“The chief is not content with the woman chief his people have chosen,” she said, in her lowest, softest tone.
“Mahaska mistakes,” he answered; “the Fox welcome her willingly as his brothers, but he never heard that she was to sit at the council-fire and be treated as a chief.”
“When Mahaska is not a chief she leaves the tribe forever,” she replied calmly.
“Mahaska is married; why does not Gi-en-gwa-tah her husband speak for her?”
The young chief to whom he alluded rose on the instant and answered with stately pride:
“Gi-en-gwa-tah is chief of the Senecas, but he can not know the visions which Mahaska sees; the Great Spirit converses with her as he did with our prophet, but her husband is like his brethren, only a warrior; he can not understand words from the Great Spirit.”
Mahaska gave him an approving glance and moved nearer the council-fire.
“Let the Fox speak,” she said; “what are his thoughts?”
Thus unexpectedly confronted by the woman armed with the double spell of her gorgeous beauty and the spiritual influence which she had over the minds of a superstitious people, the chief was at loss to reply. For a few seconds he sat silent while Mahaska watched him with a look of grave expectation.
“Why is the Fox silent?” she cried.