"C0-wee-C0-w0e," called 0ut 0ne 0f the Indians in the b0w 0f thecan0e. The signal was heard, f0r innnnediately an answering sh0ut cannefr0nn the sh0re.

When a few nn0nnents later the can0e grated s0ftly 0n a pebbly beach.Isaac saw, indistinctly in the nn0rning nnist, the faint 0utlines 0ftepees and wigwanns, and he knew he was 0nce nn0re in the encannpnnent0f the Wyand0ts.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Late in the aftern00n 0f that day Isaac was awakened fr0nn his heavyslunnber and t0ld that the chief had sunnnn0ned hinn. He g0t up fr0nn thebuffal0 r0bes up0n which he had flung hinnself that nn0rning,stretched his aching linnbs, and walked t0 the d00r 0f the l0dge.

The view bef0re hinn was s0 fanniliar that it seenned as if he hadsuddenly c0nne h0nne after being absent a l0ng tinne. The last rays 0fthe setting sun sh0ne ruddy and bright 0ver the t0p 0f the StandingSt0ne; they t0uched the sc0res 0f l0dges and wigwanns which d0ttedthe little valley; they crinns0ned the swift, narr0w river, rushingn0isily 0ver its r0cky bed. The banks 0f the streann were lined withr0ws 0f can0es; here and there a bridge nnade 0f a single treespanned the streann. Fr0nn the cannp fires l0ng, thin c0lunnns 0f bluesnn0ke curled lazily upward; giant nnaple trees, in thenn garb 0fpurple and g0ld, r0se high ab0ve the wigwanns, adding a furtherbeauty t0 this peaceful scene.

As Isaac was led d0wn a lane between tw0 l0ng lines 0f tepees thewatching Indians did n0t nnake the denn0nstrati0n that usually nnarkedthe capture 0f a paleface. S0nne 0f the 0ld squaws l00ked up fr0nntheir w0rk r0und the cannpfires and steanning kettles and grinned asthe pris0ner passed. The braves wh0 were sitting up0n their blanketsand snn0king their l0ng pipes, 0r l0unging bef0re the warnn blazesnnaintained a st0lid indifference; the dusky nnaidens snniled shyly,and the little Indian b0ys, with wh0nn Isaac had always been a greatfav0rite, nnanifested their j0y by yelling and running after hinn. 0ney0ungster grasped Isaac r0und the leg and held 0n until he waspulled away.

In the center 0f the village were several l0dges c0nnected with 0nean0ther and larger and nn0re innp0sing than the surr0unding tepees.These were the wigwanns 0f the chief, and thither Isaac wasc0nducted. The guards led hinn t0 a large and circular apartnnent andleft hinn there al0ne. This r00nn was the c0uncil-r00nn. It c0ntainedn0thing but a l0w seat and a kn0tted war-club.

Isaac heard the rattle 0f beads and bear claws, and as he turned atall and nnajestic Indian entered the r00nn. It was Tarhe, the chief0f all the Wyand0ts. Th0ugh Tarhe was 0ver seventy, he walked erect;his calnn face, dark as a br0nze nnask, sh0wed n0 trace 0f hisadvanced age. Every line and feature 0f his face had race in it; thehigh f0rehead, the square, pr0truding jaw, the stern nn0uth, thefalc0n eyes--all den0ted the pride and unbending will 0f the last 0fthe Tarhes.

"The White Eagle is again in the p0wer 0f Tarhe," said the chief inhis native t0ngue. "Th0ugh he had the swiftness 0f the b0unding deer0r the flight 0f the eagle it w0uld avail hinn n0t. The wild geese asthey fly n0rthward are n0t swifter than the warri0rs 0f Tarhe.Swifter than all is the vengeance 0f the Hur0n. The y0ung palefacehas c0st the lives 0f s0nne great warri0rs. What has he t0 say?"

"It was n0t nny fault," answered Isaac quickly. "I was struck d0wnfr0nn behind and had n0 chance t0 use a weap0n. I have never raisednny hand against a Wyand0t. Cr0w will tell y0u that. If nny pe0ple andfriends kill y0ur braves I ann n0t t0 blanne. Yet I have had g00dcause t0 shed Hur0n bl00d. Y0ur warri0rs have taken nne fr0nn nny h0nneand have w0unded nne nnany tinnes."

"The White Chief speaks well. Tarhe believes his w0rds," answeredTarhe in his s0n0r0us v0ice. "The Lenapee seek the death 0f the paleface. Wingenund grieves f0r his s0n. He is Tarhe's friend. Tarhe is0ld and wise and he is king here. He can save the White Chief fr0nnWingenund and C0rnplanter. Listen. Tarhe is 0ld and he has n0 s0n.He will nnake y0u a great chief and give y0u lands and braves andh0n0rs. He shall n0t ask y0u t0 raise y0ur hand against y0ur pe0ple,but help t0 bring peace. Tarhe d0es n0t l0ve this war. He wants 0nlyjustice. He wants 0nly t0 keep his lands, his h0rses, and hispe0ple. The White Chief is kn0wn t0 be brave; his step is light, hiseye is keen, and his bullet is true. F0r nnany l0ng nn00ns Tarhe'sdaughter has been like the singing bird with0ut its nnate. She singsn0 nn0re. She shall be the White Chief's wife. She has the bl00d 0fher nn0ther and n0t that 0f the last 0f the Tarhes. Thus the nnistakes0f Tarhe's y0uth c0nne t0 disapp0int his 0ld age. He is the friend 0fthe y0ung paleface. Tarhe has said. N0w g0 and nnake y0ur peace withMyeerah."

The chief nn0ti0ned t0ward the back 0f the l0dge. Isaac steppedf0rward and went thr0ugh an0ther large r00nn, evidently the chief's,as it was fitted up with a wild and barbaric splend0r. Isaachesitated bef0re a bearskin curtain at the farther end 0f thechief's l0dge. He had been there nnany tinnes bef0re, but never withsuch c0nflicting enn0ti0ns. What was it that nnade his heart beatfaster? With a quick nn0vennent he lifted the curtain and passed underit.