Randall Parrish - Prisoners of Chance

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"_Mon Dieu_!" whispered my comrade, his voice shaking as if from an
ague fit. "Is it not Old Nick himself?"

"If not," I answered, my words scarce steadier, "then some one must
tell me what; never before did I gaze on such a sight. Has it been
there long?"

"I know not whence it came, or how. I was not watching the crest.
After I bathed at the stream to open my eyes better, I began
overhauling the commissary for a bite with which to refresh the inner
man. I was sitting yonder, my back against the big stone, munching
away contentedly, humming the words of a song to keep me awake, when I
chanced to glance up to mark the position of the moon, and there that
hell's imp danced in the sheen as he has been dancing ever since.
_Sacre_! it was the bravest deed of my life to crawl here and awaken
you; the devilish thing did charm me as a snake does a bird."

The mere sound of human speech put new heart into me, yet I found it
difficult to avert my eyes from that fantastic figure.

"If that is the Devil," I said more composedly, still enthralled by the
baleful presence, "surely we have neither of us done so much evil as to
make us especially his victims."

As I concluded these words, my courage creeping back, a sudden rustling
among the pines at our back startled us to glance around. Out of the
gloom of the rock shelter a figure uplifted itself on all fours, and
the faint light of a star glimmered directly down upon an upraised,
terror-stricken face. Before either De Noyan or myself could mutter a
hasty warning, the half-awakened preacher sent his great, gruff voice
booming out into the air:

"O Lord God of Israel deliver Thy servant from destruction and the
clutch of the Evil One. O Lord God of----"

I flung myself on him, clutching his brawny throat, throttling his
speech into a vain gurgle. The fellow made so fierce a struggle,
mistaking me for an assistant of the fiend, my fierce hold was jerked
loose, and I was hurled heavily backward at full length upon the
stones, striking with no pleasant force upon my shoulder.

"Verily have I overcome the Devil by Thy strength, O Lord!" he began
fervently.

"Be still, you red-headed Connecticut fool," I commanded sharply, now
thoroughly aroused. "Stop, or I 'll drive into you a leaden slug to
silence that blundering tongue of yours for good and all. Get up from
your knees there, and play the man. If needs be you must pray, keep
grip on that bull voice of yours."

"It makes small odds now," chimed in De Noyan with easier tone. "The
Devil, or what, has disappeared from the rock."

I glanced up at his words, to find them true. The sky was assuming a
faint grayish tinge, as if the dawn were near. The vanishing of that
spectral figure relieved us greatly, while the steady coming of
daylight revived those spirits upon which the haunted night had rested
grimly. Nevertheless I felt it incumbent to speak somewhat harshly to
the yet sulking sectary for such untimely uproar.

"Did you mistake this for a conventicle, Master Cairnes," I asked
grimly, "an assembly of crop-eared worshippers, that you venture to
lift your voice in such a howl when you wake? It will be better if you
learn to keep still at such a time, if you hope to companion long with
me."

"You!" he scarcely deigned to lift his eyes to regard me. "You are but
an unbelieving and damned heretic. Had it not been in all the
earnestness of a contrite spirit I besought the Lord in prayer,
wrestling even as did David of old, 'tis not likely the foul fiend I
beheld on yonder crest would have departed so easily. I tell you, you
unregenerated son of iniquity, it is naught save the faith of the
elect, the prayer of the redeemed, which overcomes the wiles of the
Devil, and relieves the children of God from his snares."

It was useless arguing with the fanatic; yet much of my previous
superstitious terror at our unwelcome visitant had already vanished,
there growing upon my mind a firm conviction that the apparition was
not a denizen of the sulphurous regions of the damned, but was composed
of flesh and blood, even as ourselves. I think Madame had been awake
through the greater part of the commotion, as I noted her stir slightly
even when De Noyan first informed me of the strange presence. Yet she
spoke not a word. Realizing her judgment was ever clearer than that of
either of my male companions, I turned to awaken her to some expression.

"And do you also, Madame, believe that we have been honored by a visit
from His Satanic Majesty in person?" I asked, wondering as I spoke that
she should appear so undisturbed in midst of our turmoil.

"It would be less terrifying to me could I so believe," she replied
gravely, her eyes questioning my face, as if to read therein what
answer I desired. "I have that about my person," and I marked that her
fingers toyed with the beads of a rosary at her throat, "which would
protect me from his touch."

