e voice of my people. I have kindled the fires of the woe. The
world is on fire. I tried to prevent it, but it has come."

"Waubeno, do you remember _Lincoln_?"

"Lincoln? The Indians killed his father's father. I have often thought
of that. He said that he would do right by an Indian. I have thought of
that. I love that man. I would die for such a man."

"Waubeno, who saved the life of Main-Pogue?"

"I don't know, father. I would die for _that man_."

"Did Main-Pogue not tell you?"

"He told me 'twas a white captain saved him. Is the white captain here?"

"No. Waubeno, listen. That white captain was Lincoln."

"Lincoln? Whose father's father the red man killed? Was it he who saved
Main-Pogue? Lincoln? He forced his men to do right. He did himself
harm."

"Yes, he did himself harm to do right. Waubeno, do you remember your
promise that you made to me? You said that you would never avenge the
death of your father, if you could find one white man who would do
himself harm for the sake of an Indian."

Waubeno leaped upon his feet, and his black eye swept the clouds, and
the circle of fire, and the distressed people on every hand.

"Father, I can save you now. I know how. I will do it _for Lincoln's
sake_.

"Ho! ho!" he cried. "Kill me an ox, and Waubeno will save you. Kill me
six oxen, and Waubeno will save you. Give me raw hides, and do as I do,
and Waubeno will save you. Ho! ho! The gods have spoken to Waubeno. A
voice comes from the sky to Waubeno. It has spoken here. Ho! ho!"

He put his hand upon his heart, then rushed in among the oxen. A company
of men followed him.

He slew an ox with his knife, and quickly removed the hide. The people
looked upon him with horror; they thought him demented. What was he
doing? What was he going to do?

He tied the great hide to his horse's neck, so that the raw side of it
would drag flat upon the ground, and, turning to Jasper, he said:

"That will smother fire. Ho! ho! How?"

The fire was fast approaching some stacks of wheat on the edge of the
settlement. Waubeno saw the peril, and leaped upon his horse.

"Kill more cattle. Get more hides for Waubeno," he said.

He rode away toward the stacks, guiding the horse in such a way that the
raw hide swept the ground. The people watched him. He seemed to ride
into the fire.

"He is riding to death!" said the people. "He is mad!"

But as he rode the fire was stayed, and a rim of black smoke rose in its
stead. Near