came near raising the siege, perhaps--because of the French
squaw's dress. But he was not there, and he gave the English boy no
front tooth!

At this reiterated allusion, Savanukah's guttural grunt, _O-se-u!_ was
almost a groan.

"Rifle, six horses, seven pieces of gold in ransom," said
Atta-Kulla-Kulla, slowly massing his wealth.

Once more Willinawaugh shook his head. His prestige had suffered because
of aspersions. Yet he had besieged the fort and reduced the two captains
and their splendid cannon--this for the Cherokee nation! He had followed
hard on the march of the garrison, and with Oconostota and his force had
surrounded them and killed many, and captured the great Captain Stuart
alive!--this for the revenge of the Cherokee nation! But the scalp of
the great Captain Stuart, with its long fair hair, like none others, was
a trophy for himself--this he should wear at his belt as long as he
should live, that when he told how he had wrought for the Cherokee
nation none should say him nay!

Oconostota suddenly showed a freshened interest. He turned to
Atta-Kulla-Kulla, who sat on his right hand, and in an eager, low voice
spoke for a moment; the half-king seeming anxious, doubtful, then nodded
in slow and deliberative acquiescence. Meantime Willinawaugh's words
flowed on.

And--he lifted his fierce eyes in triumph to the captive's face--for all
those weary days of beleaguerment, for every puff of smoke from the
shotted guns, for every blaze they belched, for every ball, death
freighted, they vomited, for every firelock that spoke from the
loop-holes in the midnight attack, would be meted out Captain Stuart's
penalty--in pangs, with knives, with cords, with hot coals, with flames
of fire! The time had come to reward his patience!

"You have done well," said Atta-Kulla-Kulla, "you should think well on
your reward!"

And he laid before Willinawaugh a fine gold watch--an English hunting
watch, with a double case, and the works were running; doubtless, it was
another trophy from the slaughtered officers of Colonel Montgomery's
harassed march. Willinawaugh was stricken dumb.

Stuart, in whose heart poor Hope, all bruised and bleeding, with wings
broken but about to spread anew, astonished, overcome, with some
poignant pang of gratitude that the semblance of kindness should be
again extended to him by aught on earth, felt a stifling suffocation
when Oconostota's voice broke in on his behalf, for naught from the
cr