he turned and waved his hand to
his clustered warriors. "Release the Frenchman, and place him for
safety in the council lodge. Pass the woman free. It is the will of
our chiefs."

The council lodge! I glanced about me apprehensively; surely this must
be the same tepee in which Captain Heald and I had met the chiefs!
There were no signs of ordinary Indian occupancy, and now as I looked
about me the firelight from without revealed clearly the shading of
those grotesque figures I recalled as having been sketched upon the
outer covering. So it was here that De Croix was to be confined! I
crept back hastily, dropping into place the loosened flap through which
I had been peering. A skin or two were lying on the grassy floor; and
I grasped the larger of these, drawing it over me while I rolled as
closely as possible against the farther wall, hoping desperately that
no Indian guards would be posted within.

The uproar outside continued, as if there were still opposition to the
commands of the chiefs; but presently, as I peeped through a hole in
the skin held over me, I perceived a sudden flash of light as the flap
covering the entrance was drawn aside. I saw a number of dark hands
thrust within, a savage face or two peering for a moment about the
darkened interior; but to my inexpressible relief only one body was
thrust inside, with such violence, however, as to cause the man to fall
face downward at full length. The next instant the lodge was again
wrapped in utter darkness. By God's mercy I remained undiscovered, and
was alone with De Croix.

For a short time, assured as I was of this fact, I did not venture to
creep from my place of concealment, or make my presence known to my
companion. What ears might be listening, I knew not; nor dared I trust
too much to the Frenchman's already over-taxed nerves. He did not move
from the position where he fell; but I could hear him groan and sob,
with now and then a broken ejaculation. Without, the yelling and
uproar grew perceptibly less, although an occasional outburst gave
evidence that the carousal was not wholly ended. Finally I pushed back
the robe that covered me, now grown uncomfortably warm, and crept
cautiously toward the place where I knew him to be lying. It was
intensely dark, and I was still fearful lest he might cry out if I
startled him.

"De Croix," I whispered, "make no alarm; I am Wayland."

"Wayland!" I could mark the amazement in his tone, as h