirit, but were only inventions of their own, made up for the purpose of frightening him.

And so he persisted in his own headstrong course, and as he was a great brave, and had won many great battles, very many listened to him, and he raised a mighty army, and carried the war into the country of all the neighbouring nations, that were dwelling in peace with his own, and he brought home with him the spoils of many people. And then he laughed at the priests and wise men once more, and said, go into the magic cave again, and let us hear what the Great Spirit has to say.

And they went into the cave, as he had directed them. But they came out sorrowing, and said that the Great Spirit had told them that he, and his army should be utterly destroyed, and the whole nation scattered to the four winds.

And again he laughed at them, and called them fool, and deceivers.

And he collected another great army, and went to war again. But by this time the other nations, seeing the danger they were in, united against him as a common enemy.

He was overthrown, killed, and his army entirely cut to pieces.

The conquering army now entered this country, and laid it waste, as theirs had been laid waste before.

And the war was carried on for many years, until the prophesy was fulfilled that had been spoken by the Great Spirit, and the people of this once mighty nation were scattered to the four winds.

This people as a great nation are known no longer, but a remnant still remains scattered among the other tribes. Occasionally some of them visit this cave, to whom alone its mysteries are known, or were, Lightfoot said, until she had brought Captain Flint there in order to escape their pursuers.

"Is the voice of the Great Spirit ever heard here now?" enquired Hellena.

Lightfoot said the voice of the Great Spirit had never been heard there since the destruction of his favorite nation, but that the spirits of the braves as he had said before, did sometimes come back from the spirit-land to speak comfort to the small remnant of the friends who still remained upon the earth. To those she belonged.

This narrative of the Indian woman somewhat satisfied the curiosity of Hellena, but it did not quiet her fears, and to be imprisoned in a dreary cavern haunted by spirits, for aught she knew, demons, was to her imagination, about as terrible a situation as she could possibly be placed in.