 | CHAPTER IV. The wigwam and the cabin |  |
4. CHAPTER IV.
The hunters were all in the woods, and none but the squaws
and the papooses left in the encampment. Selonee came within
sight of their back settlements, and seated himself upon a log at
the edge of the forest with his back carefully turned towards the
smoke of the camp. Nobody ventured to approach him while in
this situation; but, at night, when the hunters came dropping in,
one by one, Selonee drew nigh to them. He called them apart
from the women, and then told them his story.
“This is a strange tale which the wolf-chief tells us,” said
one of the old men, with a smile of incredulity.
“It is a true tale, father,” was the reply.
“Conattee was a brave chief!”
“Very brave, father,” said Selonee.
“Had he not eyes to see?”
“The great bird, that rises to the sun, had not better,” was the
reply.
“What painted jay was it that said Conattee was a fool?”
“The painted bird lied, that said so, my father,” was the
response of Selonee.
“And comes Selonee, the wolf-chief, to us, with a tale that
Conattee was blind, and could not see; a coward that could not
strike the she-wolf; a fool that knew not where to set down his
foot; and shall we not say Selonee lies upon his brother, even as
the painted bird that makes a noise in my ears. Selonee has
slain Conattee with his knife. See, it is the blood of Conattee
upon the war-shirt of Selonee.”
“It is the blood of the she-wolf,” cried the young warrior,
with a natural indignation.
“Let Selonee go to the woods behind the lodges, till the chiefs
say what shall be done to Selonee, because of Conattee, whom he
slew.”
“Selonee will go, as Emathla, the wise chief, has commanded,”
the chiefs have said what is good to be done to him, and if they
say that he must die because of Conattee, it is well. Selonee
laughs at death. But the blood of Conattee is not upon the war-shirt
of Selonee. He has said it is the blood of the wolf's mother.”
With these words the young chief drew forth the skin of the wolf
which he had slain, together with the tips of the ears taken from
the cubs, and leaving them in the place where he had sat, withdrew,
without further speech, from the assembly which was about
to sit in judgment upon his life.
| CHAPTER IV. The wigwam and the cabin | |