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PALGRAVE STUDIES IN EUROPEAN UNION POLITICS
SERIES EDITORS:
MICHELLE EGAN · NEILL NUGENT · WILLIAM E. PATERSON

Shaping Parliamentary
Democracy
Collected Memories from
the European Parliament

Edited by
Alfredo De Feo · Michael Shackleton
Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics

Series Editors
Michelle Egan
American University
Washington, USA

Neill Nugent
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester, UK

William E. Paterson
Aston University
Birmingham, UK
Following on the sustained success of the acclaimed European Union
Series, which essentially publishes research-based textbooks, Palgrave
Studies in European Union Politics publishes cutting edge research-
driven monographs. The remit of the series is broadly defined, both in
terms of subject and academic discipline. All topics of significance con-
cerning the nature and operation of the European Union potentially fall
within the scope of the series. The series is multidisciplinary to reflect
the growing importance of the EU as a political, economic and social
phenomenon.

Editorial Board
Laurie Buonanno (SUNY Buffalo State, USA)
Kenneth Dyson (Cardiff University, UK)
Brigid Laffan (European University Institute, Italy)
Claudio Radaelli (University College London, UK)
Mark Rhinard (Stockholm University, Sweden)
Ariadna Ripoll Servent (University of Bamberg, Germany)
Frank Schimmelfennig (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Claudia Sternberg (University College London, UK)
Nathalie Tocci (Istituto Affari Internazionali, Italy)

More information about this series at

http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/14629
 Alfredo De Feo · Michael Shackleton
Editors

Shaping Parliamentary
Democracy
Collected Memories from the European
Parliament
Editors
Alfredo De Feo Michael Shackleton
European College of Parma Department of Political Science
Parma, Italy Maastricht University
Maastricht, The Netherlands

ISSN 2662-5873 ISSN 2662-5881 (electronic)

Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics
ISBN 978-3-030-27212-8 ISBN 978-3-030-27213-5 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27213-5

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
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 Foreword

Forty years ago, in 1979, the European Parliament was elected for
the first time by universal suffrage and embarked on opening a new
chapter of its history, leaving behind times of its limited consulta-
tive role as Common Assembly of the Coal and Steel Community and
as Parliamentary Assembly of the European Communities. From 1979
onwards, the Parliament consistently expanded its competences, from the
initial consultative role on the European Communities’ budget to attain-
ing a full co-legislator role equal to that of the Council of the European
Union with approval authority on the appointment of the European
Commission.
When German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer opened the first plenary
session of the Common Assembly of the Coal and Steel Community on
13th September 1952 in his role as President of the Special Council of
Ministers, he framed the role and the objectives of this new Parliament
for Europe:

Vous êtes, en Europe, le premier Parlement souverain construit sur une

base supranationale. Grâce à la constitution de ce Parlement, les plans
que nous avons formés pour créer une nouvelle Europe ont fait un pro-
grès nouveau et considérable… Dans une certaine mesure, on peut com-
parer la position du Conseil et de l’Assemblée au rapport qui existe entre
deux chambres à l’intérieur de la vie constitutionnelle d’un Etat. (HAEU,
AC-151)

v
vi FOREWORD

With the Rome Treaties of 1957, the Common Assembly was expanded
to cover the Economic (EEC) and the Atomic Energy (Euratom)
Communities and was renamed European Parliamentary Assembly and
eventually European Parliament in 1962. In 1976 the Electoral Act for
the European Parliament was passed and the first direct elections fol-
lowed three years later. On 17th July 1979, President Simone Veil spoke
in front of the first directly elected Parliament saying:

For this is the first time in history, a history in which we have so frequently
been divided, pitted one against the other, bent on mutual destruction,
that the people of Europe have together elected their delegates to a com-
mon assembly representing, in this Chamber today, more than 260 mil-
lion people. Let there be no doubt, these elections form a milestone on
the path of Europe, the most important since the signing of the Treaties.
(HAEU, PE1-18240)

Looking back at the history of this unique transnational democratic

body, the main source of knowledge we derive from its rich past lies
within the historical records of the Parliament; the minutes of its ple-
nary and commission sessions, the acts of its governing bodies: the
Bureau and the Committee of Presidents, and finally the workings of its
administration.
These archives were opened to the public in 1983 and since 1986
deposited in the newly established Historical Archives of the European
Union at the European University Institute in Florence. Until today the
considerable amount of 130,000 archival files have been transferred to
Florence by yearly shipment and have been studied by numerous scholars
thanks to this ground-breaking decision.
The quest to better understand the historical role of the Parliament
within the European integration process and the EU institutional frame-
work allowed the idea to develop amongst Members of Parliament, offi-
cials, and historians to look beyond the written memory deposited at
the HAEU. Backed by other oral history projects, such as the research
“European Commission—History and memories of an institution”
of the European Commission, written by a consortium of renowned
European integration historians, the European Parliament eventually dis-
covered the value of investigation via the oral history approach.
A first project of the European Parliament Research Service focused
on interviewing former Parliament Presidents. Then the research group
 FOREWORD vii

“Collecting Memories: European Parliament 1979–2019”, consisting of

former EP officials, with the support of the Former Members Association
of the European Parliament, embarked on a project with broader scope.
The project has to date produced more than 100 interviews with for-
mer Members of Parliament and will continue after the publication of
this book, thus expanding the range of interviews and the network of
researchers involved.
The Historical Archives of the European Union supported the pro-
ject, offered the deposit and long-term provision for public access
to these interviews to the scholarly community as part of its oral his-
tory platform. The considerable and still growing set of interviews will
therefore be available to the public alongside other oral history projects
related to European institutions and broadly to the history of European
integration.
The main findings of these numerous interviews are presented in this
volume. They show readers key moments in the history of the European
Parliament, which, at the occasion of the European elections in May
2019, looks back on 40 years of direct elections.
Thanking the interviewers and authors of this volume for their
inspired research endeavour, it is my pleasure, as Director of the
Historical Archives of the European Union, to invite the readers to
unfold this oral history of the European Parliament seen through the
lens of its members.

Florence, Italy Dieter Schlenker

Director of the Historical
Archives of the European
Union, Villa Salviati
 Acknowledgements

This work has been made possible thanks to the enthusiasm of all the
Members of the European Parliament we have contacted. We could
not interview all of them, but the project of the Historical Archives will
remain open and we hope to add more contributions.
A special thanks to Dieter Schlenker, Director of the Historical
Archives of the European Union, who has not only encouraged us but
also offered the material support mainly through his colleagues, Juan
Alonso Fernandez and Barbara Garbagnati.
We are also indebted to Elisabetta Fonck who has also been crucial for
our relations with the Former Member Association.
Finally, we are grateful to our indexer Rohan Bolton for her work.
Last but not least our special thanks to Jan, Julia, Maria, Ruth, and
Susan, who have supported our work.

ix
 Praise for Shaping Parliamentary
Democracy

“Oral history brings the European Parliament to life. Readers of

Collecting Memories will enjoy insiders’ accounts of some of the most
important developments in the life of the EP in recent years. The book
provides a set of thematic chapters that drawn on the EP oral history
depository’s most cogent anecdotes and insights, and a primer on the
methodology of collecting and using an oral history archive.”
—Desmond Dinan, Professor at George Mason School of Public Policy,
Arlington, Virginia, USA

