m every thing can be to pale-faces,"
returned the other, coolly. "One time 'ey say white, and one time 'ey
say black. Why never can be?"

Hetty was more and more embarrassed, until overcome with the
apprehension that she had failed in her object, and that the lives of
her father and Hurry would be the forfeit of some blunder of her own,
she burst into tears. From that moment the manner of Hist lost all its
irony and cool indifference, and she became the fond caressing friend
again. Throwing her arms around the afflicted girl, she attempted
to soothe her sorrows by the scarcely ever failing remedy of female
sympathy.

"Stop cry--no cry--" she said, wiping the tears from the face of Hetty,
as she would have performed the same office for a child, and stopping
to press her occasionally to her own warm bosom with the affection of
a sister. "Why you so trouble? You no make he book, if he be wrong, and
you no make he pale-face if he wicked. There wicked red man, and wicked
white man--no colour all good--no colour all wicked. Chiefs know that
well enough."

Hetty soon recovered from this sudden burst of grief, and then her
mind reverted to the purpose of her visit, with all its single-hearted
earnestness. Perceiving that the grim looking chiefs were still standing
around her in grave attention, she hoped that another effort to convince
them of the right might be successful. "Listen, Hist," she said,
struggling to suppress her sobs, and to speak distinctly--"Tell the
chiefs that it matters not what the wicked do--right is right--The words
of The Great Spirit are the words of The Great Spirit--and no one can go
harmless for doing an evil act, because another has done it before him.
'Render good for evil,' says this book, and that is the law for the red
man as well as for the white man."

"Never hear such law among Delaware, or among Iroquois--" answered
Hist soothingly. "No good to tell chiefs any such laws as dat. Tell 'em
somet'ing they believe."

Hist was about to proceed, notwithstanding, when a tap on the shoulder
from the finger of the oldest chief caused her to look up. She then
perceived that one of the warriors had left the group, and was already
returning to it with Hutter and Hurry. Understanding that the two
last were to become parties in the inquiry, she became mute, with
the unhesitating obedience of an Indian woman. In a few seconds the
prisoners stood face to face with the principal men of the captors.

"D