l,
good-natured Indian, in the company of the Hibernian, he was
transformed into a sullen, vindictive savage in the presence of the
gentle wife of Harvey Richter. He supported himself against the door
and seemed undecided whether to enter or not. The alarm of Cora
Richter was so excessive that she endeavored to conceal it.

"What do you wish?" she asked.

"Where Misser Richter?"

"Gone to the village," she replied, bravely resolving that no lie
should cross her lips if her life depended upon it.

"When come back?"

"In an hour or so perhaps."

"Where Ted?"

"He has gone hunting."

"Big lie--he drunk--don't know nothing--lay sleep on ground."

"How do you know? Did you see him?"

"Me gib him fire-water--much like it--drink good deal--tumble over
like tree hain't got root."

"Did you ever give it him before?" asked the young wife, her curiosity
supplanting her alarm for the moment.

"Gib him offin--gib him every day--much like it--drink much."

Again the wife's instinctive fear came back to her, and she endeavored
to conceal it by a calm, unimpassioned exterior.

"Won't you come in and rest yourself until Mr. Richter returns?"

"Don't want to see him," replied the savage, sullenly.

"Who do you wish to see then?"

"You--t'ink much of you."

The wife felt as if she would sink to the floor. There was something
in the tones of his voice that had alarmed her from the first. She was
almost certain this savage intended rudeness, now that he knew the
missionary himself was gone. She glanced up at the rifle which was
hung above the fireplace. It was charged, and she had learned how to
fire it since her marriage. Several times she was on the point of
springing up and seizing it and placing herself upon the defensive.
Her heart throbbed wildly at the thought, but she finally concluded to
resort to such an act only at the last moment. She might still
conciliate the Indian by kindness, and after all, perhaps he meditated
no harm or rudeness.

"Come and sit down then, and talk with me awhile," said she, as
pleasantly as it was possible.

The savage stumbled forward a few feet, and dropped into a seat, where
he glared fully a minute straight into the face of the woman. This was
the most trying ordeal of all, especially when she raised her own blue
eyes, and addressed him. It seemed impossible to combat the fierce
light of those orbs, although she bore their scrutiny like a heroine.
He had seated himself near