fostered and which was intensified by the proximity of open jaws, sharp
fangs, heavy muzzles, and standing bristles amongst them, owed much of
its effect to the unanimous expression of truculent challenge and averse
disfavor. There were frequent confirmatory emphatic nods of great
disheveled heads, the scarlet flushing of angry faces, already florid,
and now and again a violent descriptive gesture of a long brawny arm
with a clenched fist at its extremity. Richard Mivane's well-rounded
periods and gentlemanly phrasings were like the educated thrusts and
feints of an expert fencer who opposes his single rapier to the
bludgeons and missiles of a furious mob. He saw in less than five
minutes that the scheme of extenuation and conciliation was futile, that
retort and retaliation would be returned in kind, that the stoppage of
the pack-train from Blue Lick on the way to Charlestown was inevitable,
and that the redcoats, invoked by both parties, would doubtless become
embroiled with one or the other,--in short, bloodshed was a foregone
conclusion.

Much as this was to be deprecated in any event, it was suicidal amongst
these infant settlements by reason of the vicinage and antagonism of the
fierce and only half-subdued Cherokees, sullenly nourishing schemes of
revenge for their recent defeat and many woes. But when he urged this
upon the attention of the herders, the retort came quick and pointed:
"We ain't talkin' 'bout no Injuns!--the Cherokees never meddled with our
cattle! We'll settle about the stampede first, an' 'tend to the
Cherokees in good time--all in good time!"

Richard Mivane was not possessed of much affinity with the ruder
primitive qualities, the stalwart candor and uncultured forces of the
natural man; and never had these inherent elements appeared to less
advantage in his mind than when he was brought into disastrous conflict