<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</SPAN></span></p>
<div class="break">
<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XXIII</h2>
<p class="pch">PRISONERS</p>
<p class="drop-cap03"><span class="beg">WHEN</span> Dick Bracknell had led the way
from the cabin he knew that he was leading
a forlorn hope. It was possible that
many hours would pass before the men in the camp
discovered their flight; whilst on the other hand the
discovery might be made immediately and, in that
case, as the ruthlessness of the attackers had shown,
there was little hope of escape. But there were
dangers before as well as behind, and the wilderness
of the North was itself the greatest danger. They
had little food, he himself was a very sick man,
ill-fitted for the strenuous toil which the situation
called for, and in the woods wild beasts and wild
men might lurk, against whom, armed merely with
pistols and hunting knives, they would be almost
helpless. All this he knew, but braced himself for
the task before him, determined at all costs to save
the two girls and to win Joy’s respect if that was
at all possible.</p>
<p>When they won to the darkness of the forest
without discovery, he breathed more freely, and
pushed on along an ill-defined track, which he
seemed to know well. As the night wore on, he
grew unutterably tired, and once when he was
overtaken by a fit of coughing, which left him terribly<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</SPAN></span>
exhausted, Joy suggested that they should rest
for a little while.</p>
<p>“Are you too tired to continue?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Oh no,” she answered quickly.</p>
<p>“Then we will keep on.”</p>
<p>“But you are not fit to do so,” she protested.
“Your cough——”</p>
<p>“What do I matter?” he replied with a mirthless
laugh. “I am done for in any case, and we must
be a long way from here before morning. This is
the only service I shall ever be able to render you,
and you are not going to deny me the chance of
atonement which it gives, are you?”</p>
<p>“I was not thinking of that!” answered Joy
gently. “I was thinking only of you.”</p>
<p>“And I am thinking only of you!” he retorted
quickly. “I have thought of myself too long. I
am very glad to have this opportunity of service,
however I may regret the circumstances.”</p>
<p>“I am very grateful to you,” was Joy’s reply, and
without further words they started anew upon their
way.</p>
<p>Once they stopped, and ate a little food which had
been prepared before leaving the cabin, and then
pushed on until dawn, when a fire was lit, and a
halt for a couple of hours was made. At the end
of that time they resumed their desperate journey,
and an hour later struck the river for which Dick
Bracknell had been making. A look of relief came
on his haggard face as he saw it.</p>
<p>“It will be easier now,” he said, “and unless the
Indians have removed we shall reach the encampment
all right now.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>“Unless those men overtake us!”</p>
<p>“Yes! In that case we are up a tree.”</p>
<p>“And of course if the Indians are hospitable we—- Ah!
Look there?”</p>
<p>She indicated a point a little way up the river. A
man had emerged from the trees. He stood there
regarding them for a moment, then without a sign
he withdrew.</p>
<p>“An Indian,” said Joy quickly. “I am sure of
it!”</p>
<p>“Yes,” answered Dick Bracknell slowly, “an
Indian. But he may be one of these men who are
following us. The question is, what are we to do?
Our way lies up river.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps it will be better if we take to the woods
again,” suggested Miss La Farge.</p>
<p>“There is little to be gained by doing that,”
replied Bracknell. “The man has seen us, and if
he is hostile he will follow. The only course, I
think, is to keep straight on.”</p>
<p>They were still discussing when Joy broke in.</p>
<p>“The question is solved for us,” she said quickly.
“There are men in the wood behind us. See!”</p>
<p>She had scarcely spoken when an Indian stepped
from the wood, and another followed, and another
until seven men stood on the trail.</p>
<p>“How!” said the leader, approaching them.</p>
<p>Bracknell replied to the salutation, and the man
spoke to his companions who drew nearer, apparently
quite friendly disposed to them. Then came
a change. One of the men stepped forward,
looked at the white man, and gave a sudden exclamation.
Then he turned towards his companions<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</SPAN></span>
and addressed them volubly. Joy strove to catch
what he was saying, but the dialect in which he
spoke was strange to her, and she could make nothing
of his words. It was clear to her, however, that
the man was excited, and as he spoke the excitement
communicated itself to his companions. Joy looked
at Dick Bracknell for an explanation, and found that
his face was very white.</p>
<p>“What is it?” she asked quickly. “Something
has gone wrong?”</p>
<p>“Yes, terribly wrong. These men will be merciless.
I have done you my last dis-service.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” she questioned, as she
looked at the gesticulating natives.</p>
<p>“I did this tribe a grave wrong, two years ago.
