Carolina’s shining eyes were lifted from the massive silver pieces to Onteora’s face. The woman nodded.
"The famous Lee silver! I have it all! It was I who removed it and hid it here. It was in 1866, before I was married. I tracked ’Polyte and her husband to its hiding-place and took it away. No one ever knew--not even my husband! I never knew why I kept it secret. I saw the rewards offered. I could have been rich. I could have dowered Fleur-de-lys so that even the La Granges would have welcomed her. But something told me to wait. Wait! Wait! Now, I know why. It was to give it to you in return for my child’s happiness! If I had returned it for the money, that money would have gone to help ruin the La Granges, and I should have come to you empty-handed!"
The woman was barbaric in this speech. She showed her Indian blood, her Indian power, her Indian patience.
Carolina reached out her hand and Onteora took it in both of hers.
"What do you wish me to do?" Carolina asked, gently.
"Take these," said Onteora with sudden passion, thrusting the documents toward Carolina, "and show them to the La Granges!"
She sprang to her feet and folded her arms in a matchless pride.
The rain had ceased and Carolina’s things were dried. Onteora helped her to dress, her eyes shining with delight at Carolina’s beauty, but she expressed nothing in words.
She led Carolina to a smaller cavern, where, by the light of a candle, Carolina could see the black shapes of all the silver Cousin De Courcey had described to her. But so cunningly was this cavern concealed, that even one who discovered the cave wherein they stood would never have found the cavern.
"It reminds me of Monte Cristo!" she said to herself in the breathless delight every one feels at the touch of the romantic and mysterious in a humdrum daily life.
Then, as she realized the boundless Source of Supply whence this precious silver and thrice precious information had come, Carolina turned and put her arms around Onteora.
At this sign of human love, tears filled the eyes of the Indian.
Mrs. Goddard alone knew of Carolina’s discouragements, disappointments, and dangers, as the summer came and went. To all others the girl turned a smiling face, and Mrs. La Grange often wondered at her courage. How could she know that there were times when that sorely tried courage ebbed so low that many a cipher telegram winged its soft way to her practitioner for help, and that the battle with tears and disheartenment was fought out alone in the silence and sanctuary of her closet?