Opechancanough
is at hand; he comes through the forest with his two hundred
warriors that are as tall as Susquehannocks, and as brave as the
children of Wahunsonacock. He comes to the temples to pray to
Kiwassa for a great hunting. Will you, when you lie at his feet, that
he ask you, 'Where is the friend of my friend, of my war chief, of
the Panther who is one with me again?' "
There came a long, deep breath from the Indians, then a silence, in
which they fell back, slowly and sullenly; whipped hounds, but
with the will to break that leash of fear.
"Hark!" said Nantauquas, smiling. "I hear Opechancanough and his
warriors coming over the leaves."
The noise of many footsteps was indeed audible, coming toward
the hollow from the woods beyond. With a burst of cries, the
priests and the conjurer whirled away to bear the welcome of Okee
to the royal worshiper, and at their heels went the chief men of the
Pamunkeys. The werowance of the Paspaheghs was one that sailed
with the wind; he listened to the deepening sound, and glanced at
the son of Powhatan where he stood, calm and confident, then
smoothed his own countenance and made a most pacific speech, in
which all the blame of the late proceedings was laid upon the
singing birds. When he had done speaking, the young men tore the
stakes from the earth and threw them into a thicket, while the
women plucked apart the newly kindled fire and flung the brands
into a little near-by stream, where they went out in a cloud of
hissing steam.
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