"How came she there?" demanded the old chief.
"White Wolf found her upon the big plain toward the village of the Blackfeet. Let us go."
Gray Eagle knew the utter uselessness of arguing the question with the Pawnee chief, and bowing his head they rode away.
The Pawnees had discovered the party of Blackfeet at the same time that Jehiel had done so, and just now it occurred to White Wolf that he was in rather a disagreeable situation. He saw that the party of Blackfeet outnumbered his party, five to one, and he knew that they were brave warriors and would not run as easily as the Sioux had done.
Gray Eagle was pleased at the turn in affairs, as would naturally be expected; but when he saw that Snowdrop was one of the approaching party, he turned to White Wolf and said:
"Does my brother speak with a forked tongue?"
"No," replied the Pawnee; "who dare say he does?"
"He said that the daughter of Gray Eagle was in the camp of White Wolf, a day's ride from here. Now Gray Eagle sees her there with his people!"
White Wolf did not know what to say. He had left the Blackfoot beauty a prisoner in the hands of two trusty warriors, and for the life of him he could not imagine who had rescued her. He said:
"Shall there be peace between the Pawnee and Blackfeet braves, or shall White Wolf take the scalp of Gray Eagle and go away?"