ures, especially
when aided by his wild and peculiar attire. Some moments elapsed before
the Teton spoke, and then it was in doubt whether he addressed one like
himself, or some wanderer of that race who, he had heard, were spreading
themselves, like hungry locusts, throughout the land.

"The head of my brother is very white," he said; "but the eye of Le
Balafre is no longer like the eagle's. Of what colour is his skin?"

"The Wahcondah made me like these you see waiting for a Dahcotah
judgment; but fair and foul has coloured me darker than the skin of a
fox. What of that! Though the bark is ragged and riven, the heart of the
tree is sound."

"My brother is a Big-knife! Let him turn his face towards the setting
sun, and open his eyes. Does he see the salt lake beyond the mountains?"

"The time has been, Teton, when few could see the white on the eagle's
head farther than I; but the glare of fourscore and seven winters has
dimmed my eyes, and but little can I boast of sight in my latter days.
Does the Sioux think a Pale-face is a god, that he can look through
hills?"

"Then let my brother look at me. I am nigh him, and he can see that I
am a foolish Red-man. Why cannot his people see every thing, since they
crave all?"

"I understand you, chief; nor will I gainsay the justice of your words,
seeing that they are too much founded in truth. But though born of the
race you love so little, my worst enemy, not even a lying Mingo, would
dare to say that I ever laid hands on the goods of another, except such
as were taken in manful warfare; or that I ever coveted more ground than
the Lord has intended each man to fill."

"And yet my brother has come among the Red-skins to find a son?"

The trapper laid a finger on the naked shoulder of Le Balafre, and
looked into his scarred countenance with a wistful and confidential
expression, as he answered--

"Ay; but it was only that I might do good to the boy. If you think,
Dahcotah, that I adopted the youth in order to prop my age, you do
as much injustice to my goodwill, as you seem to know little of the
merciless intentions of your own people. I have made him my son, that
he may know that one is left behind him. Peace, Hector, peace! Is this
decent, pup, when greyheads are counselling together, to break in upon
their discourse with the whinings of a hound! The dog is old, Teton;
and though well taught in respect of behaviour, he is getting, like
ourselves, I fancy, something