o that of the Teton himself. "The
Big-knives do not send their women to war. I know that the Dahcotahs
will smoke with the strangers."

"Mahtoree is a great chief! The Big-knives are welcome," said the Teton,
laying his hand on his breast, with an air of lofty politeness that
would have done credit to any state of society. "The arrows of my young
men are in their quivers."

The trapper motioned to Middleton to approach, and in a few moments
the two parties were blended in one, each of the males having exchanged
friendly greetings, after the fashions of the prairie warriors. But,
even while engaged in this hospitable manner, the Dahcotah did not fail
to keep a strict watch on the more distant party of white men, as if
he still distrusted an artifice, or sought further explanation. The old
man, in his turn, perceived the necessity of being more explicit, and
of securing the slight and equivocal advantage he had already obtained.
While affecting to examine the group, which still lingered at the spot
where it had first halted, as if to discover the characters of those
who composed it, he plainly saw that Ishmael contemplated immediate
hostilities. The result of a conflict on the open prairie, between
a dozen resolute border men, and the half-armed natives, even though
seconded by their white allies, was in his experienced judgment a point
of great uncertainty, and though far from reluctant to engage in the
struggle on account of himself, the aged trapper thought it far more
worthy of his years, and his character, to avoid than to court the
contest. His feelings were, for obvious reasons, in accordance with
those of Paul and Middleton, who had lives still more precious than
their own to watch over and protect. In this dilemma the three consulted
on the means of escaping the frightful consequences which might
immediately follow a single act of hostility on the part of the
borderers; the old man taking care that their communication should, in
the eyes of those who noted the expression of their countenances with
jealous watchfulness, bear the appearance of explanations as to the
reason why such a party of travellers was met so far in the deserts.

"I know that the Dahcotahs are a wise and great people," at length the
trapper commenced, again addressing himself to the chief; "but does not
their partisan know a single brother who is base?"

The eye of Mahtoree wandered proudly around his band, but rested a
moment reluctantly