tle mind. It was
understood that he came from one of the oldest of the eastern provinces,
and that there was innocent blood on his hands before he fled. But now
he was high in the councils of the Indian nations, and, like the white
man of his type who turns savage, he had become more cruel than the
savages themselves.

His gaze as he turned it upon Braxton Wyatt was lightly ironical, and
his tone had been the same. Again the younger renegade flushed through
his tan.

"I have never denied to him wonderful knowledge and skill," he said. "I
have warned you all that he was the obstacle most to be dreaded. He has
just proved it. Had he not been there to help 'em at the cave we should
have got 'em all."

"And they are giving the laurels of Shif'less Sol to me," said Henry to
himself in the thicket. "I shall have to hand them over to him when we
go back."

But the great Shawnee chief, Red Eagle, had heard enough talk between
the two white men. He was full of the wisdom of his race, and he did not
intend that Blackstaffe and Wyatt should impair their value to the
tribes by creating ill feeling against each other.

"Peace, my sons," he said in his grave and dignified manner. "It is not
well for those who march with us to taunt each other. Words that may be
light in the village, breed ill will on the war path. As head chief of
the Shawnees it is for me to say these things to you."

As Red Eagle stood up with his arms folded across his broad breast and
his scarlet blanket hooked over his shoulder, he looked like a forest
Roman. Henry thought him an impressive figure and such a thought, too,
was most likely in the mind of Blackstaffe, as he said:

"The words of the chief are wise, and I obey. Red Eagle has proved many
and many a time that he is the best fitted of all men to be the head
chief of the Shawnees. Wyatt, I was only jesting. You and I must be good
comrades here."

He held out his hand and as Wyatt took it, his face cleared. Then the
three turned to animated talk about their plans. It was agreed that they
should push on in the morning at all speed, and join the main band and
the artillery. Dangerous as these cannon were, Henry saw that the
Indians gave them almost magic powers. They would completely blow away
the settlements, and the forests would soon grow again, where the white
man had cut a little open place for himself with the ax.

The conference over, Red Eagle wrapped himself in his blanket and lay
down