Bradford walked beside the litter and looked after the welfare of his
patient. He gave him frequent doses of brandy, and at noon succeeded in
getting him to swallow a little shredded meat. Douglas coughed almost
continuously, and groaned at every sudden jolt of his swinging bed. A
circular bright-red spot appeared upon each cheek, and the arteries of
his temples and neck pulsated visibly. The wound he had received and the
consequent exposure had done their work but too well. He was suffering
from pneumonia.
At one time during the afternoon, he became violently excited and made
repeated attempts to arise from his couch. In vain Bradford sought to
soothe and quiet him. Apparently understanding the need of his presence,
Duke trotted to the litter and fondly licked the hot hand that was
frantically threshing the air. With a smile upon his face, Ross lay back
and wearily closed his wild, staring eyes.
“Wonderful!” Bradford muttered aloud, sadly shaking his head.
“Wonderful—wonderful,” repeated the delirious man, in a monotonous,
parrot-like voice. Then with animation:
“Oh, Amy! you here? No, it’s La Violette—or _is_ it Amy? La Violette—Amy;
La Violette—Amy. I don’t know.”
His words became an unintelligible jargon; but his fit of violence had
passed.
At nightfall the Indians went into camp. Bradford placed the litter near
the fire, and had a screen of boughs erected to shelter its occupant
from the night wind. Again he got his patient to take a small portion of
shredded meat and a little of the expressed juice. The supply of brandy
was almost exhausted; and he wisely resolved to save what was left for an
emergency. All night he sat by Ross’s side, giving him water, for which
the poor fellow begged piteously at frequent intervals, and protecting
him as best he could from the cold.
Duke fared well. Seeing his unparalleled devotion to his master, the
Indians took a fancy to the intelligent animal, and fed him all he would
eat.
At daylight the wearisome march was resumed; and at noon the party was
drawing near the Miami village upon the Mississinewa. As they entered the
town, hundreds of savages swarmed around them, and gazed in stupefaction
upon the unusual spectacle of four grave and dignified warriors bearing
the litter of a wounded paleface.
Pushing his way to the center of the village, a large collection of
well-built lodges and cabins upon the eastern bank of the stream,
Bradford asked for the Prophet. Tenskwatawa’s domicile was pointed out
to him. Unceremoniously pushing aside the curtain of skins, he entered
the dark hut. The Prophet lay stretched upon a fur rug near the center of
the floor, his feet to the fire that alone lighted the dismal interior.
He did not offer to arise at Bradford’s entrance; but greeted him with a
grunt of recognition. The intruder went straight to the point, by saying:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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