nd
then replied to the visitor.

"Eagle-of-the-Rocks has not seen the pale-face friend of my brother; he
and Lone Bear have staid with their Pawnee brothers; they have met no
pale-faces in many moons."

Here was a direct contradiction of what Hay-uta had told. It might seem
that the Sauk had mistaken the identity of Lone Bear and
Eagle-of-the-Rocks, and had there been but one of them in question, it
was possible; but Deerfoot was satisfied that no such error had been
made. Hay-uta was positive respecting both, and he could not have
committed a double error.

Furthermore, the study of the Pawnee's face convinced Deerfoot that Lone
Bear was lying to him, though to ordinary eyes the expression of the
warrior's face was like that of stone.

Why this falsehood should have been used was beyond the power of the
Shawanoe to guess. The band was so far from the settlements that they
could feel no fear from white men. Nevertheless, Deerfoot was sure that,
had Lone Bear chosen, he could have told every thing necessary to know
about Otto Relstaub.

Two answers to the query presented themselves: the poor lad had either
been slain or he had been turned over to the custody of still another
party of Indians. As for escape, _that_ was out of the question.

The probability that the Pawnees had put Otto to death occurred to
Deerfoot more than once, and while seated on the ground, he had looked
for signs that might show what had been done. There were several scalps
dangling at the girdles of the warriors, but the hair of each was long,
black and wiry, showing that it had been torn from the crown of one of
their own race. The yellow tresses of the German lad would have been
noticed at once by Deerfoot.

The latter was angered by the course of Lone Bear, who had told an
untruth, without, so far as Deerfoot could see, any proper motive. So
sure was the youth on this point, that he did not hesitate to tell the
Indian his belief.

"My brother, Lone Bear, has spoken, but with a double tongue. He and
Eagle-of-the-Rocks have seen my pale-faced friend; they gave the beads
and wampum for him; Deerfoot knows it; Deerfoot has spoken."

Lone Bear, like all his race and the most of ours, was one of those who
looked upon the charge of falsehood (especially if true) as a deadly
insult. His dull, broad face seemed to crimson beneath its paint, and
turning partly toward the daring youth, he grasped the handle of his
knife.

"Dog of a Shawanoe!