that scarlet woman."

"Have you again seen her?" I questioned anxiously, as he paused for
breath.

"Seen her!--the accursed of God, the moral leper who rules this foul
nest? Ay; I have, and may the Lord forgive my ever casting eyes upon
such a shameless creature. 'T was she who brought me this disgrace.
She stood by with mocking smile, bidding her savage minions bind me
fast. She is the chief imp of Satan in spite of her fair face, and
shall yet be stricken low by the avenging arm of the Almighty. 'Tis no
gleam of mercy cometh to me from her taunts, nor in the harlot blood
flowing through her veins. I tell you, Master Benteen, she is the
worst devil, for all her softness, in all this heathen crew; and if she
spared our lives from the torture, it was done through some dark
project born of the demon within her soul. Nothing good can come forth
from such as she. Marked you the eyes she cast on De Noyan?"

"I paid no heed," I answered, wondering he had observed so much. "Have
you supposed we may owe our escape unto him?"

"Ay! she has marked him victim to her snare, nor do I doubt the full
success of her venture. 'T is small stock of virtue which bedecks
itself in such Punchinello dress as that gay gallant wears. Amalekite
is written upon his raiment, and he is ever attired as becomes a
bridegroom to the shameless harlot ruling this devils' den. Marry, he
may be good enough wielding a sword, yet will prove the undoing of all
who company with him in this adventure."

"You are unjustly angry," I insisted, striving to make light of his
words. "I value not the mercy of the woman, yet she used the only
means she had for restraining her savage followers. It was stern
necessity driving her to reliance on the magic of your red hair with
which to save us all. No doubt she intends giving you early release
from so painful a situation."

"You also are bewitched by her vain fleshly beauty," he bellowed
stoutly. "'Tis a carnal generation. I tell you, Master Benteen, I am
an old man, uplifted by communion of the Spirit above all fleshly
lusts. I have faithfully preached the word of salvation to civilized
and savage more than forty years, and am not likely to be led astray by
a glimpse of a fair face tempting me hellward. I speak you truth, as
delivered of God, so surely as were the tablets of the law delivered
unto Moses, when I say that she who, by some wile of the Devil, rules
this tribe and holds our lives in