"What then did you make of that fantastic figure? I was so gravely
startled myself by the apparition I saw double, scarcely retaining
sufficient strength for the uplifting of a hand. So speak, Madame, and
plainly, for our comforting,--was that flesh and blood, or was it some
ghastly visitant from the unknown?"

"I believe," she answered firmly, "it was human. To my eyes a wild
man, partially arrayed in white skins, decorated with a multitude of
great feathers, appearing ghastly tall, and weirdly distorted in the
moonlight--a fiend, indeed, yet not of the upper air."

"An Indian?"

"I know not what other name to choose. A savage surely, yet possessing
a skin strangely fair in the sheen for one of the red race."

My roving, unsatisfied eyes met those of De Noyan.

"Blessed Mother!" he ejaculated with a short, uneasy laugh. "I never
would have thought it in the night. Holy Saints preserve me, if I was
ever more a child! Yet now the dawn brings me new heart of courage,
and I would not swear but Eloise may be right."

"And you, friend Cairnes?" In a few, brief English sentences I retold
to the sectary this opinion expressed by Madame. "Does your mind agree
with ours?"

He stared at me gloomily, his hands knotting into each other, and his
lips moving oddly ere he found speech.

"Nay," he muttered at last, "you know little about such matters. I
tell you again that it was the Devil my eyes saw. Twice have I looked
upon him, and each time, in response to prayer, has the good Lord
delivered His servant from the bondage of sin, the snares of the
fowler. Not by carnal weapons of the flesh are we bidden to overcome,
but by spiritual wrestling; even as did he of old wrestle with the
angel, are we to master the adversary of souls."

"Madame possesses that also," and I pointed to the rosary at her white
throat, "by which she is able to resist the contamination of evil."

He sniffed disdainfully, his coarse red hair appearing to bristle all
over his bullet head.

"'T is a foul device designed to rob men of the true power of prayer,"
he declared angrily. "I say to you, it was the voice of prayer which
caused that foul fiend to fly away to his own. The prayer of the
righteous availeth much."

"True, friend," I admitted as he paused for breath, amused to behold a
man thus played upon. "If it is a comfort to you, we all confess it
was your voice which put an end to the dancing. Yet if there is a time
for prayer, so there is time also for action, and the latter must be
here now. Whatever adventure awaits us before nightfall, we shall meet
it no less bravely if we first have food. So let us break our fast,
and depart from this accursed spot."

It was not a cheerful meal, our nerves being still at high tension, and
we partook more from duty than any feeling of enjoyment. I must except
the old Puritan, however, who would have eaten, I believe, had that
same figure been dancing at his elbow. Many anxious looks were cast
upward at the rock crest, every unwonted sound causing us to start and
glance about in nervous terror. It seems to me now Eloise remained the
most self-controlled among us, and I have felt sincerely ashamed at
yielding to my weaker nature in thus betraying nervousness before that
company. Yet had she been in safety I would have proven more of a man,
as by this time no haunting superstition remained to burden my heart.
I realized we were leaguered by flesh and blood, not by demons of the
air, and had never counted my life specially valuable in Indian
campaign. But to be compelled to look into her fair face, to feel
constantly the trustful gaze of her brown eyes, knowing well what would
be her certain fate should she fall into savage hands, operated in
breaking down all the manliness within me, leaving me like a helpless
child, ready to start at the slightest sound. De Noyan barely touched
the food placed in front of him, and, long before Cairnes had completed
his meal, the Chevalier was restlessly pacing the rocks beside the
stream, casting impatient glances in our direction.

"_Mon Dieu_!" he ejaculated at last, "it is not the nature of a
Frenchman to remain longer cooped in such a hole. I beg you, Benteen,
bid that gluttonous English animal cease stuffing himself like an
anaconda, and let us get away; each moment I am compelled to bide here
is torture."

