"I'm afraid," remarked the Indian, "that the kind of stories I used to tell Mary Lee would be considered entirely too youthful by you young ladies."
"But we'd like to hear one, I'm sure we would," replied Ruth.
"Yes, Jim do tell us one. I know we will enjoy it."
"Very well," was the answer. "I see there's no escape and so I had better make the best of it.
"Long, long ago, in the land you now know as Colorado, there lived a strong tribe—the Wah-hi-tis—well known for their ability in war. Their name was used by the squaws of the other tribes to frighten the little papooses who were wont to whimper.
"When I say it was long, long ago, I do not mean a hundred, or two hundred, or five hundred years ago. I speak of thousands of years before the white man came from across the big waters—the white man who has forced out, who has swallowed up the Indian so that we are becoming like the buffalo, a rarity.
"There came a chief, Black Eagle, descendant from many chiefs. He was wise and great and his strength was like that of the buffalo and his swiftness like that of the eagle. With an iron hand he ruled, but he was ever kind and considerate except when anger or rage overcame him. Then none was more cruel, more terrible.
"Wise men of many tribes came to visit him and it is said that great gifts were sent to him from the distant lands of Mexico; even from the small seas, they sent him offerings, for it was known that his friendship was a blessing and his enmity a thing of which to be wary.
"Proud were the young bucks who served under Black Eagle. In their sojourns they had but to exclaim with fine disdain, 'I am a Wah-hi-ti!' and they were immediately offered hospitality and friendship.
"Black Eagle had two wives. Swift Bear, his father, had mated him to Swift Water, daughter of a neighboring chief. But then came Laughing Eyes, young and beautiful, and her—Black Eagle loved at sight. And since it was permitted that chiefs have more than one mate, Black Eagle took Laughing Eyes unto himself.