borne it. If it had been the untutored savage, in his ignorant
ferocity, then would I have left Thee, O Lord, to deal with him--to
avenge! But the white brother has risen up against his own flesh
and blood. The white man has stood by to see. He has hounded on the
savages! He has disgraced his humanity! O Lord God, give him into
my hands! let me avenge me of mine adversary. Let the ignorant
Indian escape if Thou wilt, but grant unto me to slay and slay and
slay amid the ranks of the white man, who has sold his soul for
gain, and has become more treacherous and cruel than the Indian
ally whose aid he has invoked. Judge Thou betwixt us, O Lord; look
upon this scene! Strengthen Thou mine arm to the battle, for here I
vow that I will henceforth give my life to this work. I will till
the fields no more. I will beat my pruning hook into a sword. I
will slay, and spare not, and Thou, O God of battles, shalt be with
me. Thou shalt strengthen mine arm; Thou shalt give unto me the
victory. Thou shalt deliver mine enemy into mine hand. I know it, I
see it! For Thou art God, and I am Thy servant, and I will avenge
upon him who has defied Thee this hideous crime upon which Thine
eyes have looked!"

Humphrey stood by silent and awed. An answering thrill was in his
own heart. He had averted his eyes from the ghastly spectacle of
those charred and mangled corpses; but they turned upon them once
more at this moment, and he could not marvel at his brother's
words. He, too, had been trained to peaceable thoughts and ways. He
had hoped that there would soon be an end of these rumours of wars.
His immediate forefathers had been men of peace, and he had never
known the craving after the excitement of battle.

Yet as his brother spoke there came upon him a new feeling. He felt