CHAPTER XIII. BETWEEN TWO CLOUDS.

“Now,” said Fred Hammond, after they had safely reëntered their own cavern home, “you have made your fortune, and I suppose are ready to start homeward to-morrow.”

A general assent followed, and Black Tom added that, on account of the Blackfeet, it was to their interest to get away without a moment’s unnecessary delay.

“I will be here early in the forenoon with my lady, ready to accompany you. You will wait for me?”

“Yas; of course.”

And the next moment Hammond had disappeared in the darkness.

It was only fairly daylight when our hero climbed a small tree, near the base of a spur of the Black Hills, that commanded a view of the Meagan village. Carefully concealing himself from view, he made a waving motion of a branch in his hand, repeated it several times, intently watching the result, and then descended to the ground and impatiently awaited the coming of Lamora.

Only a few minutes had elapsed, when a light step was heard, and the beautiful girl stepped timidly to view before him.

The delighted lover rushed toward her and clasped her in his arms.

“My own loved one!” he exclaimed, as he kissed the white forehead and pink cheeks, “are you ready to go with me?”

“Yes,” was the faint, but immediate reply.

“We are all prepared, and only await your coming.”

After some affectionate love-passages, they began to discuss their course of action in a sensible, practical manner.

Love had triumphed; Lamora had resolved to leave her Indian associations forever, and make her home with Hammond as his wife. That which would have been inexpressibly sad at any other time, now caused her scarcely a regret; nay, she was anxious and almost impatient to leave Kipwan, her adopted father, and the savages who had treated her with such kind tenderness ever since her childhood.

When Hammond stated the preparations that had been made for their departure in a few hours eastward, she was somewhat surprised, but not displeased. She needed some time herself to get ready, and so, bidding him good-by for the present, she hastily returned to the village.

She was trembling and excited, for this day marked an era in her life; but mingling with and permeating this feeling of uneasiness, was a sweet, happy anticipation as she looked at the future.

The meaning of her departure was made known only to Kipwan and his family. These, as a matter of course, were deeply affected, and the parting was painful in the highest degree to them. Yet, they interposed no murmur, but parted under the consciousness that in a few more years they would be united forever.

It was yet early in the forenoon when Fred Hammond and Lamora, mounted on their horses, rode down the cañon, side by side, to the spot where they had promised to meet the trappers.

They found Black Tom and old Stebbins there, but Teddy was absent. After Lamora had been made acquainted with them, the former said:

“Teddy has gone after the animiles, and it’s ’bout time he war back. I’ve been out ’round the country rackynoiterin’, and have been back more nor half an hour.”

“Did you discover anything suspicious?” asked Hammond.

“Wal, not _particklerly_ so; thar’s red skins, and plenty of ’em ’round, and every minute we stay h’ar is so much the worse fur us.”

Old Stebbins had prepared a meal, of which he politely invited Lamora and Hammond to partake. The former declined, as she had eaten before leaving her Indian friends. The latter dismounted and made a hearty breakfast, while they were awaiting the coming of Teddy and the horses.

The appearance of the beautiful Lamora was the occasion of no little wonder and interest to the two hunters; they had heard of her so often, and always in such a way, that they had come to look upon her as something almost supernatural, as invulnerable, in some respects, as the dreaded animal that had caused them so much terror.

Yet they were naturally gallant at heart, and gave no indication, of what was almost awe, that agitated them, as they gazed upon her wonderfully beautiful face and figure, as she sat quietly upon her fiery little pony and awaited the action of her cavaliers.

While Hammond was within the cavern, making his breakfast, she chatted with the rough prairie men in a way that delighted them. They forgot the ever-present and increasing danger from the Blackfeet and the unknown animal; they failed to think upon the immense wealth that had so suddenly come into their hands. They only saw and heard the wonderful girl, as she sat on her horse, and held them spell-bound by the charm of her words and manner.

The precious nuggets that had been taken from the cavern on the preceding night, had been secured in different sacks, and were ready to be placed upon the backs of the animals, as soon as they should come. As their work in that line was now finished, they decided to leave their picks, shovels, and implements behind, so as not to be incumbered with any thing that was not really necessary.

Soon Hammond came out and stood beside his horse, and joined in the conversation.

“Do you feel any alarm about Teddy?” he inquired.

“No,” was the somewhat hesitating response of Tom.

“But if he don’t come powerful soon,” added old Stebbins, “I’m gwine to start on a hunt for him.”

“Perhaps the horses have wandered some distance away,” suggested Hammond.

