Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1893 — In Sheep's Clothing. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

In Sheep's Clothing.

BY Capt. Ormond Steele

CHAPTER XXIII. FACE TO FACE. Before calling on Doctor Hedges, Captain Fox had had a long and, to himself, satisfactory conversation with Uneas of the Montauks. He had brought from the ship a brilliant un’form, part of the plunder of a Spanish galleon, with a fine sword, a rifle, jewel-hilted dagger, and several wonderful pistols, among them a revolver, as presents to the chief. As the revolvers now in use were not Invented for a century and a half after this, the last named present may seem out of place in the list, but the Portuguese had practical revolvers, very clumsy, of course, a century before the date of our story. The chief and Fox parted with an understandine that they should meet on the morrow, when the day should be set for dispatching Ralph Denham. Uncas was so delighted with his presents that he went at once to the inn, got a room, and changed his graceful native costume for the gorgeous dress of a Spanish Major General, sword and all. As the fishing hut where Captain Denham was at this time was only a mile or so from Sag Harbor, and was the property of Uacas, and provided with sleeping accommodations for one, he always went there when belated or anxious to be in town in the morning, instead of stopping at the inn. He had an Indian’s objection to sleeping in houses that were not ventilated by removing the windows and doors. After surveying himself as well as he could in the little circular mirror with which the room was furnished, Uncas sallied out, his sword making a great clatter behind him, and he bent his steps in the direction of the before mentioned hut, as Squire Condit would put it. The fire lit by Dinah and Untilla had nearly died out, though there was still a dull glow on the hearth that threw a pulsating, spectral light about the little apartment. Through the open chinks and doorway Uncas saw this light, but it aid not surprise him, for it was notunusual for one of the Montauks to stop there, on his way to or his return from Sag Harbor, to cook his food. Uncas walked boldly on, his sword making a clatter which to him had all the exciting melody of martial music. Ralph Denham heard the noise, and concealing himself behind the door, which opened inwards, he looked out through the chinks. The dull light flashed on the scarlet cloak and the gold cords, and it was not till Uncas came in to the open doorway that Ralph recognized him. The chief on entering closed the door behind him by giving it a kick with his foot; then he walked up to the smoldering Are, placed the scattered brands together, and, by using his Major General’s chapeau as a fan, he started up a flame that lit up his Major General’s uniform till he looked to be on fire and breaking out in little tongues of flame all over. Without turning round, Uncas, who now felt particularly important and warlike, said aloud: “When I am the friend of a white man he knows it, and when I am a foe he knows it. Better for Ralph Denham he had never been born." “Ralph Denham is dead!’’ said a deep, sepulchral voice, directly behind the chief. Uncas was superstitious in his every fiber. Physically there lived no braver man, but in the presence of a danger he could not understand or believed to be supernatural, he was the veriest coward that ever lived. On turning round, which he did with ■ great rapidity, he saw staifding liflth his back to the door,;and--the light-.filling on his pale face and blazing ejles, the erect and resolute form of Ralph Denham. M .

The. chief gasped and staggered back, as far as the contracted walls of the hut permitted. His eyes and every feature denoted the most craven fear, for with the best of reasuns he supposed that Ralph Denham was dead, and that this was his specter. Ralph saw his advantage, and with that promptness and presence of mind for which he was distinguished, he called out, without changing his position, one hand in his breast, holding a pistol, the other behind him similarly employed. “The dress you wear is the price of my blood; lay down that sword.” With trembling hands the chief unbuckled the belt, and threw the sword on the floor. “Takeoff that uniform, it is stained with my blood,” said Ralph with the same blood-curdling manner. Wishing in his heart that h® had remained back at the inn, the frightened chief promptly obeyed what he firmly believed was the ghost of his victim, and stood in very scant attire indeed. “Now, lie down on that bed, and turn your face away,” commanded Ralph. The chief with some evideaces of reluctance obeyed, for he now felt convinced that the specter w«s going to pick up the sword and slay him therewith, or he might prefer to punish him with the jewel-hilted dagger. This impression was made a certainty in the chief’s mind when he heard the ghost picking up the belt “I do not fear to die,” said the chief. “The Montauks do not turn their backs on death, but you are a spirit and can kill ine at any time. Before I die let me get word to my sister and my people. ”

