"Why, I thought if you were to see Oluski, perhaps you might talk him into letting me have the ground. I've set my mind on it; and I wouldn't care if it cost me a good round sum. I'll pay you well for any trouble you may take in helping me." Elias Rody had but one estimation of his fellow man, and that was, that every one has his price. In the present instance he was mistaken. "It won't do, governor; it won't do," said Carrol, shaking his head. "I see now, plain as can be, what you're after; but I won't help you in it. If you wants the property, and Oluski won't let you have it, then the Injun's got his own reasons, and it ain't for me to try and change 'em. Besides," added he, "I don't like the job; so no offence meant, but I must say now--and I says it once and for all. Is that all you've got to say to me?" The governor bit his lips with vexation; but, possessing a wonderful command over his temper, he merely inquired what his son had said about Nelatu. "Well, sir, he didn't say much about anything special, except to ask me to look after the Injun lad, and see to his wounds. I did that in first-class style, and, as I told you before, _he's_ all right. Your son has been down every day to see my patient, as the doctor chaps calls them they physics. He 'peared mighty anxious to know how it was that he had come over to this part of the country alone, and where was the young girl, his sister." "Ah! so he was inquiring about her, was he?" exclaimed Rody, rising, and pacing the hut with restless steps. He was glad of a pretext for his rage. The backwoodsman uttered a prolonged whistle. Suddenly pausing in his impatient strides, the governor faced towards him. "So he was anxious about her, was he?" Elias Rody was evidently out of temper, and not now afraid to show it. But Carrol was not exactly the person to care much about this. "He was," was his cool answer; "but I don't know how I've got anything to do with it, except to tell him, and you, too, for the matter of that, that the red man has his rights and feelings. Yes, and they're both worth considerin' as much as if they war pale-faces like ourselves." "And why to me, sir?" asked the governor. "Well, just because I ain't afraid to say to your face what I'd say behind your back, and that is, that your son had better stop thinking about that gurl, Sansuta, as soon as may be, and that you'd best see to it afore worse happens." A very outspoken man was the backwoodsman, and Elias Rody was sorry now for having visited him. Before he could recover from his surprise, Carrol returned speech. "There ain't no good, governor, in mincing matters. Last year, when Oluski war here, your son war always prowlin' 'bout the Injun encampment, and down in the grove war thar gurl used to be. He war always a talkin' to the chief's darter, and making presents to her. I know what I seed, and it warn't jest the thing."