I stood for a moment and looked at the garrison. The moon had crept
high and the place was very still. We were safe for the night. I lit
my pipe, and the smoke that spiraled above me did not seem more filmy
than the chance that had saved us. I suddenly shivered. But we were
safe. I gave the troops the signal to disband.
I stopped for a moment at Cadillac's door. "Sleep well," I said, with
my hand on his; "we have bridged to-night. Now for the council
tomorrow."
CHAPTER XXVII
IN COUNCIL
The next morning showed the face of War without her mask. The Indians
sat in open council, and the tom-toms sounded from lodge to lodge. In
the Huron camp there were council rings of the women; it was a tribal
crisis and was met by a frenzy of speech-making. As a rival interest
Singing Arrow's wedding made little stir.
I went to the wedding and saw Pierre the savage transformed into Pierre
the citizen, the yoke-bearer. I feared the transformation was not
final. Yet I could never read my giant. There were unexpected ridges
of principle in the general slough of his makeup and perhaps the Indian
girl was resting on one of them.
The woman came to the wedding, Starling with her.
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