rse　cry。　As　he　sat　in　the　sunshine　he　glistened　all　over；　like　an　Ethiop　besprent　with　silver；　for　his　dark　limbs　and　mighty　chest　had　been　oiled；　and　then　powdered　with　antimony。　Through　his　scalp　lock　was　stuck　an　eagle's　feather；　across　his　face；　from　temple　to　chin；　was　a　bar　of　red　paint；　the　eyes　above　were　very　bright　and　watchful；　but　we　upon　whom　that　scrutiny　was　bent　were　as　little　wont　as　he　to　let　our　faces　tell　our　minds。
  One　of　his　young　men　brought　a　great　pipe；　carved　and　painted；　stem　and　bowl；　an　old　man　filled　it　with　tobacco；　and　a　warrior　lit　it　and　bore　it　to　the　Emperor。　He　put　it　to　his　lips　and　smoked　in　silence；　while　the　sun　climbed　higher　and　higher；　and　the　golden　minutes　that　were　more　precious　than　heart's　blood　went　by；　at　once　too　slow；　too　swift。
  At　last；　his　part　in　the　solemn　mockery　played；　he　held　out　the　pipe　to　me。　〃The　sky　will　fall；　and　the　rivers　run　dry；　and　the　birds　cease　to　sing；〃　he　said；　〃before　the　smoke　of　the　calumet　fades　from　the　land。〃
  I　took　the　symbol　of　peace；　and　smoked　it　as　silently　and　soberly　…　ay；　and　as　slowly　…　as　he　had　done　before　me；　then　laid　it　leisurely　aside　and　held　out　my　hand。　〃My　eyes　have　been　holden；〃　I　told　him；　〃but　now　I　see　plainly　the　deep　graves　of　the　hatchets　and　the　drifting　of　the　peace　smoke　through　the　forest。　Let　Opechancanough　come　to　Jamestown　to　smoke　of　the　Englishman's　uppowoc；　and　to　receive　rich　presents；　…　a　red　robe　like　his　brother　Powhatan's；　and　a　cup　from　which　he　shall　drink；　he　and　all　his　people。〃
  He　laid　his　dark　fingers　in　mine　for　an　instant；　　withdrew　them；　and；　rising　to　his　feet；　motioned　to　three　Indians　who　stood　out　from　the　throng　of　warriors。　〃These　are　Captain　Percy's　guides　and　friends；〃　he　announced。　〃The　sun　is　high；　it　is　time　that　he　was　gone。　Here　are　presents　for　him　and　for　my　brother　the　Governor。〃　As　he　spoke；　he　took　from　his　neck　the　rope　of　pearls　and　from　his　arm　a　copper　bracelet；　and　laid　both　upon　my　palm。
  I　thrust　the　pearls　within　my　doublet；　and　slipped　the　bracelet　upon　my　wrist。　〃Thanks；　Opechancanough；〃　I　said　briefly。　〃When　we　meet　again　I　shall　not　greet　you　with　empty　thanks。〃
  By　this　all　the　folk　of　the　village　had　gathered　around　us；　and　now　the　drums　beat　again；　and　the　maidens　raised　a　wild　and　plaintive　song　of　farewell。　At　a　sign　from　the　werowance　men　and　women　formed　a　rude　procession；　and　followed　us；　who　were　to　go　upon　a　journey；　to　the　edge　of　the　village　where　the　marsh　began。　Only　the　dark　Emperor　and　the　old　men　stayed　behind；　sitting　and　standing　in　the　sunshine；　with　the　peace　pipe　lying　on　the　grass　at　their　feet；　and　the　wind　moving　the　branches　overhead。　I　looked　back　and　saw　them　thus；　and　wondered　idly　how　many　minutes　they　would　wait　before　putting　on　the　black　paint。　Of　Nantauquas　we　had　seen　nothing。　Either　he　had　gone　to　the　forest；　or　upon　some　pretense　he　kept　within　his　lodge。
