tribe. Many looked upon him with sympathy and regard. Speaking of the
foes of his people, his dark eyes lighted up with contemplated revenge--
his mouth curled with contempt. He called them snakes with forked
tongues; he wished to drive them from the ever green and pleasant valley
of his fathers; he wished to share the land with his brothers of the
snowy hills. He proved his skill as an orator by swaying the minds of
his hearers, and amidst great rejoicing stepped back to the side of his
own braves.

The old Sachem looked at him encouragingly, while the shy Fawn,
gathering up her no longer neglected wampum, bounded away to mingle with
the Indian maidens, followed by the devoted wolf, and the affectionate
eyes of her father and of many admiring braves.

The feast and dance continued long into the night; but sunrise found the
warriors and braves straightening their arrows and sharpening their
stony points and newly cording with sinews their idle bows, withing the
heads of their tomahawks, war-clubs and spears. Great and earnest
preparations were made to follow the river in its noisy course past its
dark whirling basin, down the stony mountain to where it mingles its
wild dancing waves with the calm and beautiful lake, bringing only the
faintest murmurs of the great falling waters to their favorite hunting
grounds.

Within that valley, before the sun drops beneath the bright waves of
Ontario, will be decided by individual skill, unassisted by friendly
influence, the right between Black Snake and his adopted brother, Grey
Eagle, to fill the place made vacant by the death of War Eagle.

This was the decision of the women. Among the Indians genealogy is