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At last the door swung open, and the Long Arrow, bottle in hand, came clumsily into the hut and stood unsteadily in the square of moonlight. He looked about as if he could not see them. Teganouan had come in behind him; and the door swung to, creaking. "The White Chief is the brother of the Long Arrow," said the chief, speaking slowly and with an effort to make his words distinct.
They paused at the bank of the lake. The water lay sparkling in the moonlight. Menard looked grimly out; this light added to the danger. He found a short log close at hand and carried it to the water. "Come, Mademoiselle," he whispered, "and Father Claude. This will support you. Teganouan and I will swim. Keep low in the water, and do not splash or speak.
Turn to the north, Teganouan." He could hear the maid's voice, protesting sleepily, and Father Claude talking quietly to her. He looked around. The priest said in a low tone: "Come, M'sieu, it is hard to awaken her." "We must frighten her, then." He caught her shoulders and shook her roughly. Slowly her eyes opened, and then the two men dragged her forward.
They say that the Onondagas should be punished for their treachery." "Good." "Teganouan has been talking long with a runner of the Seneca nation." "Ah, he brings word of the fight?" "Yes. The Senecas have suffered under the iron hand of the Great Mountain.
Teganouan built a fire close at hand, and sat by it without a motion, excepting the alert shifting glances of his bead-like eyes, until, when the colours in the east had faded into blue and the sun was well above the trees, he saw the chiefs of the village coming slowly toward him between the huts, a crowd of young men following behind them, and a snarling pack of dogs running before.
"Teganouan, will you go among the braves of the village and tell them that the Big Buffalo is a strong fighter, that he killed the Long Arrow with his hands? It may be that they have not believed." This was the kind of strategy Teganouan understood. He walked slowly away, puffing at his pipe, to mingle among the people of the village and boast in bold metaphors the prowess of his White Chief.
But Teganouan is not a child. He sees with the eye of the old warrior who has fought a battle for every sun in the year, who has known the white man as well as the redman. When the Big Buffalo stood in the Long House, Teganouan believed him; Teganouan knew that his words were true. And now the heart of Teganouan is warm with trust.
It is late in the night, and we should be free before dawn. Have you thought of any way?" "Yes," replied the priest, slowly, "we have thought of one. Teganouan is with our party. At the first he tried to keep out of sight, but of course he could not, once we were on the way. He was a long time at the Mission of St. Francis, and I at one time hoped that he would prove a true believer.
Father Claude broke in on Menard, whose voice was savage in its defiance. "Have patience, M'sieu. I will speak." He lifted his voice. "Teganouan! Father Claude awaits you." There was no reply from the knot of warriors at the bank, and the priest called again. Finally a chief came across and looked stolidly at the prisoners. "My Father called?" he said.
They all rose, and after a few grunted words of friendship, filed away to go over the matter in private council. Menard saw that they were puzzled; perhaps they did not believe that he had killed the Long Arrow. He turned to Teganouan, who had been sitting a few yards away.
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