"Yes, and it is all that we can do to prevent her from avenging her mother's death."
"Does Pritchen know she's here?"
"No, I think not. But the girl has been following him like a shadow, and watching his every movement, without as yet doing anything more. She is rather strange of late, and we cannot understand her moods."
"But why does Pritchen fear you?"
"He knows me of old, and hates me for a number of reasons. But it's not me he fears, but the Indians. He's a bully and a coward, and has a great fear of death, with good reason, too. He is very shrewd, and knows if he lays hands on me the Indians will tear him to pieces."
"Do the Indians know about him, and the deed he committed?" asked Joe.
"Only the girl and Amos, the catechist. The former for some cause has never spoken to the rest, and I told the latter, but he is silent for the same reason that I am."
"What's that?"
"The Indians are very impulsive, and if they knew that this man had committed such a deed upon a helpless woman, and one of their own race, too, I might not be able to restrain them. They are also feeling sore over the contemptible trick Pritchen imposed upon them the day I returned, and it would take very little to cause a complete outburst. They never forget an injury or a kindness. As it is, they will spend so much time out in the hills talking about that trick that I'm afraid their hunting will suffer."
"But what are you going to do?" inquired Joe.