n Butler! This wretched man Simon
Butler, the young comrade whom he had loved when they were scouts
together, back "home"!

With a strange choked cry he rushed from his seat and hugged him.

"Butler! You? I've got to save you."

He turned upon the astonished warriors, who did not understand. He
made an earnest speech, in the Shawnee tongue, with many gestures.
Simon caught only the drift of it, but Girty the renegade was arguing
for the life of a friend. He explained that here was a man as dear to
him as a brother. They had traveled the same trail, slept under the
same blanket, lived in the same house. He had never asked a favor
before. He had been with them three years and helped them. Now he
wished only the life of this man, his former brother.

Several of the older chiefs grunted approval. Simon's heart rose. But
others spoke opposing. They said that the council already had decided;
the Shawnees should not change their minds like squaws. Here was a
very bad man. He had taken scalps, had stolen their horses, had
flashed a gun at them when they tried to get their horses back again.
He was too bad to be a Shawnee. He was from Kentucky, and henceforth
all Kentuckians were to be killed. Even Captain Boone had deceived
them. Besides, people had come to Wakatomica, to see the fun, and
ought not to be disappointed!

Simon's heart fell.

Girty leaped up and spoke again, at length. He was answered. The
debate lasted for an hour and a half. The council proceeded to a vote.
The war-club was passed from hand to hand. Those who struck the floor
with it, voted for death. Those who merely passed it on, voted for
life. An old man, sitting in the center, kept tally by cutting notches
in the two edges of a stick--one series of notches for the yeas, one
series for the nays.

Simon watched intently. He dared not show any sign of joy, but his
heart thrilled to bursting when he saw that the nays were winning. The
old man announced the result. Simon Girty turned to Simon Butler.

"Well, my friend, you are safe. Come with me."

It was the shortest speech yet, and the best.

He led Simon outside. No Indian opposed. He took him to the trader's
store and fitted him with moccasins, leggins, shirt, a handkerchief for
his neck and another for his head. Took him home; had his own squaw
dress the wounds from club and knife and switch. Made him one of the
family.

For twenty-one days Simon lived in clover.