ey felt of curbing the power of a possibly too
successful and a too aspiring subordinate.) How generous,
declared Oconostota, had been the intercession of the noble
Atta-Kulla-Kulla,--half-king of the Cherokees,--who had given in effect
all his wealth to ransom him, a mere _eeankke_, a prisoner, from his
warlike captor, the great Willinawaugh, that this military service
might be rendered in exchange for his life.

Stuart's eyes turned away; he sought to veil their expression; he looked
through the tall narrow door of the red clay walls at the waters of the
Tennessee River, silver-shotted and blue as ever, still flowing down and
down beyond the site of Fort Loudon--unmindful of its tragic fate,
unmindful! The august domes of the Great Smoky Mountains showed now a
dull velvet blue against the hard blue of the turquoise sky, and anon
drew a silver shimmer of mists about them. Chilhowee Mountain, richly
bronze and green, rose in the middle distance, and he was vaguely
reminiscent of the day when he watched the young soldier rocking in his
boat on the shallows close to the shore, the red coat giving a bright
spot of color to the harmonious duller tones of the landscape, and
wondered were it possible among these friendly people that the lad could
be in danger of a stealthy rifle shot. Now there were no red
coats,--nevermore were they to be seen here! Between himself and the
water he watched only the white swaying of a tall cluster of the great
ethereally delicate snowy blossoms, since known as the Chilhowee lily.

He kept his eyes still averted, his voice deepening with the seriousness
of his sentiment as he replied that this was impossible--he could not
undertake the command of the Cherokee artillery against Fort Prince
George; he was bound by his oath of fidelity which he had sworn to the
English government; he could not bear arms against it.

A choking chuckle recalled his gaze to the dusky red interior of the
council-chamber. Oconostota's countenance was distorted with derision,
and his twinkling eyes were swimming in the tears of the infrequent
laughter of the grave Indian--even Atta-Kulla-Kulla's face wore a
protesting smile of scorn as of a folly.

Twice Oconostota sought to speak, and he sputtered, and choked, and
could not, for his relish of the thought in his mind. Then with a deep
mock-seriousness he demanded slowly if it were fireproof. And relapsed
into his shaking chuckle.

"What?" demanded Stuart, uncompre