CHAPTER XVII.
THE CONFERENCE ON THE KNOLL.
For many minutes silence reigned between the two watchers upon the knoll, when the hermit suddenly laid his cold hand on Oonalooska’s bare arm.
“What sees the Lone Man?” questioned the Shawnee.
“An Indian; look yonder!” and Hewitt directed Oonalooska’s gaze to the right of the spot they occupied.
The full-orbed goddess of the night was slowly scaling the eastern horizon, and against her disk, in striking bas-relief, appeared the form of a man. He stood in a listening attitude, but not alone, for beside him stood a huge animal, resembling in the mellow light, a wolf. The twain were scarce twenty feet from the white man and his red companion!
“It must be Okalona,” whispered Oonalooska, after surveying the man before them, “for he came at Oonalooska’s owl hoot.”
A second note rose from Oonalooska’s throat and he whispered:
“White hunter.”
The person addressed turned abruptly upon the chief.
“Who calls?” he cried.