ue misgiving to Lone Bear and
Red Wolf, as they sat near the camp-fire talking over the stirring
incidents of the last half hour.

Now and then they ceased and listened to the sounds which came from the
forest, wherein the efforts were pushed to make prisoner the young
Shawanoe, who was dodging hither and thither as if running a gauntlet.
The temptation was strong to mingle in the general melee, as it may be
called, but the treatment Lone Bear had received at the hands of the
Shawanoe filled him with a fear that he had never known before, for
there was a tinge of superstition in it, as appeared in the next remark
he made.

"Deerfoot calls himself a Shawanoe; he was born with the people, but
when he left them he became an Evil Spirit."

This was Lone Bear's method of saying that the devil bore an active part
in the exploits of the youth, an opinion which was shared by Red Wolf.

"The Evil One is his friend: if he was not, he would have fallen by the
bullets that were aimed at him. Lone Bear would have slain the greatest
warrior, when he was running before him as Deerfoot ran, but he could
not slay Deerfoot, because the Evil One was his friend."

This was the kind of remark to please Lone Bear, for it implied that the
best possible reason existed for his failure; his enemy was of the
supernatural class, and, therefore, beyond the power of any human being
to overcome.

Lone Bear turned his head toward the woods, while he held his lips
closed over his pipe-stem. The sharp report of a rifle had reached their
ears, and the two Pawnees listened for a minute without moving or
speaking. Deerfoot just then was doing wonders in the way of dodging and
running, and the warriors sitting by the camp-fire could almost read the
narrative, as you have done from these printed pages.

Red Wolf leaned forward and lighted his pipe from the glowing coals, and
then seated himself a little closer than before to his companion. They
were at the end of the fire, as may be said, and so near each other that
when they talked and gesticulated their heads almost touched.

"They will not harm the Shawanoe," was the truthful remark of Lone Bear,
though in his heart he hoped they would bring his reeking scalp into
camp. "The Evil One runs at his side, and when the bullet is aimed by
the brave Pawnees, he catches it in his hand and holds it that it may
not harm the Shawanoe."

This was an ingenious explanation, for it helped to release the warrio