Read Ebook: Gebete für Israeliten by Wolff A A Abraham Alexander

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Ebook has 894 lines and 47454 words, and 18 pages

"Come hyar, you fool, ef I must say it," replied Old Pegs. "Creep to the edge of the cliff and look over."

Considerably awed by the manner of the hunter, Rafe crawled to the edge of the cliff, and looking down cautiously saw the dead form of the savage below, while the rattle of hoofs told that some of the Indian's comrades were coming back to look for him. The unfortunate savage, suspecting something wrong and desirous of distinguishing himself, had come back to search again for Rafe Norris, and hearing voices, had scaled the cliff unheard just in time to meet his fate.

"Come along," whispered Old Pegs. "Show a leg and foller me."

The country through which Old Pegs led his new friend was one of the most difficult and dangerous in the portion of the foothills in which they were placed. No one, save a man who loved solitude, and would have chosen it from all others as a home, would have thought of spending so many years of his life in this lonely place. They passed through defile after defile, clambered over ridges and forded mountain streams in which the trout were so abundant that their feet touched them as they passed.

On the march, Old Pegs had a chance to observe his companion closely, and he did so without allowing him to think that he was watched. Rafe might have been thirty years of age, of an erect, stately figure, with very black hair and eyes. His hair was suffered to grow long, and curled slightly at the ends; he wore a heavy mustache--the point dropping nearly to his collar as he stood erect--and a long imperial. His eyes were of that vivid black so seldom seen, and looked wicked and bold. Although in mountain garb, there was a sort of dandyism even in this dress which did not strike Old Pegs favorably.

"I don't know whether I'm doing the right thing in showing you this road," said the hunter. "I'm a plain man and in a humble station, and I've got a treasure to guard."

"A treasure?"

"You bet!"

"Have you found a gold-mine?"

"No; gold ain't no use ter me, or I could find it soon enough."

"It can not be diamonds?"

"Better'n diamonds, young 'un; better'n gold; better'n beaver, even."

"What can you be talking of?" said Rafe, impatiently.

"Never you mind about that. I know what I'm talking about, and when I get home I'll show you my treasure."

At a turn in the path they were traversing they came suddenly upon a huge bear, which reared upon its haunches and sat, in a silly way, looking at them, with its tongue hanging out. Rafe Norris, who had no love for close companionship with a grizzly, dropped his rifle into the hollow of his hand, and was about to fire, when Old Pegs struck up the weapon.

"Don't shoot that b'ar, confound you!" he cried. "He's mine."

"A pet bear! Is that your treasure, then?"

"Not a bit of it," replied Old Pegs. "Kinder inquisitive, ain't you?"

"You have aroused my curiosity, I must confess," replied Rafe.

"Bruin! Bruin!" cried a clear, sweet voice. "Come here, sir!"

Down dropped the bear upon all fours, and waddled away in the direction of the voice, while Rafe stopped and looked at Old Pegs in amazement.

"I'm a nice figger fur a lady's man, ain't I?" replied the hunter, scornfully. "I orter hit you, but I guess I won't. Here we ar'."

The path led out of the narrow ravine through a thicket, and they entered a small, sheltered valley, containing hardly an acre of bottom-land, a sort of oasis scooped out by the hand of nature from the bosom of the eternal hills. There was no sign of human habitation anywhere, but their ears were saluted by a burst of song and the tinkle of a guitar. The voice of the singer was so wonderfully pure, rich and sweet that Rafe stopped in utter amazement and looked at Old Pegs.

"What does this mean, old man?" he cried; "that is not the voice of an Indian woman."

"Why should I try to harm her?" said Rafe. "Hush! let us hear her song."

It was a song of chivalry--a song of the old days--that seemed to speak the clash of spears and the rattle of steel armor. The voice rung out full and clear, not a note was slurred or hurried, and the two stood spell-bound until she had finished, when Old Pegs called out: "Myrtle!"

