the knife was to be ever between the
Mohawks and Ojebwas.

The Bald Eagle seeing that his treacherous guest would make this an
occasion of renewing a deadly warfare, for which possibly he was not at
the time well prepared, assumed a stoical calmness, and replied,

"Be it so; great is the power of the Bad Spirit to cause evil to the
tribes of the chiefs that rebel against his will. My son shall be
sacrificed by my hand, that the evil one may be appeased, and that the
Black Snake's body may have ease, and his people rest beside the fires
of their lodges in peace."

"The Bald Eagle has spoken like a chief with a large heart," was the
specious response of the wily Mohawk; "moreover, the Good Spirit also
appeared, and said, 'Let the Black Snake's son and the Bald Eagle's
daughter become man and wife, that peace may be found to dwell among the
lodges, and the war-hatchet be buried for ever.'"

"The Beam of the Morning shall become the wife of the Young Pine," was
the courteous answer; but stern revenge lay deep hidden beneath the
unmoved brow and passionless lip.

The fatal day arrived; the Bald Eagle, with unflinching hand and eye
that dropped no human tear of sorrow for the son of his love, plunged
the weapon into his heart with Spartan-like firmness. The fearful feast
of human flesh was prepared, and that old chief, pale but unmoved,
presided over the ceremonies. The war-dance was danced round the
sacrifice, and all went off well, as if no such fearful rite had been
enacted: but a fearful retribution was at hand. The Young Pine sought
the tent of the Bald Eagle's daughter that evening, and was received
with all due deference, as a son of so great a chief as the Black Snake
merited; he was regarded now as a successful suitor, and intoxicated
with the beauty of the Beam of the Morning, pressed her to allow the
marriage to take place in a few days. The bride consented, and a day was
named for the wedding feast to be celebrated, and that due honour
might be given to so great an event, invitations were sent out to the
principal families of the Mohawk tribe, and these amounted to several
hundreds of souls, while the young Ojebwa hunters were despatched up
the river and to different parts of the country, avowedly to collect
venison, beaver, and other delicacies to regale their guests, but in
reality to summon by means of trusty scouts a large war party from the
small lakes, to be in readiness to take part in the deadly reve