“My doing that depends on the answers you give me. “Will you reply to jne iruthfully?” asked Ralph. “If I reply, I can do it in no other way. ” “I can tell if you deceive me.” “That power is given only to spirits.” "Will Uncas. chief of the Mohawks, answer me?” “I will.” “Do not look at me. Close your eyes that you may the better hear my words.” The chief obeyed him. Ralph’s object was to get the chief to confirm the seemingly improbable s.ory of Untilla and Dinah, and at the same time to learn all that Uncas knew about the motives and conduct of Captain Fox. With a skill that would have excited the admirat.on of Squire Condlt, and whieh he would have been certain to att**tmte to his own example, Ralph De'Mhara plied his questions and the chief answered w.thout hesitation, corroborating Untilla and Dinah, and proving to tl<* Captain, beyond all doubt, that the jommander of the Wanderer watt indued the infamous Captain Kidd. 80 far all had gone well; but it was

not in Ralph Denham’s nature to continue a deceit after it had assured the good purpose for which he had employed it. Confident that in any event he had the advantage of this man —he little knew how ths terrible ordeal through which he had just passed had weakened him—he determined to reveal the fact that he was in the flesh. Advancing to the side of the wooden cot on which the chief lay, he said, with much solemnity: “Uncas of the Montauks, you have answered me truthfully as I know. You planned for my murder, though I never did you a wrong, but on the contrary have been ever your friend ” “You won Lea Hedges, the woman I loved,” groaned the chief. “If she preferred me to you, was that my fault?* Uncas did not answer. “You have become the partner of a bad man, the worst man that lives today; and in the world where brave spirits dwell the soul of your ancestor, the mighty Wyandauch, cannot rest for the misdeeds of his descendant” “Did he so tell you?" This was asked with the utmost solemnity; but the sense of honor was so strong in Ralph Denham that he was impressed with the oddity and grotesqueness of the question, to the momentary forgetfulness of the many important things pressing on his attention. He laughed, but checked himself so suddenly as to increase the specterlike effect of his talk. “Now, Uncas, you can live to a ripe old age if you promise to do as I say. Will you agree?" After a few seconds’ hesitation, the chief replied: “I will." “Good; then you must promise never to see this Capt. Fox again. ” “I so promise.” “You must pledge yourself and the warriors of your tribe to help the officers of the Sea Hawk should they call on you?” “I also promise that.” “And lastly you must give up all thoughts of Lea Hedges, and wish in your heart Ralph Denham was alive.” “I will never speak to Lea Hedges again; but don’t ask me the other thing,” said the chief, still consistent in his hate. Ralph now felt that the time had come to discover himself; he imagined that the chief would be delighted to find that this was not a ghost, so he leaned over the cot and said:

“Open your eyes, Uncas, and look at me.” The chief promptly obeyed. “Do I look like a dead man?” “I know you are dead.” “I am not. To-day your sister and Dinah rescued me from the vault, and here I am in the flesh.” Ralph Denham erring on the side of his own generosity made a mistake. So far Uncas was certain that he had been talking to a specter, but the moment he felt the hot breath on his cheek; realized that his hated rival was before him in the flesh; that his sister and his people had betrayed him; that all his murderous purposes were known, the frightened, fainting devil in his heart leaped into life and heated his blood like molten lava. Hissing out an oath which he had learned irom the whites, he bounded like a tiger from the cot, threw his long, strong arms about Ralph Denham, who, unpi epared for the furious onset, was borne to the floor. “You came to me dead, and I’ll make you dead!” cried the chief, the foam flying from his lips as it he were a wild animal. If Ralph Denham in his usual health was matched in strength against the Montauk, the contest would be long in doubt, but would finally be decided in favor of the white man, who had the distinguishing raee quality of endurance. Both were young, strong, active and resolute; the one acted under the destroying influence of passion, the other under the guidance of that reason which generally conquers where the contest is prolonged. But this contest did not promise to be prolonged. Ralph’s weakness alarmed himself. By a fierce effort and superior skill, he threw the Indian back, and fastening his left hand in the red swollen throat he succeeded in getting on his feet. Expert in the use of his fists about which the Indian knew no more than a woman, Ralph trie 2 hard to fell his oppenent by astrong blow, when he would have time to draw one ol his pistols, and to use it if need be. But the Indian eluded him, caught him in his mighty arms and again bore him to the earthen floor. With a quick clutch the Indian snatched the jewel-hilted dagger from the belt at his side, and he was in the act of raising it above his victim, when a tongue of flame darted from one of the chinks between the logs; the crack of a pistol rang out, and, from the shattered hand, the dagger dropped to the floor.

