ings; and then, with much feeling and natural eloquence, told him
the cause of her interrupting him at such a moment, and besought him to
exert all his great influence with the Crees, to induce them to spare
the lives of the Stone captives.

Tisquantum listened with attention to her story and her petition, for
he was always gentle to Oriana; but he gave her little hope of that
fell success which her warm young heart desired, and anticipated.

'My child,' he said, 'I will do what you ask, so far as to request that
the woman and child may be placed at your disposal. But the warrior's
life I cannot demand, for it would be an insult to the brave Crees to
suppose that they would suffer an enemy to escape, and tell his tribe
that they were woman-hearted. No, he must die; and, if the soul of his
ancestors dwells in him, he will exult in the opportunity of showing
how even a Stone Indian can meet death.'

Oriana was repulsed, but not defeated, by this reply.
'Nay, my father,' she again began, 'either save all, or let all perish.
Do not take the brave young warrior from his wife and child, and leave
them in poverty and sorrow; but plead for mercy to be shown to him
also--and so may mercy be shown to his conquerors, and to you, his
deliverer, when--'

'Peace, child,' interrupted the Sachem, with more asperity than he
usually showed to Oriana. 'These are the notions you have learned from
your white brother, and I desire not to hear them. Tisquantum knows his
duty. I will demand the lives of the woman and child of whom you speak;
but the warrior must abide his fate. And think you that he would not
scorn to live when honor is gone I Go'--he added more gently, as he saw
the sorrow that dimmed her eye--'go, and tell Jyanough to meet me at
the Sachem's lodge. Terah may yet be saved--this victim comes at s
happy moment, and surely Mahneto demands his life as at offering for
that of the venerable Pince.'

Oriana shuddered at what she saw to be her father's meaning. Once she
would have felt as he did and have believed that their god could be
propitiated by blood and agony. But now she knew that all such cruel
sacrifices were worse than vain; and deeply she regretted her own
inability to bring her countrymen, and especially her own beloved
father, to a knowledge of the Gospel of mercy and peace; and thus save
them from imbruing their hands in the blood of their fellow men, and
thinking that they did good service to the Great Spirit