"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