Gustave Aimard

“ She clapped her pretty hands together joyously; a charming smile lightened up her physiognomy, and then she cried out in a delighted and proud accent—
"I have Indian blood in my veins, sir," she cried; "I am the daughter of a brave Canadian hunter. Fear nothing for me. I am not a woman of the towns, who, I am told, can neither walk nor run."
"They are very much like it," growled Pierre.
"Try me, put me to any proof, and you will see of what I am capable to get back to my friends."
"Come, I see, at all events, that you are as brave and noble a woman as you are beautiful. Come, it is time." ”

“ We met at the fort two days ago, and as I am no longer disguised," said Pierre Durand, "despite all his cunning, he knew me not."
"Well, the matter is settled," said Tom Mitchell, in a whisper; "we have our man here; he shall never leave."
"My friend," said Pierre Durand, gravely, "that is not the game we have to play. He is as slippery as an eel."
"I don't think, if I made up my mind," said the outlaw chief, with a sinister smile, "he would ever escape me." ”

“ You have no family. I will find you one, brother, and this family will love you," he added.
"Heartily accept my thanks, Bright-eye," exclaimed Oliver; "life already seems changed, and I feel as if happiness were yet possible in this world."
"There can be no doubt about it. Believe me, it depends on yourself. Look upon the past only as a dream, and think only of the future."
"I will do so," returned Oliver, with a sigh.
"And now to business. Young as I am, you will soon find that I enjoy a certain amount of reputation among the Indians and trappers. Very few would dare to attack me. ”

“ If, for reasons best known to ourselves, we feigned not to know him, now that your friend has left we will tell you who the wretch is."
"No matter who he is," cried Clinton, fiercely, "all I know is that he is wounded and under the protection of my roof."
"Your sentiments of humanity do you honour," said Bright-eye, ironically; "they are well suited to civilised society, where the law defends you. In the desert they have no meaning. Every moment menaced with death, you must cut down your murderous foes without mercy." ”

“ My father was a child when we left Canada. He is now about forty-eight. My grandfather taught him to be a hunter, and to bind him to the tribe he married him when very young to a charming young Indian, a relative of Kouha-hande, and my mother in consequence. We are mere children. I am only twenty, and my sister but fifteen, lovely as the breath of dawn, and whose real name is Angela, my father's wish. But the Indians call her Evening Dew. That is all. I am a hunter. I hate the English and the North Americans, who are worse than John Bull himself, and I love the French, whose countryman I am. ”

“ In one word, he may, it is true, be a brigand, but, certainly, his is a very lofty nature. Until further events, I, for one, shall believe in his word."
"All this is very possible," observed Bright-eye, shaking his head doubtingly, "but no one can deny that he is the captain of a monstrous set of brigands."
"What does that prove?" said Oliver.
"Nothing that I know of. Still I am decidedly of opinion that his word is not to be trusted."
"Then allow me to observe," said George Clinton, drily, "why are we here?"
"Why, because one always lives in hope, despite our better reason. ”

“ Tom Mitchell—his dress torn, his face covered by powder and blood, holding a smoking gun—summoned them.
George Clinton, without waiting a minute, darted away, followed by Charbonneau and his dogs.
Above all, he would save her he loved from the fearful peril she was in of falling into the hands of redskins.
"What is to be done?" cried Joshua.
"Never despair," said the outlaw. "Your sons and servants are fighting like lions. We must join them."
"Come along," cried Samuel.
"Oh! Oh!" said Joshua, brandishing his rifle, "The rascally redskins shall pay for this." ”

“ George Clinton," began the old man, with a sly look, "that three months ago I left you at Boston at the head of a large house of business, and that I now find you dressed like a runner of the woods, hundreds of miles from the nearest settlement, just ready to save my life."
"If my journey served me no other purpose, I am thankful—still I own there is another motive."
"I am glad to hear you say so. May I ask its nature?"
"Well, Master Samuel," began Clinton, "I am young, vigorous, and passionately fond of field sports; I am a good shot, and very much inclined for a free and independent life. ”

“ His word is as gold—and my brother, Bright-eye, is wrong."
"In the name of heaven, is it you who speak in that way, chief?" asked the astonished hunter; "You, of all men in the world, so deeply interested."
"Numank-Charake is a chief in his nation," quickly interrupted the redskin, his words, which swelled his bosom, coming directly from his heart; "the man who despises his enemies is not a brave warrior, but exposes himself to the reproach of only vanquishing cowards."
"Well spoken, chief," said Keen-hand. ”

“ We know that Joshua Dickson had taken his departure from the valley, leaving it in charge to Harry.
Harry was a fine young man, strong and intelligent, in whom his father had every confidence.
He was the complete juvenile type of the American squatter and pioneer, up to Indian devilries, riding like a centaur, and able to put a ball in the eye of a panther at a hundred yards. His great passion was life in the open air, and the pleasures of the chase in the forest or field. ”

