She listened
to nothing but her own voice, and consequently nothing was heard but
her mandates to depart.
The squatter had collected his beasts and loaded his wagons, as a
measure of precaution, before proceeding to the extremity he
contemplated. Esther consequently found every thing favourable to her
wishes. The young men stared at each other, as they witnessed the
extraordinary excitement of their mother, but took little interest in
an event which, in the course of their experience, had found so many
parallels. By command of their father, the tents were thrown into the
vehicles, as a sort of reprisal for the want of faith in their late
ally, and then the train left the spot, in its usual listless and
sluggish order.
As a formidable division of well-armed borderers protected the rear of
the retiring party, the Siouxes saw it depart without manifesting the
smallest evidence of surprise or resentment. The savage, like the
tiger, rarely makes his attack on an enemy who expects him; and if the
warriors of the Tetons meditated any hostility, it was in the still
and patient manner with which the feline beasts watch for the
incautious moment, in order to ensure the blow.
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