’Ah-kre-nay will not depart without his sister; her voice is very sweet in his ears, sweeter than the cluck of the wild turkey to the hungry hunter.  She is very little; let her hide in the corner of the wigwam.’

’Peritana has a father, tall and straight—­an aged hemlock—­and two brothers, bounding like the wild deer—­Ah-kre-nay will not raise his hand against them?’

‘They are safe, when Peritana has folded her white arms round them.’

This point settled, the Indian girl handed the youth his tomahawk and knife, and then obeyed his commands with as much alacrity as if she had been his legal squaw.  The warrior then resumed his former position, placing the willow-withes which had bound him in such a manner as readily to appear, by the light of the fire, as if they were still holding him firm.

This arrangement had scarcely been made, when a couple of grim warriors appeared in the doorway, after listening to the report of the girls.  Peritana, closing her eyes, held her very breath, lest it should betray her presence to her people, and thus render all her bold efforts for him whose fame, beauty, and unfortunate position had won her heart, of no avail.  The young warrior, too, sat motionless as a statue, his keen ear listening for the sound of the girl’s breath.  To his admiration and infinite surprise, her respiration had apparently ceased.  The Sioux at this moment entered, and, glaring curiously at their enemy, as if satisfied with the survey they had taken, turned away and moved towards their wigwams.  Silence now gradually took the place of the activity and bustle which had previously reigned.  A sense of security lulled the Indians to rest.  Every one of their enemies, save the prisoner, had perished in the fight, or rather surprise, by which the victors had mastered their unarmed foes.  No thought was given to treachery within the camp.

Still, the young Assineboin knew that each moment he might be missed.  He therefore listened with deep attention for the slightest sound; and some quarter of an hour having passed, he rose from his half-recumbent posture, and stood perfectly erect in the very centre of the wigwam.  Peritana at the same instant stood at his side, coming from without:  she had left the wigwam with so noiseless a step, that even the exquisite organs of the Indian had been eluded.  Neither spoke, but the girl placed in the warrior’s hands a short rifle, a powder-horn, and a shot-pouch, which he clutched with a delight which a sense of the danger of his position alone prevented him from manifesting openly.  Slinging them in their proper places, Ah-kre-nay moved with caution to the door of the wigwam, and next moment was stalking firmly but noiselessly along the camp, followed by Peritana, gazing mournfully at the habitations of her tribe.  Suddenly, as they reached the outskirts of the wigwams, and were passing one of the largest and most conspicuous of the whole, a voice from within growled forth a hoarse demand of who was there?