"Never!" cried Grace, springing to her feet. "I doubt not that you have told many lies to account for my disappearance, since you dragged me from my home by your baseness. You are false enough to make war against your own people, but I do not fear you, no matter what you threaten. Kill me, if you will, and release me from my misery!" "I've a mind to take you at your word!" cried Walden, seizing the girl by the wrist and raising his knife as if to strike. The maiden never flinched; but at that moment an Indian youth sprang into the lodge and threw himself between the renegade and the girl. "White man no strike the white flower!" he cried. "Who are you?" growled the man, looking fixedly at the youth. "Me Young Elk. Me live far off, me come to village, me have friend." "Well, Mr. Young Elk, this is my squaw, and you will take yourself off and mind your----" "Paleface lie! The white flower is not his squaw!" the young Indian replied. "Get out of here!" hissed the renegade. "No! Young Elk stay. White flower need friend. Me be her friend." "Blame you!" hissed Walden. "We'll see if any mere boy can defy me! Out of the way, dog!" "No," said the Indian. "Not while white flower stay. Young Elk be friend to white woman; bad paleface shall not strike." "Thank you, my friend, but I fear him not," said Grace. "I will conquer you yet!" hissed the renegade, as he rushed from the lodge, the Indian boy having stepped aside. As soon as Walden had gone, Grace left the lodge and hurried into the forest, where she ran on till she reached a pool of water which made its way swiftly into a cave amid the great ledges of rock. The spot was at some distance from the village, the trees grew thick and high, and the path between them was narrow and winding, and easily lost; but the girl had evidently been there before, for when she reached the opening in front of the pool she looked around her with an air of security. Walden, leaving the lodge, went to the chiefs, whom he found gathered in council. "Who is Young Elk?" demanded Walden. "He is my kinsman," said one of the chiefs. "He is a meddler!" snarled the renegade. "I will kill him if he does not take care!" "No, False Heart will not!" cried the old chief. "False Heart lies, he has told crooked tales of the paleface, he is a bad man. He would make us go on the warpath when the whites have not wronged us. It is he who will have to take care lest Young Elk kill him!" Inflamed with rage, Walden left the council and hurried into the forest. As he hurried along the narrow path he was followed by Young Elk. Reaching the opening, Walden found Grace upon her knees at the edge of the pool. "I cannot bear to leave this bright world," she murmured, "but I could not bear the disgrace, the shame of being that man's wife! Oh! why is there no one to help me?" "Die, if you will have it so!" cried the renegade, raising his hand to strike.