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Uncle Donald then told him that although he had come as an enemy he should be well cared for.
In a short time the judicious treatment he was receiving enabled him to utter a few words. He seemed grateful for the care taken of him, and his eyes brightened when my young sisters and Rose brought him the soup, which he received almost every hour. He especially noticed Rose, and when Uncle Donald came to see him, inquired, in a tone of evident interest, who she was.
You are right if you think you remember her, for she is the little girl you saved when your people attacked the village in the territory of the Long-knives some years ago, answered Uncle Donald.
Will you now let me take her back? asked Ponoko.
Do you think it likely that I should consent? said Uncle Donald. Her ways are not the ways of your people. She would pine and die were she to be treated as your women are treated.
But there is one who has long lived with us whose heart would be rejoiced to see her, said Ponoko. You may remember when I parted from you I promised to try and save the lives of any of our pale-faced prisoners. I succeeded in saving that of one man just as he was about to be tortured and killed, but it was on condition that he would swear to remain with us, and never betray us to our enemies. He was a great hunter, and brave as the bravest among us. He also, we found, was not one of the Long-knives, but was a subject of the Queen of the Pale-faces. He has kept his promise, though he might often have made his escape. He had been many months with us, before I found how sorely his heart yearned to get away, and I would have set him free, but the other chiefs would not consent. He looked upon me as his friend. He told me that his child and all his household had died by the hands of our people, except his wife, who was away in one of the big cities in the east at the time we attacked the place. I was thus led to tell him of the little girl I had saved and given over to you, and he has ever since been hoping that she might prove to be one of his children. He has hoped and hoped until he has persuaded himself that such she is. Thus I know how it would rejoice his heart to see her.
I have strong doubts about that, answered Uncle Donald. He would rejoice to see her, but not to have her among your people, from whom she differs so greatly. The only way truly to benefit him would be to set him at liberty and allow him to return among the Pale-faces to whom he belongs.
But how can that be while I am sick and a prisoner with you? asked Ponoko.
Youll recover, I hope, ere long, and as you have fulfilled your promise on one occasion, I feel confident that you will not disappoint us if we set you at
liberty on your undertaking to restore this white stranger to his people.
Ponoko always keeps his word, answered the Indian in a proud tone.
But should the Blackfeet, in the meantime, attack us, we may be destroyed, and they may take you away with them, observed Uncle Donald.
If my people come, you shall carry me out on a litter; I will tell them how well the Pale-faces have treated me, and will urge them, instead of fighting, to make a lasting peace with my white father and his friends, said Ponoko.
I will trust you, my brother, said Uncle Donald, pressing Ponokos hand. I pray that you may soon be restored to health, and that you will teach your people that it is to their true interests to be at peace with the white men, and to trade honestly with them.
Chapter Fifteen. A Happy Ending
At length, as the Blackfeet had not shown themselves, we began to hope that they would allow us to remain at peace, and Uncle Donald already talked of returning home. He proposed that my mother and father and the rest of the family should accompany him, but my father replied that nothing should induce him to quit his post, unless driven away by the savages, and that he would then retire, with his converts, to some spot among more friendly tribes further north.
Among others signs of returning spring was the appearance of a herd of buffalo passing in the far distance, and as our provisions were again running short, Uncle Donald was compelled to allow the hunters to set off for the purpose of killing some of the animals. Hugh and I wanted to accompany them, but he would only allow Pierre, and Corney, and four of the most active red men to go on the expedition.
As soon as they set out, he sent off Red Squirrel to try and ascertain the whereabouts of the Blackfeet camp, with directions to come back should he discover that they were on the move.
We waited day after day for Red Squirrels expected return, but he did not appear, and we began to have serious apprehensions that he had been captured.