“The amazing development of the European Parliament over the past 4

decades exemplifies the constitutional revolution the European Union
has gone through so successfully. These personal testimonies will bring
that history to life again.”
—Klaus Welle, Secretary General of the European Parliament

xi
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 Contents

1 Introducing Our Project 1

Alfredo De Feo and Michael Shackleton

2 Choosing the Parliament 11

Francis Jacobs

3 Working Inside the Parliament Machine 23

Gérard Laprat

4 Living Inside the Political Groups 37

Gérard Laprat

5 Playing a Part at Major Moments 49

Dietmar Nickel

6 Influencing and Shaping Policy 63

Alfredo De Feo

7 Scrutinising and Holding to Account 77

Michael Shackleton

8 Making a Mark Beyond the EU 89

Dietmar Nickel

xiii
xiv CONTENTS

9 Communicating the Work of the Parliament 101

Alfredo De Feo

10 Keeping in Touch with National Societies 111

Francis Jacobs

11 Looking to the Future 125

Michael Shackleton

Appendix 137

Index 153
 List of Contributors

Alfredo De Feo European College of Parma, Parma, Italy

Francis Jacobs University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Gérard Laprat Lecturer, École Nationale d’Administration, Strasbourg,
France
Dietmar Nickel Institute for European Integration, Hamburg,
Germany
Michael Shackleton Department of Political Science, Maastricht
University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

xv
 Abbreviations

ACTA Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement

ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
CCC Conference of Committee Chairs
CFSP Common Foreign and Security Policy
COM Communist Group
CoP Conference of Presidents of Political Groups
ECB European Central Bank
ECJ European Court of Justice
ECR European Conservatives and Reformists
ECSC European Coal and Steel Community
EDG European Democratic Group
EEC European Economic Community
EP European Parliament
EPP European People’s Party
ERA European Radical Alliance
ETUC European Trade Union Confederation
EU European Union
Euratom European Atomic Energy Community
FE Forza Europa
GUE European United Left/Nordic Green Left
HAEU Historical Archives of the European Union
IGC Intergovernmental Conference
LGTB Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual
LIFE European Financial instrument for the environment
MEA Member of the European Assembly
MEP Member of the European Parliament

xvii
xviii ABBREVIATIONS

NGO Non-Governmental Organisation

PES Party of European Socialists
PNR Passenger Name Record
QMV Qualified Majority Voting
REACH Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
Restriction of Chemicals
RoP Rules of Procedure
SEA Single European Act
SME Small and Medium-sized Enterprise
SWIFT Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication
TACIS Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States
TEU Treaty on the European Union
TFEU Treaty on Functioning of the European Union
TFTP Terrorist Finance Tracking Programme
UEN Union for a Europe of Nations
UK United Kingdom
US United States of America
 CHAPTER 1

Introducing Our Project

Alfredo De Feo and Michael Shackleton

Abstract This chapter provides a brief introduction to the project that

led to this book: the creation of an oral archive containing interviews
with former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The volume
editors reflect on the origins, aims and evolution of the project, as well as
their methodology. They highlight that the book is not meant to com-
pete with academic analyses of the European Parliament. Instead they
seek to tell the story of the institution based on personal experiences.
The introduction ends with a short outline of the subsequent chapters,
with each corresponding to a specific theme presented in the archive:
choosing the parliament, working inside the parliament machine, living
inside the political groups, playing a part in major moments, influencing
and shaping policy, scrutinizing and holding to account, making a mark
beyond the EU, communicating the work of the Parliament, keeping in
touch with national societies, and looking to the future.

A. De Feo (*)
European College of Parma, Parma, Italy
e-mail: [email protected]
M. Shackleton
Department of Political Science, Maastricht University,
Maastricht, The Netherlands
e-mail: [email protected]

© The Author(s) 2019 1

A. De Feo and M. Shackleton (eds.), Shaping Parliamentary
Democracy, Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27213-5_1
2 A. DE FEO AND M. SHACKLETON

Keywords European Union · European Parliament · MEPs ·

European parliamentary democracy · Historical Archives of the
European Union · Oral History

The Origins of the Project

This project started in the course of a walk in North Oxfordshire a cou-
ple of years ago. The two co-editors noted that 2019 would mark the
40th anniversary of the first direct elections to the European Parliament
and felt that it was a good moment to look back at what the Parliament
has and has not achieved over the last four decades. The anniversary pro-
vided, in our eyes, an opportunity to see how the institution has devel-
oped and how far it has been able to go in contributing to the creation
of a parliamentary democracy at European level. In addition, it offered a
yardstick against which the future development of the Parliament could
be judged at a time of major turmoil in the history of the European
Union (EU).
As former civil servants of the institution, we felt we should aim to
achieve these goals in a different way from the traditional academic text-
book. We did not wish to compete with the many works that already
exist on the evolution of the powers of the Parliament.1 Scholars much
more competent than us have analysed all the nuances of the institutional
development of the EP. We wanted rather to grasp the human side of
a remarkable journey of 40 years during which MEPs from all parts of
Europe, with very different political and cultural backgrounds, came
together and succeeded in making the institution work and in turning it
into a major player in the preparation of European legislation.
Hence we decided instead to aim to create an oral archive containing
interviews with former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs),
who were active between 1979 and 2019. We wanted them to provide
their memories of their time in the institution even if, and perhaps par-
ticularly if, it was now many years since they had been MEPs. We noted
that with the passage of time, the early years of the directly-elected

1 A full bibliography can be found in a study prepared by Desmond Dinan for the

European Parliamentary Research Service entitled “Historiography of the European

Parliament: Changing Perceptions of the Institution from the 1950s to Today” (European
Parliament History Series, PE 630.270—November 2018).
 1 INTRODUCING OUR PROJECT 3

Parliament in particular were in danger of becoming lost in the mists of

time, more and more unfamiliar to new MEPs and researchers alike.
How was this to be done? First, we convinced three former colleagues
(and friends) to join the project. Like us, they had all worked in par-
liamentary committees but they also could bring other experiences to
the project, such as working in a political group or serving in the Private
Office of a Parliament President. With five of us we were able to cover
several countries and languages, though we decided at an early stage to
use English as the main vehicle of communication (a minority of inter-
views are in French, Italian and Spanish). All five have contributed to this
book, with each of us writing two of the following chapters.
We decided not to seek outside funding for the project but realised
that enthusiasm and commitment to our old institution would not be
enough to create the archives that we had in mind. So we set about find-
ing sponsors who could help us to make a reality of our ideas. Three
institutions were particularly important in making the archives possible.
First, we enlisted the support of the Historical Archives of the
European Union (HAEU). The Director, Dieter Schlenker, sup-
ported our project—the first oral archive of material from the European
Parliament—and included it amongst those to be carried out by the
European University Institute. The support of the HAEU was par-
ticularly important not just for the material and technical support in
establishing the website for the archives but above all, for the long-
term visibility of the project and of this book, given that the archives
in Florence are a central point of reference for most researchers inter-
ested in the history of European integration. You will find the website at:
https://archives.eui.eu/en/oral_history#CM_EP.
Second, we needed to find a way of approaching former members
and were given full support by the Former Members Association of
the European Parliament. The Secretary General of the Association,
Elisabetta Fonck, obtained the backing of the Board of the Association
and launched the project by asking all members of the FMA to volun-
teer to contribute to our project. We were then able to contact directly
those who had expressed an interest and to avoid pestering those who,
for whatever reason, did not wish to participate.
Third, we approached Maastricht University, where one of us is
a Visiting Professor, to bring together a group of students, supervised
by Professor Christine Neuhold, who could help us find ways to make
the archives as visible and user-friendly as possible. Their enthusiasm
4 A. DE FEO AND M. SHACKLETON

increased our own motivation for the project and also led us towards
presenting the material in the archives not just by name but also by
theme. Together we identified the ten themes that structure this book
and the archives itself.
We want to express our gratitude here for the contribution that all
three institutions made to the launch of the project but also to explain
the context in which the project has developed, with its weaknesses as
well as its strengths. It is fair to say that the lack of any financial support
did not limit our activity but in some cases, the interviews did not take
place under perfect conditions. This is reflected in the low quality of the
audio of some interviews and also in the fact that we were not always
able to meet former members face-to-face and were obliged to talk to
them over the phone.
The choice of former MEPs rather than existing ones was deliberate.
Current members are generally too much taken up by the hectic day-
to-day life of the Parliament, with more limited time and inclination
to look back over the development of the institution. We have only
made a very limited number of exceptions to this rule where we felt
that the particular experience of the members concerned warranted it.
As indicated earlier, the FMA invited former members to volunteer to
contribute to the project. Hence if you are looking for geographical and
political balance, you will search in vain. However, the total number of
contributions from members in this phase of the project is close to 100.
Who are the MEPs that we interviewed and in which parliamentary
legislature did they serve? You will find at the end of the book the full list
of MEPs, indicating when they were MEPs, what groups they belonged
to and what formal office, if any, they held. From this information one
can point to the following conclusions:
Women represent 30% of those interviewed, a higher percentage
than the average proportion of women MEPs per legislature since 1979
(26%).
Most of the MEPs interviewed were active in the first thirty of the
forty years covered by the archive: 69% served the Institution during the
period 1989–2009, a period when the Parliament was changing very rap-
idly as the chronological glossary that follows the eleven main chapters
indicates, and almost a fifth were active in the first decade of the elected
Parliament after 1979. Only 7 Members served during the term ending
in 2019.
 1 INTRODUCING OUR PROJECT 5