  We　bade　farewell　to　the　noisy　throng　who　had　brought　us　upon　our　way；　and　went　down　to　the　river；　where　we　found　a　canoe　and　rowers；　crossed　the　stream；　and；　bidding　the　rowers　good…by；　entered　the　forest。　It　was　Wednesday　morning；　and　the　sun　was　two　hours　high。　Three　suns；　Nantauquas　had　said：　on　Friday；　then；　the　blow　would　fall。　Three　　days！　Once　at　Jamestown；　it　would　take　three　days　to　warn　each　lonely　scattered　settlement；　to　put　the　colony　into　any　posture　of　defense。　What　of　the　leagues　of　danger…haunted　forest　to　be　traversed　before　even　a　single　soul　of　the　three　thousand　could　be　warned？
  As　for　the　three　Indians；　…　who　had　their　orders　to　go　slowly；　who　at　any　suspicious　haste　or　question　or　anxiety　on　our　part　were　to　kill　us　whom　they　deemed　unarmed；　…　when　they　left　their　village　that　morning；　they　left　it　forever。　There　were　times　when　Diccon　and　I　had　no　need　of　speech；　but　knew　each　other's　mind　without；　so　now；　though　no　word　had　been　spoken；　we　were　agreed　to　set　upon　and　slay　our　guides　the　first　occasion　that　offered。
  CHAPTER　XXXIV　　IN　WHICH　THE　RACE　IS　NOT　TO　THE　SWIFT
  THE　three　Indians　of　whom　we　must　rid　ourselves　were　approved　warriors；　fierce　as　wolves；　cunning　as　foxes；　keen…eyed　as　hawks。　They　had　no　reason　to　doubt　us；　to　dream　that　we　would　turn　upon　them；　but　from　habit　they　watched　us；　with　tomahawk　and　knife　resting　lightly　in　their　belts。
  As　for　us；　we　walked　slowly；　smiled　freely；　and　spoke　frankly。　The　sunshine　streaming　down　in　the　spaces　where　the　trees　fell　away　was　not　brighter　than　our　mood。　Had　we　not　smoked　the　peace　pipe？　Were　we　not　on　our　way　home？　Diccon；　walking　behind　me；　fell　into　a　low…voiced　conversation　with　the　savage　who　strode　beside　him。　It　related　to　the　barter　for　a　dozen　otterskins　of　a　gun　which　he　had　at　Jamestown。　The　savage　was　to　bring　the　skins　to　Paspahegh　at　his　earliest　convenience；　and　Diccon　would　meet　him　there　and　give　him　the　gun；　provided　the　pelts　were　to　his　liking。　As　they　talked；　each；　in　his　mind's　eye；　saw　the　other　dead　before　him。　The　one　meant　to　possess　a　gun；　indeed；　but　he　thought　to　take　it　himself　from　the　munition　house　at　Jamestown；　the　other　knew　that　the　otter　which　died　not　until　this　Indian's　arrow　quivered　in　its　side　would　live　until　doomsday。　Yet　they　discussed　the　matter　gravely；　hedging　themselves　about　with　provisos；　and；　the　bargain　clinched；　walked　on　side　by　side　in　the　silence　of　a　perfect　and　all…comprehending　amity。
  The　sun　rode　higher　and　higher；　gilding　the　misty　green　of　the　budding　trees；　quickening　the　red　maple　bloom　into　fierce　scarlet；　throwing　lances　of　light　down　through　the　pine　branches　to　splinter　against　the　dark　earth　far　below。　For　an　hour　it　shone；　then　clouds　gathered　and　shut　it　from　sight。　The　forest　darkened；　and　the　wind　arose　with　a　shriek。　The　young　trees　cowered　before　the　blast；　the　strong　and　vigorous　beat　their　branches　together　with　a　groaning　sound；　the　old　and　worn　fell　crashing　to　the　earth。　Presently　the　rain　rushed　down；　slant　lines　of　silver　tearing　through　the　wood　with　the　sound　of　the　feet　of　an　army；　hail　followed；　a　torrent　of　ice　beating　and　bruising　all　tender　green　things　to　the　earth。　The　wind　took　the　multitudinous　sounds；　…　the　cries　of　frightened　birds；　the　creaking　trees；　the　snap　of　breaking　boughs；　the　crash　of　falling　giants；　the　rush　of　the　rain；　the　drumming　of　the　hail；　…　enwound　them　with　itself；　and　made　the　forest　like　a　great　shell　held　close　to　the　ear。
