two fires sink to glowing heaps of coals, and then,
warming thoroughly before them the great painted buffalo coat, he
retreated to the alcove behind his wooden wall and made his bed on the
leaves. He felt for all the world like a bear gone into its snug den for
the long winter sleep, and, as he drew the big coat about his body, he
looked lazily at the fires, which were so placed that the heat from them
warmed his corner despite the wooden barrier.

Then the usual relaxation, after a tremendous mental and physical
struggle came over him, and he began to feel the extraordinary luxury of
lying dry, warm, well fed and in safety. It was all the primitive man
desired, the best he ever received, and Henry, who had been put in their
position, rejoiced as one of those far, faraway men might have rejoiced,
when he, too, attained all his wishes.

The feeling of luxurious ease kept him in a dreamy state a long time.
Although he felt strong and active again, able to cope with any crisis,
he had really been very near the end for the time being to the
extraordinary powers with which nature had endowed him. Now, as his
great vitality flowed back and he knew that he was safe, it was just a
pleasure to lie still, to feel the warmth, and to see dreamily the glow
of the fires, in truth, to feel as his ancestors had felt in like
comfort forty thousand years ago.

Meanwhile the air turned a little warmer, just enough to admit a return
of the heavy snowfall and the big flakes began to pour down again. Some
of them, blown by the wind, fell on the sheltered fires, and hissed as
they melted. But Henry was not troubled. He knew they could not reach
him.

At the same time, but many miles to the south, a great force of Indian
warriors, led by the two wise and valiant chiefs, Red Eagle, the
Shawnee, and Yellow Panther, the Miami, was going into camp. Yellow
Panther had come up with a force also and they had struck again the
trail of the fugitive, but the coming of the storm had hidden it, of
course, and as the snow deepened they were compelled to abandon, until
the next day at least, all thought of catching Henry Ware, taking
instead measures for their own preservation. Among them were men who
knew the country, and they soon found a deep valley, in which they built
their fires and ate their venison.

Red Eagle and Yellow Panther sat with the renegades, Blackstaffe and
Wyatt, by one of the fires, and talked earnestly of the pursuit. The
chiefs