Book, making the sign of the Cross swiftly as he did so, and unheeding
the ironical, if hesitating, laughter in the court. Then he said:
"'Bien,' I will tell you the story-the whole truth. I was in the Stony
Plains. Little Hammer was 'good Injin' then. . . . Yes, sacre! it
is a fool who smiles at that. I have kissed the Book. Dam! . . . He
would be chief soon when old Two Tails die. He was proud, then, Little
Hammer. He go not to the Post for drink; he sell not next year's furs
for this year's rations; he shoot straight."

Here Little Hammer stood up and said: "There is too much talk. Let me
be. It is all done. The sun is set--I care not--I have killed him;"
and then he drew his blanket about his face and sat down.

But Pierre continued: "Yes, you killed him-quick, after five years--that
is so; but you will not speak to say why. Then, I will speak. The
Injins say Little Hammer will be great man; he will bring the tribes
together; and all the time Little Hammer was strong and silent and wise.
Then Brigley the trapper--well, he was a thief and coward. He come to
Little Hammer and say, 'I am hungry and tired.' Little Hammer give him
food and sleep. He go away. 'Bien,' he come back and say,--'It is far
to go; I have no horse.' So Little Hammer give him a horse too. Then he
come back once again in the night when Little Hammer was away, and before
morning he go; but when Little Hammer return, there lay his bride--only
an Injin girl, but his bride-dead! You see? Eh? No? Well, the Captain
at the Post he says it was the same as Lucrece.--I say it was like hell.
It is not much to kill or to die--that is in the game; but that other,
'mon Dieu!' Little Hammer, you see how he hide his head: not because he
kill the Tarquin, that Brigley, but because he is a poor 'vaurien' now,
and he once was happy and had a wife. . . . What would you do, judge
honourable? . . . Little Hammer, I shake your hand--so--How!"