by an impulse he
could not have explained, held out his hand, saying, "Let's shake
hands and be friends, to each other and to Louis. He'll need us both."
Conrad met the offer and they returned to the village, no word being
spoken on the way.

About a week later Conrad came to his wigwam and said, "Go to
Ahneota's lodge. Francois has a Shawnee brought, vat say you to heem
belong."

This was startling news indeed; Francois's revenge!

Rodney lost no time in reporting to the chief, who remarked, "They
have been long in coming," from which it appeared he had expected
them.

Francois, bustling and important, announced a messenger from "our
brothers, the Shawnees, who has come for this paleface, a runaway."

"Let him enter," replied Ahneota, with dignity.

A villainous looking fellow, accompanied by Caughnega, entered the
lodge. Rodney did not recognize him, which was not strange; indeed, he
may not have been one of the party that captured the boy.

Having entered, he made formal demand for the return of the captive.
To this Ahneota replied: "Our people are at peace with the paleface.
They have wronged us, but we wait. Leaves do not fall until the tenth
moon. The hatchet is buried. The paleface sits by our fires and smokes
the pipe of peace."

To this the Shawnee responded: "I have come for my prisoner. Our
brother would not warm at the fire of the Wyandotte the snake from the
lodge of the Shawnee."

"Do you, my brother, come from the mighty Cornstalk, wise in counsel
and fierce in war?"

The Shawnee hesitated, and Ahneota continued: "Has he declared war on
the paleface?"

The Shawnee drew himself up, he was tall and strong, and replied:

"If Shawnee meet Wyandotte bringing venison to his lodge does he ask
him where he got it and take it from him?"

"If my brother kill the paleface and bring war on the tribes when
there is peace, shall my lodge be burned by the braves of the
paleface? No, my brother. Go back to Cornstalk and say Ahneota would
sit in council with him before the hatchet is dug up," saying which
the old chief signified that the talk was at an end and the Shawnee
withdrew discomfited.

When Rodney learned what the old chief had done in his behalf his
heart warmed in gratitude toward the old savage. At first opportunity
he thanked him, but the Indian made no reply. Caughnega soon after
left the village and did not return before the village was moved that
fall farther north, where the hunting w