Hard-Heart drew nigh, until he found
himself at a distance equally suited to advance or to retreat, and, in
his turn, he came to a stand, keeping his glowing eye riveted on that
of his enemy. A long and grave pause succeeded this movement, during
which these two distinguished braves, who were now, for the first
time, confronted, with arms in their hands, sat regarding each other,
like warriors who knew how to value the merits of a gallant foe,
however hated. But the mien of Mahtoree was far less stern and warlike
than that of the partisan of the Loups. Throwing his shield over his
shoulder, as if to invite the confidence of the other, he made a
gesture of salutation and was the first to speak.
"Let the Pawnees go upon the hills," he said, "and look from the
morning to the evening sun, from the country of snows to the land of
many flowers, and they will see that the earth is very large. Why
cannot the Red-men find room on it for all their villages?"
"Has the Teton ever known a warrior of the Loups come to his towns to
beg a place for his lodge?" returned the young brave, with a look in
which pride and contempt were not attempted to be concealed, "when the
Pawnees hunt, do they send runners to ask Mahtoree if there are no
Siouxes on the prairies?"
"When there is hunger in the lodge of a warrior, he looks for the
buffaloe, which is given him for food," the Teton continued,
struggling to keep down the ire excited by the other's scorn.
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