of those savage men. At that sound every cheek
became pale: it struck upon the ear as some funeral wail. Was it the
death-song of the captive girl bound to that fearful stake? No; for she
stands unmoved, with eyes raised heavenward, and lips apart--

"In still, but brave despair."

Shrouded in a mantle of dark cloth, her long black hair unbound and
streaming over her shoulders, appears the Mohawk widow, the daughter of
the Ojebwa chief. The gathering throng fall back as she approaches, awed
by her sudden appearance among them. She stretches out a hand on which
dark stains are visible--it is the blood of her husband, sacrificed by
her on that day of fearful deeds: it has never been effaced. In the
name of the Great Spirit she claims the captive girl--the last of that
devoted tribe--to be delivered over to her will. Her right to this
remnant of her murdered husband's family is acknowledged. A knife is
placed in her hand, while a deafening yell of triumph bursts from the
excited squaws, as this their great high-priestess, as they deemed her,
advanced to the criminal. But it was not to shed the heart's blood of
the Mohawk girl, but to severe the thongs that bound her to the deadly
stake, for which that glittering blade was drawn, and to bid her depart
in peace whithersoever she would go.

Then, turning to the Bald Eagle, she thus addressed him: "At the dead
of night, when the path of light spanned the sky, a vision stood before
mine eyes. It came from the Great and Good Spirit, and bade me to set
free the last of a murdered race whose sun had gone down in blood shed
by my hand and by the hands of my people. The vision told me that if I
did this my path should henceforth be peace, and that I should go to the
better land and be at rest if I did this good deed." She then laid
her hands on the head of the young Mohawk, blessed her, and enveloping
herself in the dark mantle, slowly retired back to her solitary tent
once more.

CHAPTER XVI.

"Hame, hame, hame,
Hame I soon shall be,
Hame, hame, hame,
In mine own countrie."--_Scotch Ballad._

Old Jacob and Catharine, who had been mute spectators of the scene so
full of interest to them, now presented themselves before the Ojebwa
chief, and besought leave to depart. The presents were again laid before
him, and this time were graciously accepted. Catharine in distributing
the beads and cloth took care that the best portion should fall to the
grand-daughter of