One of the men has recognized me, and I think
there is little hope for us. We might put up a
fight, but it would probably be little use, and would
certainly jeopardize your life as well as mine. If
they get me, they may let you go. It is worth
trying. I will explain and perhaps——” He
broke off and took a step forward.</p>
<p>“What are you going to do?” inquired Joy
sharply.</p>
<p>“Just going to try what a little explanation will
do,” he answered, “a little explanation coupled
with persuasion.”</p>
<p>“No!” she replied quickly. “You are going to
make a bargain with those men. I know you are,
and I shall not agree. We stand or fall together.”</p>
<p>“Do you think you are wise?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I do not know whether I am wise or not,” she<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</SPAN></span>
answered firmly. “But I keep the faith of the trail,
and I shall not leave you in the lurch. Neither
will Babette, I am sure.”</p>
<p>As he regarded her, a strange look came into
his eyes, a look of mingled pride and pain.</p>
<p>“Joy,” he said brokenly, “you are a great
woman and I was never worthy of you!... You
can take your chances with me if you like. When
I come to think upon it they are perhaps as good
as those that wandering in the wilderness, short of
stores, offers. They may spare you; who knows?
And it is coming spring. You can feel it in the
air. A few days and the river will begin to break
up, and then will come white men, prospectors and
what not. You may have a chance.”</p>
<p>“It is by that chance I shall abide,” Joy replied,
“and not by any that leaves you to the mercy of
savages.”</p>
<p>The Indians finished their confabulation and the
leader stepped forward again, and with lowering
looks addressed himself to Dick Bracknell, who
nodded and then handed over his pistol and hunting
knife, and with his back to Joy addressed her in
warning.</p>
<p>“Keep your pistol out of sight, Joy. These
brutes will not suspect you are carrying one, and we
may yet find it very useful. They demand that
we accompany them to their encampment up the
river. I have agreed, since there is nothing else
that I can do. I do not think they will hurt you
or Miss La Farge—yet.”</p>
<p>A few minutes later they started and presently
arrived at an encampment consisting of perhaps a<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</SPAN></span>
score of tepees. Dogs greeted their coming noisily,
children and women came out of the skin tents to
look at them, and a few men joined their captors
as they moved towards the centre of the camp.
Just as they halted, a tall Indian came out of one
of the tents, and by his side tottered a man who
seemed incredibly old, but though his step was
feeble, his eyes were keen, and as they fell on Dick
Bracknell they lighted with sudden ferocity, and
as she caught the glare he directed towards them,
Joy felt the clutch of fear at her heart.</p>
<p>“Who is that old man?” she asked. “He
knows you. I saw the recognition leap in his eyes.”</p>
<p>“He is the Shaman—the tribal witch-doctor,
you know. I am afraid his recognition of me is not
a propitious one. He is a ferocious old beast, and
he owes me one.”</p>
<p>“What have you done to the tribe,” asked Joy
curiously, “that all of them should be against you?”</p>
<p>Bracknell laughed shortly. “I am afraid I cannot
unfold the record of that particular sin for
your gaze. It was a wild, mad thing, but it seemed
all right at the time. Now I think I shall have to
pay for it—and you too. I seem to be your evil
genius,” he added penitently.</p>
<p>Joy did not reply. She was watching the proceedings
of the Shaman, who after listening to their
captors, tottered up to Bracknell and surveyed him
with eyes that were gloating and cruel. Joy
shuddered as she read the evil triumph in the old
savage’s face, and looked at her husband. Apparently
he was altogether composed, and there was a
contemptuous look on his haggard face. Joy was<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</SPAN></span>
conscious of a certain thrill of pride as she looked
at him. Dick Bracknell might have many weaknesses,
but cowardice was not one of them. Then
the Shaman spoke, mumbling through toothless
gums, and though she did not understand a single
word of what he was saying, Joy caught the rasping
menace in his voice and shuddered again. The
Shaman laughed as he broke off, a throaty, croaking
laugh, which seemed unutterably evil; and a
moment later they were hurried to one of the
tepees and the skin door was thrown together and
lashed outside. In the darkness, Joy spoke.</p>
<p>“What was that old savage saying to you,
Dick?”</p>
<p>Bracknell laughed shortly. “Oh, he was promising
himself pleasure and me pain, indeed my pain
was to be his pleasure.”</p>
<p>“Ah! You mean they are going to torture
you?”</p>
<p>“I shouldn’t wonder!”</p>
<p>“Will they be long before——?”</p>
<p>“Tonight, I fancy! It seems the tribe is in
luck. A couple of moose were killed this morning,
and a potlatch—sort of tribal bean-feast, you know—is
arranged for tonight and most of them will
gorge. The Shaman will no doubt arrange some
form of entertainment in which I shall take a star
part!”</p>
<p>“Oh, it is dreadful!” cried Joy.</p>
<p>In the darkness she heard Dick Bracknell draw
his breath sharply, and a second later a hand
touched hers. She did not shrink, but remained<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</SPAN></span>
quite still, and then heard him speak in a broken,
stammering whisper—</p>
<p>“My dear ... I’m infernally sorry ... to have
brought you into this mess, I ... I——”</p>
<p>“We shall have to get away before,” broke in
Joy’s voice. “We can’t remain here and wait for
a thing like that to happen.”</p>
<p>“What will it matter?” he asked lightly. “It
will be the end—for me. But if it will save you,
I do not care.”</p>
<p>Joy did not answer, she knew that he was sincere,
but she did not know what to say, and presently
he spoke again—</p>
<p>“I do not know what we can do. If we try to
get away they will follow, and they will travel
faster than we shall. And besides, with the food
gone the attempt would be hopeless. One cannot go
into the wilderness without grub.”</p>
<p>They sat discussing the situation quietly, and
outside, the clamour of the camp grew. Once Joy,
finding a small hole in the tent, peeped out. On
the edge of the encampment a great fire had been
lit, and around it a number of women and men
were engaged in trampling the snow hard. She
guessed that it was there that the potlatch was to
be held, and wondered what would happen when the
Indians had feasted. The uncouth figures moving
to and fro, and cut out from the deepening darkness
by the glow of the fire, seemed inconceivably wild
and grotesque, and once, when the strange form of
the Shaman shuffled into view, and stood gesticulating
and pointing to the tepee, she shuddered.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>She knew that these men were as the men of the
Stone Age, that pity was a quality to which they
were strangers, and that they would do things
which, merely to think of, made her shake with
terror.</p>
<p>“Oh,” she cried sharply, “is there nothing that
we——”</p>
<p>“Hush!” broke in Dick Bracknell’s voice peremptorily.
