Suddenly pausing in his impatient strides, the governor faced towards him.
“So he was anxious about her, was he?”
Elias Rody was evidently out of temper, and not now afraid to show it. But Carrol was not exactly the person to care much about this.
“He was,” was his cool answer; “but I don’t know how I’ve got anything to do with it, except to tell him, and you, too, for the matter of that, that the red man has his rights and feelings. Yes, and they’re both worth considerin’ as much as if they war pale-faces like ourselves.”
“And why to me, sir?” asked the governor.
“Well, just because I ain’t afraid to say to your face what I’d say behind your back, and that is, that your son had better stop thinking about that gurl, Sansuta, as soon as may be, and that you’d best see to it afore worse happens.”
A very outspoken man was the backwoodsman, and Elias Rody was sorry now for having visited him.
Before he could recover from his surprise, Carrol returned speech.
“There ain’t no good, governor, in mincing matters. Last year, when Oluski war here, your son war always prowlin’ ’bout the Injun encampment, and down in the grove war thar gurl used to be. He war always a talkin’ to the chief’s darter, and making presents to her. I know what I seed, and it warn’t jest the thing.”
“Perfectly natural, man,” said the governor, mastering his chagrin, and speaking calmly; “perfectly natural, all that, seeing that Nelatu, Sansuta, and my son grew up as children together.”