The Land Claim — page 82: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Se 78 THE LAND-CLAIM. “Take care, Mauvais! An Omaha never forgives,” said Ka-shaw with a warning calmness in her voice. “ Omaha!” ejaculated the frantic man. ‘ What do I care for your whole beastly tribe? Beggars, thieves and murderers, all of you !” The words were scarcely out of his mouth before the gleam of a knife flashed before his eyes. It descended upon his shoulder, inflicting a deep flesh wound. Maddeéned by the pain, and invested with more than ordinary strength, the tra- der succeeded in snatching the knife, stained with his own blood, from the strong grasp of the squaw, and plunged it in her side. She fell heavily to the floor, dragging him with her in her fall. “ Poor Ka-shaw !” said Mauvais, raising himself on one knee and looking at his victim, “ I believe I have killed you indeed.” His shouts gathered the people of the post about him, who, knowing the overbearing nature of one, and the violent temper of the other, were not in the least surprised at the revolting tragedy, though the Indians muttered threateningly among themselves. “JT can’t wait long on this scratch,” said Mauvais to the post surgeon who dressed his wound. “I must go up to the Reserve, and explain ‘his business to the Indians, or they’ll be sending after my scalp.” “ You will add a salve of a few hundred dollars to each of the chiefs’ national feelings too, I suppose ?” “ Dieu, yes! They'll make me pay well for it. I’m sorry I killed the squaw, for I don’t like blood; but there is no doubt she poisoned Miss Newcome, and she might have done the same for me, seeing that Miss Newcome escaped dying. I’m going to quit this Indian life; I’m sick of it conmicldooks.con