“Tongue of Spotted Face speaks crooked—crooked as snakes when asleep,” said Beaver Hair, referring to serpents which lie coiled when sunning themselves. “Because Killdeer—him you call the lone Indian—saw Spotted Face kill Black Eagle. Young white brother not kill Black Eagle. Killdeer saw him die.”
What in the world would he next hear of this marvelous lone Indian who seemed in all places at all times? So thought Ree, deeply impressed by the pointed climax his Indian friends had reached. Inwardly, as the thought flew upon his mind, he thanked fortune that the vanishing savage had at least been the means of thwarting the design of the unscrupulous Duff to turn these Mingoes against himself and John, by telling them of the cruel murder of kind old Black Eagle.
“Does Duff—Spotted Face—know that Killdeer saw him strike the Black Eagle down?” Ree asked, glad to know the name of the solitary savage, at last.
The Indians shook their heads.
“Killdeer get him bime-by,” said Long Arrow significantly. “Killdeer’s war is his own war.”
And here was still more to set Ree to thinking—two Mingoes, not especially friendly with the Delawares, saying of the lone Indian just as Gentle Maiden had said, “His war is his own war.” What was the secret of it all? He asked Long Arrow and he asked Beaver Hair then and there. Neither would answer.
“Killdeer has not shot at me nor at your other white brother for a long time,” said Ree. “Has he no war against us?”
“Yes, Killdeer has,” was the answer. “He be heap bad—kill anybody—get many scalps.”
This was not very pleasant information, but time was passing and Ree could not press his inquiries further. He asked the Indians whether they had seen the trail of any persons in the woods, and they answered that they had not. He told them briefly then of John’s disappearance, but they did not volunteer to help him in his search, and bidding them good-bye, he hastened on, eating some dried venison as he went.
The unhappy lad’s mind was filled with conflicting thoughts. Was it the mysterious savage, Killdeer, or was it Duff who had attacked John and the Quaker? Why should Duff have wished to have John kidnaped? The questions were still puzzling him when suddenly he discovered another freshly-made trail in the snow. The tracks were those of a man, but whether Indian or Paleface he could not tell.