lip curling scornfully, until the preparations were all made; he then took his place at the post with sullen composure, and prepared to suffer in silence all the horrors meditated by the Sioux.  A grim warrior now stood forward with a keen and glittering tomahawk in his hand, which he began waving and flourishing before the eyes of his victim, in the hope of making him show some sign of apprehension.  In vain, however, did the old Sioux try every feint; now he would aim a blow at his feet, and as suddenly change to his face; now he would graze his very ear; and at length, enraged at the stoicism of his victim, he raised the gleaming hatchet, as if about to strike in earnest.  The smart crack of a rifle was simultaneous with the attempt, and the tormentor’s arm fell useless by his side.  With habitual fear of the fatal weapon, the Sioux sought cover, and gazing upward, saw on the summit of the cliff Peritana—­a babe slung in a cradle at her back—­in the act of loading her rifle.

‘Father,’ cried she somewhat wildly, and pointing out how completely she commanded the pass of the dell, ’in the green days when Peritana walked not alone, you fed and sheltered me; warm was my wigwam, and sweet the venison:  with which my platter was ever filled.  Peritana is very grateful, but’—­and she pointed to her child—­’ Peritana is a mother, and she sees her husband, the father of the Little Wolf, in the hands of his enemies.  Her eyes grow dim, and her memory departs.  She cannot see her father, but she sees the enemy of her husband; she forgets she was ever a Sioux, and remembers only she is now an Assineboin.  If his enemies kill her husband, Peritana will use her rifle as long as her powder lasts, and then will leap into the water, and join Ah-kre-nay in the happy hunting-ground of his people.  But a Sioux warrior will not forget he has a daughter,’ continued she more tenderly; ’give her back the father of her child, and Peritana will bring a great warrior into the Sioux camp.’

The Sioux saw at once the force of her proposition.  Certain death awaited many, if not the whole band, should they strive to ascend the pass in the face of an infuriated widow; while, should she prevail upon Ah-kre-nay to forget, for her sake, his hereditary antipathies, and join the Sioux band, a mighty advantage would accrue.  When free, and acting with perfect freedom, it was probable that the young Assineboin would show but little resistance to this offer.  In ten minutes after the appearance of Peritana on the cliff, her husband, who had been an attentive listener, stood fully armed at the mouth of the pass, free.  He was just about to commence the ascent, when, determined to win the admiration of the Sioux at once, he turned towards them once more, and, standing in their midst, laid his arm affectionately on the shoulder of the chief, and cried:  ’Come, Peritana; Ah-kre-nay is with his friends; let not his squaw be afraid to join him.’