," he said. Then, with a swift dart aside
from the subject: "Captain Long-knife care much 'bout black dogs
yonder?"

I knew he meant the negroes at the hunting lodge.

"The white man cares for the black as a kind master should," I returned.

The Indian spat upon the ground in token of his hatred and contempt for
all the black skins in his fatherland. I never understood this bitter
race antipathy between the red and black, but 'tis a tale well written
out in many a bloody massacre of that earlier day.

"The wolves will kill all the black dogs and drink their blood before
the moon is awake. Uncanoola has spoken."

I sheathed my sword and turned to take the backward trace.

"Captain Long-knife will go and fight for his black dogs with wool on
their heads?" he queried.

"If need be," I asserted.

"Wah!" he ejaculated, and at the word was gone as if the earth had
swallowed him.

I lost no time in indecision. Since Jennifer was abroad, I had no
business at the plantations; and if Tomas and the other refugees were
like to come to harm, I could do no less than hasten back to warn or
help them.

So I retraced my steps, hurriedly, as the business urged; and saw no
more shadows in the ancient wood--in truth, had much ado to see the
single step ahead, so thickly did the darkness gather in those skyless
depths.

I was breasting the last low hill, was come so near that I could hear
the murmur of the river, when in the farthest hazy vista of the
tree-tops a softened glow appeared, changing the black to green and
then to red. 'Twas like the childish Africans, I said, to draw a secret
sentry line for safety's sake, and then to build a fire to advertise it
far and wide. Truly, the Catawba's wolves might find an easy--

A chattering scream of agony sent shrill and sharp upon the stillness of
the night halted me and broke the gibing comment in the midst. I stood
and listened. The cry rang out again; then I loosed the Andrea in its
scabbard and fell a-running, though the half-healed wound scanted me
sorely of the breath I wanted.

The cabin clearing, or rather the thinned-out grove which stood in lieu
thereof, was but a niggard acre hemmed in on every side, save that
toward the river, by the virgin forest. For cover there were holly
thickets here and there, and into one of these I plunged, creeping on
hands and knees to gain a hidden view-point.

The scene in the little clearing was one to brand itself in lasting
shapes u