tect my little girl! O God, have mercy upon me!"

Black Hoof jeered him, sardonically crying:

"The white man makes medicine to his white manito. Let Big Turtle[4] try
him with a mouthful of fire. We will see if the white manito is weak or
afraid to help his child."

A burly warrior scooped up coals on a piece of bark and with a fiendish
grin leaped through the smoke. Two rifle shots, so close together as to be
almost one, shattered the tense silence as the savages held their breath
to enjoy every symptom of the excruciating agony. Dale went down on his
knees, a small blue hole showing where the bullet mercifully had struck
his heart. Big Turtle leaped backward and fell into the burning brush. A
warrior, acting mechanically, dragged the Turtle clear of the flames. He
was stone-dead.

For several moments the Indians were incapable of motion, so astounding
was this interference with their sport. It was the scream of a panther
that awoke them to furious activity. Black Hoof shouted for his men to
catch the white scout. Then he turned on me and raised his ax. The act was
involuntary, for at once dropping his arm he ordered his men to extinguish
the fire and to see I did not escape. Then he hurried into the forest.

The fire was stamped out and Dale's body removed to one side. I asked them
to cover the dead man with a blanket, which they readily did. Now Lost
Sister returned, this time leading Patricia. I called to her in Shawnee:

"Bring the white girl here. Does she know her father is dead?"

"I told her. The men said he was killed by a white bullet," was the sullen
reply.

"Leave her with me and wash the black from his face," I said.

She brought her charge to me. Patricia's eyes were hot as if with fever.
She dropped beside me and stared wildly. Then she began to remember and
said:

"My father is dead, they tell me."

"He is dead. He suffered none. It is as he wished. He could not escape. He
is at peace."

"Life is so terrible," she mumbled. "Death is so peaceful. Death is so
beautiful. Then one is so safe."

She gave a little scream and collapsed with her head resting on my bound
hands. But although her slender frame shook convulsively she shed no
tears.

I tried to talk to her as I would to a little child. After a while she
rose and her composure frightened me. She walked to her father. Lost
Sister had removed the tell-tale black. The girl kneeled and kissed him
and patted his hair. Then returning to m