Prev | Current Page 585 | Next

Cooper, James Fenimore, 1789-1851

"Oak Openings"

Either on account
of his greater familiarity with le Bourdon's habits, or because he
was in the secret of the trick of the whiskey-spring, or from a
closer knowledge of white men and their ways, this young Indian was
freer from apprehensions of this nature, perhaps, than any one of
the same color and origin within many miles of the spot. In a word,
Pigeons-wing regarded the bee-hunter as his friend, while he looked
upon the other pale-faces as so many persons thrown by accident in
his company. Now that Margery had actually become his friend's
squaw, his interest in her was somewhat increased; though she had
never obtained that interest in his feelings that she had awakened
in the breast of Peter, by her attentions to him, her gentleness,
light-hearted gayety, and womanly care, and all without the least
design on her own part.
"No," answered the Chippewa, after a moment's reflection, "no very
safe for Yankee, or Yankee Injin. Don't t'ink my scalp very safe, if
chief know'd I'm Yankee runner. Bess alway to keep scalp safe. Dem
Pottawattamie I take care not to see. Know all about 'em, too. Know
what he SAY--know what he DO--b'lieve I know what he T'INK.


Pages:
573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597