“You are unjustly angry,” I insisted, striving to make light of his words.  “I value not the mercy of the woman, yet she used the only means she had for restraining her savage followers.  It was stern necessity driving her to reliance on the magic of your red hair with which to save us all.  No doubt she intends giving you early release from so painful a situation.”

“You also are bewitched by her vain fleshly beauty,” he bellowed stoutly. “’Tis a carnal generation.  I tell you, Master Benteen, I am an old man, uplifted by communion of the Spirit above all fleshly lusts.  I have faithfully preached the word of salvation to civilized and savage more than forty years, and am not likely to be led astray by a glimpse of a fair face tempting me hellward.  I speak you truth, as delivered of God, so surely as were the tablets of the law delivered unto Moses, when I say that she who, by some wile of the Devil, rules this tribe and holds our lives in her hands, is an incarnate fiend, who will yet mock our agony whenever her own accursed lust shall be satisfied.  ’T is not only that she jeered at me with cruel smiles, and affronted a preacher of the Word by so ribald a covering; she did as clearly reveal the hideous sin of her heart unto that sweet lady we have in our keeping.”

“Madame de Noyan?” I cried in awakened interest.  “Mean you this woman dared do wrong by her?”

“I report only what my eyes beheld, for I can make nothing out of their heathen gibberish.  Yet she who journeyed with us, ever proving herself a modest, high-bred lady in times of sore trial, begged upon her knees, with tears hot upon her cheeks, to be permitted to accompany you and her husband.  What result?  Why, this good Queen; this charming creature, stood there, like an insensate stone, gazing down upon her; and later, when the poor lady would not walk voluntarily, that painted harlot ordered two lecherous warriors to drag her forth, and laughed like a fiend at the scene.”

“Where did they take her?”

“I know not; beyond the entrance she made no outcry that reached my ears, while that red-draped witch came back smiling to work her will on me.”

This comprised all he knew, and, no matter what depth of sympathy I may have then felt for Master Cairnes in his unfortunate predicament, it was equally clear I could do nothing to aid him.  My heart was so heavily laden by the plight of Eloise, I retained no other desire than a longing to return at once to the hut and hold consultation with De Noyan.  That same silent spectre accompanied me along the brief journey, leaving me unguarded at the entrance.  I entered hastily only to find the room vacant, my comrade gone.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE CHRONICLES OF THE NATCHEZ

These pages have been poorly written if he who reads has not discovered that I am of a nature not easily discouraged by events, or disheartened by misfortune.  God had sufficiently armored me with hope; so that in the midst of much darkness I sought for whatever light of guidance there might be, making the most of it.  Yet the intense, unanticipated loneliness of that bare hut chilled my blood, and I scarcely recall a more wretched time than while I waited, stung and tortured by fears, for the return of De Noyan.