“That is as it will be,” rumbled the chief. “I ask you why you or some of your men killed Tall Runner of the Wolf.”
“A renegade brought you that lie. You know it is a lie,” Sevier calmly retorted.
Watts half rose with hand on knife, then sank back on the bench. Sevier continued—
“The man who told you that is a murderer and the man I am after.”
“He killed Tall Runner?” sneered Watts.
“He killed a white man. No one killed Tall Runner. There is peace between the Little Tennessee towns and the Watauga settlements. Tall Runner was a messenger from Old Tassel, who is our friend. Why should we kill him? The Runner brought me talk from Old Tassel about a grand council. I sent a talk back to him, saying I would meet him and all friendly Cherokees in council and settle the trouble about the settlers moving on to the lands south of the French Broad.”
“No such talk was brought to me,” said Watts.
“That is for Old Tassel to look after. Perhaps he knows you already have made a treaty with the Creeks; that you want war against the whites.”
“Why do you say such things?” cried Watts.
“Why do you hide the white peace-pipe when I’m brought here? The pipe you have just smoked with the chiefs sent by McGillivray?”