The majority (about 60%) of the MEPs interviewed were formal office
holders and in some cases, cumulated several positions in the Parliament
(President, Vice-President, Quaestor or Committee Chair). Many of the
remaining 40% played an active role as rapporteurs either in the budg-
etary or legislative procedures or as coordinators and delegation leaders
within their political group. Their heavy involvement in the Parliament’s
activities may explain their willingness to contribute to our project and
certainly reinforces the relevance of their interviews.
In geographical terms, there is a large majority (53%) who come from
the six founding countries, as well as 31% from the UK. The latter, irre-
spective of their political party, all expressed their sadness at the prospect
of the UK leaving the EU. By contrast, no members committed to Brexit
volunteered to be interviewed. In addition, very few members from
Central and Eastern Europe responded to our invitation, a situation we
would hope would be remedied in the years to come.
Finally, what of the division into political groups? More than 65% of
our interviewees are from the PES and EPP groups, thereby matching
the composition of the House over the last forty years. More PES than
EPP members were interviewed, partly reflecting the fact that this group
was the largest up until 1999 and the majority of our interviewees were
from that period. Interviewees from the third largest group, ALDE,
represent 15% of the total, the remainder divided amongst the smaller
groups. These figures need to be treated with some caution. National
parties switched from one group to another and this was reflected in
the changing titles of the groups. The Socialist group became in the last
decade Socialists and Democrats; the Liberal group became ALDE, the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. The European Peoples’
Party was known as the EPP-ED (European Democrat) group from
1992 to 2009 when the British Conservatives were members. The same
is true for some Italian delegations who were seated in the EPP and
ALDE groups and then were with the Socialists and Democrats.

The Structure of the Project

It is worth repeating that the aim of the project has not been to compete
with academic analyses of the European Parliament. Rather our inten-
tion has been to tell the story of the institution based on personal experi-
ences, which in our view, is an essential complement to what has already
been written on the history of the Parliament and its role in European
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6 A. DE FEO AND M. SHACKLETON

integration. However, we did not want to provide researchers simply

with a set of alphabetically-ordered interviews and invite them to listen
to them. We wanted to present the archives in a way that would facilitate
the work of the listener.
First, we sent former members a questionnaire, which you can find in
the annexes to this book, inviting them to answer a series of questions
about their experience inside the institution. Not all members wanted to
fill out this questionnaire and we did not make it a condition for mak-
ing an interview. However, the written material provided often consti-
tuted a starting point for the subsequent interview. The questionnaires
that were completed are to be found in the HAEU archive, alongside the
interviews.
Second, the interviews themselves normally follow a similar pattern:
you will hear the same kind of questions being asked by all five inter-
viewers. The interviewees are usually invited to indicate why they came
to the Parliament in the first place and what their first impressions were,
to give an indication of their or the institution’s successes and failures
during their mandate and to talk about the relation between their work
in Brussels and Strasbourg and back home. We attempted in most cases
to limit the interviews to around one hour and this did not always give
us time to cover everything the member wanted to talk about. However,
the central point was to let the member give their own impressions: we
only wanted to provide them with a framework within which to place
those impressions, impressions which may also contain material errors
over dates and names which we did not attempt to correct.
Third, the interviews are not left to speak for themselves. With the
help of our Maastricht students, we decided to organise the interviews
around ten themes, the themes that are discussed in the following chap-
ters. Hence if you are particularly interested in scrutiny and accountabil-
ity or shaping and influencing policy, you can identify from the tables at
the end of each chapter and on the HAEU website the interviews that
concentrate on these themes and where in the interview you can find the
relevant material. These tables are not created by an algorithm but by
human beings and thus they may be imprecise as to timings and your
own appreciation may be different. Nevertheless, we felt that it is worth
the effort to create such tables to enable researchers to home in on par-
ticular sections of the different interviews. It also increases the possible
uses of the interviews. Some may be interested in a particular person or
group of persons, such as former Presidents of the Parliament (we have
 1 INTRODUCING OUR PROJECT 7

interviewed seven of them) or members of a particular nationality but

probably more will want to consider specific issues or events. We hope
that the way we have structured the project will make this easier and
will also enable comparison between members whose opinions naturally
differ.
In our minds, the project does not end with the publication of this
book or the inclusion of our interviews in the archive. The Collecting
Memories section of the Historical Archives of the European Union will
remain open for further interviews and we certainly have the ambition
that others take over from us to continue what has been a great adven-
ture, with a certain dose of nostalgia. Every five years about half of the
membership of the Parliament changes; it is therefore an ideal moment
for them to add their contribution to the oral history for the interest of
researchers but also of potential future members.

The Contents of the Chapters

The chapters that follow aim to link the interviews held in the archives
to the themes that we identified and thereby to offer an encouragement
for all to dip into the interview material. They do not aim to offer a full
picture of the stories that we have heard but rather to pick up common
threads linking the material together. Each chapter has as its author,
one of the five of us who did the interviews, all with somewhat different
styles and approaches (as in all edited volumes). All the chapters, how-
ever, follow four simple rules:

• the stories we tell in the chapters are based on the memories that we
have collected (and not, for example, our own memories);
• Members are not quoted directly by name: we have put material in
italics that is taken from an interview or questionnaire and in a few
cases, it is adapted for linguistic reasons;
• each chapter is, as pointed out above, followed by a list of those
interviews that are particularly relevant to the theme discussed, with
an indication of the part of the interview that covers that theme;
and
• each chapter ends with a brief section reminding the reader of some
academic literature relevant to the theme under discussion as well
as a number of questions that the authors felt arose from the inter-
view material and that researchers might wish to consider as they
8 A. DE FEO AND M. SHACKLETON

listen to the interviews. Neither the literature quoted nor the ques-
tions raised are designed to be comprehensive but rather to under-
line that the chosen themes should be understood in the context of
the wider search for an understanding of the development of the
European Parliament as an institution.

In terms of content, the ten chapters that follow can be resumed as

follows:
Chapter 2 “Choosing the Parliament” considers first the different
routes by which the interviewees ended up in the European Parliament,
whether they had been involved in politics or not, their prior knowl-
edge of the EU, their professional background and experience and the
extent of their European convictions. The second half of the chapter
looks at their first impressions of a multinational and multilingual par-
liament, the ways they adapted to an often unfamiliar culture of com-
promise and consensus and their relative autonomy compared to national
parliamentarians.
Chapter 3 “Working Inside the Parliament Machine” first looks at the
many different ways in which newly elected MEPs have sought to adapt
to the very specific context of the “European Parliament machine”, the
practical choices they have to make, the political constraints they have
to recognize in pursuing their priorities and the best way to make their
way through the institutions as they “learn by doing”. The second part
of the chapter presents the experiences of those who have risen to par-
ticular positions of power and of influence within the machine, notably
President, Vice-President, Quaestor and Committee Chair.
Chapter 4 “Living Inside the Political Groups” highlights the views of
former MEPs on the growing influence of the political groups. It notes
the development beyond the Parliament’s official bodies, where every
group is duly represented, of unofficial structures, notably the “grand
coalition”. It presents the views of MEPs on how this coalition worked
in the legislative arena and influenced nominations. It looks at the rela-
tionship between the groups and the committees of the Parliament
including through the work of group coordinators and concludes by
considering the internal workings of the groups, notably the national
delegations.
Chapter 5 “Playing a Part at Major Moments” considers the extraor-
dinarily rapid institutional development of the EP through the eyes
of MEPs who lived through the period and were active participants.
 1 INTRODUCING OUR PROJECT 9