  There　was　no　house　to　flee　to；　so　long　as　we　could　face　the　hail　we　staggered　on；　heads　down；　buffeting　the　wind；　but　at　last；　the　fury　of　the　storm　increasing；　we　were　fain　to　throw　ourselves　upon　the　earth；　in　a　little　brake；　where　an　overhanging　bank　somewhat　broke　the　wind。　A　mighty　oak；　swaying　and　groaning　above　us；　might　fall　and　crush　us　like　eggshells；　but　if　we　went　on；　the　like　fate　might　meet　us　in　the　way。　Broken　and　withered　limbs；　driven　by　the　wind；　went　past　us　like　crooked　shadows；　it　grew　darker　and　darker；　and　the　air　was　deadly　cold。
  The　three　Indians　pressed　their　faces　against　the　ground；　they　dreamed　not　of　harm　from　us；　but　Okee　was　in　the　merciless　hail　and　the　first　thunder　of　the　　year；　now　pealing　through　the　wood。　Suddenly　Diccon　raised　himself　upon　his　elbow；　and　looked　across　at　me。　Our　eyes　had　no　sooner　met　than　his　hand　was　at　his　bosom。　The　savage　nearest　him；　feeling　the　movement；　as　it　were；　lifted　his　head　from　the　earth；　of　which　it　was　so　soon　to　become　a　part；　but　if　he　saw　the　knife；　he　saw　it　too　late。　The　blade；　driven　down　with　all　the　strength　of　a　desperate　man；　struck　home；　when　it　was　drawn　from　its　sheath　of　flesh；　there　remained　to　us　but　a　foe　apiece。
  In　the　instant　of　its　descent　I　had　thrown　myself　upon　the　Indian　nearest　me。　It　was　not　a　time　for　overniceness。　If　I　could　have　done　so；　I　would　have　struck　him　in　the　back　while　he　thought　no　harm；　as　it　was；　some　subtle　instinct　warning　him；　he　whirled　himself　over　in　time　to　strike　up　my　hand　and　to　clench　with　me。　He　was　very　strong；　and　his　naked　body；　wet　with　rain；　slipped　like　a　snake　from　my　hold。　Over　and　over　we　rolled　on　the　rain…soaked　moss　and　rotted　leaves　and　cold　black　earth；　the　hail　blinding　us；　and　the　wind　shrieking　like　a　thousand　watching　demons。　He　strove　to　reach　the　knife　within　his　belt；　I；　to　prevent　him；　and　to　strike　deep　with　the　knife　I　yet　held。
  At　last　I　did　so。　Blood　gushed　over　my　hand　and　wrist；　the　clutch　upon　my　arm　relaxed；　the　head　fell　back。　The　dying　eyes　glared　into　mine；　then　the　lids　shut　forever　upon　that　unquenchable　hatred。　I　staggered　to　my　feet　and　turned；　to　find　that　Diccon　had　given　account　of　the　third　Indian。
  We　stood　up　in　the　hail　and　the　wind；　and　looked　at　the　dead　men　at　our　feet。　Then；　without　speaking；　we　went　our　way　through　the　tossing　forest；　with　the　hailstones　coming　thick　against　us；　and　the　wind　a　　strong　hand　to　push　us　back。　When　we　came　to　a　little　trickling　spring；　we　knelt　and　washed　our　hands。
  The　hail　ceased；　but　the　rain　fell　and　the　wind　blew　throughout　the　morning。　We　made　what　speed　we　could　over　the　boggy　earth　against　the　storm；　but　we　knew　that　we　were　measuring　miles　where　we　should　have　measured　leagues。　There　was　no　breath　to　waste　in　words；　and　thought　was　a　burden　quite　intolerable；　it　was　enough　to　stumble　on　through　the　partial　lig