“Listen!”</p>
<p>All three listened. Some one was fumbling at
the back of the tent, then presently there came a
ripping noise, and a voice whispered, “Are you
there?”</p>
<p>Even at that moment Joy Gargrave’s heart
leaped as she recognized it.</p>
<p>“Yes, Corporal Bracknell. Your cousin, Babette
and myself are here.”</p>
<p>“Can you move? Are you free?”</p>
<p>“Quite free.”</p>
<p>“Wait a moment, then.” The sound of slitting
hide was heard once more, then came the corporal’s
voice again, “You must slip out through the hole
I have cut. Quickly! There is not a moment
to lose.”</p>
<p>Joy felt herself propelled forward and thrust
through the opening which the corporal had cut,
and whilst another pair of hands guided her, caught
Dick Bracknell’s whisper, “Now—Miss La
Farge!”</p>
<p>Babette slipped out, and two seconds later Dick
Bracknell followed.</p>
<p>“This way,” said the corporal quickly. “As
silently as you can.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>He led the way through the darkness to the river
bank, and as they began to descend he whispered
to Joy—</p>
<p>“Your boy Jim, and my man Sibou, are waiting
for us with the dogs, a little way off.”</p>
<p>“Then Jim is safe?”</p>
<p>“Yes, he found me, and told me what had happened
to—— By George, listen!”</p>
<p>An ear-splitting yell sounded from the direction
of the encampment. It was followed by another,
and that by a great clamour.</p>
<p>“They have discovered our escape,” said Dick
Bracknell grimly. “Hurry! where are you taking
us, Roger? Have you a rifle?”</p>
<p>“Yes! I have a rifle——”</p>
<p>“Then give it me. Listen to that! The hunt
is up. Give me the gun. I’ll hold the pass.”</p>
<p>As he spoke he laughed a laugh that sounded
harshly in the night, then broke off. “Great
Scott! They’re in front of us already! Look
there!”</p>
<p>The dark figures had appeared on the snow in
front, but the corporal quickly dispelled the fears
their appearance had awakened.</p>
<p>“My man, and the boy Jim! Hurry! Those
beggars behind are following fast.”</p>
<p>Dick Bracknell looked round. Against the red
glare of the great camp fire half a score of dark
figures showed plainly. They were running towards
the fugitives. An exultant yell told the latter that
they had been seen.</p>
<p>“For God’s sake, give me the rifle, and get the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</SPAN></span>
girls away, Roger, old man. I’m crocked, and can’t
travel fast, but I can hold those devils back.”</p>
<p>“But—but——”</p>
<p>“Can’t you see this is my chance of doing the
decent thing? For God’s sake don’t deny me,
man!”</p>
<p>Roger Bracknell looked into his cousin’s haggard
face, and understood. Silently he put his rifle into
his cousin’s hand, and unbuckling his bandolier,
threw it on him.</p>
<p>“Thanks, old man! Thanks, awfully!”</p>
<p>“I’ll send my man to back you, and when I’ve
started the girls I’ll return myself.”</p>
<p>“No!” replied Dick Bracknell. “You go with
them. You must! It’s necessary.” He lifted the
rifle as he spoke and sighting at the foremost of the
pursuers pulled the trigger.</p>
<p>“One!” he said exultantly, as one of the running
shadows toppled into the snow. “The beggars
aren’t thinking of the light behind them....
Go!” he said again. “Go with the girls and send
your man. Let me play the hero for once....
Man!” he blazed suddenly, “can’t you see it is all
that is left to me.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” replied his cousin, “I can see it, and I’ll
go. But you must promise me that you won’t stay
longer than——”</p>
<p>The rifle cracked again, and then Dick Bracknell
replied. “I’ll promise anything you like if you’ll
only go and get Joy away.”</p>
<p>Then, very reluctantly, Corporal Bracknell went.</p>
<hr class="chap" /></div>
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