It considers the role of members in such events as the rejection of the

budget in 1979 and 1984, the Spinelli initiative and the establishment
of the 1992 programme and the Treaty changes that increased the
Parliament’s role from the Single European Act in 1987 to the Lisbon
Treaty in 2009 as well as setbacks such as the failure to obtain a single
seat.
Chapter 6 “Shaping and Influencing Policy” uses examples to illus-
trate how the EP has influenced and shaped EU policy, gaining in
credibility and winning recognition of its role as an equal partner of
the Council. The path from limited budgetary powers at the end of the
70s to full codecision with the Lisbon Treaty has been marked by the
development of formal competences and informal mechanisms which
have together led to concrete legislative and budgetary acts, with direct
consequences for the lives of EU citizens. The memories linked to this
theme reflect this transition and point to two conclusions: first, there is
no strict correlation between competences and influence and second,
the Parliament has developed a culture of compromise, respecting and
responding to different positions, which offers something beyond the
compromises possible in the Council.
Chapter 7 “Scrutinizing and Holding to Account” recalls the debate
about the source of executive power in the EU and then considers three
aspects of executive accountability as perceived by former MEPs: the
power of dismissal, effectively used but once, in 1999, when the Santer
Commission resigned; the power of appointment, in particular through
hearings but also by imposing conditions for appointment; and the evo-
lution of the Parliament’s general ability to scrutinize what the executive
bodies of the EU do.
Chapter 8 “Making a Mark Beyond the EU” presents the memories
of members who were involved in the development of a new form of par-
liamentary diplomacy. It gives an overview of the attitudes of members
to their work in external relations and then considers the different instru-
ments they have developed to enable them to have an impact. It looks in
particular at the power of consent, the use of the budget, the framing of
legislation, the development of election observation as well as the role
the institution has played in promoting ideas, upholding human rights
and supporting integration as a way of resolving conflicts.
Chapter 9 “Communicating the Work of the Parliament” highlights
the problems that MEPs have faced in communicating their contribu-
tion to the activities of the EP and the results of Parliament’s decisions.
10 A. DE FEO AND M. SHACKLETON

In particular, the chapter considers relations with national and local

media as well as contacts with specialised interests in society. It also looks
at how the external world, the general public and interest groups gave
their views to MEPs and how such communication linked the issues of
transparency and autonomy of individual MEPs.
Chapter 10 “Keeping in Touch with National Societies” looks at the
critical national dimension of an MEP’s role and at some of the factors
that condition the differences from one country to another. It begins by
examining MEPs’ relations with their own national governments as well
as with regional and local governments. It goes on to examine the some-
times difficult relations with national parliaments and with the MEP’s
own national party. The last part of the chapter looks at how MEPs work
within their constituency and their links with civil society and with con-
cerned interest groups.
Chapter 11 “Looking to the Future” presents the contrast between
the future as seen by the EP after 1979 and that which beckons for new
members after the 2019 elections. There is no longer the automatic
assumption that what has been achieved by the Parliament over 40 years
in furthering integration will necessarily be sustained. The responses of
former MEPs to this change can be categorised as optimistic, pessimistic
and pragmatic and reflect different views about the nature of represent-
ative democracy at EU level, notably the tension between a separation
of powers or parliamentary government and the need for any system to
address the issue of identity for European citizens. The challenge for
future legislatures is likely to prove even greater than was the fight to
gain institutional acceptance in a previous generation.
Our work will have been successful if you, the reader, now wish to
move on to listen to the interviews that we made and to hear how the
interviewees perceived the successes and failures not only of the institu-
tion but of themselves. As one member put it, it is rare that individual
MEPs have a direct personal effect on the EU but they have contributed to a
collective effort which constitutes the output of the Parliament.
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could bribe ’em to let us go. But I declare if I was going to be killed I
should rather have the job done on a full stomach. Oh, dear! why in
creation did I ever come out into this heathen country. I shall be
ruined, I know I shall, afore I get out of it.”

“And I hope you will, you ’tarnal fool,” muttered the scout to himself.
“At any rate, I hope that pack of his will go under. I do believe he’d
rather see ’em all murdered than to lose that.”

The wish of the Yankee was gratified at length. After eating their fill,
the savages offered a portion of what was left to the captives. Mrs.
Wilson could not touch a morsel, and her husband and Ned partook
but sparingly. But the Yankee made up for them. He ate all that was
offered him, the moment his hands were set at liberty so that he
could do so, and begged that which they refused. When at last he
was through he declared that he felt better, and that if any of them
wanted to trade, he was ready for them. But for this the savages
were not apparently inclined, and his arms were at once secured
behind him in the same manner as before, much to his discontent
and disgust, especially when he saw one of the savages lay hands
upon his pack, and bringing it close to the fire, undo it, and begin to
display its contents to his comrades.

In vain it was that he called upon them to desist. They were deaf to
his entreaties, and when at length his voice was raised to a high
pitch, one of the savages sprung from the earth, and grasping his
tomahawk, he whirled it about his head, threatening him with
instant death if he made again the slightest sound.

After this the agony of the Yankee was ludicrous to behold. He dared
not speak, and as he saw his treasures one after another in 71
the hands of the savages, there was the most doleful
expression upon his face imaginable. Of his own safety and that of
his companions he gave not a thought. He could think of nothing but
the financial ruin to which he would be subjected, did he lose his
stock in trade, as he was apparently about to do.
All this that was passing about the fire was observed by the scout.
Nothing escaped his eye from the place of his concealment behind
the trunk of a giant tree. There, silent and immovable as the tree
itself, he stood waiting for the moment to come when he could strike
for the deliverance of the captives. To him, each savage about the
fire was doomed. In his own mind he had surely decreed their
death.

His plan for their destruction was laid, and when the proper moment
came, he had no fears but what he should carry it into execution.

More than the number now before him had died by his unaided arm,
on occasions before this.

The minutes glided on and told the hours, and at last the evening
was well advanced.

Satisfied at last with their inspection of the peddler’s pack, the

savages replaced its contents—much to the relief of the Yankee—
and after assuring themselves that the captives were firmly held in
their thongs, they gathered about the fire for rest.

From his hiding-place behind the tree, the Death-Dealer watched

their every movement.

He saw that the moment for action had nearly come—the time for
the deliverance of his friends was close at hand.

He knew that the savages had been without sleep the night before,
and when once they were buried in slumber they would not easily
awaken.

Minute after minute went by, and at last the savages were as
motionless as though they were held in the icy fetters of death.
Then, with his rifle in his left hand, and his knife firmly clenched in
his right, he glided from his hiding-place behind the tree, and moved
noiselessly toward the camp-fire.
Only a pale light flashed out from it now. The flames had gone
down, and a few smoldering embers alone marked the spot 72
where it had been, revealing but partly the forms of the
savages outstretched beside it.

The forms of the captives were hidden in darkness, but he had

marked well where they were, and could have laid his hand upon
them with his eyes shut.

Closer and closer he crept toward the unconscious savages.

He had doomed them all to death, and he was fearful lest some one
of them should escape him.

When within a couple of yards of the spot where they lay, the one
nearest to him stirred.

In an instant he was as motionless in his tracks as though he had

been turned to stone.

Could it be that the savage was awake, and that his quick ear had
detected his footsteps?

But no; the savage only turned a little, and then lay as motionless as
before.

Two more strides and the Death-Dealer stood by the side of his
victim.

His right arm was upraised, and the next instant it descended, and
the knife was driven to the hilt in the breast of the red-skin.

Not so much as a groan escaped his lips. There was a slight

convulsive motion of his frame and then all was still.

The Death-Dealer had struck his first blow strong and well.
Stepping over the body of the lifeless savage, the scout aimed a
blow at the next who lay beside him.

His aim was as true as the other had been, and the spirit of the
savage followed that of his companion to the happy hunting-grounds
of his tribe.

Still not one of the warriors stirred. Buried in deep sleep they lay
unconscious of the presence of their terrible enemy.

Another blow descended, and another savage went the way of his
dead companions.

Three had fallen, while the remaining four still lay unconscious of
their fate.

Once more the knife descended to its deadly work and another
savage was numbered with the slain.

At that moment from some cause or another, a bright flame 73

shot up from the smoldering embers, illuminating the scene
about it.

It did not have the effect of awakening the surviving savages, but
the next moment a voice exclaimed, in startling tones:

“Jerusalem and the Prophets! What in nater is going on here, I’d like
to know!”

The voice was that of Peleg Parker, and so shrill was it, that it
brought each of the surviving savages to his feet.

