The killing of Lobb was as nothing to the Delawares in comparison to the
words Lone-Elk had spoken, and the greatest confusion followed his
sudden departure. Many Indians and two of the woodsmen rushed out as if
to seize the Seneca, but he was gone. For an instant they caught sight
of him among the trees, walking rapidly away, with head erect and
shoulders squared. Not once did he look back.
Why no one went in pursuit of Lone-Elk might be hard to explain; but
certain it is that neither Indian nor white man so much as called after
him. Perhaps what was every one's business was no one's business. At any
rate the Seneca went his way unmolested, and those who had hurried out
after him soon returned to the Council House where, between them,
Captain Pipe and Kingdom had succeeded in restoring quiet--the former by
ordering the Delawares to be silent; the latter by cautioning his
friends to beep cool.
Sergeant Quayle had sought to lift the unfortunate Lobb up the moment he
fell, but found his task useless. The murderer was dead, and no wonder,
for the gaping wound in his head was both wide and deep.
Quayle still knelt over the lifeless body when the confusion had
subsided; but seeing with what horror even the savages regarded the dead
man's fallen jaw and staring eyes, truly a most terrible sight, he
covered the corpse with his coat.
An embarrassing silence followed the noise and commotion the tragedy had
occasioned, and for a few seconds the quiet was dreadful. The Indians
were in no good humor. The woodsmen were ripe and ready for trouble and
Kingdom understood only too well the gravity of the situation. But he
grappled with it boldly and successfully.
"Captain Pipe," he said, with quiet dignity, "A murder has been
committed. A white man has been killed while under the flag of truce. It
is not enough to say that he deserved his death. Of course we realize
that the Delawares are not exactly to blame. Still we have all learned
how Big Buffalo died and we have seen the murderer punished. Now will
the Delawares not agree that they no longer have a reason for holding
Little Paleface a prisoner?"
"Like the Delawares have the young Paleface brothers suffered for the
sins of another," Captain Pipe made answer. "They will yield the
prisoner to his friends. Yet do the Delawares urge the Paleface young
men to leave the lands of the Indians and, until there is peace, come
back no more. They know, as the Delawares know, that it is not safe. The
blood of our warriors is heated. The braves are in warpaint. For the
Little Paleface and for White Fox the Delawares will have only kind
thoughts. They have been good friends. The Indians have been glad to
visit them and trade with them.
"Yet is it wise that they travel their separate paths alone. The ways of
the Paleface are not the ways of the Indian. The Great Spirit has made
them both as they are and they cannot be otherwise. Time and the
conflicts that every day take place will at last draw a line between
them and there will be peace and happiness. To the west will live the
Indians as the Great Spirit has taught them to do. To the east, the
Palefaces will cut down trees, drive off the game and build and dwell in
noisy towns. It is as they have been taught. Still, only by war can the
line of separation be drawn, and it is well for the Delawares and their
Paleface brothers to go in different ways. Today the trail they have
followed together divides. They say farewell. They hope for friendship's
sake their paths may never meet in war."
With a few words in reply Kingdom hurried to John Jerome, whom the
warriors quickly loosened from his bonds. The two boys clasped hands in
silence.
Fishing Bird had already sent Long-Hair and Little Wolf for John's rifle
and other belongings and when the lad had shaken hands with Neohaw,
Gentle Maiden and Captain Pipe, his property was handed him.
Ree also took leave of the Indians whose friendship he had once enjoyed
and, two of the woodsmen bearing the body of the Englishman, all the
white men left the village.
Silently, their untamed spirits for the time subdued, the Indians
gathered near the Council House to watch the departure of the Palefaces.
To the portage trail Ree and John were accompanied by Fishing Bird. They
asked him to go with them--to remain with them permanently. He shook his
head.
"Paleface brothers heard the words of Captain Pipe," he said,
significantly but sorrowfully, and they said good-bye forever.
An hour later, beside the portage path, the great highway of the
wilderness, the body of Lobb was buried; and the sun went down and
darkness enveloped the vast forest and all within it.