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wo Seamer eet anor eC ol
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20 MALAESKA.--
‘
‘© And what has Malacska been doing since the boy’s father went
to the wood??? inquired Danforth, as she drew him to the couch
where the child was lying half buried in the rich fur. - ;
** Malaeska has been alone in the wigwam, watching the. shadow
of the big pine. When her heart grew sick, she looked in the boy’s
eyes and was'gla?,’? replied the Indian mother, laying the infant in
his father’s arms. . : rs oo
Danforth kisscl the child, whose eyes certainly bore a striking
resemblance to his own; and parting the straight, black hair from
a forehead which scarcely bore a tinge of its mother’s blood, mut-
tered, ‘It’s a pity the little fellow is not quite white.”’
‘The Indian mother took the. child, and with a look of proud
anguish, laid her finger on its cheek, which was rosy with English
blood. :
‘« Malacska’s father is a-great chief —the boy will be a chief in
_ her father’s tribe; but Malacska never thinks of that when she secs
the white man's blood come into the boy’s face,?? She turned
mournfully to her seat-again. . : /
** He will make a brave chicf,’? said Danforth, anxious to soften
the effects of his inadvertent speech; ‘but tell me, Malacska, why
have the warriors kindled the council fire? I saw it blaze by the
pond as I came by.”?
Malaeska could only inform that the body of a dead Indian had
been brought to the cneampmenat about dusk, and that it was sup-
posed he had been shot by some of the whites from the settlement.
She said that the chief had immediately called a council to deliberate
on the best means of revenging their brother’s death,
Danforth had -feared this movement in the savages, and it was to
mitigate their wrath that he sought the encampment at so late an
hour. He had inarried the’ daaghter of their chief, and, conse-
quently, was a man of considerable impor
tance in the tribe. But
he felt that his utmost exertion might fail to draw them from their
meditated vengeance, now that one of their number had beea slain
by the whites. Feeling the necessity of his immediate presence at the
council, he left the wigwam and proceeded at a brisk walk to the
- brink of the Pond. He came out of the thick forest which fringed
it a little above the point on which the Indians were collected.
Their dance was over, and from the few guttural tones which reach-
el him, Danforth knew that they were planning the death “of
some particular individuals, which was probably to precede their at-
‘tack on the'settlement. The council fire still streamed high in the
air, reddening the waters and lighting up the trees and foreground
with a beautiful effect, while the rocky point seemed of emerald peb-
bles, so brilliant was the reflection cast. over it, and go distinctly
did it display the painted formsof the savages ag they sat in a circle
round the blaze, each -with his weapon lying idly by his side. ‘I'he
light lay fullon the glittering wampum and feathery crest of one
who was addressing them with more energy than is common to the
Indian warrior. mt