“Has the queen any other message for the General? Would she like more presents for her palace?”
“No, the house is well supplied, Rene. My people believe those gifts came from the Great Spirit. What would they think if they knew you were one of his messengers?”
She laughed as she spoke. How the last spark of faith had gone out in Gi-en-gwa-tah’s mind; he comprehended all her falsity.
For some time longer she conversed with the spy, but as they rose to go, Gi-en-gwa-tah crept away through the bushes, anxious to reach the camp before Mahaska.
His course was clear. Her treachery and deception must be exposed to the tribes at the first opportunity, but he could not think of that now; he had another work to perform. He must save the wife of his ally; that very night she must be removed beyond the reach of Mahaska’s vengeance. Silently as he glided away, some sound reached Mahaska’s ear. She touched the spy’s arm warningly, and both bent their keen eyes in the direction to which she pointed.
Mahaska caught sight of the retreating form and recognized the chief.
“It is Gi-en-gwa-tah!” exclaimed the spy; “he has overheard us.”
“It matters not,” she replied; “this only seals his fate; an hour after our arrival at the lake village, you should hear his death-song if you could be near.”
She waved a careless adieu to the spy and walked rapidly away toward the camp. She soon entered the tent—threw off the fur cloak she had worn during the evening, flung her coronet of feathers upon it and lay down on the bed. Once she drew near Adèle, but the sleepless captive closed her eyes to avoid the sight; and, apparently satisfied that her victim was sleeping, Mahaska turned away for repose. A drinking cup had been set near her bed, for she never slept without a cooling draught within reach of her hand. Before lying down, she quaffed a deep draught and covered herself up with furs.
Adèle heard the sound of her breathing, and ere long she was sleeping heavily. Then, there was a grating upon the side of the tent—a warning whisper reached her ear; a face appeared at an aperture close by the ground, and in the moonlight she recognized the features of the chief, Mahaska’s husband.