The Kidnapper's Cove [pp. 740-749]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
long, at last asserted its power, and unnerved his arm.
He uttered no word of wrath or of fear; but his clenched
teeth, and the wild glare of his eye, spoke the roused
ferocity of the demon within. Arrowfoot, leaving the
prisoners in the care of the rest of his party, flew to the
captive boy. Eldred was aroused from his slumber by
his hurried steps. Thinking his murderers had returned
to do the work of death, he dropped from his resting
place on the wall, and terror depriving him of every
other sensation, he heeded not the rush of many feet,
or the cries of his distracted father calling his name.
Thie deeply moving voice of Arrowfoot at length awoke
him to the consciousness of life and hope. A faint sob
was the only expression he was able to give to these
overpowering emotions. In speechless ecstasy he gazed
on the haggard face of his father; who, with clapsed
hands and streaming eyes, gave thanks to the Almighty
for his merciful interposition.
The Indian soon became aware of the danger of such
a reaction in the feelings of the boy, and bore him from
Colonel Carlisle's presence into the near forest, where
placing him on the bank of a nmurmuriing rivulet, he
bathed his temples, and, aided by the soothing sights
and s.)unds of nature, soon restored him to tranquillity,
and enabled him to return with his father and friends
to the home where his sister watched with straining
eyes, for some messenger who would tell her of his
safety or his death.
Meantime the officers of the law took charge of the
criminals. The general delight at receiving the lost one
again shut out for a time all recollection of the traitor
from the hearts of this affectionate family. But the
indignation of the community was strongly excited, and
numbers surrounded the prison, calling loudly for the instant trial of the prisoners. On examination, Fitzgerald
protested that he was innocent of the crime laid to his
charge. McMurdough maintained an obstinate silence.
But Hawkins confessed the whole plot, and further
added, that Fitzgerald had joined the Buccaneers in the
WVest Indies in the preceding year-had distinguished
himself in their piratical depredations by his daring
courage; and was now commander of a small cruiser on
the Chesapeake. Fitzgerald, he said, had not specified to
him the person to be put out of the way, but only that
one life stood between him and a large fortune, which
all should share, provided his hand was not seen in the
business. This evidence was sustained by that of Arrowfoot. When asked why he suspected the pretended
affection of Fitzgerald for the boy, he replied in the
sententious manner of his race, that he "saw him cast
an evil eye on him, when hlie first met him." When
questioned as to his knowledge of the scheme laid to
entiap Eldred, he said that he saw "something dark
working in Fitzgerald's mind, and followed him to the
fishing town. There unperceived he saw him meet two
men drest as fishers, and all three walked off together.
After a while, the fishermen returned, but Fitzgerald
was gone, where, he knew not; he only suspected some
evil was intended against the boy, for his fortune."
When it was inquired wLhy he did not reveal his suspicions? he replied, that he "scorned the part of a meddler
or tale bearer, and he had no positive evidence of what
he believed." The testimony was now summed tip, and
the jury retired to consider the verdict. Colonel Carlisle sent in a petition, recommending his guilty nephew
to the mercy of the court, but the intercession was rejected, and sentence of death pronounced on Fitzgerald
and McMurdough. Hawkins, who was considered less
guilty and who was penitent, was doomed to ten years
imprisonment. The night preceeding the day fixed for
their execution, the prison was discovered to be on fire;
and before any aid could be procured, the devouring
flames had enveloped the building, and rendered all
access to the prisoners' rooms impossible. The next
morning diligent search was made for their skeletons,
but as they were never found, it was universally believed that the arch-villain Fitzgerald had found means
to fire the prison, and taken advantage of the general
confusion to fly with his associates from the penalty of
the law.
Another cloud was soon to rest on Colonel Carlisle's
fimily. The period destined for the departure of their
Indian friends was at hand. Arrowfbot spoke not of
his purpose, until his plans were matured, but his countenacnce betrayed the struggle within. There was something almost solemn in the secrecy and silence with
whlich these young Indians made preparation for their
pilgrimage. Lest they should yield to the sympathies
of nature, in receiving the expressions of the love and
gratitude of the companions of their childhood, they
kept almost alooffr-om them; and it was only by stealth
that Eva and Eldred conveyed to their secret depository,
stores for their long journey, and mementos of attachment.
Colonel Carlisle, while he lamented deeply the obligation which must separate the Indian orphans from their
only earthly friends, could not violate his pledge to their
father by attempting to detain them. HIe restored to
Arrowfoot the wampum belt of the Spread Eagle, remarking, that it contained something which he must not
examine till he had crossed the great western river.
The Indian made the promise, deeming it some mysteriouls token left himn by his father; and Colonel Carlisle
hoped the large sum of gold he had prevailed on him
by this stratagem to accept, would be of use to him in
after life.
The evening preceding his departure, Arrowfoot's
heart seemed lighter than usual. He led Eva to one of
the ftlivorite haunts of their childhood. "Eva,"li he said,
"you have seen my dark and sad countenance; you
have thought me ungrateful and unhappy. Yes, the
soul of Arrowfoot is debased; it has rebelled against
the command of my dying father, and preferred degradation and pity to the high hopes of my brethren in the
West. Eva, you know it not, but it was the spell of
Eva's voice, the charm of Eva's eye, that darkened my
soul; but now, that dream is gone, my soul rises from
its sleep, and brushes away the dew that dimmed its
sight." The tears of Eva flowed fast, to think that she
had ever caused grief in such a noble heart. Shte turned
to speak sonie word of comfort to him, but he had left
her side, and plunged into the forest to regain calmness.
That night, when sleep had prest down the eyelids
of Eva, and she lay in sweet uncoursciousness of all,
save the gay visions of happier years which floated
through her brain, the beloved Carsola hung over her
earliest friend, kissing her cheek and wetting it with her
tears. The lovely sleeper heard not the deep sigh of
stypressed sorrow, or the light foot which was passing
forever from the hotne, where love and protection had
748