The sound of the guitar was hushed; there came the rush of flying feet, and the singer appeared and flung her arms about the neck of the old man and kissed him.

"I am glad you have come, father, for I was getting lonely. You--"

She paused suddenly, for her eyes just then rested upon the face of Rafe Norris, who was gazing at her with a look of undisguised admiration. What did he see? A fair young creature in the flush of early womanhood, with a face and form which might have driven a painter mad. She was slightly framed, but every line was in perfect symmetry, and her face was perfection itself. A touch of peach-bloom in either cheek, ripe-red lips and lustrous brown eyes; short, ambrosial locks, clinging about a neck which rivaled in whiteness the snows of the mountain, and a look of perfect innocence beautifying all.

Why did Rafe Norris gaze at her as if he had seen a vision from the grave?

Rafe Norris bowed low, and uttered a well-framed compliment, which the girl received coldly.

"It is somewhat strange, Mr. Norris, that you should be alone here," she said.

"I was separated from my party," he answered, blandly, "and the Indians set upon me before I was aware. I would accept the danger gladly for the honor of this introduction."

"Draw it kinder mild, Rafe--kinder mild," said Old Pegs. "We raally can't stand too many nice speeches, out hyar."

"That speech came from my heart," replied Rafe. "I hope that the lady will not consider it an unmeaning compliment."

"That'll do," said Old Pegs, dryly. "Now, Myrtle, gal, will you git us suthing to eat? Ez fur me, I'm pesky hungry. I could eat a hull antelope to my own cheek this hyar blessid minnit. What hav you got fur us?"

"I caught some trout awhile ago, and have them ready to broil," replied Myrtle.

"I cannot consent to allow Miss Myrtle to perform such menial service for me," said Rafe. "Let me do the cooking, for which such hands were never intended."

Myrtle broke into a merry laugh. "You betray yourself, Mr. Norris," she said. "You are a gentleman born and bred, for none of our own mountaineers would object to my cooking a meal for them."

He looked a little vexed, and she glided away, and Old Pegs sat down on a great rock and signed to his companion to do the same.

"Let me go and assist Miss Myrtle," said Norris. "It really pains me to suffer her to do such work."

"Sit down, stranger," said Old Pegs, shortly. "I won't hev any one, I don't keer who he is, try ter make the gal discontented with her life hyar. She's the darter of a mount'in man, and ef she ever marries--which I hope she won't--she'll be the wife of a mount'in man; thet's ez good ez swore to."

"I hope you do not doubt me, Mr.--"

"Old Pegs! Thet's my name--Old Pegs. I don't want no other handle, and I won't hev it. Ef I knowed you well I wouldn't keer so much, but yer a stranger, and so we won't hev any sort of familiarity until I does know you."

"You are particular, sir," replied Norris, knitting his brows. "It is sad that I did not bring my pedigree with me when I came here."

"Don't be ridiculous, stranger," replied Old Pegs, "or we may part company afore you know it. I won't have no foolishness about hyar ef I know it; no discount on thet ar'."

"I beg your pardon again, but really you are very hard on me. I claim to be a gentleman, and hope I am so. Perhaps that would make me lose your good esteem."

"I hope you will know me better sometime," replied Rafe, in such a peculiar tone that Old Pegs looked up at him quickly, as if to detect the lurking menace in his face. But that face expressed nothing except polite desire to make friends, and the old hunter dropped his eyes again and whistled. A lumbering tread was heard; the pet bear appeared and came rolling up at that peculiar gait so common to his race, and placing his head upon the ground, turned a sort of summerset, erected himself upon his hind feet, and came forward, extending his paw, which Old Pegs shook heartily.

"Glad ter see you, Bruin, my boy," he said. "Hev ye taken good keer of yer young mistress while I've been gone?"

The bear nodded in a singularly grotesque manner, and Rafe could not repress a laugh.

"You have trained that fellow well, old man," he said. "I suppose he will obey you in any thing now?"

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