ak the oldest League law
to punish those who have broken the law of the League?"

A Mohawk sachem answered in a dozen stinging words that the League
itself was broken; but ere he could finish I stopped him with a
gesture.

Then, summoning all my powers, I burst out into a passionate protest,
denying that the Great League was broken, glorying in its endurance,
calling on every nation to uphold it. And instantly, although not a
muscle moved nor a word was uttered, I felt that I had the council with
me, that my passion was swaying them, that what I asserted they
believed. I laughed at the neutrality of the Tuscaroras, at the
half-hearted attitude of the Onondagas; I made light of the rebellion
of the greater portion of the Oneida nation.

"It is a passing fancy, a whim. The battle-breeze from this white man's
war has risen to a tempest, unroofing the Long House, scattering you
for the moment, creating a disorder, inciting a passion foreign to the
traditions of the Iroquois. I tell you to let the tempest pass and
blame no one, neither Tuscarora, Onondaga, nor Oneida. And when the
storm has died out, let the Six Nations gather again from their
hiding-places and build for the Long House a new roof, and raise new
lodge-poles, lest the sky fall down and the Confederacy lie in ashes
forever!"

I had ended. A profound hush followed, broken by a low word of
approval, then another, then another. Excited, scarcely knowing what I
had done, incredulous that I alone had actually stemmed the tide, and,
in a breath, overturned the entire plan of the Butlers and of the
demoralized Iroquois, I seated myself beside the Tuscaroras, breathing
heavily, alert for a sound that might indicate how my harangue had been
received.

Muttered expressions of approval, an emphatic word here and there, and
not an orator to dispute me!--why, this was victory--though, until the
clans had deliberated, I could not know the Federal verdict. But
gradually it dawned on me that I had at least stopped the murder of my
Oneida, and had lulled all suspicion concerning myself. With a thrill
of joy I heard the Seneca spokesman call for the youth to be raised in
place of the dead chief; with a long-drawn breath of relief I saw the
ancient belts brought, and listened to the reading of the archives from
them.

The council ended. One by one the sachems spoke to me kindly, then went
their way, some taking to canoes, others filing off through the forest,
until I fou