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Updated: May 29, 2025
George and Victor kept their eyes on their friend, and when they noted the length of time he held the glass leveled they suspected the cause. "He sees some one," said George, in a low tone. "It must be Taggarak. Look!" Deerfoot had lowered the instrument and was peering westward with his unaided vision. He was testing whether he could thus discern that which the glass revealed plainly.
The tepees were strung along the eastern bank of a stream of considerable size, and was the dwelling-place of Taggarak, the most famous of the Blackfoot war chiefs and the head of the other sachems, most of whom lived in different villages.
"The Shawanoe may fall and never see his paleface brothers again." "We have no fear of that," airily replied George. The next question of Taggarak was as startling as unexpected: "Does the Shawanoe teach the religion of the red men or that of the palefaces?" The brothers looked significantly at each other as Mul-tal-la translated these words, but Victor scarcely hesitated in his reply.
The youth thought he detected a sparkle of the small black eyes, but I fear it was only fancy. "Why is he called Deerfoot?" "The palefaces gave him that name because no deer can run as fast as he." "My sons speak with a double tongue," said the chief, frowning. "They might in the presence of anyone but Taggarak, but to him they use only a single tongue.
When they face each other, Taggarak will give the Shawanoe the choice of dying by his hand or at the Spirit Circle." "Did Taggarak say that to my brother?" "That is his command. He has heard that the Shawanoe is making squaws of his warriors; he therefore gives him his choice of deaths." Victor Shelton sprang to his feet.
Taggarak was glad when he was defeated." "It pleases us more than we can tell to know that Deerfoot has won the good-will of the war chief," observed George Shelton, who could not forget that ominous conversation they had had some time before with Taggarak. "It will make our stay more pleasant than I believed it would be."
Mul-tal-la the Blackfoot obeyed the command of Taggarak, his chief. But though he kept away from the meeting place of the duelists, he hovered not far off, in order to learn at the earliest possible moment the result of the most important personal encounter that had ever taken place in the history of the Blackfoot nation.
"It seems pretty hard, after a fellow has had his life almost whaled out of him, to say he is sorry. It seems to me it's the other chap who ought to feel sorry." "No, we were in the wrong and must apologize. You know how tender-hearted Deerfoot is. I believe he felt pity for Taggarak, even though he knew the chief meant to kill him.
Does he wish to tread the Spirit Circle? Does he beg the Shawanoe to be merciful to him? If he whines for pity, let him sink on his knees and the Shawanoe will listen to his crying." Chief Taggarak now lost the last shred of self-control. With a growl of crazy rage he bounded forward again, striking up and down and right and left with a blind, venomous energy that would have exhausted a giant.
Mul-tal-la kept glancing at Deerfoot with an admiring, affectionate expression, and, noting his continued silence, he said in a gentle voice: "The Blackfeet did not think Mul-tal-la spoke with a single tongue; they said his words were lies, but they do not say so now." "I didn't see anything of Taggarak," added Victor. "I looked around for him after the battle was won. Why did he stay away?"
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