e
within the sacred precincts of the council house. His rifle he managed
to hide beneath the great painted coat, at the same time holding it
convenient for his use, and, lifting the curtain of buffalo robe, he
stepped out.

It was neither a dark nor a fair night, but much fleecy vapor was
floating between earth and sky, imparting to the village and the forest
a misty, unreal effect which was suited admirably to Henry's purpose,
enlarging his figure and giving to it a fantastic and weird effect.
Knowing it, and having the utmost confidence in himself, he chose a path
directly through the center of the open, walking slowly, but taking
strides of great length and stepping from tiptoe to tiptoe.

Two Indian sentinels, a Shawnee and a native of the village, were dozing
by the wall of one of the log cabins, when they heard the step in the
open. They lifted heavy eyelids and beheld a gigantic figure, attired in
a garb that ordinary mortals do not wear, stalking toward the forest,
caring nothing for the sentinels, the village or anything else. They
were in the midway region between sleeping and waking, when images are
printed upon the brain in confused or exaggerated shapes, and the
mysterious visitor, who was even then taking his departure, seemed to
them at least fifteen feet high, while, from under the headdress of
twisted buffalo horns, two great eyes, hot and blazing like coals,
stared at them. This terrifying figure, as they gazed upon it, raised a
huge hand full of menace and shook it at them. They gave a yell of
terror and darted into the forest.

Red Eagle, sleeping the sleep of the just and tired, heard the shout of
alarm, and it impinged so heavily upon his unconscious brain that he was
shocked at once into an awakening. He leaped to his feet and ran out of
the cabin, just in time to meet the head chief of the village coming out
of another one. The two stared at each other, and then they saw the
great figure, in its mystic apparel, just where forest and open met.
Each uttered a gasp, and, before they could gasp a second time, the
apparition was gone among the trees, vanishing from their stupefied gaze
like a wisp of smoke before the wind. Then Red Eagle and his host, great
and wise chiefs though they were, looked at each other again and
trembled.

Henry meanwhile was racing through the forest and toward the north,
always toward the north, and as he ran he shook with laughter. He had
seen the look of dismay on th