THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 333 



wrist of the savage in his right hand, and with his 

 left clutched his throat. For a moment the Indian 

 struggled, glared at him with an expression of in- 

 veterate hate, and then his breath left him, his 

 features became distorted, and he let the knife fall. 

 The next instant it glittered in the hand of Hodges, 

 and the Indian lay defenceless, his antagonist's knee 

 on his breast, awaiting, with set teeth and staring 

 eyes, the death which he deemed inevitable. During 

 one second, the young man appeared to hesitate; 

 then he sprang to his feet. 



" Go," said he ; "I will not sully myself with 

 your blood." 



" My young brother is really a friend of the red 

 men," said a voice behind him. 



Hodges turned, and beheld another Indian, a 

 scalping-knife in his hand, which he seemed about 

 to plunge into his back. Springing on one side, he 

 confronted this new foe. 



" My brother need not fear," said the second 

 Indian, behind whom the other had now retreated, 

 not unlike a dog, who, feeling himself guilty of a 

 misdeed, creeps, with tail between his legs, behind 

 the back of his master. The new-comer surveyed 

 him with a severe glance. 



" Milimach," said he, " would have taken a scalp 

 from a sleeping man, but he has to thank the white 

 youth that his own is still upon his head. Milimach 

 has disobeyed the Miko." 



