"I am talking as if I were an extract from a page of American history. This is my background for the legend of the 'Silver Arrow.'
"Once upon a time an Indian boy, known to his companions as 'White Heart,' because of his gentleness and kindness, which they believed cowardice, went down into one of the deepest of the canyons to pray until the coming of dawn.
"At dawn he was to come forth from the canyon and join a group of Indian lads. Before the old chief, who lay dying, they were to appear and from the number the new chief would be chosen.
"During his long vigil White Heart prayed that the honor should not fall upon him. He had little reason to believe this possible, only a great fear. To be chief of his tribe meant that he must lead the warriors to battle. He must kill and urge others to destroy. If needs be he must lay waste other Indian villages and bear off the women and girls into captivity. And White Heart knew that for him to kill was impossible. The thought of suffering filled him with pity and tenderness. He grew faint and ill before the sight of blood. What availed him that he could run more swiftly, swim more strongly, shoot straighter to the center of a target, if he remained a coward both in war and peace?
"Many times he had been called a woman by his boy companions, but this a number of the Indian maidens resented. They felt no such weakness as White Heart revealed.
"'Better that I should never come forth from the depth of the canyon, rather than face the future,' White Heart murmured aloud more than once during the long night. He could not pray to be delivered from his weakness of character, as he had no desire to change, to grow hard of heart, to shed blood and create sorrow.
"The canyon was filled with a heavy mist. Dim figures of long-dead warriors floated past his view. They were clothed with light, but not one of them held a sword, an arrow or a spear.
"Before dawn White Heart wearied and fell asleep."
The story-teller paused.
"Perhaps I am boring you? I never would have agreed to tell the tale of the 'Silver Arrow' had I realized I would take so long."