id the trapper. "Why
were you so wary about what you must have known was of importance?"

The chief drew up his tall, athletic form, and pointing with his finger
to the sky, said:

"As many moons ago as there are stars yonder, when the sun is in the
west, there came to the hunting-grounds of the red man a band of white
men. They were few, and my fathers fostered them; and, when the white
men found the glittering earth accidentally, as you have, they showed
them where it could be scooped up by handfuls, and where the star
stones lighted up the caverns. Then grew hatred between the red and
white man; for the star stones are bad spirits who stirred up evil
passions in the heart, then laughed and mocked at their warring. The
white man grew many and strong, and more came from beyond the big
water. Then they made the earth red with each other's blood, and my
forefathers were obliged to give up their hunting grounds, and fly into
other possessions, where there was again war for a place to hunt in,
until the earth was again red with blood. And now all between the swift
water and the great sea towards sunrise is covered by the pale faces'
lodges, while, we, a remnant of former days, are forced to give way
until we shall have all perished, and the graves of my ancestors become
the play grounds of the white man's papoose. Then let the glistening
earth sleep where the Great Spirit buried it, that the evil spirits may
never again gloat over the earth dyed with the blood of its people.
Whirlwind has spoken, let his white brother hear, that their love be
not turned to anger, and that they slay not each other."

As he ceased speaking, he quietly walked from amid his fellow captives
and taking a position but a few feet from them, bent a decisive look of
commiseration on their every movement.

"Throw down the stuff," said the trapper, "the chief is angry, and we
can have no use for it here, so it is not worth while to provoke him by
even retaining what we have."

The children obeyed, for they were not willing to risk the friendship
of the chief for whom they entertained great respect, although they
could not always appreciate his curious logic. He seemed relieved when
he saw them do so, and proposed they should quit the dangerous spot,
which they acceded to.

Towards evening of the same day, they were wandering leisurely on the
southern border of the corn-fields, when they were startled by a drove
of deer bounding past them, and m