on the lower floor, and by
a glance cast over his shoulder expressed the wish that the brother and
sister should follow him. They did so, Dot tripping ahead, while
Melville retained his weapons.

Reaching the upper floor, the Sioux walked directly to the window
through which the shots had come that shattered the two panes of glass.

There was a curious smile on his swarthy face as he pointed at the pane
on the left, and said--

"Red Feather fire _dat!_"

The explanation of his remark was that had Melville kept his place in
front of the window at the moment the rifles were discharged, only one
of the bullets would have hit him, and that would have been the one
which Red Feather did not fire.

[Illustration: "'She make him good Injin--he be her friend
always.'"--Page 51]

The shot which he sent into the apartment, and which filled the youth
with so much indignation, had been fired for the purpose of making the
other warriors believe the chieftain was as bitter an enemy of the
brother and sister as he was of all white people.

Having convinced his followers on this point, he made his position still
stronger with them by declaring his purpose of descending the chimney,
and having it out with them, or rather with the lad, within the
building.

Red Feather peered out of the window, taking care that none of his
warriors saw him, though they must have felt a strong curiosity to learn
the result of his strange effort to overcome the little garrison.
Melville supposed that he had arranged to communicate with them by
signal, for the result of the attempt must be settled quickly.

The youth took the liberty of peeping forth from the other window on the
same side of the house.

Only two of the Sioux were in their field of vision, and their actions
did not show that they felt much concern for their chief. They were
mounted on their horses, and riding at a walk towards the elevations
from which Red Feather had waved his blanket to the brother and sister
when on the other side of the stream.

Melville's first thought was that they had decided to leave the place,
but that hope was quickly dispelled by the action of the warriors. At
the highest point of the hill they checked their ponies, and sat for a
minute gazing fixedly to the northward in the direction of the
settlement.

"They are looking for our friends," thought the youth, "but I am afraid
they will not be in sight for a good while to come."

At this juncture on