Corporal Cameron of the North West Mounted Police Part 59

The Indians made strenuous efforts to maintain an air of dignified indifference, but the glitter in their eyes betrayed their eagerness.

White Cloud picked up a goat skin, heavy with its deep silky fur and with its rich splendour covered over the glittering ma.s.s of Raven's cheap and tawdry stuff.

"Good trade," said White Cloud. "Him," pointing to the skin, "and,"

turning it back, "him," laying his hand upon the goods beneath.

Raven smiled carelessly, pulled out a flask from his pocket, took a drink and pa.s.sed it to the others. Desperately struggling to suppress his eagerness and to maintain his dignified bearing, White Cloud seized the flask and, drinking long and deep, pa.s.sed it to his brother.

"Have a drink, Cameron," said Raven, as he received his flask again.

"No!" said Cameron shortly. "And I would suggest to your friends that they complete the trade before they drink much more."

"My friend here says this is no good," said Raven to the Indians, tapping the flask with his finger. "He says no more drink."

White Cloud shot a keen enquiring glance at Cameron, but he made no reply other than to stretch out his hand for Raven's flask again. Before many minutes the efficacy of Raven's methods of barter began to be apparent. The Indians lost their grave and dignified demeanour. They became curious, eager, garrulous, and demonstrative. With childish glee they began examining more closely Raven's supply of goods, trying on the rings, draping themselves in the gaudy calicoes and flannels. At length Raven rolled up his articles of barter and set them upon one side.

"How much?" he said.

White Cloud selected the goat skin, laid upon it some half dozen beaver and mink, and a couple of foxes, and rolling them up in a pile laid them beside Raven's bundle.

The trader smiled and shook his head. "No good. No good." So saying he took from his pack another flask and laid it upon his pile.

Instantly the Indian increased his pile by a bear skin, a grey wolf, and a mountain goat. Then, without waiting for Raven's words, he reached for the flask.

"No, not yet," said Raven quietly, laying his hand down upon the flask.

The Indian with gleaming eyes threw on the pile some additional skins.

"Good!" said Raven, surrendering the flask. Swiftly the Indian caught it up and, seizing the cork in his teeth, bit it off close to the neck of the flask. s.n.a.t.c.hing his knife from his pocket with almost frantic energy, he proceeded to dig out the imbedded cork.

"Here," said Raven, taking the flask from him. "Let me have it." From his pocket he took a knife containing a corkscrew and with this he drew the cork and handed the flask back to the Indian.

With shameless, b.e.s.t.i.a.l haste the Indian placed the bottle to his lips and after a long pull pa.s.sed it to his waiting brother.

At this point Raven rose as if to close the negotiations and took out his own flask for a final drink, but found it empty.

"Aha!" he exclaimed, turning the empty flask upside down. At once the Indian pa.s.sed him his flask. Raven, however, waved him aside and, going to his pack, drew out a tin oil can which would contain about a gallon.

From this with great deliberation he filled his flask.

"Huh!" exclaimed the Indian, pointing to the can. "How much?"

Raven shook his head. "No sell. For me," he answered, tapping himself on the breast.

"How much?" said the Indian fiercely.

Still Raven declined to sell.

Swiftly the Indian gathered up the remaining half of his pack of furs and, throwing them savagely at Raven's feet, seized the can.

Still Raven refused to let it go.

At this point the soft padding of a loping pony was heard coming up the trail and in a few minutes Little Thunder silently took his place in the circle about the fire. Cameron's heart sank within him, for now it seemed as if his chance of escape had slipped from him.

Raven spoke a few rapid words to Little Thunder, who entered into conversation with the Stonies. At length White Cloud drew from his coat a black fox skin. In spite of himself Raven uttered a slight exclamation. It was indeed a superb pelt. With savage hate in every line of his face and in every movement of his body, the Indian flung the skin upon the pile of furs and without a "By your leave" seized the can and pa.s.sed it to his brother.

At this point Raven, with a sudden display of reckless generosity, placed his own flask upon the Indian's pile of goods.

"Ask them if they want mola.s.ses," said Raven to Little Thunder.

"No," grunted the Indian contemptuously, preparing to depart.

"Ask them, Little Thunder."

Immediately as Little Thunder began to speak the contemptuous att.i.tude of the Stonies gave place to one of keen interest and desire. After some further talk Little Thunder went to the pack-pony, returned bearing a small keg and set it on the rock beside Raven's pile of furs. Hastily the Stonies consulted together, White Cloud apparently reluctant, the brother recklessly eager to close the deal. Finally with a gesture White Cloud put an end to the conversation, stepped out hastily into the dark and returned leading his pony into the light. Cutting asunder the las.h.i.+ngs with his knife, he released a bundle of furs and threw it down at Raven's feet.

"Same ting. Good!" he said.

But Raven would not look at the bundle and proceeded to pack up the spoils of his barter. Earnestly the Stonies appealed to Little Thunder, but in vain. Angrily they remonstrated, but still without result. At length Little Thunder pointed to the pony and without hesitation White Cloud placed the bridle rein in his hands.

Cameron could contain himself no longer. Suddenly rising from his place he strode to the side of the Indians and cried, "Don't do it! Don't be such fools! This no good," he said, kicking the keg. "What would Mr.

Macdougall say? Come! I go with you. Take back these furs."

He stepped forward to seize the second pack. Swiftly Little Thunder leaped before him, knife in hand, and crouched to spring. The Stonies had no doubt as to his meaning. Their hearts were filled with black rage against the unscrupulous trader, but their insane thirst for the "fire-water" swept from their minds every other consideration but that of determination to gratify this mad l.u.s.t. Unconsciously they ranged themselves beside Cameron, their hands going to their belts. Quietly Raven spoke a few rapid words to Little Thunder, who, slowly putting up his knife, made a brief but vigourous harangue to the Stonies, the result of which was seen in the doubtful glances which they cast upon Cameron from time to time.

"Come on!" cried Cameron again, laying his hand upon the nearest Indian.

"Let's go to your camp. Take your furs. He is a thief, a robber, a bad man. All that," sweeping his hand towards Raven's goods, "no good.

This," kicking the keg, "bad. Kill you."

These words they could not entirely understand, but his gestures were sufficiently eloquent and significant. There was an ugly gleam in Raven's eyes and an ugly curl to his thin lips, but he only smiled.

"Come," he said, waving his hand toward the furs, "take them away. Tell them we don't want to trade, Little Thunder." He pulled out his flask, slowly took a drink, and pa.s.sed it to Little Thunder, who greedily followed his example. "Tell them we don't want to trade at all,"

insisted Raven.

Little Thunder volubly explained the trader's wishes.

"Good-bye," said Raven, offering his hand to White Cloud. "Good friends," he added, once more pa.s.sing him his flask.

"Don't!" said Cameron, laying his hand again upon the Indian's arm. For a single instant White Cloud paused.

"Huh!" grunted Little Thunder in contempt. "Big chief scared."

Quickly the Stony shook off Cameron's hand, seized the flask and, putting it to his lips, drained it dry.

"Come," said Cameron to the other Stony. "Come with me."

Raven uttered a warning word to Little Thunder. The Indians stood for some moments uncertain, their heads bowed upon their b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Then White Cloud, throwing back his head and looking Cameron full in the face, said--"Good man. Good man. Me no go."

"Then I go alone," cried Cameron, springing off into the darkness.

As he turned his foot caught the pile of wood brought for the fire.