“The princess would have been slain,” continued the narrator, “only for
the prompt and fortunate appearance of a tall, handsome young brave, who
rushed to her rescue and slew the panther with his knife. The young
Indian was wounded, but not seriously. His name was Woganock, and he was
a Mattagamon. Nevertheless, in spite of the hostility between the two
tribes, Lolokana promptly fell in love with Woganock. Of course they
knew their love-making would not meet with the sanction of their people,
and therefore it was carried on in secret through clandestine meetings
in the woods.
“But Agamenthan was keeping a jealous and watchful eye upon Lolokana,
and one day he followed her and saw the lovers meet in the forest.
Without hesitation he rushed upon Woganock, shouting for him to defend
himself. Armed only with their knives, the two young braves fought a
bloody battle, in which both were badly chopped up. Woganock conquered,
however, and Agamenthan was left apparently dying upon the ground.
“Supported and aided by Lolokana, Woganock, though desperately wounded,
made his way back to his tribe. But when he told the story of the battle
and confessed his love for Lolokana his father, a chief, rose in wrath
and drove the princess away, vowing that no Passagonquay should ever
take a Mattagamon for his squaw. Weak and helpless, Woganock could not
lift a hand in remonstrance, and doubtless it would have availed him
little had he been able to do so.
“Lolokana returned to her people and learned, to her astonishment, that
Agamenthan had been found by some warriors, who had bound up his
injuries and brought him back, alive, to the village. He must have been
a tough one, this redskin, for he did not die. However, he told the
story of the duel with Woganock, and thenceforth Lolokana was held
practically a captive by her father, who promised Agamenthan that she
should become his squaw. When the wounded brave recovered his strength
and health he was to have her, whether she wished it or not.
“Now, as it affects every girl of spirit, this attempt to coerce her
against her will made Lolokana only the more determined that she would
never belong to Agamenthan. If she had lost Woganock, if she was to see
him no more this side of the Happy Hunting Grounds, she was resolved
that she would die the squaw of no man. A prisoner, watched vigilantly
by night and by day, she dreamed splendid dreams of a reunion with the
lover who had saved her from the panther and defeated the warlike
Agamenthan in a fair and even battle. For, even as she had been driven
away by the angry Mattagamons, although he could make no effort to
shield her and could scarcely whisper a remonstrance, Woganock had cast
her a look from his dark eyes that was a pledge and a promise. So she
waited for him to come, confident that sometime he would do so and take
her away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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