“That’s jest the trouble; thar’s so many hundred things that might keep him, that thar ain’t no guessin’ the right one.”

“Who is that?” asked Lamora, pointing up the cañon.

“That’s Teddy now.”

So it proved; the Irishman was discerned, on the back of one of the cantering horses, and leading two others that seemed very frisky and lively.

As they came near, it was noticed that Teddy’s face was very red, as though he were perspiring, and it was evident that he was about as angry as he could possibly be. He had a horse on either side of him, each held by halters that were twisted around his respective wrists.

The horse on the right had a habit of holding suddenly back, or starting spasmodically forward, that threatened to jerk the rider off his own animal; but as, at the critical juncture, the other horse gave a yank in the other direction, this catastrophe was prevented.

This kept Teddy upon his beast, but, at the same time, it was not pleasant to have the shoulders so nearly dislocated. As the only thing possible under the circumstances, he made furious and repeated attempts to kick the playful animals, but they seemed to know enough to keep out of his reach, and had a high opinion of the sport.

The fact was, they had been living in “clover” for the last few days, and they “felt their condition.” They enjoyed it.

“WHOA, THERE!” shrieked Teddy, as he threw his body back, and grew still redder in the face, and the horses flung up their heads and laughed, so far as it is possible for an equine to smile. “Ef I only had my shillaleh, I’d break your heads! Whoa, there, ye spalpeens!”

It was amusing to the witnesses of these maneuvers, as the animals came prancing forward, and finally settled to rest in front of the party.

“What kept you so long?” asked Black Tom, as he and old Stebbins advanced and took charge of their respective horses.

“The ould boy got in them!” he replied, puffing from his severe exertions. “When I cotched one, the ithers give me the slip and got away, and then when I cotched them, the ither jumped over me head, kicked me over, and so the spalpeens kept at it, till I was nearly dead.”

“But you succeeded at last,” laughed Hammond.

“Succaded I did,” replied Teddy, as he wiped off his perspiring forehead; “begorra, it was the greatest succiss of me life, as me uncle remarked whin he was thransported to Botany Bay. Arter I cotched ’em, I jumped on the back of mine, and wint to shtrappin’ the shtraps around me wrists, whin, afore I could finish, Black Tom’s horse r’ared back and pulled me off one side, and as soon as I got on, old Stebbins’ animal yanked me off t’other, and so it wint. Begorra! ef they didn’t stand and grin at me--hilloa!”

For the first time Teddy observed the presence of a lady. He paused abruptly, and looked quite embarrassed.

Hammond introduced him to Lamora, and the Irishman bowed with the natural gallantry of his race, and expressed his pleasure at meeting her, while she seemed quite pleased at the eccentricity of the Irishman.

There were but few preliminaries. The golden ore was carefully distributed among the three horses of the trappers, so that none was compelled to carry overweight, and in a few minutes all were mounted and ready to proceed.

It was arranged that Black Tom and old Stebbins should take the lead, while Hammond and Lamora, side by side, should ride next, and Teddy should bring up the rear. This was soon understood, and the company started.

It will be remembered that they were down in a deep, dry cañon, with high, precipitous cliffs and rocks upon either hand.

This cañon was followed up until it diverged from the other, when the hunters kept on, with the purpose of reaching the open, elevated prairie, at the point where the cañon properly began. This would bring them out near the base of the Black Hills, and after making their way for a short distance over a rugged country, they would then reach the rolling plain, with a free, open road toward the United States.

They reached the point of junction, and turned to the right, all riding on a walk, for they did not feel like hurrying until they had full opportunity to do so.

Naturally all were in exuberant spirits, and they were chatting with each other, and laughing at the jokes of Teddy O’Doherty. They had gone several hundred yards beyond the bifurcation of the cañon, and a gradual rise in the ground was perceptible, when Black Tom and old Stebbins suddenly drew their horses back on their haunches with a sudden imprecation.

“Look!” exclaimed Lamora, her face pale with excitement.

Following the direction of her finger, Hammond saw the cañon literally swarming with Blackfeet Indians! They were all mounted, and had completely blocked up the way in front of them.

“It’s no go thar!” exclaimed Black Tom, as he wheeled his horse about. “Turn about and dash down the _kenyon_, and ride fur life, fur we’re in a bad fix.”

“See there!” gasped Lamora again.

All paused, transfixed with horror; for their retreat was blocked up by full as many Indians as was their advance! They were inextricably hemmed in!