The scout saw his danger, and inwardly cursed the unlucky tongue
of the Yankee. But with the rapidity of lightning he sprung upon the
nearest warrior and plunged his knife into his heart.
With a howl the Indian fell backward to the earth, with the knife still
in the wound, for the scout could not spare the time to withdraw it.

The next instant a tomahawk whistled past his head, so close that it
seemed as though it had grazed the skin, but left him unharmed.

Quick as thought he brought his rifle to his shoulder and pulled the
trigger.

Quick as his aim had been, it proved a true one, and the red-skin fell
with a bullet through his brain.

One only of the seven was left, but at a glance he had taken in the
fate of his comrades, and as if struck with horror and the certainty of
his own death did he stay to do battle with the terrible Death-Dealer,
he turned and fled.

A shout of exultation broke from the lips of the scout as he saw

himself thus master of the field, and it was echoed in glad tones by
the captives, who were thus assured of their deliverance from the
hands of their enemies.

At this moment the moon which had risen some time before, now
managed to throw a flood of silver light down through the branches
overhead, so that the spot where the scout stood was brilliantly
illuminated, and they were able to recognize him and to see the
work he had performed.

“Thank Heaven, it is the scout!” cried Mrs. Wilson, as he advanced

toward the spot where they stood, after he had assured himself that
the fleeing savage meant to make them further trouble. “Oh, if 74
Ruth was only with us now, how happy I should be. But, alas!
I fear that I shall never see her more in this world.”

“And I guess you will if you only live long enough,” said the scout, as
he cut the cords and set her free. “I’ll have the gal out of the
clutches of Rushing Water afore I’m two days older, or else I shall
never go for another red-skin.”

“God grant that you may!” exclaimed the parents and Ned in a
breath.

“And I say amen to that,” said the Yankee. “But look here, mister,
jest cut these ’tarnal strings, will ye? They’ve nigh about cut into the
bone, I du believe.”

“You said amen afore you ought to jest now,” muttered the scout, as
he paid his attention to the thongs that bound Ned. “You had ought
to wait till you get through afore you call out. If you had done it a
minute sooner you would have spoiled the whole.”

“Jerusalem and the Prophets, who could help it?” cried Peleg. “I
should as quick have thought of seeing Satan himself there among
the red-skins as you at that time. But du cut these ’tarnal bonds, will
ye? I’m mighty anxious ’bout my pack thar. I’m afraid the varmints
carried off something that belonged to me.”

“I guess thar didn’t more than one of ’em carry any thing a great
ways. But I do believe that if the red-skins were a-scalping ye, you
would want to save yer pack in some way; and I guess it is a darned
sight more precious than your body. If it ain’t, it ain’t worth much.”

Despite the entreaties of the Yankee, he was the last one he freed
from his bonds, and no sooner were his limbs at liberty than he
started off at once for the spot where the pack was lying, so eager
was he to be assured that nothing had been taken therefrom. There
couldn’t have been very well, for his eyes had been upon the
savages at the time they had been engaged in looking it over,
though he had been obliged to hold his tongue for fear that he
might lose his scalp.

The joy of the captives at their escape was great; but their hearts
were sad when they thought of Ruth, who was being hurried along
by her savage captor toward the lodges of his tribe, even if by 75
this time they had not already arrived there.

In response to their inquiries, the scout told them of his motions

since he had parted with them, which are already known to the
reader, and then he demanded to know why it was that Rushing
Water had separated them from Ruth.

In a few words they told him of their surprise and capture; of the
death that threatened them, and how it was averted by the promise
of Ruth, and also of the pledge the chief had given. But as they
went onward toward the Indian village he seemed to repent of the
promise he had made, and at last determined at least that they
should not go thither. Neither would he set them at liberty, for fear
that they might try to rescue Ruth.

They were almost sure that they heard him give orders for their
destruction, and then Ruth was torn from them, and they went their
respective ways.

Hope of escape they had none, for they thought that unaided, he
would be powerless to afford them assistance, even if he had
escaped, which they were by no means sure of. Aid they could
expect in no other way, as they could do nothing of themselves, and
hope had well-nigh deserted them.

While these several narrations had been going on the Yankee had
carefully examined his pack, and now, with it upon his arm, he
approached the spot where they were standing.

“The darned snips didn’t get any thing,” he said. “I ’spected nothing
but what I was ruined when I see ’em afoul of it. I’m mighty glad
they’ve gone under for they had no business to meddle with what
didn’t belong to ’em.”

“I’m glad for your sake,” said Ned, trying, but not succeeding, in
restraining the look of scorn upon his face, which the moonlight
might reveal to the Yankee. “I’m glad it’s all right, for you seem to
think more of it than you do of your life, or all of us put together.”

“Wal, I can’t say but what I do. In there is every darned cent I’m
worth in the world, unless it is my part of the old rocky farm in New
Hampshire. Thar’s about a hundred acres of that, but when 76
the old folks drop off, it’s got to be divided between thirteen of
us. Thar’s Stephen, Solomon, Daniel, Joshua—”

“Don’t go any further!” cried Ned. “I don’t wonder you want to keep
your pack. Stick to it as long as you live, and I hope it will be the
making of your fortune. But now, Dick, what is to be done? We’re
wasting time here. I’m anxious to be at work.”

“So am I,” exclaimed Peleg. “I’m losing more’n a dollar a day. Thar
ain’t any trade in any of ye, and I shall be glad when I get back, so
that I can be earning an honest penny. I wish to gracious that I was
in Smith’s Settlement this very minute.”

“So do I,” cried the scout, angrily, “or anywhere else where I should
never hear that tongue of yours ag’in. Won’t you try if you can, and
keep it still for five minutes?”

Peleg gave a low whistle and was silent.

“Yes, Ned, you are right,” said the scout. “We are losing time here.
We’ve got now to find the other trail, and do our best to get the gal
out of the clutches of Rushing Water. I ’spects we’ve got a ticklish
job to do it, ’specially if he gets her to the village afore we come up
with ’em. But we’ll do it, or the folks on the river sha’n’t see our
faces ag’in.”

“I hope we may,” said Sam Wilson. “But I know that we’ve got no
easy task before us. If she was only with us now, there is nothing in
the world that I would not give.”

“Or I,” said Ned.

“But wishing won’t bring her here,” said the scout. “It will take
strong blows like them I’ve give to-night to fetch her, and I wouldn’t
wonder if as many more red-skins had to go under as you can see
stretched out there. Rushing Water has set his mind upon the gal,
and he’ll keep her if he can. But he’ll find trouble in doing it or I miss
my guess. But there’s danger to the gal, too, that she don’t know of.
That red gal, who has a claim on him, will do all she can to get her
out of the way.”

Mrs. Wilson shuddered, and uttered a cry of grief and alarm, at

these words of the scout. In the hurry and excitement of the last
twenty-four hours she had forgotten this danger of which the 77
scout had spoken, when he had first warned them of their
danger. To save her from this they must rescue her before she
should enter the lodge of the chief.

“What do you propose to do now?” asked Sam Wilson, anxiously.

“Start off at once, and hit the other trail as soon as we can. But I’m
mighty ’fraid that we shall miss it, with only the moonlight to show it
to us. If we do, nothing can be done till daylight, and by that time
they will have got to the village.”

“Then let us start at once. Every moment we linger here makes the
odds greater against us.”

“I’m ready,” replied the scout. “I wish, marm, that you were safe at
the settlement, but you ain’t and so will have to go with us. But we
will do our best to take care of ye. If the woods wa’n’t full of
savages you and the peddler might try and get thar, but I’m afraid
for ye to try it.”

“So am I,” said the Yankee. “But I’m losing money every step I
follow ye round. This ’ere scrape will be the ruination of me as sure
as preaching.”
The scout muttered something beneath his breath, the burden of
which was, that he hoped it would, and then he turned to Sam
Wilson and said, half-hesitatingly:

“I have half a mind that you leave Ruth to Ned and me, and make
the best of your way with your wife and this fellow here to the
settlements. If you kept a sharp look-out I think that you could do it,
and perhaps it would be best all round in the end.”

