"Oh no," she said; "I am not mad. The chief here has
taken me: he seems to be the most powerful man in this tribe, and at
least he is kind. I should be mad, rather, to wander with you through
the forests, and in the end fall into worse hands, or perhaps die of
starvation or cold. I do not want to be frozen--again. Go away now,
when you have bartered the man there for food. You have been very good
to me, but this cannot be helped."
Obed lifted his gun: then lowered it. "Dom," he muttered, "can you
shoot her? I cannot!"
I was using all my strength, just then, to keep paddling the canoe
against the current. I caught a glimpse of our comrades on the further
bank: and then exactly what happened I know not. Perhaps Margit, having
given her answer, turned back towards the house. At any rate, shrilly
crying her name, Obed sprang up and discharged his musket. The shot
went wide. With a second furious cry he stooped, caught up the helpless
toen, and held him high in air. The canoe lurched heavily, and the next
instant I was in the water.
I never saw Obed again: and the toen must have gone down like a stone.
For me, I struck out for the far shore, but the current swept me down on
the sandy spit where we had nearly come to shipwreck, the day before.
Several Indians had gathered there. One ran into the water, waist-high,
lifting a club. I turned and made a last effort to swim from him, but
he flung himself on my back and bore me under.
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