, all of which had in
their time done good service, was suspended the mysterious and sacred medicine
bag. It was highly wrought in wampum, and profusely ornamented, with beads, and
porcupine's quills, after the most cunning devices of Indian ingenuity. The
peculiar freedom of Mahtoree's religious creed, has been more than once
intimated, and by a singular species of contradiction he appeared to have
lavished his attentions on this emblem of a supernatural agency, in a degree
that was precisely inverse to his faith. It was merely the manner in which the
Sioux imitated the well known expedient of the Pharisees in order that they
might be seen of men.
    The tent had not, however, been entered by its owner since his return from
the recent expedition. As the reader has already anticipated it had been made
the prison of Inez and Ellen. The bride of Middleton was seated on a simple
couch of sweet scented herbs, covered with skins. She had already suffered so
much, and witnessed so many wild and unlooked for events, within the short space
of her captivity, that every additional misfortune fell with a diminished force
on her, seemingly, devoted head. Her cheeks were bloodless, her dark, and
usually animated eye, was contracted in an expression of settled concern and her
form appeared shrinking and sensitive, nearly to extinction. But in the midst of
these evidences of natural weakness, there were at times such an air of pious
resignation, such gleams of meek but holy hope, lighting her countenance, as
might well have rendered it a question whether the hapless captive was most a
subject of pity, or of admiration. All the precepts of Father Ignatius were
riveted in her faithful memory, and not a few of his pious visions were floating
before her imagination. Sustained by so sacred resolutions, the mild, the
patient, and the confiding girl was bowing her head to this new stroke of
Providence with the same sort of meekness as she would have submitted to any
other prescribed penitence for her sins, though nature, at moments, warred
powerfully, with so compelled a humility.
    On the other hand, Ellen had exhibited far more of the woman, and
consequently of the passions of the world. She had wept until her eyes were
swollen and red. Her cheeks were flushed and angry, and her whole mien was
distinguished by an air of spirit and resentment that was not a little, however,
qualified by apprehensions for the future. In short there was that about the
eye, and step of the betrothed of Paul, which gave a warranty, that should
happier times arrive,