“No; I can not go back and leave Ruth in the hands of these red-
skins. I must do what I can to help to save her. Don’t ask me to do
this. Lead the way on at once, and if we are of no service to you, we
will be no drawback.”

“That we will not,” said Mrs. Wilson. “If I only had a weapon, I think
I could strike a blow for her deliverance myself.”

“You may have one of my pistols, marm, if you want it,” said the
Yankee. “I can’t use ’em both at once, and I’m always ready to
oblige.”

No reply was made to this generous offer of Peleg. Hardly a 78

dozen more words passed between them, and then the scout
led the way again through the moonlit forest. The task of rescuing
Ruth had begun.
 CHAPTER X.
IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

Hope fairly abandoned the heart of Ruth when she was separated
from her friends, and obliged to go on her way with Rushing Water
with none of them beside her.

In vain it was that she had implored him not to separate her from
them; to remember the promise he had made her, when they had
fallen into his hands.

Her prayers and entreaties had no effect. He had promised, he said,

that their lives should be spared them, and he had kept his word.

He had not said that they should remain in her company, and it was
not his will that they should do so, any longer.

He wished for none but her whom he had chosen for his bride
beside him, so he had sent the others away.

A terrible fear took possession of her mind that he had sent them
apart to take their lives, that it might not be done before her very
eyes.

Filled thus with terror and despair, she went onward, while every
step her strength seemed to fail her, while her heart lay like lead in
her bosom.

Through the rest of the day until night came on, she managed to
keep her feet, but when the shadows gathered thick in the forest
she sunk down upon the earth and declared that she could go no
further.

A short halt was made here, in which some food was prepared and
offered her; but she could not eat a mouthful.
It seemed to her that it would have choked her, but she attempted
to swallow a morsel.

Finding that it was in vain to urge her to do so further and 79

seeing also that she was unable to proceed of herself, the
chief raised her in his own strong arms, and again they went
forward.

He would not feel sure of his bride until he had her in his own lodge
and among his own people.

So long as they were in the forest, there was a chance that she
might be wrested from him.

He knew and feared the Death-Dealer, and it was in part to mislead

him that he had divided the party.

He knew that the dreaded scout was a host in himself, and that his
deadly blows fell ofttimes where and when they were the least
expected by his enemies.

Once among his own people and in the heart of their village, he felt
that he would be safe from him, and that there would be no one
who could wrest his chosen bride from him.

So all through the first hours of the night he hurried onward. The
moon rose and climbed high into the heavens and when it had
reached the zenith, the village was gained, and with his almost
unconscious burden in his arms he stood before his lodge.

No human being save his companions were stirring about him, and
with a word he sent them to their several lodges, and then lifting the
skin that hung in the doorway he bore Ruth within his own.

A lamp of rude construction, swinging from the roof, and which

emitted a pale light, half dispelled, half revealed the darkness which
filled the lodge.
Squatted almost beneath it, and apparently buried in slumber,
though gently swaying back and forth, was an old Indian woman;
Nekomis by name, who for many moons had kept the lodge of the
chief and prepared his food, when he was not absent in the chase or
upon the war-path.

Approaching a couch which lay in one corner of the apartment, the

chief placed his almost unconscious burden upon it, and then
stepping to the side of the Indian woman he said, as he touched her
upon the shoulder:

“The fingers of sleep must be heavy upon the eyes of Nekomis, that
she hears not the footsteps of the chief when he comes. Let her
awake, for he has need of her.”

The old squaw awoke with a start and staggered to her feet.

“You were sleeping soundly, good Nekomis,” he said. “But 80

wake. The chief has work for you to do.”

“The spirit of sleep was heavy upon the eyelids of Nekomis, and her
ears were dull that she heard not the footsteps of Rushing Water.
But she is awake now and ready to do his bidding. There is plenty of
maize and venison in the lodge and it shall soon be ready so that the
chief may break his fast.”

“Rushing Water is not hungry. It’s not to prepare him food that he
has roused Nekomis from her sleep. It is that she may care for his
pale-face bride whom he has brought hither.”

The old Indian woman gave a great start, and her eyes followed the
direction of his outstretched hand, as he pointed toward the couch
upon which Ruth lay. He did not see her features as her eyes rested
upon the form of the girl. If he had he would have seen a look of
most malignant hate resting there, which could not help having
awoke suspicions and alarm in his breast, and made him fearful for
the life of her upon whom he had set his affections.
She did not speak, but stood with her eyes fixed upon Ruth, as
motionless as a statue.

Again the words of the chief fell but half heeded upon her ear.

“Let Nekomis wait upon her, and see that she has every wish. Let
her watch by her side until the morning comes. Let her stir not from
the lodge, for she must answer for the maiden with her life.”

Again that look of hate came over the face of the Indian woman. But
it was gone in a moment as she answered:

“Nekomis will watch and care for her well. When the chief comes in
the morning he shall find her here.”

“It is well,” answered the chief. “The eyes of Rushing Water are
heavy for want of sleep. He will lie down in the outer room till the
sunlight comes again. The couch of Nekomis will to-night be as soft
to him as his own.”

He lifted the curtain which connected the two apartments, and

passing out, let it fall behind him. It was the one usually occupied by
old Nekomis, and throwing himself upon the couch it contained, he
was soon buried in slumber.

The old Indian woman stood where he had left her in the main 81
apartment. Her eyes were fixed upon the form of Ruth, and
she never stirred in her tracks more than though she had been made
of stone. But a fierce emotion shook her frame, and it was evident
that she was laboring under great excitement. But the look upon her
face as her eyes rested upon the form of Ruth, told plainer than
words could have done the terrible hate with which she regarded
her.

At length she turned her face away, and muttered to herself so low
that it would have been impossible for her words to have reached
the ears of Ruth, even had she been trying to have caught the
burden of them.

“The pale-face bride of the chief must die. Before the light of the
morning sun, she must be in the spirit-land. Never will Nekomis see
her in the lodge of the chief. Minora is the bride the tribe has chosen
for him, and none other shall take her place. She is of the same
blood of Nekomis, and she shall never stand aside for one of a hated
race. She has willed it to be so, and the great Medicine of the Rocks
has furnished the deadly draught. Before the morning light, the pale-
face maiden shall have taken it, and shall lay yonder, as pale and
white as the winter’s snow.”

The deadly light in her eyes grew brighter as she muttered this to
herself. Evidently she rejoiced in the work of death and vengeance
she had before her.

Glancing about again toward her victim, she saw that Ruth had
rallied from the stupor which she had seemed to be in, and was now
glancing about the lodge as though in search of some one.

It might have been the chief she missed, and she waited for her to
speak if she would.

At length her eyes became fixed upon her, and she could see that
she was gazing upon her curiously.

As though emboldened by the sight of one of her own sex, Ruth

raised her hand and motioned for her to approach.

She obeyed her, and approaching the couch she squatted down by
her side.

“Where am I?” said Ruth, with wild eyes, as though she hardly
comprehended her situation.
“The pale-face maiden is in the lodge of the great chief. 82
Rushing Water has sought her in her home, and brought her
hither to be his bride.”

Ruth covered her face with her hands. She remembered all now.
What upon her first awaking from the sort of swoon that oppressed
her, had seemed a dream, was reality now. She was hopelessly in
the hands of her enemy.

She was silent for a few moments, and then hope whispered again
to her heart. Was it not possible that she might escape him even
now? Would not her companion listen to her entreaties, and being
melted thereby, help her to escape? The hope was a faint one, but
there could be no harm in trying. If it amounted to nothing, her
situation would be no worse than it was now.

Turning eagerly to the old woman, she said, as she laid her hand
upon the brown and wrinkled one of her companion:

“The Indian woman likes not the pale-faces. That the white maiden
can see in her eyes. She had rather that the chief of the tribe would
bring to his lodge one of his own race. It is only right that she
should. Let her help the white maiden to fly. She wishes not to mate
with the chief. There is one among her own people to whom she has
given her heart. Have mercy and save me from the fate Rushing
Water has in store for me.”

This appeal she had uttered in a low but earnest tone, as though
she was fearful that the sound of her voice might reach the ears of
the chief, and now that she was through she gazed up with such an
appealing look into the face of her companion that it would seem
that none but a heart of stone could resist it.

