“Have you been in the bush long?” This from the leader.
“Bush? What is that?”
“Among the cactus, yonder.”
“Oh, quite five minutes. I was listening.”
“She must die,” said the ugly Finn. “It is for our salvation.” He spoke in his own language, but even those who understood it not could easily understand its meaning.
Petersen took out his knife, and laid it ominously down by his side.
“If she dies, I die,” he said, in the same language.
“Listen, dear,” he continued, turning the child’s face up towards his own. “Tell us what you saw and heard?”
She clasped her hands in a devotional attitude.
“Oh,” she cried, “you is good good men, and I loves you all. You were saying you’ prayers. That was all, and I not like to ’sturb you. So I stay till you is quite finished.”