“Have the Pottawattomies spoken well?” questioned the old chief, sternly, “or have our words wronged our brothers?”

A giant of a fellow, whose broad face and huge head seemed disproportionate even to his big body, his long coarse hair profusely ornamented with shells and beads flashing gaudily in the firelight, pushed his way out from among the silent mass.

“Gomo, the great war-chief of the Pottawattomies, has spoken well,” he said in a deep voice that rolled like distant thunder.  “The Wyandots did not know; they war not with Frenchmen, nor harm the women of the Pottawattomies.  The Great Spirit hath made us brothers, and we have smoked together the pipe of peace.”

Gomo moved forward with Indian dignity, and exchanged solemn greeting with the new-comer.

“It makes the hearts of the Pottawattomies light to hear the words of Sau-ga-nash,” he said gravely.  Then he turned and waved his hand to his clustered warriors.  “Release the Frenchman, and place him for safety in the council lodge.  Pass the woman free.  It is the will of our chiefs.”

The council lodge!  I glanced about me apprehensively; surely this must be the same tepee in which Captain Heald and I had met the chiefs!  There were no signs of ordinary Indian occupancy, and now as I looked about me the firelight from without revealed clearly the shading of those grotesque figures I recalled as having been sketched upon the outer covering.  So it was here that De Croix was to be confined!  I crept back hastily, dropping into place the loosened flap through which I had been peering.  A skin or two were lying on the grassy floor; and I grasped the larger of these, drawing it over me while I rolled as closely as possible against the farther wall, hoping desperately that no Indian guards would be posted within.

The uproar outside continued, as if there were still opposition to the commands of the chiefs; but presently, as I peeped through a hole in the skin held over me, I perceived a sudden flash of light as the flap covering the entrance was drawn aside.  I saw a number of dark hands thrust within, a savage face or two peering for a moment about the darkened interior; but to my inexpressible relief only one body was thrust inside, with such violence, however, as to cause the man to fall face downward at full length.  The next instant the lodge was again wrapped in utter darkness.  By God’s mercy I remained undiscovered, and was alone with De Croix.

For a short time, assured as I was of this fact, I did not venture to creep from my place of concealment, or make my presence known to my companion.  What ears might be listening, I knew not; nor dared I trust too much to the Frenchman’s already over-taxed nerves.  He did not move from the position where he fell; but I could hear him groan and sob, with now and then a broken ejaculation.  Without, the yelling and uproar grew perceptibly less, although an occasional outburst gave evidence that the carousal was not wholly ended.  Finally I pushed back the robe that covered me, now grown uncomfortably warm, and crept cautiously toward the place where I knew him to be lying.  It was intensely dark, and I was still fearful lest he might cry out if I startled him.