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The half-breed was suspiciously calm. They lacked an unquestioned leader. "That is Myengeen leading them," said Strange; "a bad Indian!" "Macfarlane tell us what to do," said Giddings. "They're quiet now," said Colina. "I shall speak to them!" Macfarlane put out a restraining hand. "Leave this to me!" he said quickly. "We're in each other's way here," cried Ambrose.
"Watusk testified that he had a conversation with the prisoner during the fire, but the confusion was so great he cannot remember what was said. This is very natural. "Myengeen, Tatateecha, and the other Indians who testified said that the prisoner did harangue them, and that they understood from his gestures that he was urging them to cross the river and revenge themselves.
Ambrose demanded four men of him to carry Tole's body to his father's house. Watusk kept him waiting while he listened to a communication from Myengeen. Ambrose guessed that it had to do with himself, for both men glanced furtively at him. Watusk finally turned away without having answered the white man. Ambrose, growing red, imperiously repeated his demand.
Watusk, glowering sullenly, made no answer. "Have you got Ambrose Doane here?" the officer demanded. "Ambrose Doane here," said Watusk. "I want him," said Egerton crisply. "I also want you, Watusk, Myengeen, Tatateecha, and three others whose names I can't pronounce. I have a clerk belonging to the Company store who will pick them out.
"She said she saw him go after Watusk, and heard him make Watusk tell the Indians not to be foolish, but go back to the teepees until morning. But Watusk spoke to them half-heartedly and they did not listen. It was Myengeen, Nesis said, who urged them to go across the river, and break into the store. "Nesis did not see what happened at the boat. The crowd was too great for her to get near.
Myengeen, whom Ambrose had marked earlier as a leader of the mob, gripped his hand at the gate and cried out with hypocritical joy. Others crowded around, those who could not obtain his hands, stroking his sleeves and fawning upon him. There was an ironical note in the demonstration. Ambrose observed that the majority of the Indians looked on indifferently. He smelted treachery in the air.
He said, still without meeting Ambrose's eye: "Myengeen say you kill Tom Moosa. You got to take our law." "It's a lie!" cried Ambrose, suffocating with indignation. Watusk shrugged and disappeared. It was useless for Ambrose to shout at any of the others. He fumed in silence. The Indians gave his dangerous eyes a wide berth.
Ambrose with no uncertain gestures commanded Myengeen to have them taken up and carried to the boat. It was done. When they got down the bank out of sight of the house Myengeen and the others gave over their hollow pretense of enthusiasm at Ambrose's release. Thereafter none paid the least attention to him.
They were headed in a southeasterly direction that is to say, back toward the Kakisa River. They rode at a walk. There was no conversation except among the leaders. The moon went down and the shadows pressed closer. In a little while there was a division. Myengeen, parted from Watusk and rode off to the right, followed, Ambrose judged from the sounds, by a great part of the horsemen.
But next morning when they came back she heard Myengeen say to Watusk that Gordon Strange had sent word that they must tie Ambrose Doane up and carry him away. "She said it was soon known throughout the tribe that if the police came everybody was to say that Ambrose Doane made all the trouble. She said he was tied up and carried away on a horse.
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