"A Spaniard has charged me with a letter for the chief."
"Ah!" the toqui exclaimed, with a singular intonation, and fixing a piercing look upon the face of the young man.
"Yes," the Frenchman continued; "and that letter I am about to have the honour of handing to you."
And he put his hand to his breast, to take out the letter.
"Stop!" said the chief, laying his hand upon his arm, as he turned towards his servants; adding, "leave the room." The three men were left alone.
"Now you may give me the letter," he continued.
The chief took it, looked carefully at the superscription, turned the paper in all directions in his hand, and then, with some hesitation, presented it to the young man.
"Let my brother read it," he said; "the whites are more learned than we poor Indians: they know everything."
Valentine gave his countenance the most silly expression possible.
"I cannot read this," he said, with well-assumed embarrassment.