Yet they accomplished this more by diplomacy than
warfare. I knew that Onanguisse's desertion was well in tune with his
reputation and would not be combated.
I found Pierre, and told him about the woman. "You are to save her.
You are to get her away. It is for you to do. You are to think
nothing else, work for nothing else. You can do it. I depend on you
to do it. You are never to come to me again if you fail."
But he, too, looked away. "It cannot be done. The Indians will kill
her." He turned his head from me, and his voice was thick and grating.
I raged at him. "I shall give the Indians orders to spare all women,"
I declared.
He nodded his great head. "I will help the master. I will do all I
can." He humored me as one hushes an ailing child, but I saw the
caution and blankness in his look. As soon as he could he slipped out
of my sight.
And then I went to work. If I staggered as I made my stumbling,
blinded way from war chief to war chief, there was none to know, for
blood lust had closed eyes and ears. Yet, though my muscles failed, my
brain was clear.
The kettle-drums snarled and buzzed like lazy hornets. They sounded
spiteful rather than wicked, but I knew what their droning stood for,
and my body grew cold.
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