I turned to the Indian who had wrought this miracle. "Art sure it is
not a dream, Nantauquas?" I said. "I think that Opechancanough
would not lift a finger to save me from all the deaths the tribes
could invent."
"Opechancanough is very wise," he answered quietly. "He says that
now the English will believe in his love indeed when they see that
he holds dear even one who might be called his enemy, who hath
spoken against him at the Englishmen's council fire. He says that
for five suns Captain Percy shall feast with Opechancanough, and
that then he shall be sent back free to Jamestown. He thinks that
then Captain Percy will not speak against him any more, calling
his love to the white men only words with no good deeds behind."
He spoke simply, out of the nobility of his nature, believing his
own speech. I that was older, and had more knowledge of men and
the masks that they wear, was but half deceived. My belief in the
hatred of the dark Emperor was not shaken, and I looked yet to
find the drop of poison within this honey flower. How poisoned
was that bloom God knows I could not guess!
"When you were missed, three suns ago," Nantauquas went on, "I
and my brother tracked you to the hut beside the forest, where we
found only the dead panther. There we struck the trail of the
Paspaheghs; but presently we came to running water, and the trail
was gone.
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