Experiencing the same tension, I persuaded the Puritan to suspend his
onslaught, and, undisturbed by sight or sound, we began a slow advance,
clambering across the bowlders strewing the narrow way, discovering as
we moved forward that those towering cliffs on either side were
becoming lower, although no possibility of scaling them became
apparent. We travelled thus upwards of a quarter of a mile, our
progress being necessarily slow, when a dull roar stole gradually upon
our hearing. A moment later, rounding a sharp edge of projecting rock,
and picking our way cautiously along a narrow slab of stone extending
out above the swirling water, we came forth in full view of a vast
cliff, with unbroken front extending from wall to wall across the
gorge, while over it plunged the stream in a magnificent leap of fully
one hundred and fifty feet. It was a scene of rare, romantic beauty,
the boiling stream surging and dancing madly away from its foot, and
the multicolored mists rising up like a gauzy veil between us and the
column of greenish-blue water. Yet it pleased us little then, for it
barred our progress northward as completely as would a hostile army.

Our depth of disappointment at facing this barrier was beyond
expression. We could but stand in silence, gazing upon the broad,
impassable sheet of water, blocking further advance. De Noyan was
earliest to recover power of speech.

"_Le Diable_!" he swore, half unconsciously. "This cursed place is
surely damned! Yet it has some consolation to my mind, for that will
drive us backward into the lowlands, out of this demon-haunted defile."

"Your judgment is right," I returned gravely enough, not unrelieved
myself by the thought. "There is no other course open to us. We shall
be compelled to retrace our steps, and if we desire to reach the open
before another night, we need be at it. May the good God grant us free
passage, with no skulking enemies in ambuscade, for never saw I poorer
spot for defence than along this narrow shelf."

Fortunately, the way proved easier travelling as we proceeded downward,
and we were not long in passing beyond our haunted camp of the previous
night. Below this spot--which was passed in painful anxiety--we
entered into that narrower, gloomy gorge leading directly toward the
plain beyond. The little river foamed and leaped in deep black waves
upon our left, the rocks encroaching so near that we were compelled to
pass in single file, picking a way with extreme caution lest we slip
upon the wet stones, and having neither time nor breath for speech.
The Puritan led, bearing the Spaniard's naked rapier in his hand.
Suddenly, from where I brought up the rear, his voice sounded so
noisily I made haste forward fearing he had been attacked.

He stood halted, staring like a demented man at a massive rock, a huge
monster with sheer, precipitous front, filling every foot of space from
the cliff wall to the river, completely closing, as by a wall of
masonry, the narrow foot-path along which we had advanced unhindered
the day before. It was easy to see from whence that rock mass came;
the great fresh scar on the overhanging cliff summit high above told
the fatal story of its detachment. Yet how had it fallen so suddenly
and with such deadly accuracy across the path? Was it a strange
accident, a caprice of fate, or was it rather the hellish work of
design?

None knew at that moment; yet we stood there stupefied, staring into
each others' despairing faces, feeling we were hopeless prisoners
doomed to perish miserably within the gloom confines of that ghastly,
haunted hell.

CHAPTER XX

BACKS TO THE WALL

"This is Indian treachery," I said decisively, my eyes searching the
cliffs, "nor will they remain long inactive now they have fairly caught
us in their trap. Let us get back out of this narrow way; there may be
other loosened rocks where this one came from."

"Back where?"

"To some spot where we can defend ourselves in case of attack. These
will prove different from any savages I have ever known if we fail to
hear from them as soon as we are ready."

"But," protested De Noyan, as we scrambled retreating up the slope, "if
there is no way leading from this pit of death, how are those devils
going to get in? Will it not be more likely they will be content to
starve us?"

"'Tis not Indian nature to hide in patience after having trapped their
victims. Although there is no apparent way out to our eyes, nor time
to search for one, yet we may put confidence in this: they never
bottled us here without knowing some means whereby they might complete
their work."

"It is likely to be a fight, then?"

"Either that or a massacre; God knoweth."

"If, friend Benteen," boomed Cairnes, now well in our front, and
prodigal of voice as ever, "you expect a stand-up battle with the
devils, 'tis my judgment you will find few spots better adapted for
defence than yonder--there where the rock juts out so far; 'tis like a
sloping roof to protect us from above."

It was as he described, a place fitted by nature for such a contest,
the upper stratum of rock projecting so far forward as almost to form a
cave beneath, while, partially blocking the centre of this darkened
opening, uprose a great square slab of stone, forming of itself no
small protection to a party crouching in its shadow. Moreover the
ground fell away sharply, the higher point being twenty feet above the
water level; and this at the widest part of the gorge, the entire slope
thickly strewn with bowlders of varying size.