But it had no effect upon the heart of the wrinkled squaw. She knew
that there was no way for her to escape the fate she dreaded,
except by that to which she had doomed her. Death would relieve
her from it, and that alone. Had she been so disposed she could not
have assisted her to escape. The eyes of the chief would have been
upon their movement and he would have brought her back, while
she would have been doomed to death for her treachery. No. There
was only one way by which Rushing Water could be foiled in his
purpose, and that was that the white maiden should die.

“Nekomis has heard the words of the white maiden. She has 83
spoken the truth. The Indian woman does not like the pale-
faces. Their heart is black and evil is in their thoughts. She would
see them scalped and their lodges burned above their heads.”

So fierce was her looks, and so wild her gestures, that Ruth almost
drew back in alarm. But she was glad it was so, for perhaps now she
would help her. The Indian woman noticed her start of alarm and
she softened a little in her speech.

“The chief has chosen a pale-face for his bride, but the tribe like it
not. There are maidens fairer among them, than she. If she were
gone, the heart of Rushing Water might turn again to them.”

“The words of the Indian woman are those of truth,” exclaimed

Ruth, hopefully. “Help me to escape and all may be well.”

“The eyes of Rushing Water are sharp, and his ears are open to the
slightest sound. His anger is like the tempest when it is abroad in
the forest, and nothing can withstand its fury. But let the white
maiden content herself. She shall never become the bride of the
chief.”

Could Ruth have seen the malevolent look that was upon the face of
her companion at this moment, she would have been struck with
horror. But her face was averted, and she thought only of the
promise her words implied. The hope so faint within her grew
stronger, and she exclaimed excitedly:

“Heaven bless you for your words,” she said. “But let us lose not a
moment’s time. Let us flee from this spot while we can.”
“The pale-face maiden can not stir forth to-night. Morning will come
too soon, and the chief would be upon her track. When all is well,
Nekomis will do what she can for her.”

Though disappointed, Ruth would fain accept this promise. The

Indian woman alone could help her now, and she must cling to her,
and the hope she gave her, and wait until such time as she should
set for her to try for her escape.

“Let the white maiden seek slumber now. She needs it to 84

make her strong. Nekomis will watch by her side and see that
no harm shall come to her.”

Ruth sunk down wearily.

“I must trust you,” she said. “I do need sleep, and will try to seek it.
But first give me some water. I am very thirsty.”

The old woman arose and turned away from the couch. The moment
for which she had waited, had come. The fatal draught which the
Wizard had prepared could be given now.

Her hand trembled as she took the vessel that contained it, and
brought it forward to the couch. Ruth rose up and took it from her
hand. Her mouth was parched and dry, and she drained it eagerly to
the very dregs. Could she but have seen the look upon the face of
the Indian woman she would have dropped it as a thing of death. A
look so exultant, and so full of gratified rage would have struck
terror to her very soul.

But she saw it not; handing back the vessel to her attendant, she
sunk down again upon the couch, where she lay as motionless as
one dead.

Not once thereafter did she move so much as a hand; but sunk into
a deep, unbroken slumber, from which no sound or word could have
awakened her. The old Indian woman sat by her side with her sharp,
snake-like eyes fixed upon her face. Little by little her breath grew
fainter, until at last it seemed to have left forever her pallid lips. The
fatal draught had done its work, and she lay as cold and motionless
as though formed of ice.

Then with an exultant look upon her face, the Indian woman arose,
and with noiseless steps glided forth from the lodge.

85
 CHAPTER XI.
WHAT WILL HE DO WITH HER?

Once out into the night, she hurried to another lodge standing but a
short distance away. Arrived at the entrance she lifted the curtain
and entered without ceremony.

It was so dark within that she could see but little; but she appeared
to be familiar with the way, and a few steps brought her to the side
of a couch upon which the dim outlines of a form could be seen
lying.

Stooping down she whispered a single word: “Minora.”

In an instant the Indian girl was upon her feet confronting her.

“Has the white maiden come?” she demanded.

“The pale-face maiden is lying this moment in the lodge of Rushing

Water.”

“When did she come?”

“Only a little ago.”

“She has come to her death. She must not see the light of the
morning’s sun. Far better for her that she had died beneath the knife
with kindred. Let the fatal draught be given her at once.”

“The hand of Nekomis has already held it to her lips, and she has
drained it to the very bottom.”

“The heart of Minora is glad. She will soon be in the spirit-land.”

“She is there already. Even now she is lying on the couch of the
chief, as pale and cold as the snow in winter.”

“Nekomis has done her work well. Minora will not forget what she
owes to her when she goes to live in the lodge of the chief. Does
Rushing Water know that the white maiden has left him forever?”

“No. He’s dreaming of her now in his sleep. He must not know 86
it until the Wizard is told, and has come hither. Minora
remembers the words he said. Let her fly to his home among the
rocks and tell him that the white maiden is dead.”

“Minora will go like the wind. Her heart is light now, and her feet will
be as fleet as those of the deer. In a little time she shall dwell in the
lodge of the chief where she has long wished to be.”

The two women passed out into the night, and while Nekomis
returned to watch by the side of her lifeless charge, Minora sped
away through the forest toward the dwelling-place of the Wizard
among the rocks.

Her footsteps in due time brought her to the abode of the Wizard,
and the sentinel owl at once gave notice of her approach. No one
that ever visited the Wizard, be it by night or day, ever found him
asleep, and the Indian girl descried him standing at the entrance of
his cavern as though he had not stirred from the spot since her last
visit to the place.

She saluted him with profound reverence and then waited for him to
speak.

“What has brought the Red Rose to the dwelling-place of the

Medicine? Has any of the tribe need of his skill to-night?”

“The Red Rose has come because the great Medicine bade her do so
when she could bring tidings of the pale-face maiden.”
“And can she to-night?” asked the Wizard, hurriedly.

“The Red Rose has said as much. The pale-face maiden lies in the
lodge of Rushing Water.”

“Has the fatal draught been given her?” he demanded, quickly.

“Nekomis gave it to her with her own hand. The white maiden drank
it to the dregs and she now lies cold in death upon the couch of the
chief.”

“And does Rushing Water know that he has been robbed of his
bride?”

“No. The chief sleeps a deep sleep and will not wake until the rays of
the sun are again streaming through the forest. He gave the pale-
face maiden to the charge of Nekomis and bade her watch her
through the night.”

The Wizard was silent for a moment and then he spoke out 87
hastily:

“Let the Red Rose return at once and say to Nekomis, as soon as the
darkness has fled away let her call the chief to the couch of the
white maiden, that he may see that her spirit has fled to the
Shadowy Land. Let her tell him that she knew nothing of her illness
till she saw her lying dead; but supposed that a heavy sleep was
upon her. Then will the chief want the Medicine, and he will be close
at hand so that he will not have to send hither for him. When the
Red Rose has told Nekomis this, let her go to her own lodge. The
chief must not know that she has been abroad to-night, or he may
think she has had a hand in this.”

“The ears of the Red Rose have heard, and her fleet footsteps shall
carry the message to Nekomis.”
She turned at once and bounded away through the forest, anxious
to reach the village before the day should begin to break.

The gray light of the morning had begun to show in the east when
she summoned Nekomis from her watch beside the couch of the
dead.

Hastily telling her the message the Wizard had sent, she retreated to
her own lodge, fearful that the chief might awake and find her there.

Nekomis went back to her place beside the couch and looked upon
the pallid face of her victim once. Then she turned away, and lifting
the curtain that divided the two apartments, she stood beside the
still sleeping chief.

Only for a moment did she hesitate to awaken him, and then she
touched him on the face, speaking his name at the same moment.

He awoke with a start, and in a moment was upon his feet, while an
anxious look took its place upon his countenance.

“What is it that Nekomis wishes?” he said. “No harm has come to

the pale-face maiden, for if there has she shall pay for it with her
life.”

“Let the chief come out and look upon her. Nekomis thinks that her
heart is broken, and that her life has fled away to the spirit-land. She
did think that her eyes were closed in slumber, until the light 88
of the morning came, and showed her as pale and cold as the
sun when the winter is here.”

