to the great chief of the Ottawas, and the word of a Saganaw is never broken.  Even now, while both the chiefs and the warriors are in his power,—­he will not slay them, for he wishes to show the Ottawa the desire of the Saganaw is to be friendly with the red skins, and not to destroy them.  Wicked men from the Canadas have whispered lies in the ear of the Ottawa; but a great chief should judge for himself, and take council only from the wisdom of his own heart.  The Ottawa and his warriors may go,” he resumed, after a short pause; “the path by which they came is again open to them.  Let them depart in peace; the big thunder of the Saganaw shall not harm them.”

The countenance of the Indian, who had clearly seen the danger of his position, wore an expression of surprise which could not be dissembled:  low exclamations passed between him and his companions; and, then pointing to the tomahawk that lay half buried in the wood, he said, doubtingly,—­

“It was the pale face, the friend of the great chief of the Ottawas, who struck the hatchet at my father.  The Ottawa is not a fool to believe the Saganaw can sleep without revenge.”

“The great chief of the Ottawas shall know us better,” was the reply.  “The young warriors of the Saganaw might destroy their enemies where they now stand, but they seek not their blood.  When the Ottawa chief takes council from his own heart, and not from the lips of a cowardly dog of a pale face, who strikes his tomahawk and then flies, his wisdom will tell him to make peace with the Saganaw, whose warriors are without treachery, even as they are without fear.”

Another of those deep interjectional “ughs” escaped the chest of the proud Indian.

“What my father says is good,” he returned; “but the pale face is a great warrior, and the Ottawa chief is his friend.  The Ottawa will go.”

He then addressed a few sentences, in a tongue unknown to the officers, to the swarthy and anxious crowd in front.  These were answered by a low, sullen, yet assentient grunt, from the united band, who now turned, though with justifiable caution and distrust, and recrossed the drawbridge without hinderance from the troops.  Ponteac waited until the last Indian had departed, and then making a movement to the governor, which, with all its haughtiness, was meant to mark his sense of the forbearance and good faith that had been manifested, once more stalked proudly and calmly across the area, followed by the remainder of the chiefs.  The officers who were with the governor ascended to the ramparts, to follow their movements; and it was not before their report had been made, that the Indians were immerging once more into the heart of the forest, the troops were withdrawn from their formidable defences, and the gate of the fort again firmly secured.

CHAPTER VII.

While the reader is left to pause over the rapid succession of incidents resulting from the mysterious entrance of the warrior of the Fleur de lis into the English fort, be it our task to explain the circumstances connected with the singular disappearance of Captain de Haldimar, and the melancholy murder of his unfortunate servant.