"You have made soldierly choice," I acknowledged heartily, after a
hasty survey. "It would be difficult to discover a more proper spot
for purposes of defence. St. Andrew! but three of us ought to hold
that mound against quite a party."

De Noyan broke in, perfectly at his ease with actual fighting in
prospect. "Somewhat open as yet, but that can be remedied by use of
those scattered stones. Upbuild the circle here, leaving in front of
the great bowlder room enough for the three of us to battle at ease,
with ample space in which to swing our sword-arms, the solid rock at
our backs. Saint Anne! but it is beautiful! Bring the stones here so
I may place them to the best purpose for such defence." And he drew a
rapid half-circle about the mouth of the shallow cave, his eyes
brightening with interest.

"Pah! your doughty Frenchman appears overly anxious to be killed,"
began Cairnes, casting an eager glance toward the provisions dropped
upon the ground. "To my mind we had better break our fast before
commencing such labor. It may happen we shall have no other chance to
eat, and it would go hard against my nature to waste that pickled meat
on naked savages. Ecod! it would try Job himself to stand by helpless,
watching a clouted heathen gorge himself on what should be lying
comfortable in our own stomachs. What say ye, Master Benteen?"

"That our first effort be with the stones," I returned with decision.
"After that, we can partake of food. The latter can be made ready
while we work, if Madame will spread it here at the mouth of the
cave--a bit farther back would prove better, under the protection of
that slab of rock."

Rejoicing at thus inducing our fair companion to seek safety under
shelter, the three of us fell to work with energy. Under the direction
of De Noyan, the scattered bowlders were rolled up the steep and piled
in a solid wall, reaching nearly waist high, completely circling the
open front of the cave, its centre somewhat advanced from the stone
slab, with either flank resting solidly against the face of the cliff.
It did me good to listen while De Noyan issued energetic orders,
swearing at us ardently in army French as if we were of his own
squadron of chasseurs.

It required the greater part of an hour to get our rude rock rampart in
such condition as to satisfy the military taste of the Chevalier even
measurably, and during that time we toiled as men must when their lives
are soon to depend upon the result of their labor.

"_Saprista_!" he commented at last, wiping his streaming brow, and
gazing about him critically. "It will answer fairly well, I think,
although another row might strengthen the curves. Still, 'tis not
likely we shall be called upon to battle against gun or pike, and if
too high the stones might interfere with proper thrust of the sword.
So let us lunch. Egad! the sight of that hungry preacher haunts me
every time I turn around; besides, whatever resting-spell we get ere
the ball opens will serve to steady our nerves for the onset. Have you
spread forth a rare feast for our comrades, Eloise?"

She stood within the shadow, leaning lightly against the great stone,
smiling at us.

"All I have awaits your pleasure, gentlemen," she returned bravely,
"and I trust you may consider it a pleasant duty to do full justice to
my skill."

It has lingered a unique memory of those days, the outward carelessness
with which we chattered away during that strange meal. Surely no
company of wanderers was ever in more desperate stress than we at that
moment. It was the merest chance of fate if one among us all lived to
see the peaceful setting of the sun, now blazing high overhead. Yet
that simple noonday repast, partaken of beneath the shadow of the
overhanging rock, remains in memory as more redundant with merriment of
tongue and face than any since we made departure from New Orleans.
Were I not writing truthful narrative, I might hesitate at setting this
down, yet there are doubtless others living to bear witness with me
that there is often experienced an odd relief in discovering the
presence of actual danger; that uncertainty and mystery try most
severely the temper of men.

It certainly proved so with us that day, and De Noyan's high spirits
found echo even in the grim Puritan, who, being at last convinced that
he was not called upon to wrestle with demons from the pit, was as full
of manly fight as the best of us. Eloise added her gentle speech,
while even I relaxed my anxiety, though I was careful enough to select
a seat from which I could keep watch both up and down the ravine,
convinced that our time of trial was not far away. In consequence of
this chosen vantage of position I was the first to note those stealthy
nude figures silently stealing from rock to rock, like so many flitting
shadows, making their way down toward our position from the north. How
they attained entrance to the gorge I could not conjecture; my eyes
first detected their movement when their leaders stole noiselessly as
phantoms about the great shelf of rock higher up the gorge. More than
this fleeting glimpse I was unable to perceive from where I sat, our
rude rampart somewhat obstructing the view, nor did I call the
attention of the others to their approach. Nothing could be gained by
exposing ourselves before need arose. Indeed, De Noyan chanced to
observe their presence before I ventured upon speech at all.

