But it
was not to shed the heart's blood of the Mohawk girl, but to severe the
thongs that bound her to the deadly stake, for which that glittering blade
was drawn, and to bid her depart in peace whithersoever she would go.
Then, turning to the Bald Eagle, she thus addressed him: "At the dead of
night, when the path of light spanned the sky, a vision stood before mine
eyes. It came from the Great and Good Spirit, and bade me to set free the
last of a murdered race whose sun had gone down in blood shed by my hand
and by the hands of my people. The vision told me that if I did this my
path should henceforth be peace, and that I should go to the better land
and be at rest if I did this good deed." She then laid her hands on the
head of the young Mohawk, blessed her, and enveloping herself in the dark
mantle, slowly retired back to her solitary tent once more.
CHAPTER XVI.
"Hame, hame, hame,
Hame I soon shall be,
Hame, hame, hame,
In mine own countrie."--_Scotch Ballad._
Old Jacob and Catharine, who had been mute spectators of the scene so full
of interest to them, now presented themselves before the Ojebwa chief, and
besought leave to depart.
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