The Raven, however, felt certain that help was at hand. He and his
friends, who knew Mr. Hardy, were alone of the tribe convinced that
a pursuit would be attempted. The fact that no such attempt to
penetrate into the heart of the Indian country had ever been made
had lulled the rest into a feeling of absolute security. The Raven,
indeed, calculated that the pursuers must now be close at hand, and
that either on that night or the next they would probably enter the
gorge and make the attack.
The result of the council was that he left his friends and walked
in a leisurely way back to his own hut, taking no notice of the
hostile glances which some of the more violent of the Stag's
supporters cast toward him.
On his entrance he was welcomed by his wife, a young girl whom he
had only married since his return from the expedition, and to whom,
from what he had learned of the position of women among the whites,
he allowed more freedom of speech and action than are usually
permitted to Indian women. She had been one of the small group who
had pitied the white girl.
"The Raven is a great chief," she said proudly; "he has done well.
The Mouse trembled, but she was glad to see her lord stand forth.
The Stag will strike, though," she added anxiously.
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