Pushing her aside with a force that almost sent her from her feet,
the chief sprung into the apartment and to the couch on which lay
the lifeless form of her who was so dear to him, and upon whom he
had set the highest wish of his heart. One glance at her pallid face
told him that Nekomis was not mistaken. Kneeling down by her side
he felt that there was no sign of life there. The prize that had cost
him so much to obtain, had slipped through his hands when he
thought he had it surely in his grasp.

Springing to his feet again, he drew his knife and turned it

threateningly upon Nekomis.

“You let her die,” he said, “and you shall follow her to the spirit-land.
Had you watched her as the panther does its young, you would have
seen when the death-sleep began to grow upon her. But you did not,
and now the worthless life of an old squaw shall follow hers.”

Nekomis folded her hands upon her breast and gazed without fear
upon him.

“Nekomis is ready to die,” she said. “But let the chief make haste to
send her to the spirit-land. Then he can send for the great Medicine,
who, it may be, can bring her back to life.”

The hand that held the weapon fell down to his side.

“The great Medicine shall come,” he said. “Nekomis shall live until he
has done his best to bring her back to life. If he can not she shall die
then.”

He rushed forth from the lodge, and sped away toward the edge of
the forest in the direction of the Wizard’s dwelling-place. But he had
not gone far before to his joy he saw the Medicine coming toward
the village. In a moment he was at his side urging him to hasten his
footsteps.

In answer to his inquiries, he told him the state of affairs, and then
eagerly demanded if there was a chance to hope.

“The Great Spirit holds the life of the red-man and the white in his
hand, and he calleth them away whenever he chooses. The 89
Medicine will do all that he can to bring the pale-face maiden
back to life. He knows many charms that work well, and it may be
that he can save her. But if the Great Spirit hath taken her away the
Medicine can avail her nothing.”

They found Nekomis at the side of the couch when they entered,
and she stepped back at their approach. Had the chief been less
excited he might have noticed a look of intelligence which passed
between them. But he did not, and the Medicine approached and
bent above the form of his victim.

For the space of two minutes there was a breathless silence within
the lodge.

Then the Wizard straightened up and looked into the face of the
chief.

“The Medicine is not sure, but he thinks that the life of the pale-face
maiden has gone to the spirit-land. If he had her in his cavern
among the rocks he might work some charms upon her that might
bring her back to life. The way thither is long, but if the chief will
bear her there, he will do his best.”

“The arms of Rushing Water are strong and his steps are fleet. He
will bear her to the home of the Great Medicine, if he will do what
he can to restore her to him again. The warriors are not yet astir,
and it may be well that the tribe knows not of this. Nekomis will
keep the secret, or the knife of the chief will find a way to make her
do it.”

He gazed threateningly at her as he said this, and then stooping

down he raised the form of Ruth in his arms. He shuddered as her
lifeless form touched his breast, and then he bore his burden out
into the morning air.

There was indeed no one stirring as yet about the village, and they
were enabled to gain the cover of the forest without being observed.
Thence onward they went as fast as they were able, and by the time
the sun was an hour high, they stood before the huge pile of stone
that marked the home of the Wizard.

The foot of no savage save his own had ever crossed the threshold,
and the chief looked into his face as though to ask if he would be
allowed to bear his burden in, and thereby catch a glimpse of 90
its mysteries. But this he evidently would not admit for he held
out his arms, saying:

“Let the chief give the pale-face maiden into the keeping of the
Medicine. He will work his strongest charms and do all that he can to
bring her back to life. Let him come hither on the morrow at this
time, and he shall know whether the Great Spirit has claimed her for
his own.”

He took the cold and rigid form of Ruth in his arms, and the chief
watched him until he had disappeared within the rocks. Then he
turned his back upon the spot, and bent his steps once more toward
the village.
 CHAPTER XII.
WINDING UP THE WEB.

Let us now return to the scout and his companions, and see how it
has fared with them since we parted company at the spot where
Dick had dealt the blows which delivered his friends from the
savages.

The reader will remember that they had turned their backs upon this
place; and had set out to endeavor to find the other trail in the
moonlight, in the hopes of following it on, and overtaking Rushing
Water before he could reach the Indian village with his captive.

But that they had not succeeded in coming up with them, the reader
already knows, for he has seen what passed in the lodge after they
had gained it.

Aided by the moonlight, Dick had struck the trail without much
difficulty, and they had followed on, as fast as they could under the
circumstances.

But the chief and his companions were so far in advance that they
stood no show of coming up with them.

In fact the night was far gone when they drew near the Indian
village.

Long before they reached this point, the scout had become 91
satisfied that they were too late, and that if they accomplished
their object they had got to do it under more difficulties than had yet
beset them.

They had got to penetrate into the very lodge of Rushing Water,
which stood perhaps in the very heart of the village.
There would not be time to accomplish this to-night, even if it could
be done successfully.

They must lie quiet somewhere in the depth of the forest and wait
until the darkness of another night.

They followed the trail almost to the verge of the village, so

impatient were his companions to rescue Ruth if the thing lay in
their power; and then convinced that it did not, in the remaining
hours of that night at least, they were ready to comply with what
the scout had to propose.

This was that they should retire back from the village for something
like a mile and lie through the day in some darksome covert, where
there would be little likelihood of their being discovered by the
savages.

This plan was now carried into effect and by the time the day had
fairly broke they were snugly ensconced in their hiding-place.

The sun rose above the tree-tops, giving promise of a beautiful day,
and over and over again did they wish that Ruth was with them that
they might be hurrying toward a place of safety instead of lying idly
there.

Fears that she would never be restored to them oppressed the heart
of the mother. The chief had her now securely in his power and how
were they ever to tear her from his clutches?

It seemed impossible to her that so few of them could do it.

Yet they were determined to accomplish the task before them, or

lose their lives in the attempt.

The scout knew that it could not be done by mere strength of arms
alone; but more than once had he accomplished his ends by
outwitting the savages and he meant to succeed in this way now.
Slowly the minutes went on and higher and higher the sun rose up
into the cloudless sky.

Suddenly the sound of a footstep struck upon the watchful ear of the
scout.

Glancing hastily out from their hiding-place, he saw a savage 92

slowly advancing toward the spot where they lay.

He did not seem to be seeking for any trail; but his head was bowed
and his eyes fixed upon the earth as though some grave subject
occupied his mind.

Sam Wilson’s gaze fell upon him a moment after, and as it did so he
gave a great start.

“It is Rushing Water,” he exclaimed in surprise. “Where is Ruth?

What could he have done with her?”

“You are right,” exclaimed the scout in a whisper. “It is the chief
himself. Now, boys, he must not leave us alive; but we must get him
into our hands unharmed, if the thing can be done. When he is close
to us we must spring out upon him. If we can get hold on him we
are all right. Stand by me, and I guess there is enough of us here to
match any savage that ever burned a cabin.”

Slowly the savage came on, apparently in deep thought, and

unconscious of all that was passing around him. They could see a
look upon his face that told something pained and troubled him.

Nearer and nearer he came, and at last the instant arrived for them
to act.

Noiselessly they crept forth from their hiding-place and approached

their intended victim.

Had he raised his eyes he must have seen them, but he did not.
With a spring like that of a panther the scout bounded upon him,
and his enemies followed his example.

The struggle was a short one.

With the odds against him, and taken thus by surprise, the chief
could make but slight resistance.

In a minute’s time he was thrown to the earth and his hands and
feet firmly secured with strong thongs which the scout produced
from about his person.

Not a word did the scout utter until this was accomplished, and the
wily savage lay a helpless prisoner before them.

Then with his knife held menacingly above his breast, the scout
demanded, while the rest of the party with eager looks gathered
about them:

“Where is the pale-face maiden? Speak! and let your words be 93

true ones, or you die at once.”

“Rushing Water is not afraid to die. The words of the Death-Dealer

can not frighten him. He will speak the same as though they were
not sounding in his ears. The Death-Dealer is a great warrior, but the
chief is not a squaw that he should be afraid of his words.”

Mrs. Wilson knelt down by his side and cried, appealingly:

“Where is my daughter? Tell me that she is unharmed, and restore

her again to my arms, and no harm shall come to you. Only give her
back to us, and we will forgive you the loss of our home, and all else
that you have done to us.”

“The pale-face mother can not have her child again. The chief has
not the power to give her again into her arms if he would. The Great
Spirit has called her home.”