With a cry of rage and pain, euch as a wounded tiger gives when it turns to the jungle from which the shot came, the chief leaped to his feet and glared about him. The door was thrown open and with a smoking pistol in her hand, which she had obtained from Dinah, Untilla entered the hut. Seeing his sister and the old negress the maddened chief would have rushed upon them, so blind was his fury, had not Ralph rose straight before him with a pistol in each hand. “You hag!” roared Uncas, “and you, you falsest of sisters; this is your work,” and he held up his bleeding hand. “It is my work,” replied Untilla, with form erect and eyes blazing with a steadier and more resolute light than his own. “When the chief of the Montauks disgraces his name and the great name of Wyandaueh, then should I by right of my birth save the honor of my tribe. We have no time for words, Uncas; obey or die. Better you were dead than this disgrace should continue.”

“Out, out!” he shouted. “I am still chief of the Montauks, and I stand on the hunting ground of my fathers!” “A madman cannot be chief of the Montauks. When to-morrow’s sun has risen, our people will have disowned you and proclaimed me queen. Already I feel the power that their voices will give, and In advance I shall begin the exercise of my authority." Untilla turned to Ralph Denham and said quickly, “Do not hesitate to shoot that madman down if he does not obey me." Ralph again raised his pistols and asked: “What is the order of Untilla?” “I command that Uncas, no longer chief of the Mcntauks, lie down on the floor. ” “You hear the order; obey or I fire,” said Ralph. A glance told the chief that this was no idle threat, so he snot out another oath and obeyed. ‘Now, dot’s moah like slnse," creaked Dinah, who, divining Untilla’s purpose, groped under the bed and drew therefrom a bundle of rope and an old net, the ruin vt a fishing seine. Ralph Denham watched, while the

two women, with wonderful skill and rapidity, fastened the ropes about this unrighteous Samson. With the eaptaln's assistance they lifted the chief to the oot and arranged the scarlet uniform under his head and shoulders. Not knowing when she might be called on to exercise her skill, Dinah always went provided with herbs and rude surgical appliances. With much skill she dressed the chief’s wounded hand, whispered in an ironical way that he musn’t move about much, and then telling him that she would call professionally in the morning, she wished him refreshing sleep and pleasant dreams, and turning to Untilla and Ralph asked them if they were ready to leave. While Dinah was dressing the wounded man’s hand,, Untilla gave Ralph the disguise which Squire had sent, helped him to assume it, and, at the same time gave a careful report of what had happened at Squire Condit’s. They were about to leave the hut, when Dinah stopped suddenly and said: “Them ez loss blood hez a ’unger foh watah." From under the cot she drew an earthen pot and went out. She soon came back with the vessel full of water, and raising the chief’s head she made him drink, then she laid the pot within reach. They covered the fire with ashes, close J the door behind them, and started for Squire Condit’s. Mrs. Condit and Ellen though quite prepared for Ralph’s return, could not keep back their surprise at seeing him. They kissed him many times, and in accordance with the Squire’s strict orders, they insisted on taking him to his own room. He wanted a light, but as Squire Condit had given orders to have no light burning there, they refused. “Where is my father?” asked Ralph—he had always called him by that name, “He has gone for Valentine and Mr. Hedges, ” replied Ellen. At that moment the Squire’s step and the Squire’s voice were heard without in the garden. |TO BE CONTINUED. |