They all stared at the fire around
which we sat, and the silence was unbroken. One by one, as the
pipes were smoked, they laid themselves down upon the brown
leaves and went to sleep, only our two guardians and a third Indian
over against us remaining wide-eyed and watchful.
There was no hope of escape, and we entertained no thought of it.
Diccon sat, biting his nails, staring into the fire, and I stretched
myself out, and burying my head in my arms tried to sleep, but
could not.
With the midday we were afoot again, and we went steadily on
through the bright afternoon. We met with no harsh treatment
other than our bonds. Instead, when our captors spoke to us, it was
with words of amity and smiling lips. Who accounteth for Indian
fashions? It is a way they have, to flatter and caress the wretch for
whom have been provided the torments of the damned. If, when at
sunset we halted for supper and gathered around the fire, the
werowance began to tell of a foray I had led against the
Paspaheghs years before, and if he and his warriors, for all the
world like generous foes, loudly applauded some daring that had
accompanied that raid, none the less did the red stake wait for us;
none the less would they strive, as for heaven, to wring from us
groans and cries.
The sun sank, and the darkness entered the forest.
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