Winnetou, the Apache Knight, Karl Friedrich May [easy books to read txt] 📗

nothing to prevent my doing so, but still I did not move, for he was not yet dangerously near. Then I ran swiftly towards the tree. Had I been in the water, he could have thrown the tomahawk even at that distance; but I was sure he would not use it till we were on a level. The tree was three hundred feet away. When I had made half this distance as fast as I could, I stopped again, and looked back just as the chief came out of the water. He pulled the tomahawk from his belt, and ran towards me. I did not move, but as he came dangerously close I turned as if to fly, but only apparently. I felt sure that he would not throw the tomahawk when I stood still, for I could then dodge it. So I started running, stopped suddenly, and turned around. Right! He had paused to make his throw surer, swung his weapon around his head, and, even as I turned, hurled it at me. I leaped to one side: the tomahawk flew past me, and buried itself in the sand. That was what I wanted. I ran over, drew it out, and, instead of going on to the tree, walked deliberately over to the chief. He uttered an exclamation of rage, and sprang at me like a madman.

I raised the tomahawk, and called to him: “Halt, Intschu-Tschuna! You deceived yourself in Old Shatterhand. Do you want your own weapon buried in your skull?”

He paused, and cried: “Dog! How did you escape me in the water ? The wicked spirit has helped you.”

“Don’t you believe that. If any spirit has defended me, it is the good Manitou.”

As I spoke I saw a secret determination light his eyes as he watched me, and I said warningly: “You mean to surprise and attack me; I see it. Don’t do it, for it would be your death. I will do you no harm, for I really care for you and Winnetou; but if you attack, I must defend myself. You know that I am stronger than you without a weapon, and I have your tomahawk. Be wise, and -”

I could say no more. His wrath mastered him beyond control of his reason. He threw himself towards me with hands outstretched like claws. He thought he had me, but I slipped aside, and the force of his own weight threw him down. Instantly I was over him; putting my left knee on one arm, my right on the other, I held him with the left hand by the throat, swung the tomahawk, and cried: “Intschu-Tschuna, do you ask for mercy?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll split your head.”

“Kill me, you dog!” he gasped, struggling to get away.

“No, you are Winnetou’s father, and shall live; but I must make you take a nap for a little while. You leave me no choice.”

I struck his head with the flat side of the tomahawk - a severe blow; his limbs drew up convulsively, and then stretched out at full length. It looked from where the Indians stood as though I had killed him, and again I heard that awful howl.

I bound the chief’s arms down to his side with his belt, dragged him over to the cedar, and laid him at its foot. I had to reach the tree, under the conditions laid down, to complete the work and win our freedom. Then I left Intschu-Tschuna lying there, and ran quickly back to the bank, for three Indians had thrown themselves into the stream and were swimming over, Winnetou at their head. In case they did not keep their word this was too many, so I called to them as I reached the river: “Your chief lives; I have done him no harm; but if you come here I will kill you. Only Winnetou shall cross, for I wish to speak to him.” They paid no attention to these words, but Winnetou rose in the water where they could all see him, and uttered a word which I did not understand. They obeyed it, turned back, and he came on alone. I waited for him at the water’s edge, and as he emerged from it said: “It is well they turned back, for it would have proved dangerous to your father to have allowed them to come.”

“You have slain him with the tomahawk.”

“No; he forced me to strike him unconscious, because he would not give in.”

“And you could have killed him; he was in your hands.”

“I would not willingly kill an enemy; certainly not a man I like and who is Winnetou’s father. Here is his tomahawk. You shall decide whether or not I have conquered and the promise to me and my comrades shall be fulfilled.”

He took the tomahawk which I held out to him, and regarded me long and steadily. His eyes grew milder and milder; their expression changing into one of amazement, and at last he said:” What kind of a man is Old Shatterhand? who can understand him?”

“You will learn to understand me.”

“You give me this weapon, not knowing whether we will keep our word or not, yet you could defend yourself with it. Do you know you have delivered yourself into my hands?”

“Pshaw! I’m not afraid, for in any case I have my hands, and Winnetou is no liar, but a noble warrior, whose word will never be broken.”

He stretched out his hand to me, and replied: “You are right; you are free, and the other palefaces also, except the man called Rattler. You have confidence in me; would I could have confidence in you!”

“You will yet trust me as much as I trust you; wait only a little while. Now come to your father.”

“Yes, come; when Old Shatterhand strikes death may follow, even when he does not intend it.”

We went over to the chief. Winnetou examined him, and then said: “He lives, and will come to himself later with an aching head. I must not stay here, but I will send some men over to him. My brother Old Shatterhand may come with me.”

