orgotten Indian custom or legend, so he listened now to the story
of the last time that the ancient Indian law of "a life for a life" was
carried out in the beautiful Province of Ontario, while the low, even
voice of the Mohawk described the historical event, giving to the tale
the Indian term for the word "peace," which means "the silver chain that
does not tarnish."

"This was the tomahawk of my grandsire, who had won his eagle plume by
right of great bravery. For had he not at your age--just fifteen
years--stood the great national test of starving for three days and
three nights without a whimper? Did not this make him a warrior, with
the right to sit among the old men of his tribe, and to flaunt his eagle
plume in the face of his enemy? Ok-wa-ho was his name; it means 'The
Wolf,' and young as he was, like the wolf he could snarl and show his
fangs. His older brother was the chief, tall and terrible, with the
scowl of thunder on his brow and the gleaming fork of lightning in his
eyes. This chief thought never of council fires or pipes or hunting or
fishing, he troubled not about joining the other young men in their
sports of lacrosse or snow-snake, or bowl-and-beans; to him there was
nothing in life but the warpath, no song but the war cry, no color but
the war paint. Daily he sharpened his scalping knife, daily he polished
his tomahawk, daily feathered and poisoned his arrows, daily he sought
enemies, taunted them, insulted them, braved them and conquered them;
while his young brother, Ok-wa-ho, rested in their lodge listening to
the wisdom of the old men, learning their laws and longing for peace.
Once Ok-wa-ho had said, 'My brother, stay with us, wash from thy cheeks
the black and scarlet; thy tomahawk has two ends: one is an edge, dyed
often in blood, but show us that thou hast not forgotten how to use the
other end--fill thy pipe.'

"'Little brother,' replied the chief, 'thou art yet but a stripling boy;
smoke, then, the peace pipe, but it is not for me.'

"Ok-wa-ho felt this to be an insult. It was a taunt on his bravery. He
squared his boyish shoulders, and, lifting his narrow chin, flung back
the answer, 'I, too, can use both ends, the edge as well as the pipe.'
The great chief laughed. 'That is right, Little Brother, and some day
the tribe will ask you to show them how well you can use the edge. I
shall not always be victor; some day I shall fall, and my enemy will
place his foot on my throat and voice the