that yet hung
motionless from the stake, then sorrowfully, reproachfully, at the
circle of faces around. An expression half of sullen shame, half of
defiance, crossed more than one countenance as his glance fell upon
it.

"Friends," said he, sadly, pointing at the dead, "is this your peace
with the Bannocks,--the peace you prayed the Great Spirit to bless,
the peace that was to last forever?"

"The Bannocks sent back the peace-pipe by this man, and he broke it
and cast the pieces in our teeth," answered one, stubbornly.

"And you slew him for it? Why not have sent runners to his tribe
asking why it was returned, and demanding to know what wrong you had
done, that you might right it? Now there will be war. When you lie
down to sleep at night, the surprise may be on you and massacre come
while your eyes are heavy with slumber; when you are gone on the
buffalo trail the tomahawk may fall on the women and children at home.
Death will lurk for you in every thicket and creep round every
encampment. The Great Spirit is angry because you have stained your
hands in blood without cause."

There was no reply. This white man, coming from far eastern lands
lying they knew not where, who told them God had sent him to warn them
to be better, had a singular influence over them. There was none of
his hearers who did not dimly feel that he had done wrong in burning
and scarring the poor mass of humanity before him, and that the Great
Spirit was angry with him for it.

Back in the crowd, some of the children, young demons hungering for
blood, began to clamor again for the death of the surviving Bannock.
Cecil Grey looked at him pityingly.

"At least you can let him go."

There was no answer. Better impulses, better desires, were struggling
in their degraded minds; but cruelty was deeply rooted within them,
the vague shame and misgiving his words had roused was not so strong
as the dark animalism of their natures.

Cecil turned to Snoqualmie.

"I saved your life once, will you not give me his?"

The chief regarded him coldly.

"Take it," he said after a pause. Cecil stooped over and untied the
thongs that bound the captive, who rose to his feet amid a low angry
murmur from those around. Snoqualmie silenced it with an imperious
gesture. Then he turned to the young Bannock.

"Dog, one of a race of dogs! go back to your people and tell them what
you have seen to-day. Tell them how we burned and tortured their
messenger, and t