s
own lodge, and doubtless you may know his purpose better than I."

"We wish him to stay. He good man; Pottawattomie's friend."

The Indian stood motionless, his eyes watching keenly the expression of
each face. He added slowly:

"The White Chief hears the promise of the Pottawattomies. It is
enough. He can go forth in peace upon the morrow, with all his
warriors, squaws, and pappooses, and the people of my nation will walk
with them as guards. It is our pledge; we will counsel no longer."

At a simple commanding gesture of his long arms, the circle melted away
through the narrow opening as silently as it had gathered, the dark
figure of each warrior silhouetted for an instant against the red glare
of the fire, before it suddenly disappeared in the darkness beyond. At
last Little Sauk alone stood between us and the blaze.

"Come," he commanded gruffly, "White Chief go back to his people."

Enclosed by that same phantom guard of savages, we passed out through
the limits of the camp; but now the rabble paid not the slightest heed
to our presence. Our mission known, and no longer a mystery, they
treated us with the stolid indifference of Indian contempt. I walked
with eyes alert upon either side of our path for another glimpse of
that girlish figure that I had seen before so dimly; but we traversed
nearly the full length of the tepee rows before I saw any one that at
all resembled her. Even then, I was far from certain, until the sudden
leaping up of a dying fire reflected on her crown of auburn hair, and
set my heart to throbbing.

"Little Sauk!" I cried, in my excitement clutching his naked arm, "who
is that white girl yonder, and how comes she here?"

The startled Indian sprang aside, flinging me from him with a violence
that showed his giant strength.

"No white girl," he protested, vehemently. "Pottawattomie."

"No Pottawattomie has hair like the sunset," I retorted. "Come, I
would speak with the girl."

For an instant I saw the bead-like eyes of the savage glittering in the
darkness and wandering where I pointed. He faced me doggedly.

"Long Knife leave Indian maid alone," he said grimly. "Long Knife go
Fort; no talk."

I was in a mood to resist the fellow's dictation, and reckless enough
of consequences at that moment to take the chance; but Heald interfered.

"You can serve her far better, lad, in that way," he muttered hastily.
"We shall not always be two to twelve."

With teeth gri