ll
Their severed bands. Guteba heard,
With his own ears, the chieftain swear
That he would bring from his far home,
On western slopes, the richest gifts
Of field and forest, to demand
His bride from her own father's hand:
And, with the rest, bring too, the white
Winged dove of peace, nor claim from lips
So passing sweet, one tiny kiss
Without this all accomplished. Chief
Guteba, hid in neighboring shrub,
O'erheard these vows, with tomahawk
Well aimed against the Sioux Chief's head;
And, hanging on the words, felt all
His being's manhood stir in plea
For nobler action: fall down let
The threatening blade, and, chief to chief,
Challenged the Sioux to combat with
The lance for Janishkisgan's hand;
It being current practice, that
He who victored in such a fray
Was held a friend for aye, by all
The vanquished chieftain's people. Hurt
With fatal stab, the Chippeway Chief
Had hastened home, to urge upon
His tribe the well-earned peace, the which
Minnepazuka's lance had won.

Inexplicable fate! That coined
His lofty purpose and effort, staunch,
Into the very ill, for whose
Opposite good he sought; in death,
Closed his lips, still undelivered
Of their message, and left instead
A gaping wound to cry, "Revenge!"

The tribe tore out their hair, and put
The blackening pigment on, and sang
Their grieving songs; athirst for blood,
Unheeding danger, struck their tents
And formed for march, in single file,
Back, back in gloom, to silent tombs,
Beside the dark, deep bay, below
Mount Wey-do-dosh-she-ma-de-nog,
There to lay their beloved chief's
Remains.

And, there, Janishkisgan,
Filled with the superstition of
Her kind, made pillow nightly on
Her mother's grave, as well secure
As tho' she slept within the wigwam.
And there it was, one morning's dawn,
The somber funeral cortege found
Her. Most certain proof of innocence
And guilelessness and conscience all
At ease to rest upon a grave
At night, was it considered. But thus
To be, in calm repose, a smile
Transcendent on the lips, as if
Good spirits hovered near, almost
Were past belief of seeing eye.
So moved were they, who saw her there,
They stole away in awesome hush
Along a trackless trail, beneath
A ledge of rugged rock. Above
Their heads a bowlder's jutting edge
Protruded, where, this early morn,
Minnepazuka came to sing
A song of love.

Alas! That she,
Who dreamed of him, had dream so sweet,
Her smile to him disastrous proved:
For, in t