None go out on the war-path but they who are gifted with the
qualities of a brave, and therefore such see many battles."
"It is not so--my father is mistaken," returned Mahtoree, indulging in
a smile of exulting penetration, at the very instant he corrected the
force of his denial, in deference to the years and services of one so
aged. "The Big-knives are very wise, and they are men; all of them
would be warriors. They would leave the Red-skins to dig roots and hoe
the corn. But a Dahcotah is not born to live like a woman; he must
strike the Pawnee and the Omahaw, or he will lose the name of his
fathers."
"The Master of Life looks with an open eye on his children, who die in
a battle that is fought for the right; but he is blind, and his ears
are shut to the cries of an Indian, who is killed when plundering, or
doing evil to his neighbour."
"My father is old," said Mahtoree, looking at his aged companion, with
an expression of irony, that sufficiently denoted he was one of those
who overstep the trammels of education, and who are perhaps a little
given to abuse the mental liberty they thus obtain.
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