While they thus sat conversing in a strain of confidence and tenderness, which the immediate trials to which they were about to be exposed rendered, more exquisitely keen, Mr. McKenzie and Winnebeg entered unannounced. At the sight of Captain Headley, hand in hand with his wife, who sat upon his knee, the former would have retired, but Mrs. Headley, without at all displacing herself or affecting a confusion she did not feel, begged him to remain, adding that, as she supposed Winnebeg and himself had important business with Captain Headley, she would retire into the adjoining room. She rose slowly and majestically, bowed gracefully to the trader, and took the hand of the chief, who as heartily returned the warm pressure she gave it. "God bless him squaw!" he said, feelingly; "Winnebeg always love him. Lay down life for him." "Thank you, good Winnebeg," returned Mrs. Headley, warmly, while a faint smile played upon her features; "I am sure you would do that, but let us hope it will never come to the trial." "Hope so," returned the chief, as he shook his head gravely, and followed with a mournful glance the receding form of the noble-minded woman. "Captain Headley," remarked Mr. McKenzie with severity, when the door was closed on her, "I am come to use strong language to you, but the occasion justifies it. If you do not rescind your promise of powder to the Indians, the blood of your wife, of my daughter--of every woman and child--of every individual in the garrison, be upon your head! Sir, you will be a murderer, and without the poor excuse of even being compelled to pursue the course you have. Was it not enough to promise them the public stores, without exciting their cupidity still further? Did you not hear the insolent Pee-to-tum declare that not only he would have all the ardent spirit as well, and not merely that, but what was contained in my cellar? When men--and Indians, in particular--use such language, do you think it prudent to put the means of our certain destruction in their hands? Do you think it likely that, when once they have drained to repletion of the maddening liquor, they will hesitate as to the manner of disposing of the powder so recklessly, nay, so guiltily, given to them? No, sir; let those articles be theirs, and we are lost, irrevocably lost! Speak, Winnebeg--you hear--you understand all I say--am I right?" "Yes, Kenzie right," returned the chief; "sorry give him powder--young warrior not obey Winnebeg--Pee-to-tum bad man--make him wicked:--no give him powder, Gubbernor!" All the extent of the indiscretion of which he had been guilty now, for the first time, occurred to Captain Headley, and he could not but agree with the trader, that the results he foretold were those the most likely to follow the distribution.