nstead of killing and scalping the whole of the Indians in Bounding
Bull's camp with whom she sojourned.

It was not any tender consideration for his foes, we are sorry to say,
that induced this change of purpose, but the knowledge that in a night
attack bullets and arrows are apt to fly indiscriminately on men, women,
and children. He would have carried poor Moonlight off then and there
if she had not been too near the camp to permit of his doing so without
great risk of discovery. The presence of the little child also
increased the risk. He might, indeed, have easily "got rid" of her, but
there was a soft spot in that red man's heart which forbade the savage
deed--a spot which had been created at that time, long, long ago, when
the white preacher had discoursed to him of "righteousness and
temperance and judgment to come."

Little Skipping Rabbit, as she was called, was the youngest child of
Bounding Bull. If Rushing River had known this, he would probably have
hardened his heart, and struck at his enemy through the child, but
fortunately he did not know it.

Retiring cautiously from the scene, the Blackfoot chief determined to
bide his time until he should find a good opportunity to pounce upon
Moonlight and carry her off quietly. The opportunity came even sooner
than he had anticipated.

That night, while he was still prowling round the camp, Whitewing
accompanied by Little Tim and a band of Indians arrived.

Bounding Bull received them with an air of dignified satisfaction. He
was a grave, tall Indian, whose manner was not at all suggestive of his
name, but warriors in times of peace do not resemble the same men in
times of war. Whitewing had been the means of inducing him to accept
Christianity, and although he was by no means as "queer" a Christian as
Little Tim had described him, he was, at all events, queer enough in the
eyes of his enemies and his unbelieving friends to prefer peace or
arbitration to war, on the ground that it is written, "If possible, as
much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Of course he saw that the "if possible" justified self-defence, and
might in some circumstances even warrant aggressive action. Such, at
all events, was the opinion he expressed at the solemn palaver which was
held after the arrival of his friends.

"Whitewing," said he, drawing himself up with flashing eyes and extended
hand in the course of the debate, "surely you do not tell me that the
B