ow. I'm for
holding a peace talk, as the Injuns say, d--n 'em, burying the axe, and
taking a whiff or two at the kinnikinick of friendship. So cuss away, if
it will do you good; and I'll stand it. But as for being off, why I don't
mean it noway. I've got a bargain to strike with you, and it is jist a
matter to take the tiger-cat out of you,--it is, d--n it: and when you've
heard it, you'll be in no sich hurry to get rid of me. But, afore we
begin, I've jist got a matter to ax you: and that is,--how the h---- you
cleared the old Piankeshaw and his young uns?"

"If you have anything to propose to me," said Roland, smothering his
wrath as well as he could, though scarce hoping assistance or comfort of
any kind from the man who had done him so much injury, "propose it, and
be brief, and trouble me with no questions."

"Well now," said Doe, "a civil question might as well have a civil
answer! If you killed the old feller and the young-uns, you needn't be
ashamed of it; for cuss me, I think all the better of you for it; for
it's not every feller can kill three Injuns that has him in the tugs, by
no means no-how. But, I reckon, the ramscallions took to the liquor?
(Injuns will be Injuns, there's no two ways about it!) and you riz on
'em, and so paid 'em up scot and lot, according to their desarvings? You
couldn't have done a better thing to make me beholden: for, you see, I
had the giving of you up to 'em, and I felt bad,--I did, d--n me, for I
knew the butchers would burn you, if they got you to the Wabash--I did,
captain, and I had bad thoughts about it. But it was a cussed mad
notion of you, following us, it was, there's no denying! Howsomever,
I won't talk of that. I jist want to ax you where you picked up that
Injun-looking feller that was lugging off the gal, and what his natur'?
The Injuns say, he's a conjuror: now I never heerd of conjurors among
the whites, like as among the Injuns, afore I cut loose from 'em, and I'm
cur'ous on the subject!--I jist ax you a civil question, and I don't mean
no harm in it. There's nobody can make the feller out; and, as for Ralph
Stackpole, blast him, he says he never seed the crittur afore in his
life!"

"If you would have me answer _your_ question," said Roland, in whom Doe's
discourse was beginning to stir up many a former feeling, "you must first
answer mine. This person you speak of,--what is to be his fate?"

"Why, burning, I reckon: but that's according as he pleases the old