The young lady gradually recovered: her spirits were calmed, and order was re-established in her ideas. The advice given her that very day by Black Elk then naturally recurred to her mind; she deemed the moment was coming for claiming the execution of his promise, and she made a sign to the doctor to approach her. "My dear doctor," she said, in a sweet but weak voice, "are you willing to render me a great service?" "Dispose of me as you please, señorita." "Do you know a trapper named Black Elk?" "Yes; he has a hut not a great way from us, near a beaver pond." "That is the person, my good doctor. Well, as soon as it is light, you must go to him from me." "For what purpose, señorita?" "Because I ask you," she said, in a calm tone. "Oh! then you may be at ease; I will go," he replied. "Thank you, doctor." "What shall I say to him?" "You will give him an account of what has taken place here tonight." "The deuce!" "And then you will add--retain my exact words, you must repeat them to him to the very letter." "I listen with all my ears, and will engrave them on my memory." "Black Elk, the hour is come! You understand that, do you not?" "Perfectly, señorita." "You swear to do what I ask of you?" "I swear it," he said, in a solemn voice. "At sunrise, I will go to the trapper; I will give him an account of the events of the night, and will add--Black Elk, the hour is come. Is that all you desire of me?" "Yes, all, my kind doctor." "Well, then, now endeavour to get a little sleep, señorita; I swear to you by my honour, that what you wish shall be done." "Again, thank you!" the young girl murmured, with a sweet smile, and pressing his hand. Then, quite broken down by the terrible emotions of the night, she sank back upon her bed, where she soon fell into a calm, refreshing sleep. At daybreak, in spite of the observations of the general, who in vain endeavoured to prevent his leaving the camp, by presenting to him all the dangers he was needlessly going to expose himself to, the worthy doctor who had shaken his head at all that his friend said to him, persisted, without giving any reason, in his project of going out, and set off down the hill at a sharp trot. When once in the forest, he put spurs to his horse, and galloped at best speed towards the hut of Black Elk. CHAPTER XVII. EAGLE HEAD. Eagle Head was a chief as prudent as he was determined; he knew he had everything to fear from the Americans, if he did not succeed in completely concealing his trail. Hence, after the surprise he had effected against the new establishment of the whites, upon the banks of the great Canadian river, he neglected nothing to secure his troop from the terrible reprisals which threatened them. It is scarcely possible to form an idea of the talent displayed by the Indians when the object is to conceal their trail.