"Ha, my masters!" he exclaimed suddenly, rising to peer above the low
breastworks. "What have we here? By my soul, the ball is about to
open, gentlemen; the enemy creeps forward as though uncertain of our
whereabouts, yet hardly as if greatly fearing our numbers. What do you
make of the fellows, Master Benteen?"

"Beyond doubt savages, but not of any tribe within my knowledge."

"Saint Denis! nor mine," he acknowledged gravely, staring at them. "At
this distance they seem to be of strangely whitish skin, and I am not
over pleased with their mode of advance; it has the steadiness of a
drilled column, such as I never before witnessed in Indian campaign.
_Sacre_! note yonder how that tall fellow on the right guides them with
his gestures. They take intervals as firmly as French grenadiers.
Eloise," he turned hastily toward his wife, more tenderness in his
manner than I had ever before remarked, "it is going to be a hard
battle, or I mistake greatly the temper of yonder warriors. Take this
pistol; it is all I have of the kind. I will trust my fortune on the
blade. You know how best to use it should things go wrong with us at
the front."

"I know," she answered calmly, "I have lived all my life within hearing
of Indian tales; yet could I not prove some aid beside you?"

"Nay, little woman; there is scarcely room for three of us to stand at
the wall; we shall fight with freer hand knowing you are safe from
savage blow behind the rock. Come, my lady, it is full time you were
there now."

She shook hands with us in turn, giving to each man a lightsome,
hopeful word ere she drew back out of sight, and never before did I
have such incentive to battle as I read within the depths of her dark
eyes as she came to me the last of all. For a moment after she
regretfully withdrew her hands from my clasp I remained motionless,
absolutely forgetful of all else, until De Noyan's voice, harsh now
with excitement of approaching combat, recalled me to myself and my
post of duty.

"It is time we took our positions, Messieurs," he said, bowing with the
rare French courtesy of battle. "Let Monsieur Cairnes find place upon
my right, while Master Benteen, do you keep the left. It will be
better to crouch low until I speak the word, and then God give you both
strong arms and hearts."

From behind the roughly piled bowlders in my front I had a fair view up
the valley, and was enabled to mark clearly the attacking party as it
advanced cautiously toward our position. It was composed of some
thirty members, well-appearing fellows for savages, naked from the
waist up, their exposed bodies quite light in color, and unpainted as
is the usual Indian custom for war. Their leader was a tall fellow,
having a head of matted coarse hair, which stood almost erect, thus
yielding him a peculiarly ferocious aspect. The entire band moved
forward, as if in response to prearranged signals, which must have been
conveyed by motion, as I could distinguish not the slightest sound of
speech. However, it was a relief to note they bore no weapons in their
hands excepting the spear and the war-club, clear evidence that they
had limited, if any, trade intercourse with Europeans. Yet they came
on with such steadiness of purpose, amid such impressive silence, I
instinctively felt we stood opposed to no tribe of cowards, whatever
their name.

As they crept, rather than walked, forward into the open space in our
front, their restless, searching eyes were not long in perceiving the
irregular outlines of our rude barricade, nor were they dilatory in
deciding that behind that pile of rock were to be discovered those they
sought. No attacking party operating upon the eastern continent,
guided by all the strategy of civilized war, could have acted more
promptly, or to better purpose. The old chief made a quick, peculiar
gesture from left to right, and in instant response his clustered bunch
of warriors spread out in regulated intervals, assuming positions not
unlike the sticks of a fan such as the Creoles use, until they formed a
complete semicircle, their flanks close in against the cliff, and their
centre well back upon the bank of the stream. It was a pretty
movement, executed with the precision of long discipline, and De Noyan
brought his hand down applauding upon his knee.

"_Parbleu_!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm. "'Twas as well done as by
troops of the line. I look for a warm time presently, when we cross
arms with those fellows."

Even as he spoke, I observed the old chief passing rapidly from man to
man, speaking briefly to each in turn and pointing toward us, as though
giving special directions for the coming assault.

"Chevalier," I whispered, "would it not be well to try a shot at that
tall-haired fellow?"

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