s given me his word."

"I am glad to hear it," I said. "Why have we been kept at all? Why did
he not free us five days agone?"

He shook his head. "I do not know. Opechancanough has many thoughts
which he shares with no man. But now he will send you with presents for
the governor, and with messages of his love for the white men. There
will be a great feast to-day, and to-night the young men and maidens
will dance before you. Then in the morning you will go."

When we had sat by the fire for an hour, the old men and the warriors
came to visit us, and the smoking began. The women laid mats in a great
half circle, and each savage took his seat with perfect breeding: that
is, in absolute silence and with a face like a stone. The peace paint
was upon them all--red, or red and white--and they sat and looked at the
ground until I had made the speech of welcome. Soon the air was dense
with fragrant smoke; in the thick blue haze the sweep of painted figures
had the seeming of some fantastic dream. An old man arose and made a
long and touching speech, with much reference to calumets and buried
hatchets. Then they waited for my contribution of honeyed words. The
Pamunkeys, living at a distance from the settlements, had but little
English, and the learning of the Paspaheghs was not much greater. I
repeated to them the better part of a canto of Master Spenser's _Faery
Queen_, after which I told them the moving story of the Moor of Venice.
It answered the purpose to admiration.

The day wore on, with relay after relay of food, which we must taste at
least, with endless smoking of pipes and speeches which must be listened
to and answered. When evening came and our entertainers drew off to
prepare for the dance, they left us as wearied as by a long day's march.

Suddenly, as we sat staring at the fire, we were beset by a band of
maidens, coming out of the woods, painted, with antlers upon their heads
and pine branches in their hands. They danced about us, now advancing
until the green needles met above our heads, now retreating until there
was a space of turf between us. They moved with grace, keeping time to a
plaintive song, now raised by the whole choir, now fallen to a single
voice.

The Indian girls danced more and more swiftly, and their song changed,
becoming gay and shrill and sweet. Higher and higher rang the notes,
faster and faster moved the dark feet; then quite suddenly song and
motion ceased together. From the darkn