This was the first time he had called me “my brother.” How often I heard him say it afterward, and how sincere, true, and faithful he was saying it!

We turned back, and swam across the river. The Indians stood on the opposite bank and saw us coming; they could perceive the difference in Winnetou’s manner to me, and must have recognised the fact that I was not what they supposed, either in the wrong done to them, or in cowardice.

As we reached the bank Winnetou took me by the hand and said:” Old Shatterhand has conquered; he and his three comrades are free.”

“Uff! uff! uff!” cried the Apaches, while Tangua stood looking at us darkly.

Winnetou strode past him without looking at him, and led me to the stakes to which my three comrades were bound.

“Hallelujah!” cried Sam. “We are saved! Man, youngster, tenderfoot, how did you do it?”

Winnetou gave me his knife. “Cut their bonds,” he said. “You deserve to do it yourself.”

I did so. As soon as they were free they threw themselves on me, and took me in their arms, hugging me till I was actually hurt. Sam even kissed my hand, Will tears dropping into his beard. “My dear boy,” he said,” if ever I forget you, may the first grizzly I meet devour me skin and hair! How did you do this? You were so afraid of the water, and everybody thought you were drowned.”

“Did I not tell you that if I were drowned we were saved?”

“Did Old Shatterhand say this before the contest?” asked Winnetou. “Was it then all planned beforehand?”

“Yes,” I nodded.

“My brother knew what he would do. My brother is not only as strong as a bear, but as cunning as the fox of the prairie. Whoso is his enemy must be on his guard.”

“And is Winnetou such an enemy?”

“I was, but am no longer.”

“So you no more believe Tangua, the liar, but me?”

Again he looked at me long and searchingly as before, extended his hand, and said: “Your eyes are good eyes, and there is no dishonesty in your face. I believe you.”

I had resumed my discarded clothing, and took my tin box from the pocket of my hunting-jacket, and said: “Therein has my brother Winnetou done me justice; I will prove it to him. Perhaps he may know what this is.”

I unrolled the lock of hair, and held it up before him. He put out his hand to take it, stopped short, and stepped back, completely amazed, crying: “It is my own hair. Who gave you this?”

“Intschu-Tschuna said this morning in his address that the Great Spirit had sent you an unknown deliverer when you were a prisoner in the hands of the Kiowas. Yes, he was unknown, for he dared not let the Kiowas see him; but now there is no longer need of his concealing himself. You may truly believe that I was not your foe, but your friend.”

“You - you - it is you who freed us?” he gasped, more and more overcome, he who never betrayed surprise. “Then we owe you not only our freedom but our lives.”

He took me by the hand, and drew me to the place where his sister stood watching us intently. He led me before her, and said: “NschoTschi, see here the brave warrior who secretly freed our father and me when we were bound to the trees by the Kiowas. Let us thank him.”

With these words he drew me to him, and kissed me on each cheek. She held out her hand to me, saying only: “Forgive.”

She was to thank me, but instead begged for forgiveness. But I understood her; she had been secretly unjust to me; as my nurse she should have known me better than the others, yet she, too, had doubted me, and taken me for a miserable coward. She felt that it was more important to make this right than to thank me as Winnetou wished.

I pressed her hand and said: “NschoTschi will remember all I said to her; now it is fulfilled. Will my sister believe me now?”

Fair Day smiled on me, and said simply: “I believe my white brother.”

I went back to explain to my three friends the mystery of the lock of hair, and tell them that it was I who had freed the chiefs, while Winnetou went to seek his father. Presently we saw them returning, and went to meet them. Intschu-Tschuna looked at me with the same searching gaze his son had given me, then he said:” Winnetou has told me all; you are free, and will forgive us. You are a mighty and cunning warrior, and will conquer many foes. He who is wise will be your friend. Will you smoke the calumet of peace with us?”

“Yes, I would gladly be your friend and brother.”

“Then come with me and NschoTschi, my daughter, to the pueblo. I will give my conqueror a dwelling worthy of him. Winnetou, stay here to make the arrangemente you know of.”

We went back with him and NschoTschi as free men to the pueblo which we had quitted prisoners on our way to death.

CHAPTER XVI. TANGUA’S PUNISHMENT.

AS we approached the pueblo I sew for the first time what an imposing stone structure it was. The American savage has not been supposed to have had ability to build, but men who could raise such masses of stone as the southwestern Indians have put into their pyramidal pueblos, and knew how to fasten them securely with such insufficient tools as they possessed, surely did not stand in the lowest