Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

Romany of the Snows, Continuation of "Pierre and His People" by Gilbert Parker
page 86 of 206 (41%)
him; still he would not, but stood among them silent and looking far away
over their heads. At last, two young men of good height and bone threw
arrows at his bare breast. The blood came in spots. Then he gave a cry
through his beard, and was on them like a lion. He caught them, one in
each arm, swung them from the ground, and brought their heads together
with a crash, breaking their skulls, and dropped them at his feet.
Catching up a long spear, he waited for the rest. But they did not come,
for, with a loud voice, the king told them to fall back, and went and
felt the bodies of the men. One of them was dead; the other was his
second son--he would live.

"'It is a great deed,' said the king, 'for these were no children, but
strong men.'

"Then again he offered the Great Slave women to marry, and fifty tents of
deerskin for the making of a village. But the Great Slave said no, and
asked to be sent back to Fort O'Glory.

"The king refused. But that night, as he slept in his tent, the
girl-widow came to him, waked him, and told him to follow her. He came
forth, and she led him softly through the silent camp to that wood which
we see over there. He told her she need not go on. Without a word, she
reached over and kissed him on the breast. Then he understood. He told
her that she could not come with him, for there was that lady in
England--his wife, eh? But never mind, that will come. He was too great
to save his life, or be free at the price. Some are born that way. They
have their own commandments, and they keep them.

"He told her that she must go back. She gave a little cry, and sank down
at his feet, saying that her life would be in danger if she went back.
DigitalOcean Referral Badge