“ And now my watch as a last remembrance."
"This I must refuse. Your watch is too useful to yourself."
"My friend, every time you look at it you will think of me," said the captain.
And the two Frenchmen embraced.
"I accept," replied Oliver, with deep emotion.
"Now I know," continued the captain, "you are really my friend; and now let me see you dressed up as a true traveller, while I put the other things back into their parcels."
"But before I don my new prairie costume, I have something else to buy," cried Oliver.
"What!" cried the captain, "I thought surely I had forgotten nothing." ”

“ I will not discuss the matter with you, though I repeat I am very much surprised to hear you speak thus. I only ask of you one thing—that is, to remain neutral in this affair until the actual moment of action has come."
"Numank-Charake loves Bright-eye; he is his brother. He will do whatever the hunter wishes; still regretting that he is constrained to act against his wishes," he answered.
"I take all the blame on myself," said Bright-eye; "and shall be the first to own my error, if indeed I am found to be in error. A man can say no more, even if he were speaking to his father." ”

“ The Indian said no more, but bowed his head in token of acquiescence. But he smiled with such a keen and subtle irony that the hunter was so deeply moved as to blush.
"I fear nothing for myself," he cried.
"Eh, what!" exclaimed Charbonneau, stretching out his arm towards the river, "What is going on?"
Every eye was fixed upon the spot indicated by the hunter's sudden exclamation.
"It is a canoe," said George Clinton.
"Manned by two men," observed Charbonneau.
"And those two men," said the chief, after one glance from his eagle eye, "are two palefaces. He knows them well. ”

“ Having reached the extremity of the gorge, they stopped, looked around, and gave a sigh of satisfaction.
Their task had been a rude one. For far more than three hours they had been stumbling in the midst of a whirlpool, nothing else, of flint stones, which, at every step they took, slid under their feet like mountain shingle.
Four of these men were whites, wearing the costume of hunters of the prairies; the fifth was an Indian.
They were George Clinton, Oliver, Bright-eye, Keen-hand, and Numank-Charake, the chief. ”

“ The squatter, a great dog fancier, was very much struck by their beauty, and at once caressed them with many a word of praise, which pleased both, but especially Miss Nadeje; she was a magnificent animal, with an almost pure white skin, spotted only here and there with black, and at once took the squatter under her guardianship.
Almost at the same moment a man appeared in the full costume of a hunter, a man with rather angular but very intelligent features; in his hand was the still-smoking gun. ”

“ GUSTAVE AIMARD was the adopted son of one of the most powerful Indian tribes, with whom he lived for more than fifteen years in the heart of the prairies, sharing their dangers and their combats, and accompanying them everywhere, rifle in one hand and tomahawk in the other. In turn squatter, hunter, trapper, warrior, and miner, GUSTAVE AIMARD has traversed America from the highest peaks of the Cordilleras to the ocean shores, living from hand to mouth, happy for the day, careless of the morrow. ”

“ Squatters are generally men of restless habits, greedy of exertions, no matter what they may be, impatient of control, and sworn enemies of the peaceful and regular life of the great centres of population. Gifted with the courage of a lion, of a will—or, rather, obstinacy—which nothing can conquer, these men of indomitable energy, in whose hearts ferment the most violent passions, are the true pioneers of the desert and the vanguard of civilisation in the New World. ”

“ This charming spot, enchanting in its aspect, was covered by scattered thickets, young trees, fat pasturages, and watered by many rills, which fell in all directions in silver cascades from the mountains, and finally lost themselves in the Missouri.
This unknown Eden, buried in the mountains, had been discovered by a hardy explorer, and already the hand of man was at work destroying its savage grandeur. In a word, the squatters were at work. ”

“ An hour later the two men met in front of the hotel. Both were exact to a minute. They ordered breakfast in a private room. As soon as they had finished the captain opened the ball.
"Now let us chat," he said.
"With the greatest of pleasure," replied Oliver. "Nothing is more agreeable after a meal than to enjoy a cigar, a cup of coffee, and a friend's company."
"And yet you have determined to deprive yourself of these luxuries forever," replied Durand.
"Man is ever insatiable. The unknown always did and always will attract him. He will ever quit the substance for the shadow. ”

“ The major was so delighted that he said "Hum!" no less than three times, and then spoke to the outlaw chief.
"Let them say what they like," he cried, "you are a man."
"I am proud to hear it," cried Tom. "Let us be seated."
The Frenchmen had hitherto said nothing. The elder now spoke. As the captain invited them to commence breakfast, he said:
"Above all, sir, allow me to observe that before commencing business you offer us bread and salt."
"You are my guests, gentlemen," said the captain, gravely; "you are under the safeguard of my honour, that is enough." ”