She drew sharply
away and said something in tones that had a plainly resentful ring.
It was, "That is mine." I determined not to be discouraged and
made another try. Stretched on a frame to dry was a very pretty
deer-skin and I had George ask if I might have that. That seemed
to appeal to them as a not unreasonable request, and they suggested
that I should take one already dressed. The woman who had wanted
my sweater went into the wigwam and brought out one. It was very
pretty and beautifully soft and white on the inside. She again
pleaded for the sweater, and as I could not grant her request I
handed her back the skin; but she bade me keep it. They gave
George a piece of deer-skin dressed without the hair, "to line a
pair of mits," they said.
As they stood about during the last few minutes of our stay, the
chief's arm was thrown across his little daughter's shoulders as
she leaned confidingly against him. While the parting words were
being exchanged he was engaged in a somewhat absent-minded but none
the less successful, examination of her head. Many of the others
were similarly occupied. There was no evidence of their being
conscious that there was anything extraordinary in what they were
doing, nor any attempt at concealing it.
Pages:
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225