lgonquin braves."

I kept my eyes down. I had come here to unearth a certain fact, and I
would pursue it. "But were the Hurons neutral?" I persisted.

I could not even guess at what raw nerve I touched, but he suddenly
threw his arms wide as men do when a shot is mortal. His cool
insolence dropped from him, and he was all fire and helpless defiance.
He stamped his foot, till, slender as he was, the boards rang. "Were
the Hurons neutral?" he mocked, in a voice so like my own I could have
sworn it was an echo. "What manner of man are you? Are you made of
chalk? If you had seen a child's brains dashed out against a tree,
would you stop to ask the Indian who held the dripping corpse what
dialect he spoke? Oh, a man should be ashamed to live who has seen
such things, and who keeps his sword sheathed while one of your Indian
family--brothers or children--remains alive! If you had blood in your
veins, you would be man enough not to put even an enemy upon the rack,
in this way, and force him to live that time over to glut your
curiosity. Here is my answer, which you may take to your commandant.
I am an Englishman, I am your prisoner, and you are to remember that I
am, first, last, and at all times, your foe. Now go to your
commandant, and tell him to keep himself and his schoolboy orations out
of my way."

He was shaking, and his face was dead white. I did not answer, but I
took him by the arm, and led him to a chair. He tried to resist, but I
am strong. Then I brought him a cup of water from a pail that stood
near by.

"Drink it," I said, "and when food is sent you, eat what you can. Your
race is not over, and if you wish to trick and outwit us,--as you were
planning when I found you lying here,--you will need more strength than
you are showing now. I have but one more question. You must tell me
your name."

For a moment he did not reply. He was still shaking painfully, and
water from the cup in his hand splashed over him. "My name," he said
slowly, "my name is--is Benjamin Starling."

I took the cup away. "I am waiting," I said after a pause.

"Waiting for what, monsieur?" When he willed, he could speak
winningly, and he did it now.

I took paper from my pocket. "For your real name," I answered. "I
shall write it here, and you must swear that it is true. Don't
squander lies. Plain dealing will be best for us both."

He was as changeable as June weather. Now it was his cue to look
pleading