the corporal, the boat's crew, and the Indian braves gazed at
her in blank astonishment. Hysterics were a new importation on the
frontier. She controlled with an effort her tendency to laugh, but still
wept with the profusion of exhaustion and nervous tension.

Willinawaugh's eyes were fixed on her with deep displeasure. "Ugh!" he
grunted from time to time. "Ugh!"

"Oh, there's bloody murder here, if one could but chance upon the
carpse," said the corporal to himself, looking bewildered from her to
the boy.

And now was demonstrated the fact that although the corporal had but the
slightest bit of a brogue in the world, there was a twist in his tongue
which showed that he had at some time in his career made a practice of
kissing the "Blarney Stone" and was as Irish as County Clare.

"Of course Captain Stuart couldn't have known that his valued friend,
the great chief, Willinawaugh, was to be passing with the English party,
but, sure, he would take it mighty ill if the chief did not stop over,
too, and lie at the fort to-night,--an' he so seldom up from Toquoe!
Captain Demere, too, will expect the great chief. My word on't, he
will."

Now Willinawaugh, an epitome of craft, had no idea of adventuring with
his supposed French friends, whom he had endeavored to pass off as
English, into the British stronghold, for he doubted their capacity to
sustain their character of compatriots; he had no means of judging of
their knowledge of the English language and how soon their ignorance
might betray them. Since the ruse he had adopted had evidently not
sufficed to evade the enforced stoppage at Fort Loudon, he had
relinquished the intention to take them on past Chote to some other of
the Overhill towns, and let them establish themselves as French traders.
He feared that were they once inside the walls of Fort Loudon this
design against the agreement with his allies would become transparent.
To be sure, it must be soon elucidated, but Willinawaugh was determined
to be far away by that time, and, moreover, he could send a "talk"
(letter) to Captain Stuart, whose good opinion he greatly coveted, to
say that the French trader had deceived him and made him believe that
the party was English. At the same time he was too wary to venture into
his valued friend's power with this fresh grievance and with stormy
times for the two peoples evidently in prospect.

But he was flattered, infinitely flattered, as indeed who would not have
be