away."

After another swift and searching look the lad took the pipe from
Cameron's hand and with solemn gravity began to smoke. It was to him
far more than a mere luxurious addendum to his meal. It was a solemn
ceremonial sealing a compact of amity between them.

"Now, tell me," said Cameron, when the smoke had gone on for some time.

Slowly and with painful difficulty the youth told his story in terse,
brief sentences.

"T'ree day," he began, holding up three fingers, "me hear Eagle
Feather--many Piegans--talk--talk--talk. Go fight--keel--keel--keel all
white man, squaw, papoose."

"When?" inquired Cameron, keeping his face steady.

"Come Cree runner--soon."

"You mean they are waiting for a runner from the North?" inquired
Cameron. "If the Crees win the fight then the Piegans will rise? Is that
it?"

The Indian nodded. "Come Cree Indian--then Piegan fight."

"They will not rise until the runner comes, eh?"

"No."

Cameron breathed more easily.

"Is that all?" he inquired carelessly.

"This day Eagle Feather run much cattle--beeg--beeg run." The young man
again swept the room with his arm.

"Bah! Eagle Feather is no good. He is an old squaw," said Cameron.

"Huh!" agreed the Indian quickly. "Little Thunder go too."

"Little Thunder, eh?" said Cameron, controlling his voice with an
effort.

The lad nodded, his piercing eye upon Cameron's face.

For some minutes Cameron smoked quietly.

"And Onawata?" With startling suddenness he shot out the question.

Not a line of the Indian's face moved. He ignored the question, smoking
steadily and looking before him.

"Ah, it is a strange way for Onawata to repay the white man's kindness
to his son," said Cameron. The contemptuous voice pierced the Indian's
armor of impassivity. Cameron caught the swift quiver in the face
that told that his stab had reached the quick. There is nothing in the
Indian's catalogue of crimes so base as the sin of ingratitude.

"Onawata beeg Chief--beeg Chief," at length the boy said proudly. "He do
beeg--beeg t'ing."

"Yes, he steals my cattle," said Cameron with stinging scorn.

"No!" replied the Indian sharply. "Little Thunder--Eagle Feather steal
cattle--Onawata no steal."

"I am glad to hear it, then," said Cameron. "This is a big run of
cattle, eh?"

"Yes--beeg--beeg run." Again the Indian's arm swept the room.

"What will they do with all those cattle?" inquired Cameron.

But again the Indian ignored his ques