"Many bad things will happen to you," he said, finally. "Pretty soon we will see if you are brave enough to go through with it. I do not believe you are brave enough to go through with it. You are a Delaware. When you see what the Shawnees are about to do to you I believe you will cry like a woman. Then our young men will laugh at you."
The Shawnee again paused and looked searchingly at the captive. Spotted Deer smiled scornfully. He showed no inclination to speak. His control amazed his foe. He had expected to rouse him into a violent outburst of temper. He appeared baffled by Spotted Deer's indifference. It annoyed him. His anger showed in his face. Having failed to intimidate the young Delaware, the Shawnee appeared to be in a dilemma. Spotted Deer believed he had entered the lodge to carry out some crafty plan. For some moments he maintained an awkward silence. The Delaware watched closely. He saw a swift, cunning glance flash from the eyes of his foe. At that instant the Shawnee addressed him.
"Well, young man, I see that you are brave," he said, less harshly. "It is good. Perhaps I will help you. But you must do as I tell you. Will you listen to my words?"
"Speak," Spotted Deer said, coldly.
"You are a Delaware," resumed the Shawnee, "Your people are our enemies. Our enemies must die. If I do not help you my people will surely kill you. You are a young man. I believe you are a brave warrior. It would be foolish to throw away your life. I will tell you how you may keep it. You must help me kill the great chief Black Panther. He is——"
"Stop!" Spotted Deer cried, furiously. "I have closed my ears. You speak the tongue of my people, but you talk like a Shawnee. The Shawnees are afraid of our great chief, Black Panther. It is good. They run to their lodges when they hear his voice. You wish to kill him but you are afraid. You ask me to help you. Shawnee, if my hands were loose I would pull you to pieces. I am a Delaware. A Delaware will die for his people. Go, Shawnee dog, and tell your brothers the words of Spotted Deer."
The Shawnee listened in dumbfounded amazement as the enraged young Delaware defied him. As Spotted Deer finished speaking, however, his foe suddenly gave way to passion. Springing wildly upon the helpless captive, the Shawnee began to choke him. Spotted Deer was entirely at his mercy. The Shawnee seemed determined to kill him. He slowly increased the power of his grip, and Spotted Deer began to strangle. The Shawnee laughed fiercely as he stared upon the distorted features of his victim. Then, when the tortured Delaware finally began to lose consciousness, the Shawnee suddenly released him.
"No, I will not kill you," he said. "It would be foolish. I will take you to my people. I will give them your words. Then you will see how the Shawnees kill their enemies."
He watched indifferently until he saw Spotted Deer recovering from the attack, and then he left the lodge. For some time afterward Spotted Deer gasped and choked in his efforts to recover his breath. Then he composed himself to think. He feared that his bold defiance would cost him his life. He believed that the Shawnee had spared him to receive a worse fate from his tribesmen. Spotted Deer knew only too well the sort of vengeance the Shawnees would inflict upon him.
"I am a Delaware—I must be brave," he kept telling himself.