Rising slowly, and speaking in the inflated style of the savage orators, with which he had become thoroughly familiar, he held forth as follows:
“Let the wise old men listen! The Snake is a friend to the Arapahoes, and they know it. When they were in need, and no other trader would furnish them with powder and lead or cloth and beads, because they were poor, and had no robes with which to pay for what they needed, the heart and the hand of the Snake were open, and he furnished them with every thing they wanted, for themselves and their women. The Snake has always wished well to the Arapahoes, and has never lied to them. Let them now listen to his words.
“There was once a man among the Arapahoes, who was so wise that he was called the Big Medicine. He counseled the people, and they heeded his advice, until he died, and went to the spirit-land.”
“The Snake is mistaken,” said one of the old men. “The Big Medicine did not die. He went to the spirit-land; but he will return.”
“Let the wise men listen! Dove-eye told them, nearly twelve moons ago, that the Big Medicine had gone to the spirit-land, and that he would return in six moons. She had often brought messages to the people from him, and they believed her words. They fought the Crows for a long time, and lost many warriors gaining nothing but a few scalps and horses. When six moons had passed, Dove-eye told the wise men that it would be yet another six moons before he would return. This was hard to believe, and there were some who suspected that Dove-eye was lying to the people. I knew that she was lying, and I am ready to prove it to the wise men.”
“The Snake had better be careful how he speaks,” said Black Horse. “If he does not speak the truth in this matter, he will suffer for his lies.”
“The Snake is not afraid. He is ready to prove his words. The Big Medicine will never return from the spirit-land. He died, and was buried by Dove-eye, with the help of her black slave. I have seen the grave. I have seen the body of the old man. It has lain so long in the ground, that you would not recognize the face; but you would know his white hair and beard and the robe that he wore.”
“Let the Snake prove that he has spoken truly.”
Wormley mentioned the name of Bull-tail as a witness to what he had seen, and the vagabond was called in. He corroborated Wormley in all particulars, and went further than that worthy, for he described the whipping and choking process by which Jose had been induced to lead them to the grave.
The confidence of the old men in Dove-eye, already weakened, was greatly shaken by this revelation. The trader was not regarded as a man of the strictest veracity, and his witness was entitled to little credit; but they could not believe that he would make such statements, unless he was sure that he had good foundation for them. They determined to bring Dove-eye before the council, and to confront her with her accuser.