come when it
would send a thrill of joy through his heart to know that his wife would
die?

As they entered the Iroquois village the squaws and warriors had rushed
towards them, and they passed through a double line of hideous faces
which jeered and jibed and howled at them as they passed. Their escort
led them through this rabble and conducted them to a hut which stood
apart. It was empty, save for some willow fishing-nets hanging at the
side, and a heap of pumpkins stored in the corner.

"The chiefs will come and will decide upon what is to be done with us,"
said Onega. "Here they are coming now, and you will soon see that I am
right, for I know the ways of my own people."

An instant later an old war-chief, accompanied by two younger braves and
by the bearded half-Dutch Iroquois who had led the attack upon the
manor-house, strolled over and stood in the doorway, looking in at the
prisoners, and shooting little guttural sentences at each other.
The totems of the Hawk, the Wolf, the Bear, and the Snake showed that
they each represented one of the great families of the Nation.
The Bastard was smoking a stone pipe, and yet it was he who talked the
most, arguing apparently with one of the younger savages, who seemed to
come round at last to his opinion. Finally the old chief said a few
short stern words, and the matter appeared to be settled.

"And you, you beldame," said the Bastard in French to the Iroquois
woman, "you will have a lesson this night which will teach you to side
against your own people."

"You half-bred mongrel," replied the fearless old woman, "you should
take that hat from your head when you speak to one in whose veins runs
the best blood of the Onondagas. You a warrior? You who, with a
thousand at your back, could not make your way into a little house with
a few poor husbandmen within it! It is no wonder that your father's
people have cast you out! Go back and work at the beads, or play at the
game of plum-stones, for some day in the woods you might meet with a
man, and so bring disgrace upon the nation which has taken you in!"

The evil face of the Bastard grew livid as he listened to the scornful
words which were hissed at him by the captive. He strode across to her,
and taking her hand he thrust her forefinger into the burning bowl of
his pipe. She made no effort to remove it, but sat with a perfectly set
face for a minute or more, looking out through the open door at the
evening su