The tall savage exulted in the mortification he had awakened, and as his eye glanced insolently from head to foot along his enemy, its expression told how much he laughed at the impotence of his anger.  Suddenly, however, a change passed over his features.  The mocassin of the officer had evidently attracted his attention, and he now demanded, in a more serious and imperative tone,—­

“Ha! what means this disguise?  Who is the wretch whom I have slain, mistaking him for a nobler victim; and how comes it that an officer of the English garrison appears here in the garb of a servant?  By heaven, it is so! you are come as a spy into the camp of the Indians to steal away the councils of the chiefs.  Speak, what have you heard?”

With these questions returned the calm and self-possession of the officer.  He at once saw the importance of his answer, on which hung not merely his own last faint chance of safety, but that also of his generous deliverer.  Struggling to subdue the disgust which he felt at holding converse with this atrocious monster, he asked in turn,—­

“Am I then the only one whom the warriors have overtaken in their pursuit?”

“There was a woman, the sister of that boy,” and he pointed contemptuously to the young chief who had so recently assailed him, and who now, in common with his followers, stood impatiently listening to a colloquy that was unintelligible to all.  “Speak truly, was she not the traitress who conducted you here?”

“Had you found me here,” returned the officer, with difficulty repressing his feelings, “there might have been some ground for the assertion; but surely the councils of the chiefs could not be overheard at the distant point at which you discovered me.”

“Why then were you there in this disguise?—­and who is he,” again holding up the bloody scalp, “whom I have despoiled of this?”

“There are few of the Ottawa Indians,” returned Captain de Haldimar, “who are ignorant I once saved that young woman’s life.  Is it then so very extraordinary an attachment should have been the consequence?  The man whom you slew was my servant.  I had brought him out with me for protection during my interview with the woman, and I exchanged my uniform with him for the same purpose.  There is nothing in this, however, to warrant the supposition of my being a spy.”

During the delivery of these more than equivocal sentences, which, however, he felt were fully justified by circumstances, the young officer had struggled to appear calm and confident; but, despite of his exertions, his consciousness caused his cheek to colour, and his eye to twinkle, beneath the searching glance of his ferocious enemy.  The latter thrust his hand into his chest, and slowly drew forth the rope he had previously exhibited to Ponteac.